Animal’s Got Talent
For visual effects artists and filmmakers of commercials, the progressive innovations of digital animation and image manipulation techniques affords them the creative license, much to the delight of viewers globally, to take anthropomorphism to new heights.
‘Anthropomorphism’ is the academic term for the attribution of human traits and emotions to animals and is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology that has been popular since time immemorial.
1. Accenture, Big and Nimble
Advertising Agency: Y&R, New York, USA
The commercial for Multinational Management Consulting firm Accenture, was directed by Thierry Poiraud and produced at Paranoid Film Studios in Los Angeles, USA
The arresting visual imagery and amusing symbolism accompanied by a soundtrack of the song ‘A Well Respected Man’ by The Kinks, transcended cultural and language barriers and resonated across the world.
2. Berocca, Be More Berocca
Advertising Agency: J. Walter Thompson, London, UK
From the entertaining large and nimble surfing elephant to the charmingly small ‘Roccy’; a chameleon with mojo that delighted British TV viewers and international YouTube downloaders.
Directed by Diarmid Harrison-Murray, the commercial features a soundtrack of British artist Panjabi MC’s hit song ‘Mundian To Bach Ke’.
3. Kit-Kat, Squirrel Break
Advertising Agency: J. Walter Thompson, Delhi, India
Directed by Shyam Madiraju, and featuring a soundtrack of the song ‘Kate Nahin Kat Te’ from the Bollywood movie ‘Mr. India’, the commercial motivated 40,000 views on YouTube in just two days after its TV debut.
4. More Than Insurance, Pet Got The Blues
Advertising Agency: VCCP (Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest), London, UK
The soundtrack features original music, specially composed for the commercial, by guitar player Danny Wild and blues/rock harmonica player Will Wilde.
Expertly crafted and directed by the Smith and Jones Film Company, the commercial makes for enjoyable viewing and effectively gets its message across of “You can’t always tell why your pet’s got the blues”.
My only criticism is that the running time of the commercial is too short. An additional 15 seconds of the two pet musicians would have been great.
5. Schneider Electric, House Party
Advertising Agency, BETC, Paris, France
Directed by Jim Hosking, the amusing story of housebreaking raccoons is highly watchable and is the first commercial of Schneider’s ‘Life is On’ advertising campaign.
The objective of the campaign is to leverage the company’s expertise in home energy efficiency by highlighting their electrical products that make dwelling spaces vibrant environments for enjoying everyday life to the fullest.
6. Disneyland France, Little Duck
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Production Company: General Population (Genpop), Los Angeles, USA
The charming story of a little wild duckling that has a unique talent for mimicking his newly discovered hero Donald Duck, marks the launch commercial of Disneyland Paris’s ‘Where Magic Gets Real’ European campaign.
The soundtrack appropriately features the iconic 60’s song ‘The Impossible Dream’, also known as ‘The Quest’.
7. Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Stayin’ Alive
Advertising Agency: Jung von Matt, Hamburg
Directed by Paulo Henriques and Adam Marko, this commercial for the Mercedes- Benz E-Class’s Break Assist technology, has a surprise at the end that makes for very rewarding viewing.
Featuring the song ‘Stayin’ Alive’ by the Bee Gees in the soundtrack, it’s a classic automotive commercial and one of my all-time favourites.
8. Doritos Snack Chips, Rescue Dogs
Advertising Agency: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, USA
Staring three talented rescue dogs, Miz, Bolt and Logan, ‘Doritos Dogs’ was launched on TV during the 2016 American Super Bowl Football Championships and was a great hit with viewers.
The commercial was conceived by 29 year-old Writer/Director Jacob Chase. Filmed in one day on a shoestring budget at a local Redlands grocery store in Los Angeles, Jacob entered his commercial in the ‘Doritos Crash the Super Bowl’ contest for young filmmakers.
He won the competition and took home one million dollars in prize money and an opportunity of working and collaborating with director Zack Snyder on his upcoming film ‘Batman v. Superman’.