Amazon’s Audible, creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, has launched its first-ever global brand marketing platform, setting a consistent voice for all marketplaces and customer, creator and employee touchpoints. Rolling out across multiple markets over the course of the next few months, Audible’s brand platform campaign comes from creative agency Fold7 which has worked with the client in the U.K. for the last eight years and appointed to a global role spanning TV, digital, social, radio and OOH following a competitive pitch.
Running across the U.S., U.K., Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, India, Spain, the new work uses rich and immersive visual and linguistic devices to emphasize the magic in the meeting point between the wonder of our imaginations and the mundanity of the everyday. Guided by the tagline “There’s more to imagine when you listen,” the brand executions explore how listening to Audible immerses us all in extraordinary worlds, changing our mood, perceptions, views–all while engaging in routine daily activities.
Key in the campaign are a pair of spots directed by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet of production house Partizan, including this one titled “Soaking Detective.”
“Soaking Detective” focuses on Audible’s true crime collection and follows a team of detectives solving a crime when water bursts through the ceiling. The office is flooding inexplicably, with confusion reigning supreme–until, the water engulfs the scene and we see a woman listening to Audible detective fiction while soaking in a bath. The voiceover says: “There’s more to imagine when you listen.” During production of the film, the team physically flooded the set with tons of water in order to get the perfect shot.
CreditsClient Amazon Audible Agency Fold7 Dave Billing, executive creative director; Lucy Aston, writer/creative director; Dan Burkitt, Philippa Baines, creatives; Alex Gill, design director; Sam Turner-Cox, sr. designer; Shnar Songprasert, creative artworker; Ben Gibbons, lead motion designer; Emily Hendrey, sr. producer, film; Yelena Gaufman, strategy. Production Company Partizan Antoine Bardou-Jacquet, director; Jenny Beckett, managing director/exec producer; Ella More O’Ferrall, head of production; David Stewart, producer; Charlie Scannell, production manager; Christophe Beaucarne, DP; Alexandre Vivet, production designer; Thor Taweepasas, art director (Thailand); Olivier Coulhon, 1st AD; Livt Pokinlarpat, 1st AD (Thailand); Rogier Samuels, lead make-up/hair/prosthetic designer (Netherlands; Q Kunratchol, prosthetics designer (Thailand); Verity Hawkes, lead costume designer (U.K.); Bua Wannaklai, costume designer (Thailand); Anniemiek Bohnenn, hair & make-up. Casting Kate and Lou Casting, casting director (U.K.); Livt Pokinlarpat, casting director (Thailand). Production Service Company TA Prod Christophe Guyot, service production company exec producer; Air Charoenrat, service production company producer. Editorial Manuel Coutant, editor. VFX Electric Theatre Collective Ed Shires, head of CG, VFX supervisor; Iain Murray, head of 2D, VFX supervisor; Antonia Vlasto, exec producer; Luke Rzewnicki, sr. producer; Soledad Martin, Alex Kulikov, 2D leads, VFX supervisors; Luke Morrison, colorist. Audio 750 mph Sam Ashwell, engineer. Music Twenty Below Music
Top Spot of the Week: Director Jake Scott, Paramount Brand Studios “Make Your Gameday Epic” In “Gladiator II”-Inspired Pepsi Spot
Nearly 20 years after Pepsi’s “Roman Empire” made its mark on pop culture, the brand is returning to the arena with a colossal Gladiator-themed campaign titled, “Make Your Gameday Epic™.” Celebrating the start of the 2024 NFL season and the highly anticipated release of Paramount Pictures’ Gladiator II in theaters on Nov. 22, this short film--directed by Jake Scott via RSA Films for Paramount Brand Studio features Megan Thee Stallion, as Empress Megan, leading a legion of NFL superstars turned Gridiron Gladiators, including Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce, locked in an epic battle with ice-cold Pepsi at the heart of the action. A brand-new gameday anthem from three-time, Grammy award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion soundtracks the campaign. The unmistakable “boom, boom, clap” from Queen’s epic track “We Will Rock You” is featured on a fresh sample with cutting new lyrics from Megan. The new track became available on all major music streaming platforms, and ahead of Megan hosting the 2024 MTV VMAs last night (9.11), where the track and music-video inspired spot were heard and seen throughout the show. “I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of the legends who appeared in this Gladiator campaign 20 years ago and proud to have carved my own new legacy,” said Megan Thee Stallion. “Pepsi really brought the worlds of music, sports and entertainment together in a powerful way to set off the new NFL season.” The spot opens with Lamorne Morris and Jake Lacy peering into a can of Pepsi Zero Sugar as it transforms into a colosseum. Empress Megan calls the shots, and the royal roster of NFL players are at her command as they all vie for her favor and a sip of an ice-cold Pepsi... Read More