2008 Creativity Award Winner: Sony Bravia: Play-Doh

A vibrant menagerie of Play-Doh bunnies frolics through the streets of New York City, accompanied by the uplifting "She's a Rainbow," by the Rolling Stones. This third episode of Sony Bravia's unabashed celebration of color boasts all the charm and whimsy of "Balls" and "Paint," but unlike its stunt-based predecessors, "Play-Doh" required painstaking, moment by moment craftsmanship to achieve its magic. "What I wanted for this piece was for people not to really think about it and be taken through this journey of color," Fallon, London creative Juan Cabral explained of his intentions behind the latest from Sony Bravia's "Colour like no other" campaign, in the spot's "Making of" video. Oddly enough, as easy as it is to sit back and take in the colorful splendor, the mini-doc reveals that this Bravia production may have required the most thought and precision of the whole bunch. One A-list director stood at the helm, with 540 animators molding 2.5 tons of plasticine into nearly 200 rainbow colored bunnies, an army of multi-hued blocks, a 10-foot high purple wave and a 30-foot tall Godzilla of a rabbit. To make matters more difficult, the animators had to leave their cozy studios and take their skills onto the more unpredictable stage of downtown Manhattan streets. Even director Frank Budgen described the production as "mind-numbingly" complex, but the efforts culminated in a visually rich and satisfying tale?and another deserving winner for a 2008 Creativity Award.Q&A with Fallon/London Creative Director/Partner Juan CabralHow would you characterize this spot, compared to its predecessors? What were you hoping to achieve with this particular execution? Cabral: There was a bit more manual craft going on. Each frame was composed, quite literally, instead of being controlled explosions?like the first two. This one had a handmade feel?that is quite chaotic anyway. When you watch it, you can't help to feel a little bit of the pain of the process. Which I think is good, somehow.Going into the third installment of the campaign, what were your fears or reservations? Cabral: The challenges mutated everyday. First, we needed to find a location in the middle of Manhattan for three weeks, a place with the feel and the freedom to do all the things we wanted to do. Then, finding enough animators to make this happen, find a rehearsing method. Then, face the variables of the weather on a day by day basis, the shadows, the people walking by, the light, etc. Exciting uncertainties, basically. There's a moment you just relax and embrace the chaos to shape the piece too.Looking back on the legacy you've established with Bravia so far, what role does creativity play in terms of building the Sony brand?once a brand has aligned itself with a reputation for great creative, what kind of challenges and risks does it face?Cabral: There's this line at the end of each Sony spot, which makes it hard to get away with anything that's not up to the level. In the back of your head you know that "Like no other" is going to sign off the execution. And that's always a nice test.When it comes to creativity, advertising, your job, what are you most afraid of? What are you most excited about? Cabral: Execution. It's always scary. But it's also the best part. So you try to live that painful process and keep reminding to yourself, "I'm supposed to enjoy this moment."To you, what is creativity?Cabral: It's that moment where you can't lie to yourself... and you give one more step.As a creative, you've consistently come up with ideas that break out of the traditional mold. Keeping in mind evolving technologies, evolving forms of storytelling, what do you expect advertising innovation in the future? five years down the road?will demand of creative professionals?Cabral: For me it's impossible to think five years ahead. I just try to stay one day ahead, to be honest. At the end of the day it always comes down to an idea.Check out more of the 2008 Creativity Award winners.

2008 Creativity Award Winner: Sony Bravia: Play-Doh

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