As part of its Stay In The Game campaign, Pringles and Grey London have launched a new activation offering someone the chance to get paid to work in a video game as a non playable character (NPC), billed as a world first opportunity.
The campaign, the latest from Pringles Mind Popping brand platform, has invited applications and will select a candidate to appear as an NPC in Train Sim World–the train simulation game available with Xbox Game Pass–as a Pringles vending machine re-filler with a prize of £20,000 ($24,000+)
To support the launch, Grey London has produced a series of films showing existing NPCs in Train Sim World being less than happy about the fact that a human is going to become an NPC in their game and be paid for it.
In this video, we meet virtual commuter Steve who’s disgruntled in that not being human, his application to enter the competition was rejected. He took his anger out on a Pringles vending machine and as punishment has been left to sit and stew.
Those actual people interested in applying were invited to post a creative video or selfie with a Pringles can explaining why they would be the best Pringles vending machine refiller NPC in under 50 words on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
The application process closed on July 6. Fifty applicants will be put on a shortlist, where each will be judged on its creativity, originality, and rationale as to why they will make the best Pringles vending machine refilling NPC.
One successful applicant will then be chosen, and their likeness will be virtually reproduced and 3D modeled, so they appear as themselves in Train Sim World from September this year.
Laura Jordan Bambach, president and chief creative officer of Grey London, said, “Pringles is paying a flesh-and-blood human to do a virtual role – the metaverse just got real. It’s a privilege to work with a client who says yes to these bonkers ideas!”
CreditsClient Kellogg’s/Pringle’s Agency Grey London Javier Campopiano, worldwide chief creative officer; Laura Jordan Bambach, Grey London president & chief creative officer; David Wigglesworth, executive creative director; Christopher Lapham, Aaron McGurk, global group creative directors; Angela Harding, Terry O’Neill, associate creative directors; Raquel Chicourel, chief strategy officer; Nazneen Read, executive producer; Jack Pethurst, India Smith, producers; Tyrone Zall, designer; Ollie Flux, editor; Nigel Miller, artwork. Partners Xbox, console partner; Dovetail Games, game partner.
FOUR PAWS Teams With Catsnake, Animation Studio Bewilder To “Be Their Voice”
Global animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS has launched the “Be Their Voice” campaign. Partnering with specialist creative agency Catsnake and South African production and animation company Bewilder, the campaign sheds light on a cruel practice called live lamb cutting. The film aims to raise awareness and inspire international action, urging fashion brands and policymakers to ban this inhumane practice by 2030.
The stop-motion “Be Their Voice” film follows a PhD student, Jesse, as he tries to perfect his sheep translation software with the help of a young sheep called Sunny. The initially heartwarming story takes an unsettling turn as Sunny discovers what is soon to happen to her on the farm.
Catsnake felt that the best way to capture the true horror of live lamb cutting was to focus on storytelling that would engage the audience emotionally. Catsnake creative director Rowena Wyles said, “A lot of animal rights campaigns rely on sharing shocking visuals of cruelty, but we know that tends to stop a wider audience from engaging with the issue. Instead, we wanted to draw people in with humor and heart before delivering the shocking truth of the practice.”
Working collaboratively with Bewilder, the film was brought to life with a mixed-media approach; recreating the look and feel of stop-motion with the flexibility of 3D animation. The sets, props and lighting were all made in Bewilder’s in-house studio, and the 3D characters were placed in afterwards.
Ruan Vermeulen, creative director at Bewilder, explained the process: “We built a ‘realistic’ miniature farm setting with stylized and lovable CGI characters. Combining a vast range of skill sets, with a multitalented creative team, our goal was to create an animation... Read More