The Leith Agency and Famous Grouse returned to Axis Studios, animation and VFX studio, to produce the latest Famous Grouse television commercial, part of a new global campaign to promote the Famous Grouse Smoky Black. It was directed by Local Hero and produced by Calum Hart. The commercial shows the intrepid Red Grouse enjoying a midnight hike through the iconic Scottish Highlands.
Axis Studios worked closely with Local Hero to bring their directorial vision to life. The 20 second TVC, is set in ‘Grouse Country’, generated entirely in CG by Axis. The transformation presented an FX-heavy challenge, working with a dynamic feather and fur system, swirling fog and morphing geometry. The performance was likewise critical; our Grouse had to undergo a playfully scary change without losing his cute charm.
SPW Credits
The Leith Agency Fraser Hunter, Producer; Grant Byrne, Producer; Rufus Wedderburn, Creative Director; Chris Watson, Deputy Creative Director; Richard Thomson, Account Executive; Gordon Barclay, Senior Account Manager; Hattie Lloyd Jr., Project Manager
Axis Studios Andrew Pearce, Exec Producer; Stephen Dalton, Director; Mike Harris, Art Director; Imran Sajid, CG Supervisor; Calum Hart, Producer; Sergio Jimenez, Producer; Laura McMaster, Production Assistant; Emmy Ivanova, Production Assistant; Will Pryor, Riggin Supervisor; Camille Fourniols, Lead Grooming Artist; Ekaterina Pushkarova, Lead character artist; Jonas Bergholm, Asset TD; Floyd Billingy, Lead Environment Artist; Louise McGregor, Senior Editor; Andrew Van Der Walt, Previs artist; Krissy Josephides, Lead layout/animator; Jason Horley, DMP Artist; Florian Eggers, FX Artist; Craig Russell, CFX Artist; Philipp Buschauer, LRC Lead; Moises Rejano, FX/LRC artist
Commercial production company Explore and director Jeremy Pinckert went to a familiar well to pull inspiration for their latest production for Go RVing. "Hotel Hassle" was initially conceived as an audio-only campaign, but Go RVing's SVP/CMO Karen Redfern asked Explore to adapt the script into a new, live-action commercial. The adaptation from audio ads to digital commercial spots involved adding re-written lines and a few iconic scenes from Pinckert’s ideas that provided anchor moments for the ads. In particular, 'Hotel Hassle' features a room key that just won’t open the door. The visual he added (a round sensor on the door where the key unlocks) not only modernized the ad into the age of tap, but also gave the spot a technology vs. human undertone, invoking the AI-character Hal from Stanley Kubrick’s '2001 A Space Odyssey.'
Explore and Pinckert also added a visual hook to the ending of the spot that leaned on his own experiences traveling with his family. He found his hands were always full, clutching a few bags, random loose objects, his phone, and of course, his coffee. In the commercial, there is a moment where all of the frustrations are just too much for the protagonist and he almost curses in front of the family. What if the director added an action where the protagonist accidentally spills their coffee and the camera freezes precisely at this moment?
"Hotel Hassle", part of Go RVing's larger Don't Go There! campaign, is currently being broadcast nationwide via strategic digital channels.
