This animation spot from Aardman Animations traces the history of Swedbank since 1820 by following the stories of two characters: a humble squirrel, who plants an acorn and then faithfully watches his investment grow; and a noisy Duck who spends his money as quickly as he gets it.
The ambitious story encompasses the changes in the world at four different times through the last 190 years and also takes us through the four seasons from winter to autumn. Each set and character had to be redressed four times to tell the story.
Aardman’s approach to the character design was to make the characters detailed and expressive, rather than simple and cute. While the animal characters are human in their stance and their personalities, their features are naturalistic and detailed. The puppets were covered in authentic looking fur and a traditional flocking technique was used to add realism.
The environment that was created by the team of scenic artists, set builders and prop makers is similarly highly detailed and textured. The scale was created by the using layered sets, digital photography and cinematic lighting created a depth of field, creating the sweeping wide vistas seen in the ad. This was combined with detailed vignettes of other environments like ponds, hill tops and roads which make the Swedbank world even more rich and full of life.
Using refreshingly traditional methods Aardman shot all the animation ‘in camera’, making the 50-second ad feel organic and charming. Only a few subtle post effects were added at the end of the process.
Commercials director Steve Harding-Hill had the challenge of bringing the Swedbank story to life. “I loved working on the production because I’d never done a job to such a massive scale where I’d been given so much creative input. To turn such a large job round in such little amount of time was both scary and thrilling!” said Harding-Hill.
Agencies on the project were Colony Agency Production and Lowe Brindfors, both in Stockholm.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More