I was watching TV a few nights ago when I came across a very cute, clever advert that has since been passed around dna. The new Elastoplast advert features a childish animation style, built from plasters, and uses a voiceover of a young boy telling the story of how he hurt his knee.
Elastoplast have advertised in the past, mainly for their innovative new products and to keep a strong market share (in 2006 Elastoplast held 47% market share), but this advert stands out so much due to the simplicity of it, driven by great planning and strong creativity from TBWA. Throughout the first 25 seconds or so, I had no idea on how the TV ad would come together to make sense. I wasn’t even sure if people would realise it was advertising plasters! However, at the adverts conclusion, the boy recalls that the giraffe bumped his knee and he needed a plaster – the tagline is unveiled (‘Every Elastoplast tells a story’). The entire advert and branding beautifully come to life and flood emotion between you and the product (even though effectively Elastoplast is a plaster, and an expensive plaster at that, compared to competitors). Appealing to both parents – relating the story to their own children – and to children, due to the quirky animation and use of a funny story. Furthermore, it is a prime example of how brilliant effective adverts can be created with minimum expense!
Further research shows this advert was a viral in 2008/2009, before being released as a TV ad this year. Elastoplast has created promotional ties with the campaign. Check out their website here. http://www.elastoplast.co.uk/
Children’s author Michael Morpurgo has scripted an animated promotional film featuring Tom Daley, Phillips Idowu and Ellie Simmonds. Olympic organisers have stepped up attempts to generate £1bn in merchandising revenues by launching a flagship store at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and unveiling an animated film featuring the 2012 mascots and a string of Team GB athletes. Committee chairman Lord Coe said: “The film and new website games will continue to engage young people digitally, whilst the mascots continue to visit schools and communities across the UK in the run up to the Games.” Article from guardian.co.uk – read more *** See the video here ***
I personally prefer the stylised and polished look of the much shorter ‘The Best of Us (IOC animation)‘ from 2010 – but each to their own. It’s definitely worth a watch.
After the recent completion of the Rowcroft Sleep Walk website and the application of the cosy, pajama fabric textures throughout the supporting imagery, we’ve spotted similar styles trending all over the shop. With a nod to the fantastic Pixels short, here’s our favorite example, both within the charming game itself and in the accompanying trailer for Kirby’s Epic Yarn…
Another upcoming fabric styled example is Little Big Planet 2. The Comfort ads are well worth a mention too!
I saw these ads for Duracell Ultra a while back and just thought the art direction was fantastic – I’m sure you’ve all seen them by now but hey-ho. They were created by advertising agency: Ogilvy, Paris, France and support the television ad (directed by Pleix and Digital District), below. Check out a brief Q&A about the making of the ad here.
Take a look at this fantastic and award winning 10 minute animation from Tiny Inventions. ‘Something Left, Something Taken’ is a charming and beautifully animated dark comedy about a vacationing couple’s encounter with a man they believe to be the Zodiac Killer. Using After Effects, Stop-Motion, Pixilation, Drawn on Paper, Flash and Live Action puppets, the result is a mixed media triumph in which you’re never quite sure of the techniques used to bring the scenes to life. Thankfully, Tiny Inventions has generously posted an extremely extensive ‘making of’ detailing almost every part of the production process and pulling back the curtain with in-depth tutorials. The efforts and creative talent that went into the production are equally as fascinating as the animation itself – be sure to check it out.
We all believe that computer gaming over the past few years has become more interactive. To date, most of the ‘so called’ interactive games, still put you as another character within the game, such as ‘Drake’ in Uncharted (PS3). However, you are never actually yourself within the game. But surely, the whole point of interaction, is the ability to truly interact with the environment and the character/s within that environment and that they can react with you. I’m not talking about wearing a headset, or some eyewear trickery. What I’m talking about is the next generation of gaming, where you can talk to characters, show facial expressions and build a relationship with a character through the TV/Computer screen. You will have the ability to have conversations and truly interact with their environment in ways that you thought would never be possible. Anyway, enough of me waffling on, take a look for yourself – be prepared to be blown away – I was.
Article by Paul Mabin – Creative Director / Managing Director
It would seem that more than ever, designers, animators and filmmakers are using text within a real-world context. The release of Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell: Conviction saw the visual feature of mission objective reminders being projected into the environment, mapped over 3D space. The result is quite striking within gameplay and not only creates a unique visual style but as they are never part of a HUD, gameplay is that much more organic and free flowing – see the Developer Diary. Another nice example of a similar technique was used in CodeMaster’s GRID – which placed text into the world as lit and rendered 3D objects, allowing the player spin and pivot the camera around it in menu navigation and replays.
These techniques have been used for years within film title sequences, but there appears to be a growing trend to integrate them into the main viewing/user experience itself, which I for one am a fan of but only when used sparingly and most importantly, appropriately. David Fincher’s Panic Room title sequence is frequently noted as the first example of genuine 3D text in the real world, but I would like highlight a recent addition to the list… Zombieland. In this instance, the comedy horror was enhanced by the integration of its trademark rules being animated in-scene. They create laughs through comic timing and use this visual reinforcement to push rules such as ‘#2 Double Tap’ not only into the annals of cult film quotations but into the urban dictionary. Zombieland works because it pokes fun at itself, it breaks the 4th wall and has post-modern winks – feeling just as much like you’re racking up hi-scores in a video game as enjoying a passive cinematic experience. It’ll be interesting how many more films attempt to use environmental typography as a gimmick in a similar way, see: (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) before it gets tired. Enough talk, let’s watch;
When First DataBank came to DNA with their brief for a corporate DVD presentation to be used in a sales pack and on exhibition stands, we knew exactly what they needed. As the UK’s leading provider of drug databases and active clinical decision support, their subject matter can get more than a little complicated but with DNA’s long-standing relationship with FDB we were able to get under their skin to create this animated typographic presentation that makes it all the more clear.
The pharmaceutical sector is ruled by results and facts and that’s exactly what we drew upon to highlight the benefits of working with FDB, and the possible dangers if you don’t. In-house, DNA Advertising story boarded, animated, wrote a bespoke soundtrack and edited the presentation.
With over 2,026,435 views of the official film on Dailymotion in the six days since its release, Pixels has really spread far and wide very quickly. I love the modern yet retro feel of this video. Have a watch, then read an interview with creator Patrick Jean and view his original storyboards on motionographer.com
Last week, after watching Shaun White win gold whilst nailing the Double McTwist 1260 (AKA the ‘Tomahawk’) on the snowboard half-pipe in Vancouver, I remembered the stylish promo animation for the BBC (seen above). The art style reminds me of early 1920s eastern european film, Frank Miller’s Sin City and the hatched illustrations of Edward Gory. For a more recent example of this 3d animation with 2d cel-shaded styling, take a look at Mad Word. It’s a great piece. A full motion picture in this style would be fantastic.
Having said that, I still love the Beijing 2008 BBC promo, ‘Meet Monkey‘, which was based on the classic Chinese tale, ‘Journey to the West’ and animated by those responsible for the Gorillaz music videos!
Old news it may be, but Jérémy Clapin and Stéphane Piera’s 2008 Oscar contender ‘Skhizein’ is an absolute must see. For those who missed out on this beautifully realised and curious tale of Henry and his slightly displaced universe, here it is in full. Quintessentially quirky and French, it’s a joy to behold full of original ideas and visual cleverness not to mention rock solid art direction and admirable follow-through in all aspects of the execution.
Available here to buy on DVD with an insightful making of.
I love this ad. American Express have a good track record of engaging ads and this is the first TV commercial from the new international advertising campaign by ‘AMEX‘, directed by Kuntzel+Deygas (add a dog), agency: Ogilvy & Mather UK.
This video, called “Okami to Buta” (オオカミとブ) or ‘Wolf and Pig’, is a charming Japanese stop-motion animation using just stills photography and lots of ingenuity. Watch the video above to follow the chase that uses over 1,300 printed pictures!
One of my design heroes is undoubtedly British graphic designer and consummate typographer Jonathan Barnbrook. Renown and admired for his pivotal role in British graphics and his strong political views and contribution to social causes, Barnbrook strives to use the power of his design skills as a weapon for social change and for the moral good.
I was pleased therefore, when I spotted Barnbrook’s unmistakable ‘Virus’ fonts in the latest British Heart Foundation television advert. Directed by Barnbrook, “The spot features a Virtual Heart Simulator, alongside a typographic treatment by Barnbrook of various words from the voiceover.”–CR. Whilst undeniably graceful, and wonderfully paced, I do slightly wonder at the choice of some of Barnbrook’s self-designed typefaces – as beautifully crafted and animated as they are. A pleasant change and real step away from recent BHF advertising.
