Director Jerry Hibbert at Hibbert Ralph Animation (HRA) has turned out a new :30 commercial, JUGGLING BEETS, for Branston pickle/condiment products with some pretty fun visuals and a catchy soundtrack.
The commercial features Branston food products such as piccalilli, pickled onions and pickled beetroots, taking shape as fun faces and characters in sandwiches as people have fun preparing a snack. The preparers are never visible, keeping the focus on the food.
Two pickled onions on forks form two eyes that react to the soundtrack. Piccalilli is spread onto a cold meat sandwich and the sandwich is then used to form a mouth that sings along to the soundtrack. Other elements such as the pickled beetroots, a floret of cauliflower, lettuce leaves, etc., are used to form various faces. It ends with the three jars sliding into frame with the tagline, Bring on the Branston Tang! The live-action footage was manipulated in After Effects to make the humorous faces.
Graham Perkins of Pennies Music reworked the First World War hit song A Little Bit Of Cucumber, song by Harry Hill.
Hibbert remarked, As a commercials director, you hope that just once in a while, a script that's a bit special or a bit unusual will land on your desk. And once in a while it does. This time it was Branston's. It was the dream combination of a strong creative idea backed by a brave client. All I had to do was to make it. Although it was technically quite a complex shoot the enthusiasm and the fun from all involved has filtered through the production process and ended up on screen - where it should be!
McCann Ericksons launch commercial for Branston was created by art director Rob Neilson and copywriter Jack Stephens. The agency producer was Hannah Plumb. HRA Animation producer was Sue Lyster. Greg Mills was live action producer for the Democracy production company.
HRA (www.hra-online.com) is a London-based studio that specializes in commercials, television graphics and promos.
