Gymboree celebrates all of life’s happy moments, big and small, with the launch of its new brand platform, “One Big Happy.” Gymboree enlisted Where Eagles Dare, who partnered with Agency 1903 and content creators Big Block to concept and launch the full-scale marketing campaign, which includes TV, print and digital advertising, social media activations, in-store signage, and events. The supporting commercial helmed by Big Block director Paul Trillo marks Gymboree’s first-ever advertisement on network television.
Collectively, the spot showcases a series of “big happy moments” within vignettes—a birthday party, a wake-up call, a game of dress-up—and highlights the cute head-to-toe looks from Gymboree’s Fall 2015 collection. Slices of life flow into one another, creating a panorama of the heartwarming and relatable moments that make life with kids so special. Each vignette is shot in super slow-motion, affording the viewer a technicolor glimpse into the precious split seconds of family life.
Big Block was enlisted to help Where Eagles Dare Principal/Creative Director Brian Franks and the Agency 1903 team to dissect the creative and bring the concept to life with a moving montage celebrating magical moments between parents and kids, while showcasing the detail and range of the latest Gymboree fashions.
Director Paul Trillo broke the spot down into six scenes shot over the course of several days. To achieve the super slow-mo technique, Big Block brought on the technicians from the acclaimed film Children of Men, who developed a 45-foot long slider to allow the Phantom camera to move at a speed of 25-feet per second. Using a Doggie Cam, Trillo was able to pan continuously at normal speed but have all the action slow down.
Big Block handled the details that would help the concept work further, including the backstory, casting, and music. Overall, Big Block cast a diverse group of close to 50 kids, including five-year old YouTube sensation Heaven King, who is seen having an impromptu dance party with her mom Tianne.
Where Eagles Dare and Big Block worked with Jingle Punks to create the track, a toy instrument cover of Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Get Enough,” which is sung in part by children who regularly attend Gymboree Play & Music classes. Additionally, Big Block shot behind-the-scenes content, including footage of the child actors learning to dance and a glimpse into the fun-filled recording session at Jingle Punks studios.
This is the second collaboration between Big Block and Brian Franks, who spearheaded the 360 marketing application for Gymboree. Previously, Franks was Vice President Creative Director for American Eagle Outfitters, ae.com, and 77kids. During his over 20 year tenure, Franks was the author of or a key contributor to just about every major advertising, branding, digital and marketing campaign the AEO brand created.
As Principal/Creative Director of Where Eagles Dare, Brian uses this experience to custom-build teams tailored specifically for the client’s needs, culminating in the most impactful concepts and strategies to meet business goals. For Gymboree, the digital specialists at Agency 1903 were brought on board as a partner.