MARMITE LAUNCHES TEASER FOR HEAVY WEIGHT ‘END NEGLECT’ CAMPAIGN IN 2015

Marmite, the UK's favourite savoury spread, is today launching a brand new teaser to herald the return of its controversial yet celebrated ‘End Marmite Neglect’ campaign.

Released one week ahead of the official TV advertising, the teaser is a 60-second spoof style “micro-documentary” designed to “lay bare the continuing scourge of Marmite Neglect in the UK” that sees “once beloved Marmite jars cruelly rendered to the back of kitchen cupboards” and threatens “full-scale Marmageddon”.

The teaser will make its first debut on Marmite’s owned social media channels, supported with spend across Twitter and Facebook.The digital teaser campaign will also feature an evolving and interactive social “news feed” designed to heighten awareness of ‘End Marmite Neglect’. A heavyweight PR and social media strategy focused on addressing Marmite neglect “once and for all” will follow and complement the teaser. The teaser can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WufZK3xpz0Y&feature=youtu.be and consumers will be encouraged to join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter using #MarmiteNeglect.

The teaser will also set the scene for the return of the ‘End Marmite Neglect’ TV advertising. The commercial features Marmite Rescue Teams saving neglected jars of Marmite from the back of people’s cupboards and taking them to a re-homing centre where they are paired with Marmite-loving families. Created by Adam & Eve/DDB and first screened in 2013, the “Love it. Hate it. Just don't forget it” campaign will return to TV screens on 12th January. Launching across all networks, with a focus on ITV family channels, the 30-second spot will run until the end of March.

Joanne O’Riada, Marmite Brand Manager, said: “This film is part of a digital-first teaser campaign that will renew the ‘End Marmite Neglect’ campaign for 2015. By creating a world ‘beyond’ the commercial, the teaser and its supporting PR and social media campaign, will increase the noise around and shareability of the TV campaign while delivering a light-hearted reminder of the ‘Love it. Hate it. Just don't forget it’ strapline.”

Read More

Virgin Atlantic - "The Idea"

Get inspired to explore with a preview of the new Virgin Atlantic TV ad. Life doesn't come to you, so go to it and let it fly.

Creative Credits:
Advertising Agency: Adam & Eve/DDB

Read More

Gocompare.com and Fold7 Debut New Advert "Go Go Power" - Meet the whole team.

Gocompare.com is launching a new TV ad on Christmas Eve showing its money saving heroes ‘busting a gut’ to get customers the right deal on their insurance policies and household bills.

The new ad, created by Fold7, marks a new chapter in Gocompare.com’s campaign, this time focusing on the characters who inhabit the fictional town of LlandofsavingmoneyandgettingtherightdealgogoGoCompare. The spot aims to demonstrate the comparison site’s promise of ‘working harder for you’.

In the 60-second TV ad, called ‘Go Go Power’, the deal finding characters that were introduced in previous TV ads all come together as a team for the first time. The ad shows them springing into action at the touch of a button, ready to do everything they can to save customers money and find the right deals.

The characters are: Mick and Mike, the mechanics and car insurance experts; Glynn, aka the ‘House Whisperer’, for home insurance; Leo the ‘Wiggle Workout’ instructor who helps people get their energy and credit card bills into shape; the optician who lets people see policy details more clearly with Defaqto lenses; and Julie the tour guide, the human homepage and team leader.

The ad will run on TV and VOD channels and will be supported by radio ads.

Kevin Hughes, chief marketing officer at Gocompare.com, said: “Over the last year we have introduced audiences to the various characters who live and work in the Llandofsavingmoney, all of whom specialise in finding people the right deals on various insurance, money and energy products. With this advert we want to bring them all together and demonstrate how, as a team, all of us at Gocompare.com work harder to help our customers.”

Ryan Newey, executive creative director at Fold7, said: “Gocompare.com is dedicated to going the extra mile for its customers and we wanted this campaign to reflect that through the characters who live in LlandofsavingmoneyandgettingtherightdealgogoGoCompare. They’re the super heroes of price comparison.”

Creative Credits:
Ad Agency: Fold7
Creative Director: Ryan Newey
Business Director: Paul Howarth
Agency Producer: Georgia Dickinson
Director/ Production Company: Olly Williams – Another Film Company
Producer: Simon Monhemius – Another Film Company
Editor: Leo - Stitch
Post Production: Filament
Sound Design: Miles – Grand Central
DoP: Sam Goldie

Read More

eBay Christmas 2014: ‘The Joy of Giving’

There’s nothing better than the joy of giving the perfect gift. This year, ebay.co.uk set out to spread a little Christmas magic across the Britain.

Creative Credits:
Content /film name: ‘The Joy of Giving’
Channels the campaign will run on: Online

client: eBay UK
eBay UK Communications Team:
Julia Hutton-Potts
Laura Wilkinson-Rea

Agency: Exposure
Senior Account Director: David Rogers
Film producer: Liz Walker
Production company: Found
Director: Mike Sharpe & David Masters
Producer: joe binks
Director of Photographer: Jonathan Bloom
Art Department: Chrissie Butcher‏

Read More

Behind the scenes with Arsenal FC and PruHealth Vitality

What happens when you leave your smartphone with professional footballers?
A usual day at the Arsenal F.C. training centre consists of a strict regime of shuttle runs, stretching and ball skills but at a recent shoot for Vitality the players took the opportunity to take a breather from training with a few casual selfies on an unguarded smartphone.

England internationals Theo Walcott and Calum Chambers posed alongside Aaron Ramsey and captain Mikel Arteta in several selfies which made for a surprise for the smartphone’s owner. It’s surprising that Lukas Podolski or Wojciech Szczesny didn’t get in on the act given their well-known selfie obsessions.

Podolski has a history of posing for selfies with Bastian Schweinsteiger and German Chancellor Angela Merkel after the World Cup final win. While Szczesny took one of the most well known football selfies of last year, and guess what…Podolski was involved too!

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Essentially, (VitalityHealth’s sports marketing agency)
Executive Creative Director: Matt Bowden (VitalityHealth)
Creatives: N/A
Creative producer: N/A
Production company: INP Media Ltd
Director: Bryn Downing
Editor: Sean Male
Producer: Bryn Downing
Colourist: Sean Male
Post-production: Sean Male
Audio: Sean Male
Photographer: Graham Hughes
Music: This Ordinary Life - Audio Network

Read More

Freeview Left Behinds - Meet the singing toys In New Advert

In Freeview's new TV advert, something magical happens at a jumble sale. At the end of the day, when everything has been packed away, all the unsold items come to life.

This weekend Freeview is launching the latest instalment of its popular campaign: ‘Entertainment. It’s even better when it’s free.’

The campaign, created by Leo Burnett is called ‘Left Behinds’. In the TV advert, something magical happens at a jumble sale. At the end of the day, when everything has been packed away, all the unsold items - a motley-crew including toys, ornaments and stuffed animals - come to life and sing I Want To Know What Love Is, by Foreigner.

The emotional performance is witnessed by a gobsmacked man, and demonstrates the campaign idea: Entertainment. It's even better when it's free.

Owen Jenkinson, Freeview’s Head of Marketing, said: “This campaign follows our much-loved ‘Tadpoles’ and ‘Cat and Budgie’ ads. We’re introducing new characters but the ad is just as surprising and effective at demonstrating the joy of having free entertainment.

“Indeed, with 95% of the nation’s favourite TV programmes available on Freeview, it encourages consumers to question whether they need to pay for TV when they can get great quality and variety content subscription-free.”

Credits:
Project name: ‘Left Behinds’
Client: Owen Jenkinson, Head of Marketing, Freeview
Creative agency: Leo Burnett London
Creatives: Rob Tenconi & Mark Franklin
Creative Directors: Richard Robinson/Graham Lakeland
Executive Creative Director: Justin Tindall
Agency TV Producer: Becky O’Sullivan
Planner (creative agency): Julia Chalfen
Media agency: MEC
Planner (media agency): Michelle Radley
Production company: Rogue
Director: Sam Brown
Editor: James Rosen @ Final Cut
Post-production: Electric Theatre Collective
Audio post-production: Aaron Reynolds @ Wave
Exposure: TV, VOD, Online

Read More

Freedom of The DJ: Episode Four – Live Streaming

‘Live Streaming’ is the fourth instalment of Freedom of the DJ, a brand new documentary series that dives into the history and culture of the UK dance music scene. Hearing from the likes of Submotion Orchestra, Art Department, Jonas Rathsman, Flight Facilities, Crazy P, and Finnebassen, this episode looks into the world of live streaming and how it has impacted both the music and publishing world.

Accompanying this video series is the blu Music Tour hosting free parties across the UK featuring a top line-up including Jackmaster, Deadboy and Gorgon City. The tour is still to visit Leeds, Birmingham and Nottingham.

In episode four of Freedom of the DJ, a brand new documentary series that provides a captivating look into the lifestyle, history, and evolution of the DJ, we gain exclusive access into the world of live streaming. With insight from Mixmag as they get set to stream a blu eCigs event across the world and top DJs from the UK and around the globe, we find out the secrets behind a successful live stream and hear how live broadcasts have changed the music industry for the better.

Through a selection of exclusive interviews with the hard-working people behind the scenes at Mixmag and famous DJ faces, Submotion Orchestra, Art Department, Jonas Rathsman, Flight Facilities, Crazy P, and Finnebassen, the episode discovers what it takes to bring hundreds of thousands of music fans across the world together for a shared music experience like no other.

Brought to you by blu eCigs, the premium global e-cigarette brand, Live Streaming, reveals how the phenomenon provides a global platform for DJs to gain exposure and instantly share not only their music but also their performance with fans across the world.

A boost to more than just the artists, live streams have also proven to be an asset to the publishing world, at a time when readers are hungry for digital content alongside its print counterpart. With a sneak peak into the world’s most famous office party, we’re shown how Mixmag embraced the live stream in their very own LAB, kicking off the weekend each week by inviting one of the hottest DJ’s to take over the decks in the corner of the office and connect to the world’s dance music fans via stream.

Read More

Harrods Presents: The Land of Make Believe - A Little Christmas Tail

Harrods has rolled out an animated festive film across its social media and digital channels and has unveiled its Christmas windows, created by 11 luxury designers.
The activity marks the first time the luxury retailer has used a video ad in the run-up to the festive period.

The short film, called 'the land of make believe', is shot like a children’s story and tells the tale of a small mouse called Peter Pumpernickel, who helps Father Christmas turn the lights on at Harrods.

The film, created by TBWA, is being shown at selected cinemas and promoted on Harrods’ social media and digital platforms.

The retailer also unveiled its famous Christmas window display on Friday. Eleven luxury designers created a series of bespoke, hand-crafted pieces for the displays with each scene inspired by oversized vintage toys - from a jack-in-the-box to a pirouetting ballerina in a musical box.

Stella McCartney created a ‘snow queen’ sitting in a snowglobe dressed in a hand-stitched gown embellished with unique stones and exclusively available for purchase.

UK furniture designer Amy Somerville created a giant wooden musical box with an art deco mirror and a spinning ballerina dressed in a Zuhair Murad tutu.

Deborah Bee, director of creative marketing, Harrods, said: "Christmas at Harrods is a truly enchanting time for everyone. ‘The Land of Make Believe’ brings the festive magic of the store to life, encouraging Londoners to enjoy Harrods as the ultimate Christmas destination that’s perfect for the whole family."

Credits:
Advertising Agency: TBWA
original story via: MarkeingMag UK

Read More

Sainsbury's 2014 Christmas Ad Honors The Events of 100 Years Ago

The new Sainsbury’s Christmas 2014 advert was made in partnership with The Royal British Legion. Inspired by real events from 100 years ago.

This year’s Christmas ad from Sainsbury’s – Christmas is for sharing. Made in partnership with The Royal British Legion, it commemorates the extraordinary events of Christmas Day, 1914, when the guns fell silent and two armies met in no-man’s land, sharing gifts – and even playing football together.

The Making of...


Creative Credits:
Advertising Agency: Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, London

Read More

John Lewis Christmas Advert 2014 Monty The Penguin

The new John Lewis Christmas TV advert with Monty The Penguin, featuring the the music ‘Real Love’ performed by Tom Odell, the original song was written by John Lennon. The commercial tells the story of a little boy, Sam, and his best friend Monty...a tale of love, friendship and giving someone a gift they've been dreaming of this Christmas.

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Adam & Eve DDB, UK
Creative Directors: Richard Brim, Daniel Fisher
Agency Producer: Matt Craigie
Production Company: Blink
Director: Dougal Wilson
Producer: Ewen Brown
Production Manager: Ellie Britton
Executive Producers: James Bland, James Studholme
1st Assistant Director: Jim Cole
DOP: Joost Van Gelder
Art Director: Andy Kelly
Editor: Joe Guest / Final Cut
Post Production: MPC
Colourist: Jean-Clément Soret
Sound: Anthony / Factory
Recording Artist: Tom Odell

Read More

Trussell Trust launches ‘Trussell Cans’ for sale at London delis to raise funds to open more foodbanks

The Trussell Trust, the charity that works to combat food poverty in the UK, is “selling” empty food cans at delis and at food markets around the capital and online to raise money to support foodbanks that provide people in need with emergency food and vital signposting services.

The charity’s new Trussell Can campaign, devised by its agency partner Stack, taps into foodie culture in order to raise awareness and help increase the number of regular donors for The Trussell Trust.

Food lovers who “buy” this Can for £3 and then give it back to the deli will donate their payment directly to The Trussell Trust; the Trussell Can then returns to the shelf to allow other food lovers to do the same, making the project 100% sustainable.

Stack also created a 90second film, designed to promote the campaign’s digital experience. Replicating the real world initiative, Trussell Cans are available online at trusselltrust.org/thiscan where people can regularly donate Trussell Cans every month, which translate into regular monetary donations.

The Trussell Trust partners with churches and communities to open new food banks across the UK. It has set up 420 foodbanks in the UK, but it’s not enough when 13 million people in the UK live below the poverty line.

The charity’s goal is for every town in the UK to have a foodbank. In 2013, foodbanks fed 913,138 people nationwide and, of those helped, 330,205 were children.

Mark Ward, Head of Fundraising, The Trussell Trust said: “People enjoy the immediacy of donating food to our foodbanks. It makes sense that when families need food, you give food. But many people don’t realise that we also need financial donations to help us provide foodbank services, both food and access to advisory services, within reach of everyone in the UK. Stack’s idea cleverly replicates the direct-ness of donating food and turns it into the money we so desperately need."

Liz Wilson, CEO, Stack said: “"Experience shows that timeliness and relevance are two of the most important factors in getting people to respond emotionally and practically to communication like this. So we've chosen to remind people about families going hungry when they are in a really foodie environment that's all about pleasure and indulgence for their own family."

Read More

BBC Music, "God Only Knows"

The Beach Boys' masterpiece God Only Knows remade with the help of a few friends to celebrate the launch of BBC Music.

The entire list of musicians featured in "The Impossible Orchestra" are:
1. Dave Grohl / 2. Alison Balsom / 3. Lorde / 4. Pharrell Williams / 5. Zane Lowe / 6. Sam Smith / 7. Paloma Faith / 8. Eliza Carthy / 9. Nicola Benedetti / 10. Chris Martin / 11. Jaz Dhami / 12. Martin James Bartlett / 13. Danielle de Niese / 14. Stevie Wonder / 15. Florence Welch / 16. Lauren Laverne / 17. Brian Wilson / 18. Jake Bugg / 19. Katie Derham / 20. Gareth Malone / 21. Kylie Minogue / 22. Chrissie Hynde / 23. One Direction / 24. Emeli Sandé / 25. Elton John / 26. Baaba Maal / 27. Ethan Johns / 28. Jools Holland / 29. Jamie Cullum / 30. Brian May / 31. Tees Valley Youth Choir / 32. BBC Concert Orchestra

Behind the scenes...


Credits:
Ad Agency: Karmarama, London
Production: Red Bee Media
Director: Francois Rousselet
Executive Creative Director: Sam Walker
Executive Creative Director: Joe De Souza
Art Director: Melissa Broker
Art Director: Sarah Kane
Art Director: Morgan Kennedy
Producer: Joanna Yeldham

Read More

iZettle - The 12 Hour Store Teaser

6 small businesses, 6 days - The 12 Hour Store by iZettle

For its upcoming campaign, iZettle is inviting 6 small businesses to open their own flagship store in one of the most popular shopping districts in London – each of them for 12 hours only. Now the Swedish company is releasing a sneak peek into its upcoming campaign-stunt: The 12 Hour Store.

Together with 6 independent start-ups iZettle is getting ready to open a new store concept in central London. All we know so far is that it will be open for 6 days, 12 hours per day and each day it will be a new brand opening and closing the doors to the shop.

iZettle has teamed up with Forsman & Bodenfors, Independent Agency of The Year at Cannes Lions 2014, to bring entrepreneurship and passion to the frontiers of its first ever integrated campaign. The campaign usher in the notion ‘big things start small’, to bring out the devotees of small businesses and the passion it takes to build something, perhaps against all odds, from the ground up.

Credits:
Ad Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors

Read More

Renault Captur Adverts - The Jonathan Ross Show

Renault UK unveils ‘interesting ride’ idents to support The Jonathan Ross Show sponsorship

Renault UK is supporting its sponsorship of ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show with a new series of idents that feature its crossover Captur model.

The idents, created by Publicis London, link the Renault Captur’s spirit of adventure with the show’s range of guests and incredible stories by introducing the idea ‘Get ready for an interesting ride’.

Idents will run around the first show, which airs on 18th October, and continue for the 10-week duration of the series.

The spots feature three colourful and adventurous characters who act out everyday scenarios with the Captur in a playful and entertaining way.

Viewers see a spaceman walking his dog on the moon, a pilot trimming a cloud into a moustache and a deep-sea diver being helped with his shopping by a giant octopus. Publicis London introduced a graphic and stylish approach with the use of theatrical, playful, costumes and props.

Louise O’Sullivan, the Head of Marketing Communications at Renault UK, said: “The interesting ride the show offers is a great parallel to the interesting ride the Captur provides – filled as it is with the spirit of adventure.”

Renault’s sponsorship of The Jonathan Ross Show launched in 2013 with Publicis London creating idents around the theme of ‘animal attraction’ to promote Renault’s small car range.

Credits:
Client: Louise O’Sullivan, Head of Marketing Communications
Brief: To convey the Renault Captur’s spirit of adventure in a way that’s in keeping with The Jonathan Ross Show.
Ad Agency: Publicis, London
Creative Director: Dave Sullivan
Art Director: Jolyon Finch
Copywriter: Steve Moss
Account Director: Amber Faulkner / Alexandra Webb
Agency Producer: Colin Hickson
Director/ Production Co: Fern Beresford, Short Films
Producer: Jeremy Barnes
Media planning/buying OMD

Read More

Vodafone, Office Romance

New work for Vodafone Ireland, entitled Office Romance.
the commercial highlights the strength of Vodafone Ireland’s network and how it can bring people together – in this case, two young office lovebirds, Amy and Niall, who help each other get through the working day with cute messages to each other until Niall finally bucks up the courage to ask Amy out. ‘I thought you’d never ask’, she replies. It’s set to Frankie Avalon’s 1959 hit Just Ask Your Heart.

Credits:
Project name: Office Romance
Client: Vodafone Ireland
Creative Director: Simon Brotherson
Creative: Howard Green
Account team: Katharine Easteal, Geraldine Gaillemin, Oscar Flintoft
Agency producer: Emma Fasson
Assistant producer: Flo Clive
Planner: Ruth Chadwick
Media agency: OMD Ireland
Production company: Thomas Thomas Films
Director: Kevin Thomas
Editor: Scott Cato @ The Quarry
Producer: Trent Simpson
DOP: Richard Henkels
Post-production: The Mill
Soundtrack composer: Avalon / Damato / De Nota / Ricci
Audio post-production: Wave

Read More

Introducing Peter Storm

Adopted by the football lads of the late 70s and early 80s, picked up again in the North around Acid House.. Re-emerging again during the glory days of eBay in the Noughties.. The classic Peter Storm jacket doesn’t seem to go away. This uniquely British piece of outerwear is one of those rare items of clothing or footwear that allows itself to be appropriated into the cultural zeitgeist throughout history.

Credits:
Project: The Rig Out
Film: Jamie Delaney (RSA Films)
Styling: Glenn Kitson
Photography: Joshua Gordon
Models: Ollie McBride, Adam Foreman, Marcus Rutherford & Hannah Job
Music: The Famous Eno

Read More

The Loveable Loaf, Soreen's New Commercial

Meet the Soreen Loveable Loaf in his new TV ad as he shares his delicious squidginess with his friends on his travels, and shows them all of the different versatile ways he can be eaten and how he keeps them going for longer.

Blinkink are proud to present ‘The Loveable Loaf’, Joseph Mann’s new live-action
puppeteered spot for Soreen and The Red Brick Road.

The Loveable Loaf steps out of the bakery door ready for a new day. He’s a freshly baked lovable loaf of Soreen, eager to help a rumbling tummy, and down in the village are many peckish people looking for something yummy. With his sweet glistening glaze and squidgy soft form, who can resist pinching a piece of him?

Joseph’s ability to convey warmth and wit are deployed once more to create a world full of character, detail and technical wonder. With puppetry performances from Blinkink directors and puppetry specialists Jonny & Will, this is an expertly crafted project with exceptional filmmaking at its heart.

Via BlinkInk
Directed by Joseph Mann

Read More

StinkDigital Controls The Weather for Geox Amphibiox

To launch GEOX’s newest collection of Amphibiox all-weather footwear, SMFB and Stinkdigital partnered to create ‘You Control The Weather’, an interactive film where the user influences the outcome of the story by taking control of the weather elements.

Set in urban surroundings, the film is a love story between two strangers who face extreme weather changes that impact the course of their day. Choosing between sun, rain or snow, the user is prompted by the story narrator to set the weather of each scene in the hope to orchestrate a serendipitous meeting between the two potential lovers.

Each scene and weather setting impacts the footwear worn by the individuals as they take their journey across the city. With the integration of a hand crafted 3D camera mapping technique, the user can zoom in on frozen moments to explore the footwear in 360°. As the camera revolves around, the user can quickly navigate through different conditions to see how each shoe’s unique performance is optimised regardless of the weather. All footwear featured in the film can be purchased at any point in the story with a click through to the online store.

The responsive site allows users to experience the interactive film across different platforms and is specifically optimised for touch screen devices. The film was directed by Jonathan Entwistle.

This launch follows ‘The Rainiest Place on Earth’, an interactive documentary following four volunteers who test the GEOX Amphibiox footwear in Cherrapunjee, a village in northern India with the highest annual rainfall on the planet. Awarded a Gold Cyber Cannes Lion in 2013.

About Stinkdigital

Stinkdigital is an interactive production company, working with clients and advertising agencies worldwide. Our services include creative concepting, design and high-end execution. We create everything from live-action films and websites, through to mobile apps and installations.

About SMFB

SMFB is a creatively driven, full service advertising agency. We’re an independent, efficient and hard working organization with a diverse set of skills. At SMFB we pride ourselves in creating consumer & business relevant integrated communication, to inspire and change behaviour.

About Director

Jonathan Entwistle is recognised as being one of the finest up-and-coming British filmmakers working today. His first short film ‘Human Beings’ was premiered exclusively online to 45,000 people and shortlisted for a 2012 Vimeo award. He is currently working with Film4 on a feature length adaptation of Charles Forsman’s The End of the Fucking World.

Read More

Grey London Creates "The Swell" for the new Volvo XC60

Grey London has unveiled its first work for Volvo Car Group: a beautifully-shot, highly sensory film urging the viewer to ‘seek feeling’ – a dramatization of Volvo’s human-centric ethos.

The quietly epic film – a global TV campaign for Volvo’s existing XC60 model – is a shift in tone for the car manufacturer. Moving the brand into a more premium space, it introduces some of the pillars that will underpin its revamped brand positioning: ambition, simplicity, authenticity, Swedishness, and the same level of design quality and craft that goes into its cars. It represents a stylistic prologue to what is to come from the Volvo Kreativ Studio, including a high-profile, multi-faceted campaign for the launch of Volvo’s revolutionary flagship model XC90.

The film itself is about movement; about dynamism and intuitive response – the visceral, emotional experience of the Volvo XC60 brought to life. It begins in the passenger seat of the car –parked on an empty beach, radio quietly humming in the background, door left open, and a pair of shoes discarded in the footwell. Moving toward the water, the radio fades into the distance – drowned out by the sound of the ocean as we reach the shoreline…

“to feel
to really feel
is a rare thing these days”

…then out into the surf. Through the water, through the first tentative laps to the thundering crash of enormous waves, out into the darkness…until the water is still. Serene. A lone figure sits on her surfboard, her windswept silhouette visible only through the moonlight. Staring out toward the horizon, she’s waiting; a defiant look in her eyes.

And then it comes. The swell rises. A wave approaches, powerful and unstoppable. Adrenaline racing, we rise up. She rises up. Her arm takes one graceful, powerful swipe through the water as the wave is about to break…and then we cut. Against the black, we hear the earth-shaking thunder of the wave collapsing. The film ends with the line ‘Seek Feeling. The responsive XC60’.

Hollie Newton, Global Creative Director at Grey London, says: “The last thing the world needs is another overly-retouched car, hooning down a mountain road to a soft rock soundtrack. There's a defiant, slightly renegade Swedish spirit to Volvo that simply doesn't fit with the bland world of car advertising. And thank god for that. We have an enormous suite of work coming up for Volvo which challenges the conventions of the sector. This is the first. A quietly epic piece of film that, hopefully, makes you feel something.”

Marcus Söderlund, Director (and Swede), adds: “I am working my way through the four classical elements with Grey: last time it was a fire film, now water. The perspective in this film is pretty special; it´s not a first person perspective. The whole way through it’s the viewer’s film and view. Working in the element of water is fantastic – there is so much you just can´t predict or control. If you embrace that, you can get imagery you can’t even dream of.”

As very specific weather, moonlight and tidal conditions were required for the highly technical shoot, the time of year made shooting in Sweden impossible. Instead, the film was shot in Durban, South Africa. After looking at dozens of potential locations, Durban emerged as the only that could provide the essential quartet of good waves, high-quality levels of moonlight, shark nets and – most importantly – an area which closely resembled Swedish environments. Just as vital as the location was the casting – with 46 year old Cape Town resident and experienced surfer Lisette Forsyth eventually chosen. Not only was she at ease in the ocean and a passionate surfer, she had a beautifully graceful and serene look in the water.

The campaign is Global Creative Director Hollie Newton’s first for Grey since joining from Wieden + Kennedy last year, where she created Lurpak’s multi-award-winning Good Proper Food. It was directed by Gothenburg-born Marcus Söderlund through Academy. Print photography was from Gian Paul Lozza, best-known for capturing his subject using only ambient light. Allan “Willy” Wilson – famed for his surf films – was underwater DoP, while André Chémétoff – known for his beautiful, technical films such as Our Day Will Come by Romain Gavras and Jaron Albertin’s Sony Volcano – was DoP.

Credits:
Project name: The Swell
Client: Volvo: Tomás Caetano (Vice President Brand Marketing), Ingela D'Angelo, (Director, Marketing Communication), Magnus Brodd (Marketing Content Director), Anna Wirsen (Project Leader)
Agency: Grey London
Executive Creative Director: Nils Leonard
Global Creative Director: Hollie Newton
Creative Team: Hollie Newton / Jamie Starbuck / Howard Green
Managing Partner: Nick Dutton
Business Director: Camilla Ashenhurst
Account Manager: Mel Caplan
Agency producer: Harriette Larder
Creative producer: Glen McLeod
Planning Director: Matt Buttrick
Planner: Hayley Cannon
Production company: Academy Films
Director: Marcus Söderlund
Editor: Tom Lindsay @ Trim
Producer: Medb Riordan
Exec Producer: Lizie Gower
DOP: André Chémétoff / Allan “Willy” Wilson
Colourist: Aubrey Woodiwiss
Post-production: Yourick Van Impe (Flame) & Aubrey Woodiwiss (grade) @ Electric Theatre Collective
Audio post-production: Aaron Reynolds @ Wave
Photographer: Gian Paul Lozza

Read More

Moe's - Food Porn "Volcano" Spot

Ever seen a volcano erupt in slow motion? What about one made out of food? Come experience the mind-blowing flavor of the new Chili Con Queso burrito in Moe's latest ad entitled "Volcano".

Creative Credits:
Director: Carl Warner
Editorial: Beast
Color : Company 3
Finishing: Method
Music: Massive Music
Sound Design: Acoustech

Read More