MullenLowe ECD Kirk Gainsford explained that the success of the first advertisement for GWK made the production of the second one both terrifying and exciting. When GWK challenged them with the next story, they knew they couldn’t make something as good as the last one, they had to make something better.
The project, Directed by Ruan Vermeulen of Bewilder took four weeks of shooting with six creatives capturing and animating every movement. Another team built miniature sets at the studio. While shooting, a team of six animators and compositors worked on the animation. 3D printing was used to create the complicated objects, with at least half of the objects in each scene have been 3D printed.
The first GWK TVC took four months to shoot and produce, described by Gainsford as an insane time of creative energy. ‘This time around we spent more time developing the characters and their own stories. Although two separate stories about the people who produce the food we eat, we decided to feature the same family – we meet the whole family and we travel all the way back to the past,’ he said.
The voice tells the child’s story, Old MacDonald had a farm, which has been rewritten by MullenLowe. ‘This story is about every farmer, no matter how big or small. The end line says it all, ‘… and now he wakes up every day to feed you and you and you, because, that is just what farmers do,’ continued Gainsford.
Neil de Klerk, executive head of GWK Group marketing and communications, stated that we should never underestimate South African talent. He said the first installment This Man Is Building A Rocket gripped the imagination of people worldwide. ‘We believe that the next installment in the story will do exactly the same, and we’re very proud that this incredible story has been produced locally in partnership with MullenLowe South Africa. This campaign recognises the incredible people that together are working for a better future for all of us.’
‘This new TVC epitomises the MullenLowe challenger mentality. It challenges the rules in terms of developing an innovative campaign and TVC for an Agri brand. It challenged the format and production process when it comes to consumer-facing advertising. It challenged how we see farming. What the audience sees is an incredible shot and recounted story that unfolds in 90 seconds – ninety seconds that has taken over two years to produce,’ concluded Gainsford.
