Creative Visualisation Through The Eyes of Children
As we all know only too well, there is no limit to the imaginative inventiveness of young minds.
As a communication theme, it offers Art Directors, Copywriters and Filmmakers the creative license to conceptualize stories of pure fantasy, child-dreams, imagined characters, and touching pathos.
Looking at the world from the perspective of a child or adolescent has the great potential of evoking memories in many viewers of their own exuberant flights of youthful imagination.
The smiling appeal such reminiscences engender, are universal and transcend race and gender psychographics.
1. McDonald’s, Ralphie
Advertising Agency: Leo’s Think Tank, Munich, Germany
Directed by Sune Sorensen, the charming story about young lad Ralphie and his T-Rex friend uses an automated, dinosaur body suit, invented in China, to entertaining filmic effect.
2. The Kansas Aviation Museum, Imagination Takes Flight
The Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, USA, is housed in the building that was once Wichita’s Municipal Airport terminal from 1935 to 1954.
Directed by ‘Salty Old Dog’ production company’s filmmaker Logan McNay, with a small budget and a film crew of only 3 people, the scenario is about a young girl’s imagination ‘taking flight’ on a visit to the Aviation Museum with her Dad.
The young girl, played by Emily Corjen in the commercial, imagines the thrill of piloting her own aircraft and all adventures she would have.
Her imaginings are cinematically portrayed and highly watchable with a skillfully crafted edit of close-ups and wide shots.
3. Vodafone, Raising Voices
Advertising Agency: Santo, London, UK
Directed by Hanna Maria Heidrich, ‘Raising Voices’ offers an entertaining take on how children and adolescents view gender differences.
Hanna’s skillful direction elicits superb performances from her young cast.
4. Nike, What Are Girls Made Of?
Advertising Agency: Wieden+Kennedy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Directed by David Wilson, The Cannes Gold Lion commercial centers on the story of a young girl’s stage performance of a traditional Russian folk-song
Midway into the song, she changes the words of the patronisingly ‘sweet things’ girls are described to be of, to assertive ‘made of strength’ lyrics, and stuns her conservative audience.
Cameo appearances of some of Russia’s most famous female athletes reveal the inspirational women in the young girl’s mind’s eye that motivated her brave performance.
‘What Are Girls Made Of?’ is superbly crafted and an enjoyably filmic story with a delightful young star.
5. IKEA, Cooking With Parents
Advertising Agency: IKEA Creative Hub, Malmö, Sweden
Production Company: Acne/Redloop, Malmö, Sweden
Directed by Rene Villar-Rios and Daniel Skoglund, IKEA’s ‘Cooking With Parents’ is about encouraging families to take a break from watching television and spend more active, ‘family-bonding time’, in the kitchen.
Children however, view the prospect of returning to the kitchen and having fun cooking together as being conditional. Their ‘Manifesto To Parents’, entertainingly delivered with authoritative panache by the commercial’s young star, lists 5 basic rules that need to be followed before they commit to returning to family kitchen activities.
6. Intermarché, Santa’s Diet
Advertising Agency: Romance, Paris, France
Beautifully directed by Katia Lewkowicz, this engaging story for the French Intermarché Supermarket chain centers on a remarkable acting performance by a young lad concerning the vexing problem of a rotund Santa’s girth.
In his present physical condition, Santa is never going to be able to slide down inside their chimney at home. He solicits the help of his sister therefore, to come up with healthier food offerings for slimming down the rather too roundly jolly Santa.
The soundtrack features Henri Salvador’s well-known French song, “J’ai tant reve” (“I’ve dreamt so much”).
7. McDonald’s, Mischief Undone
Advertising Agency: DDB, Sydney, Australia
Directed by Tim Bullock, this delightful story is about a mischievous ‘little devil’, that decides to become an angelic ‘little angel’, so that she will be included in a family outing to McDonald’s.
As the story unfolds, the pranks she pulled on her family are amusingly revealed. Even their pet dog fell prey to her mischievous machinations.
The Soundtrack features Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walking’” by Lee Hazelwood.
8. Nestle, Share Your Goodness
Advertising Agency: McCann Erickson, Mumbai, India
This charming commercial about the emotive bonding between an insecure young boy and his warm-hearted, newly adopted little sister, not only took India by storm, it also reverberated globally.
Directed by Prakash Varma this is filmic storytelling at its best with remarkable performances by the adorable young stars.