Happy Egg Co. is rolling out its first work with The Martin Agency with a new motto we should all adopt: “Crack Open Happy.” Martin turned to Australian native and Brooklyn-based illustrator, Tom Brolga, for his pitch-perfect “poptivism” to set the tone for a significant reposition of Happy Egg—the brand’s first in three years.
Brolga helped the team create a world where toast gets a message by the pool, a Yeti does wheelies, bacon strips and a pig meet over pancakes. You just may see a chicken with tats. And our guide to this world of wonderment is a talking mug.
“We felt that only an animated world would truly juxtapose the mundane, every-day grind that is life,” shares Martin Agency copywriter Hope Thomas. “That being said, an animated world provides a lot more opportunity and freedom to show ‘happiness’—especially now that production capabilities are limited.”
Thomas added, “We gravitated toward Brolga’s work because it’s so joyous and full of life! The fluid, bubbly style of his work brightens up a lot of dull situations. He’s no stranger to combining his illustrations with real-world scenarios, which is exactly what we were trying to achieve.”
Credits
Client Happy Egg Co. Agency The Martin Agency Danny Robinson, EVP, chief creative officer; Jerry Hoak, EVP, executive creative director; Adam Stockton, creative director; Hope Thomas, copywriter; Sydney Aloe, art director; Summer McClure, designer; Tasha Dean, SVP, head of production; Tricia Hoover, executive producer; Coleman Sweeney, content producer; Rachel Bensinger, jr. content producer; Elizabeth Paul, chief strategy officer. Animation Flutter/Jacky Winter Group Dom Bartolo, executive creative director; Margaret Bialis, animation director; Aubrey Halloran, Li Liang Johnson, producers; Tom Brolga, illustrator; Stephen Elliget, lead animator; James Manton, Marta Tesoro, Dustin Nguyen, Frankie Lee, Chris More, Derek Lau, 2D animators & compositors; Su Mei Chia, animation producer. Production Company (Live-action) Spang TV Jordan Rodericks, director/DP; Melanie Cox, exec producer; Erin Surber, producer. Editorial (Live action) Spang TV Will Rummel, David Muessig, offline edit; David Muessig, colorist; Matt Milstead, VFX editor; Maggie Kern Melton, producer. Casting, Recording & Sound Design Subvert Studios Music Singing Serpent Jon Spencer, exec producer, creative director.
For the global EX30 Cross Country launch, Volvo and creative agency Forsman & Bodenfors wants to de-dramatize the outdoor experience--and remind people that small trips into nature can be grand experiences.
Cross Country is Volvo’s concept of turning their regular cars into more outdoor-capable versions, with higher ground clearance, all-wheel drive and other features making it more capable and off-road ready. And now, the compact, fully electric EX30 becomes available as a Cross Country version. It’s a small car designed for big experiences, made to elevate both urban living and outdoor adventure, and to bring people closer to nature.
“With Volvo being such a human-centric brand, it felt natural to focus on the human side of nature. The child’s perspective became the perfect metaphor for this, to spend time in nature on nature’s terms,” said Karl Risenfors, creative at Forsman & Bodenfors.
In a category that often portrays epic journeys deep into the wilderness, the campaign serves as a reminder that even everyday adventures can be memorable experiences. Thus this launch spot--directed by Marcus Ibanez via production company New-Land--shows nature through the point of view of a child. A child’s imagination and perspective generates a visual metaphor for the magic that nature can bring, no matter the scale of the adventure.
