Our plunge into the fantastical, glowing neon and relentlessly dark yet cheerful candy-filled world of Trolli continues–appropriately with National Gummi Worm Day on Wednesday (7/15)–as Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, Ore., teams with Blinkink for their latest clay animation spots, including this one titled “Mouth Monster.”
In this piece, a fierce Mouth Monster menaces a village–until the creature’s disposition improves thanks to a taste of a Trolli gummy. The monster becomes instead a cheery, upbeat presence, bringing sunshine to the villagers. Such is the power of a delicious, chewy gummy worm.
Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling of Blinkink directed the commercials
Dave Foldes, sr. brand marketing manger of Trolli at Ferrara, said. “While other candy brands position themselves as ironically funny, bright and bold, Trolli takes a different path. Using a deliciously dark opening context, the experience of Trolli and the worms brings a neon light and levity through any situation in the form of a psychedelic, playful, and uniquely identifiable world. ‘It’s Trolli’ has been a hard-working campaign for us in driving both sales and awareness among our target audience over the past year as evident in our engagement on social media. We’re excited to continue the momentum with this year’s new creative.”
Credits
Client Trolli Agency Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Darcie Burrell, Azsa West, creative directors; Abby Christensen, copywriter; Danielle Delph, art director; Hayley Goggin, executive producer; Mauricio Granado, producer; Katie Schaller, associate producer; Kate Oliver, Emilie Wedoe, creative operations managers; Carly Starratt, Zack Jerome, strategic planning; Alicia Kuna, Nagini Reddy, Robert Mumford, Alex Sanchez, studio; Neil Hilken, motion. Animation & Postproduction Blinkink Becky Sloan, director, character designer & concept art TV; Joseph Pelling, director & storyboard artist, character designer & concept art TV, music/score; Sam Gainsborough, director of social, character designs social, animator social; Bart Yates, exec producer; Hugo Donkin, producer; William Kay, production manager; Rosanna Morley, Maria Kolandawel, production coordinators; Ewa Luczkow, storyboards social, character designs social, animator social, puppet + model maker social, background painter social; Jon Boam, Daniel Britt, character designers; Olga Sokal, concept art TV + social; Matt Day, DP; Toby Goodyear, 1st assistant camera; Ronnie McQuillan, DP social; Aldo Camillen, lighting director; Genki McClure, electrician; Andy Biddle, Tobias Fouracre, Steve Warne, animators; Anita Bruvere, animator social, puppet & modelmaker, social; Robin Jackson, animation rigger; Nathan Flynn, Josh Flynn, Laura Tofarides, puppet makers; Gordon Allen, Brin Frost, art directors; Jasmine Nixon, Catherine Prowse, model makers; Yossel Simpson, carpenter; Sarah Crombie, modeler; Richard Davison, background painter; William Kay, post mgr, compositor; Philippe Medina, compositor + CG; Jonathan Gallagher, John Malcolm Moore, Tom Readdy, compositors; Jessica Herrera, CG animation; Tom Fisher, edit assistant; Charlie Pelling,, music/score. Color Jogger Henry Howard, colorist; Ruth Minkley, producer. Sound Mix UK Offset Audio Sound Design & Mix Lime Adam Primack, sound designer/mixer; Susie Boyajan, exec producer.
When dozens of Klick Health team members said they wouldn’t be able to hug loved ones over the festive season, the agency turned to AI and other magic to orchestrate a series of sentimental, surprise reunions captured in its “Holiday Hugs” video. The heartwarming four-minute video, benefitting the D.C.-based Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC), parallels recent findings from a Maru/Blue Public Opinion survey commissioned by Klick.
The poll found 74 percent of Americans and Canadians won’t be able to hug at least one person they wish they could over the holidays. And like those in the video, survey participants cited geographical distance and loved ones having passed away as the leading factors preventing their hugs.
“I just wish I could really squeeze her right now,” says teary-eyed New York Klickster Kari Bocassi watching her AI-generated hug with her sister Marlene, moments before she bursts onto the set for a long in-person embrace. The siblings have spent the past 14 years caring for their mother since her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but haven’t been together for the holidays since Marlene moved to Virginia. Similarly, Toronto’s Fred Duarte gets the bear hug of his life when his brother Rico, who lives in Brazil, walks into Klick’s production studio for their first holiday reunion in seven years.
Directed by James Cooper via Cooper Films, “Holiday Hugs” also taps into the fact that hugs don’t just make people feel better emotionally, they also have numerous health benefits. According to the National Institutes of Health, hugs can lower blood pressure and boost the immune system.
“There’s nothing quite like the warmth and reassurance of a heartfelt hug,” said Klick’s chief creative officer Rich Levy. “With ‘Holiday... Read More
