Agency VCCP London created “Hyped,” an integrated brand campaign to celebrate Virgin Media’s new entertainment service, Stream. Running throughout the U.K. for eight weeks across multiple touchpoints, the campaign further demonstrates Virgin Media’s commitment to being “Better, connected” by giving customers more flexibility, control and value on their entertainment.
Stream, the latest offering in Virgin Media’s TV lineup, seamlessly combines popular TV channels with on-demand apps, popular streaming subscriptions and must-watch movies, offering customers a new way to enjoy their favorite entertainment all in one place, and at great value, via a small plug-and-play box powered entirely by Virgin Media’s broadband.
The campaign leads off with this hero “Hyped” :60 TV comercial–directed by Rollo Jackson of Somesuch–which opens on a couple being disturbed when their TV starts talking to them. Voiced by British Garage icon, MC Neat, the TV announces “Listen, this is your TV speaking!” Viewers are then taken on a journey as hyped TVs around the country disrupt their owners’ viewing experience to tell them about the benefits of Stream. In blocks of flats, houses and high street shops, people react as their TVs burst into life as an eye-catching and bold mouth takes over their screens. A man in a bath sits up and takes notice, as does a stunned couple in a local fish-and-chips shop. As the track builds, the TVs energetically rap about the many benefits of Stream. The iconic Virgin Media red provides a background for the mouths as they morph into different textures and colors. The film concludes with the line, “The future of viewing is here, the future of viewing is Stream.”
David Masterman, creative director at VCCP London, said, “Stream from Virgin Media is here and viewing will never be quite the same again. We picked the experts of viewing to announce Stream’s arrival. The ones who’ve watched us ask ‘What’s it on?’ for the hundredth time. The ones who’ve seen us running around the house looking for that 4th remote. Our TVs, of course. We asked, ‘what if TVs are so excited about the arrival of
Stream, they come to life to tell the nation all about it?’
Client Virgin Media Agency VCCP London Ben Evans, Adam Sears, Sophie Knox, Miles Carter, creatives; David Masterman, creative director; Jonny Parker, Chris Birch, executive creative directors; Ed Thorn, Rosie Good, TV producers; Giselle Sambrook-Smith, Yasmin Akhavan, creative producers; Adam Edwards, design director. Production Company Somesuch Rollo Jackson, director; Scott O’Donnell, exec producer; Tarquin Glass, producer. Editorial James Forbes-Robertson, editor. Postproduction Electric Theatre Collective Amie Kingsnorth, Ben Honor, post producers; Luke Morrison, colorist. Music Lank & Tank, London, music producer. Music Supervision & Composition Soho Music, London Laura Harrison, Tom Kitson, music supervisors. Music Artist: MC Neat. Audio Post Duffy Sound, London Peter Duffy, sound engineer.
Top Spot of the Week: Nike, W+K Portland, Megaforce Take Us On A “Sunshine” Run
“Winning isn’t Comfortable” is the second chapter of Nike’s “Winning isn’t for Everyone,” extended through the lens of running. It is based on true insights and the realities that runner experience when they lace up their shoes.
It adds the perspective of how hard it can be to just get out the door and go for a run. The idea that if you don’t hate running a little, you don’t love running enough. It celebrates the need and opportunity to push outside a person’s comfort zone to discover what they can accomplish, emphasizing that true victory often requires pushing through uncomfortable moments.
Each film of the series builds on the tension that every runner faces--pushing through the morning dread, the elements outside, the pain of hitting a wall, or even walking down the stairs after a run or race--juxtaposed with the feeling of elation only runners know as they push themselves beyond what they thought possible.
The irreverence of the films--directed by Megaforce via production company Iconoclast for Wieden+Kennedy Portland--is in pairing visuals showing the mundanity of everyday struggles with music that brings to life a contradictory tension. This film, the first to be released, is titled “Sunshine” and shows the inclement weather and obstacles that runners encounter to the tune of “You Are My Sunshine.”
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