Design, visual effects and animation studio Spontaneous Combustion has created the visual effects and completed the conform for a trio of witty 15-second spots for Staples, Inc. (Framingham, MA), an official sponsor of the NFL for the last six years. The Statistics campaign was developed by Cliff Freeman and Partners (New York, NY) and pays homage to the NFL's on-air graphic displays, over-the-top analysis and cult following. Labels, Printer and Paper, which will run during NFL games on the CBS-TV network throughout the season, show Staples associates helping customers with their office supply needs and reveal the low prices of a variety of products. Each of the spots feature snippets of sales associates in action within a Staples store environment. Customer interaction is taken to a new level as each employee is thrust into a graphically charged NFL-like spotlight, complete with vital stats and a sports announcer-type voiceover. With a flash of light, a three dimensional stapler serves as a graphic transitional wipe from the live-action into the graphic display. Against a palette of Staples colors - red, white and black - each associate awkwardly stands to the left as a chart highlighting their statistics appears to the right. The background, meanwhile, is abuzz with scrolling elements, including the Staples logo and products including calculators and folders. The Spontaneous Combustion team analyzed graphic styles of on-air treatments that are used during NFL television game coverage in order to emulate and push them into a completely different playing field - a Staples store. "The premise was to treat these employees like professional football heroes," explained Spontaneous Combustion Senior Visual Effects Designer Julie Watkins. "The graphics that we created are recognizable enough so that even if you're not a fan, the humor is still very apparent."
