Pensions. They’re an intimidating topic for a lot of British staff, however they’re essential to everybody’s monetary future. That is why the nation’s largest office pension supplier, Nest, turned to one among Britain’s high animation homes – Aardman – to animate a brand new marketing campaign that engages individuals with their pensions.
The 2 30-second spots have simply launched, and so they’re beautiful viewing for anybody who loves Aardman and its basic claymation methods – to not point out the studio’s trademark character design and humour. The movies are set in a large tree, the place varied hen species stay and work. There is a parakeet hairstylist, a dove waiter, a bullfinch on the grocery store checkout and a bluetit working from residence on Zoom. Every character faces office challenges with loads of verve, tinged with typical British stoicism.
“We knew the blue tit spends her complete time on Zoom calls, so we gave her these huge bulging eyes that she reveals in exasperation. We additionally knew we wished a hen sporting glasses, so I intentionally selected a species that has a form of glasses impact across the eyes in its plumage,” explains director Will Studd. “The hairdresser was all the time going to be one of many larger personalities; she’s flamboyant and dynamic, so we wished a measurement and colouring that may assist. A parakeet felt like the proper selection.”
The texture is paying homage to Aardman classics like Creature Comforts, Wallace & Gromit, Rooster Run and Shaun the Sheep – and intentionally so. Though the characters have been modelled and animated in CG, each element emulates the immediately recognisable claymation aesthetic related to Aardman. Leisure is entrance and centre as every little skit suggests we pay a bit extra consideration to our pensions and how one can develop them – specifically, the 13 million Brits with Nest schemes.
Mrs Blue Tit onerous at work
Parakeet cuts a quiff
“The puppets have been partly designed by artwork director Paul Abbot, who has a historical past of working with the basic Aardman look however bringing a cool, up to date really feel to the shapes,” continues Will. “Particulars just like the bas-relief feathers, the attention baggage and the feathery fingers have been all deliberate decisions, designed to reinforce our basic puppet look, create one thing fascinating and ownable for Nest, whereas nonetheless being recognisably Aardman.”
Up to now, glad accidents on set have led to further touches of humour in Aardman movies, and the identical has occurred within the making of the Nest marketing campaign. For instance, the outlet within the hen field you see in each spots was modelled a bit too small for the character. Nevertheless, the animators performed together with this and the blue tit’s head will get caught when she tries to peek out. “It is a tiny element, but it surely’s one among my favorite moments,” says Will.
The parakeet’s salon idea
Early sketches of the flock
Magpie household WIP
Because of YouTube, maybe, a number of promoting has turn into quite prosaic, with explainers or style-led content material overshadowing character-based campaigns. By working with Bristol-based Aardman, Nest goals to make the subject of pensions heat and approachable by way of a flock of humorous hen characters that everybody can relate to. The animation is narrated by comic Invoice Bailey, who can be a eager birder.
“Freshness and originality are essential to us, and I believe they’re nonetheless essential to promoting,” says Will Studd. “I am tremendous glad, particularly with the character designs and the animation fashion. There is a richness that rewards second viewing, and it is nice to listen to the movies are testing effectively above common, partly as a result of they stand out in a world of info-dump-based gross sales adverts, and partly, I believe, as a result of they leverage the stuff we do greatest: character and comedy.”
Atomic London led the marketing campaign technique. Additionally watch for brand spanking new Aardman productions, together with Shaun the Sheep season seven and The Very Small Creatures season three.
