Passion Pictures directors Pete Candeland and Dan Sumich recently produced two :20 animated commercials for the U.K.s newest mobile network, 3 with an anime style, using characters created by Japanese designer, Mari Chan.
The commercials show how 3 enables customers to watch moving images on their 3G mobile phones. This content includes music videos, news and sports coverage, and personal video messages (mini movies) that customers make and send themselves.
The 2D commercials are minimalist in style, using Toonz software, and feature outwardly cute looking characters that surprisingly demonstrate sadistic behavior toward each other. The dark humor is written to appeal to a sophisticated young adult audience. The spots were written and devised by exec creative director Leslie Ali and creative director/art director Simon Robinson at WCRS in London.
In the first spot, TURTLE/EEL, a purple turtle is balanced on the head of a bright yellow electric eel. The turtle kicks the eel in the head every time he wants him to speak. The trodden eel tells viewers about making mini movies on a 3G mobile phone and sending them to friends, as well as getting loads of minutes too.
PANDA opens on two pandas. As they start to dance, they are joined by more pandas, who form a row. They tell the audience how they can watch music videos on their mobiles and get loads of free minutes with 3. A happy sun appears behind the dancing pandas, until his rays are so strong they burn the pandas to a crisp.
Tokyo-based designer Mari Chan was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1977. She graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts in 2000. Chan (www.marichan.com) has had two exhibitions in Japan, Mari Chan and her Friends (Utanokoji Gallery, Kyoto 1999) and Mari Chan and Obedient Servants (CAFÉ FLYING TEAPOT, TOKYO 2002). CHANS CHARACTERS HAVE ALSO APPEARED IN PICTOPLASMA 2, Peter Thalers iconic character design books.
Credits:* Exec Creative Director: Leslie Ali * Creative Director/Art Director: Simon Robinson* Producer: Sarah Bailes* Directors: Pete Candeland, Dan Sumich* Designer: Mari Chan* Producer: Michael Adamo
London-based Passion Pictures created 2D and 3D animated characters, commercials, music videos, short films and title sequences. For further information, check out www.passion-pictures.com.
