Ad of the Day: Animated spot enchantingly brings zoo animals to life
Creative agency Meanwhile, Sony Music and animation studio Blinkink are behind campaign for Chester Zoo.
A new spot for Chester Zoo looks to generate buzz for its Lanterns and Light trail that will take place this winter. The icy palette and snowy backdrop provide a magical surrounding for the young protagonist who viewers see exploring the zoo. On her journey, she encounters giant elephants, dolphins and even roaring lions, each illuminated with a blue light.
The film uses a mix of techniques, with live-action, handcrafted miniature sets mixed with 2D animated characters. There’s also a bespoke soundtrack from music supervisor Jacob Wheeler through music company Major Tom.
“Our new Lanterns and Light night-time event will transform the zoo into a spectacular festive light trail like no other,” said Helen Dean, head of marketing at Chester Zoo. “So, we needed a campaign that would be as creative, distinct and as unique as the event itself.
“We rely on visitors to fund our vital conservation work, so by engaging people with this kind of next-level creativity we can hopefully change consumer behavior in our favor too.”
The ad will be amplified throughout the year using all aspects of the mixed-media world.
Tim Jones, founder of Meanwhile, added: “To match the ambition of the zoo and get it the attention it deserves, we’re always looking to represent it in fresh and surprising ways, and in our minds Blinkink, and in this instance director Isabel, were the dream collaborators.“
Credits
Client: Chester Zoo and Sony Music/RGL
Creative agency: Meanwhile
Production company: Blinkink
Director: Isabel Garrett
Producer: Jack Pollington
Exec producer: Bart Yates
Head of production: Alex Halley
Concept artist and character designer: Rafalia Raikova
2D animator: Jac Clinch
2D animator: Hozen Britto
Clean-up animator: Will Owoye
Clean-up animator: Ruben Berkeley O’Reilly
Compositor: Simone Ghilardotti
Compositor: Maria Tedemalm
Music, sound design and mix: Jacob Wheeler @ Major Tom
Production designer: Brin Frost
Model maker: Kat Simpson
Model maker: Emma Niemis
Director of photography: Daniel Morgan
Gaffer: Charlie Jenkins
Animator and storyboard artist: Ewa Luczkow
Art assistant: Lamide Olusegun
Edit assistant: Isabel Gomez