Absolute and Lowes Take It Outdoors For BBDO

Moo2u — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:24:57 +0000

Absolute’s lead Flame artist Dave Smith and his team of VFX artists have crafted a dazzling array of special effects for home improvement giant Lowe’s new Spring 2009 campaign, via HSI director Gerard de Thame and BBDO New York.

Starts at Lowe’s/Outdoor emphasizes the amazingly affordable outdoor products, machines and materials Lowe’s carries in its stores everyday. With the arrival of spring, barbecues, plants, lawn mowers and tractors come streaming out of a Lowe’s store and into the parking lot, much to the surprise of loyal Lowe’s patrons. The message is clear: spring has arrived and Lowe’s has everything you need to start living outdoors.

We were tasked with creating the army of marching furniture and garden equipment for Starts at Lowe’s/Outdoor. Dave Smith worked closely with Gerard de Thame to develop two complementary approaches to the FX. For some scenes, rigs were built so that both plants and objects could be puppeteered on green screen.

For other scenes our CG team began the lengthy process of modeling flowers, tractors, tables, chairs and umbrellas that were then animated and composited into the live action footage. Utilizing the talents of our fully integrated teams in London and New York, client changes were handled in a timely manner. Our post production expertise was complemented on this project by sister company Blind Pig, who worked closely with the client to create the motion graphics elements.

About Absolute:
Founded in 2004 by David Smith, one of world’s leading Flame artists, Absolute is a high-end VFX studio working within the commercial, emerging media, music video, and film communities. With offices in New York and London, Absolute over the years has collected numerous industry accolades including two BTAA awards, a D&AD pencil, a Cannes Lion, an APA Collection Diamond, three Andy wins and an MTV video statue. The New York office opened in 2007, helmed by CD Dirk Greene, to further facilitate Absolute’s international client roster with a growing Flame and CG service. www.absolutepost.com

The Creds:
Client: Lowe’s
Spots Title: Starts at Lowe’s/Outdoor (featured), Starts at Lowe’s/Nursery
Air Date: March 2009

Agency: BBDO New York
Art Director: Ken Matsubara
Copywriter: Colin Isley
CD: Wil Boudreau
Producer: Diane McCann
AP: Stephanie Gottlieb

Prod Company: H.S.I.
Director: Gerard De Thame
Producer(s): Fabyan Daw, Maddi Carlton

Editorial: The Cutting Room
Editor: Chuck Willis

Post/Effects: Absolute
Lead Flame: Dave Smith
Flame Artist(s): Nathan Kane, Dirk Greene
3D Artist(s): Vania Alban-Zapata, Maru Ocantos, Minh Nguyen-Ba, Jamie White, Matt Burn, Toby Walton, Liz Scully, Pete Hamilton, Keith Kamholz
Motion Graphic Designer: Ric Comline (at Blind Pig)
Combustion: Dan Leatherdale, Mark Epstein, James Cornwell, Michel Smith
EP: Andy Barmer
Producer(s): Sally Heath, Nirad `Bugs’ Russell

Related Links:
www.absolutepost.com

Coca Cola Happiness Factory Revisited

Moo2u — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:19:52 +0000

The original Coca Cola ‘Happiness Factory’ commercial is now several years old, but the tale of this animated world is still unfolding and continues to delight. The ‘Happiness Factory’ series is the genius collaboration from ad agency Wieden+Kennedy and creative studio Psyop that takes us to a magical world beyond the Coca-Cola vending machine.

Coca Cola has recently launched ‘Happiness Factory 3’ which illustrates the uplift factor of Coca Cola and how it revitalizes both the drinker; and the lovable inhabitants of the Happiness Factory.

This latest spot is part of an integrated campaign that includes radio promotions, online social networking; and an innovative partnership with Xbox. In addition the commercial features a track created by a supergroup comprised of Cee-lo, Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy, Brendon Urie from Panic at the Disco, Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes and r’n’b sensation Janelle Monae.

‘Happiness Factory 3’ follows on from the original ‘Happiness Factory‘ spot, ‘Happiness Factory II – The Movie’ and a behind the scenes ‘Mokumentary’.

The ‘Happiness Factory’ stories from the Coca Cola, Wieden+Kennedy and Psyop collective, bring much gladness and a message of positivity to our presently troubled world. In this special CGNews feature article we revisit each of the animated shorts in the series.

HAPPINESS FACTORY – ORIGINAL

The original spot begins with live action footage of a man putting money into a Coke vending machine slot. The camera follows the coin as it rolls down a chute, down the side of a mountain and disappears into a waterfall. We are now in the magical animated world of the ‘Happiness Factory’.

Large flying creatures with rotating blades carry an empty bottle to be filled by a tube suspended from the sky. Small fluffy creatures with large lips kiss the full bottle with great affection before the iconic red screw cap is catapulted and secured tightly into place.

Next the bottle travels through a wintery landscape where it is cooled by snowmen and icicles and then dropped through a hole in the ice. Finally the bottle makes its way through a hero’s parade, serenaded by marching bands and fireworks before it is rolled out into the vending machine chute.

” Our visual premise was one of blending machinery and natural elements, within which we added all these exotic creatures performing their particular functions. From some initial ideas about a ‘factory,’ we moved on to this insanely epic fantasy landscape. We suspended all rules of objective reality and focused on getting this bottle delivered in the most ridiculously large and crazy way possible. We discovered that the spot was more about all the characters than the factory process, and that was the key to it’s success.” Kylie Matulick, Director, Psyop.

HAPPINESS FACTORY MOKUMENTARY

The award winning Coca-Cola commercial ‘Happiness Factory’ now opens its doors and takes you ‘behind the magical scenes’ with this clever and amusing e-documentary. Get to know all your favourite characters including the Luv Puppies, Chinoinks and The Majorette. Some of the voices are reported to be portrayed by actual Coca-Cola employees.

“We party like it’s 2999 every time someone wants a Coke. Which is all the time. But I never get tired of watching the Poppers being shot like confetti over the parade . . . you know, the parade which carries the bottle to the customer. We never get to see them, of course. The customer. But the fact that the party never stops must mean they like The Coke Side of Life.” The Majorette.

HAPPINESS FACTORY II – THE MOVIE

‘Happiness Factory – The Movie’ tells the tale of what happens when the Happiness Factory runs out of Coke. On 14 August 2007, this special animation feature was screened to a crowd of more than 100 glamorous avatars and media from 16 countries. The red-carpet premiere for this event took place in the Coke Cinema on Happiness Boulevard in the virtual world of Second Life.Click here to view stars, including international singing sensation Avril Lavigne, arriving at the event.

HAPPINESS FACTORY 3

The most recent spot in the series begins with a weary student approaching a Coke vending machine, yawning as he places his coin in the money slot. The yawn is contagious and is passed on to the Happiness Factory workers beyond.Each of the magical characters catch the drowsiness in turn and the normally busy and upbeat world of the Happiness Factory slows down to a sleepy unproductive pace. Before they reach a full halt The Majorette pulls herself together, claps her hands and brings forth a thousand mechanical arms from the surrounding hillsides bearing chilled bottles of Coca-Cola. The inhabitants of the Happiness Factory drink the coke with relish and, re-invigorated and happy, head back to work.

CREDITS FOR HAPPINESS FACTORY (ORIGINAL)
Advertising Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Creative Directors: Al Moseley & John Norman
Copywriter: Al Moseley (Rick Condors)
Art Director: John Norman (Hunter Hindman)
Account Team: Sylvain Lierre & Ryan Lietaer
Producer: Sandy Reay
Assistant Producer: Kimia Farshidzad
Executive Creative Directors: Al Moseley & John Norman
Agency Executive Producer: Tom Dunlap
Agency Editor: Ken Rosenberg

Production Company: Psyop, New York
Directors: Todd Mueller & Kylie Matulick
Executive Producers: Justin Booth-Clibborn, Boo Wong
Producer: Mariya Shikher
Art Director/TD: David Chontos
Animation Director: Nicholas Weigel
Storyboard Artist/Designer: Ben Chan
Lighting/Rendering Lead: Saira Mathew
FX Lead: Pete Hamilton
Compositing Lead: Jason Conradt

Live Action Prod company: Seven Senses, Madrid
Director: Andreas Hoffman
Executive Producer: Alvaro Weber
Producer: Alvaro Weber
Director of Photography: David Carretero

Music: Human
Sound Design: Amber
Sound Designer: Bill Chesley
Executive Producer: Kate Gibson
Final Mix: Sound Lounge
Mixer: Philip Loeb

SOURCES
Dexigner.com article – The Coke Side of Life: PSYOP’s New Mega Spot For Coke by Levent Ozler 16 July 2006 (view here)

Veerle’s Blog – veerle.duoh.com blog by Veerle Pieters – 24 August 2007 (view here)

Motionographer Interview Article (view here)

Behind The Buzz article by Kori Ellis 16 March 2009 (view here)

The Wall Street Journal – Coca-Cola to Uncap ‘Open Happiness’ Campaign 14 January 2009 (view here)

Coca Cola Press Centre (view here)
*details of the unique integrated ad campaign for Happiness Factory 3 to be found here

RELATED LINKS
www.coca-cola.com
www.psyop.tv
www.wk.com

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Absolute and Lowes Take It Outdoors For BBDO

Coca Cola Happiness Factory Revisited