Seed Matters, an initiative of the Clif Bar Family Foundation, has rolled out “Mr. Seed,” an animated short conceived by The Butler Bros., a brand design studio in Austin, Texas, and directed by L.A.-based animation company Buck. Mr. Seed is also the protagonist in this short. He’s a clean-living organic seed who at times has a potty mouth (voiced by comedian Pete Holmes), calling out the big agrichemical companies that are feeding the world with unhealthy fare.
The film opens with an animated ad for fictional Pharm Foods, panning across an idyllic farm and a family at the dinner table. Only ominous cues—dead birds, anthropomorphized food—hint that something isn’t right in this world.
Mr. Seed emphasizes the benefits of organic seed compared with the chemically-dependent alternative. “Is this what America wants to eat?” the film’s hero asks. “Unlike those GMO bros, organic seeds like me can feed the world without ruining it because we keep it clean. We don’t dirty ourselves with all those pesticides.”
Seed Matters advocates for the improvement and protection of organic seed to ensure healthy, nutritious and productive crops are able to feed people now and in the future. Its mission is to conserve the genetic diversity of crops, promote farmers’ roles and rights as seed innovators and stewards and reinvigorate public seed research and education.
Credits
Client Clif Bar Family Foundation Creative The Butler Bros. Adam Butler, creative director/copywriter; Marty Butler, creative director/art director; Jeremy Spencer, Ryan Honey Erik Enberg, copywriters; Allie Nordstrom, art director; Craig Crutchfield, Hoang Nguyen, designers; Vincent Calderon, Bridget Liddy, Christine Lopez, producers. Production Buck Buck, director; Ryan Honey, executive creative director; Maurie Enochson, exec producerd; Joe Mullen, creative director, design; Doug Wilkinson, head of CG; Emily Richard, producer; Kaitlyn Mahoney, production coordinator; Laura Yilmaz, art director, storyboards, concept art & matte paintings; Kenesha Sneed, character design & design; Kendra Ryan, Craig Yamamoto, storyboards; Scott Huntsman, Susan Yung, design, concept art & matte paintings; Audrey Lee, Rasmus Bak, Xoana Herrera, Vincent Tsui, Jenny Ko, design; Alex Dingfelder, CG lead, modeling, look development lead, lighting direction, compositing lead; Wing Sze Lee, John Niehuss, Mingoo Park, Jens Lindgren, Eyad Hussein, Arvid Volz, Brice Linane, Rie Ito, modeling; Wing Sze Lee, Eric Pagtaconan, Jens Lindgren, John Niehuss, Mingoo Park, look development; Ernesto Ruiz Velasco, rigging TD, character TD; Eyad Hussein, character TD; Albert Omoss, pipeline and FX TD; Lee Wolland, additional rigging; Alessandro Ceglia, animation director, 3D animation; Tyler Lancaster, Dony Permedi, Adam Floeck, 3D animation; Vincent Tsui, Debora Cruchon, Rafael Araujo, Nicole Stafford, 2D screen animation; Michele Herrera, lighting, look development; Jens Lindgren, Alex Dingfelder, Eric Pagtaconan, lighting; Wing Sze Lee, look development, compositing. Pharm Foods commercial within the short: Gunnar Pettersson, design; Laura Yilmaz, animation director/animation; Laura Yilmaz, Kendra Ryan, Nick Petley, Vincent Tsui, Rafael Araujo, Debora Cruchon, Nicole Stafford, animation. End Credits: Kevin Walker, associate creative director; Rasmus Bak, design, animation; Esteban Esquivo, animation. Music & Sound Design Antfood Voice Pete Holmes (voice of Mr. Seed)
This trailer promotes Charge Around The Globe, a new adventure docuseries that follows record-breaking traveler Lexie Limitless on an extraordinary journey to circumnavigate the globe in an electric vehicle--traveling over 30,000 kilometers across six continents, all in pursuit of one world record. The three-part series on Prime Video in the U.K. showcases the capabilities of modern electric vehicles while immersing viewers in the numerous experiences and challenges Lexie encounters throughout her journey. As she navigates various challenges throughout her trip, Charge Around the Globe serves as a testament to the spirit of exploration. Ford, Wieden+Kennedy London and WracK teamed on the series.
The documentary aims to address the primary concern hindering many consumers from transitioning to electric: doubts about the range and capability of electric vehicles. As a 120-year-old brand, Ford looked to its past as inspiration for the switch that’s taking place today. Over a century ago, pioneering explorer Aloha Wanderwell set off from Nice at the age of 16 to become the first woman to drive around the world in a Ford Model T. Now, in 2024, we get to see Lexie, the youngest person to visit every country in the world, take to the wheel of the electric Ford Explorer, reinventing that historic journey for a new generation. Along the way, she meets extraordinary people, navigates difficult terrains, and faces the challenges of a constantly evolving charging infrastructure that puts her to the test.
“Charge Around The Globe has been the ultimate test drive for our new electric Ford Explorer. We took on every kind of weather and road condition and dealt with just about every charging scenario. The journey embodies the true... Read More
