History is in the making at Impossible. As part of a rebranding campaign for the History.com web site, the award-winning design and effects studio has designed and animated the first of three new spots for the History Channel. The spots highlight History.com as the definitive historical online source as well as a site that delivers entertaining and informative content.
The 30-second “<a href="http://(www.impossible.tv)/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=53?autoload=linkHISTORY”>Battle of the Bulge,” the first spot in the campaign, illustrates just how off-target web searches can be. Far from being a dry, technical depiction of web searches, Impossible took a playful approach to the concept. In the case of “<a href="http://(www.impossible.tv)/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=53?autoload=linkHISTORY”>Battle of the Bulge,” the searcher is directed to weight loss sites and Sumo video clips instead of the World War Two battle they want to find. Two more spots, “Great Depression” and “Crazy Horse” will follow in the same vein.
Having a client open enough to provide a loose concept and letting Impossible run with it energized the creative team. “With such a relatable subject as web searches the ideas are endless and that makes it fun for us. But the highest praise we could ever gain was the satisfaction of the client. History Channel liked the creative so much they decided to expand this to a three spot campaign,” says Hector Espinosa at Impossible.
“The humor made this spot work. Everyone can identify with the frustration of being sent to unrelated sites during a web search. Using relatable humor to tweak fun at search engines engages the viewer and creates a memorable connection,” adds Patty LaVigne, Executive Producer on the project.
Even with an ambitious 7-day delivery schedule, Impossible was able to design, animate and score the “<a href="http://(www.impossible.tv)/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=53?autoload=linkHISTORY”>Battle of the Bulge.” Trust between client and agency allowed Impossible to deliver a spot that was engaging and on target with History Channel’s messaging. “It is always a pleasure to work with a concept that allows for a simple, clear graphics execution. It was truly an honor to work with such an inspired and talented team,” says Joel Pilger, Creative Director/Partner at Impossible.
The first of three spots began airing nationally on April 25th, 2010 during the debut of History Channel’s landmark “Story of Us” program.
The History Channel – Battle of the Buldge from Impossible on Vimeo.
About Impossible
Impossible ((www.impossible.tv)) is a leading design and effects studio fusing live action, design and visual effects to get brands noticed on television. Based in Denver, Impossible’s expertise includes promos, broadcast design, commercials and brand-sponsored entertainment. Among their clients are Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Discovery Networks, Sundance Channel, A&E, IBM, DISH Network, Charter, Polaris, and MillerCoors. Several of their projects are among the permanent exhibits of the Smithsonian Institute. Industry recognition for Impossible’s work includes Clio, Emmy, Promax, BDA, Addy, Art Director and NY Festival awards and more.
About History Channel
HISTORY is the leading destination for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network’s program offerings are hit series such as Ax Men, Battle 360, How The Earth Was Made, Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars and The Universe. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, seven Primetime Emmy Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy Awards and received the prestigious Governor’s Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network’s Save Our History campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education.