Jamie Rafn of Smuggler directed this American Family Insurance spot for BBDO NY in which a brother fulfills his sister’s dreams by embarking on a road trip to visit places on her bucket list.
Titled “Road Trip,” the commercial continues American Family Insurance’s series of optimistic stories, following the 2016’s “Dad Insurance” and last year’s “Duet” featuring Jennifer Hudson.
Client American Family Insurance Agency BBDO New York David Lubars, worldwide chief creative officer; Greg Hahn, chief creative officer, NY; Susan Golkin executive creative director; Mike Folino, Luis Romero, creative directors; Dave Rolfe, head of integrated production; Becky Burkhard, exec producer; Danielle Amico, interactive producer; Rani Vaz, head of music production; John Melillo, music producer; Erin Breen, head of art production; Lizzy Lehn, associate art producer. Production Smuggler Jamie Rafn, director; Drew Santarsiero, Patrick Milling-Smith, Brian Carmody, exec producers; Ray Leakey, producer; Jody Lee Lipes, DP. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Adam Pertofsky, editor; Eve Kornblum, exec producer; Lisa Barnable, producer; Marjorie Sacks, Anne-Laure Dhooghe, assistant editors. Post/VFX MPC Jess Kurnit, exec producer; Aiste Akelaityte, producer.
FCB Health New York, an IPG Health company, and SAFE Project have joined forces to create “The Snowball,” a short film that spotlights winter as a common catalyst for dangerous increases in alcohol consumption. In collaboration with creative studio LOBO, “The Snowball” combines a compelling visual metaphor with cutting-edge animation and a haunting soundtrack from Billie Holiday.
As millions embrace “Dry January,” the onset of colder, shorter winter days still leads to an uptick in alcohol misuse, which can lead to liver cirrhosis and other medical maladies and dangerous consequences for one’s life. Speaking to casual drinkers, “The Snowball” visually illustrates how anyone is at risk of becoming addicted to alcohol during this time of year when external climate variables can lead to excess consumption, even if the drinker does not immediately realize it.
Making good on the metaphor, the film follows one man as a quick liquor run gradually devolves into a full-blown addiction as a snowball gradually grows beside him, engulfing his whole life and eventually causing his demise. Set to the tune of Billie Holiday’s “Everything I Have Is Yours,” the film’s pathos is drawn from the sonic integrity of Holiday’s original recording maintained in the sound design as well as the singer’s tragic battle with substance abuse.
This entirely animated film was created using a hands-on, collaborative process rooted in traditional animation techniques, with every aspect of the artwork creation, design, and craftsmanship crafted entirely by human hands. AI-driven tools and processes were brought in during the animation rendering stage, helping the film achieve a distinct visual style that would have been difficult to achieve through... Read More
