'Backwards Stories,' the new campaign from Vauxhall, tells famous fairy tales in reverse across a series of three 50-second films to highlight the benefits of the Astra’s reverse parking camera. Jack and The Beanstalk, Cinderella and The Ugly Duckling are retold in a new and unique way; each film sees its eponymous character start with the traditional happy ending, then work their way back to humble beginnings – and beyond.
Velocity (the dedicated and specialist agency created for Vauxhall Motors by McCann Worldgroup) and MRM Madrid have collaborated with animators from around the world - Brazil, Spain and the UK - to create a new Vauxhall Astra campaign.
Patrick Fourniol, marketing director at Vauxhall Motors, said: “Vauxhall’s mission is to offer cars and vans that anyone can enjoy, using the latest technology to enhance that experience. These films perfectly support our brand mission: enjoyment that’s accessible to anyone, delivered with a classically British twist of pantomime-style fun.”
Whilst having a reverse camera in itself may not be a new concept, having one as standard in such an easily-accessible car is. The campaign was designed to highlight this in a way that reflected the unprecedented nature of this innovation. The three films, whilst all very different, are linked by the same simple idea: when you go backwards – as when you reverse a car – things don’t always work out for the best.
Each film was briefed to a different animation house, with Coffee & TV in London retelling ‘Jack and The Beanstalk’, Mach Studio in Madrid recreating ‘The Ugly Duckling’ and Vetor Zero / LOBO in Brazil taking a new spin on ‘Cinderella’.
The work ran as online pre-roll ads, as well as on Vauxhall’s social channels. TV is planned for late 2019. Check out the 'Making Of' film below.
Creative Credits:
Adrian Botan
McCann Worldwide
Creative President McCann Europe
Miguel Bemfica
MRM // McCann Madrid
Chief Creative Officer
Vince McSweeney
McCann Milton Keynes
Chief Creative Officer
Eduardo Battiston
MRM // McCann Madrid
Executive Creative Director
Nick Cooper
McCann Milton Keynes
Executive Creative Director
Chris Robertson
McCann Birmingham
Executive Creative Director
Alberto Espeja
MRM // McCann Madrid
Senior Copywriter
Joe Ivory
McCann Birmingham
Senior Copywriter
Jamie Buckingham
McCann Birmingham
Senior Art Director
Justin Sanders
Global Radio
Producer
Dave Bush
Global Radio
Editor
Ugly Duckling animations only:
Rafael Merino
Mach Studio
Head of Art
Victor Llorente
Mach Studio
Technical Director
Pablo Camarero
Mach Studio
Art Director
Álvaro Rebollo
Mach Studio
Vfx Director
Beatriz Orellana
Mach Studio
Modelling & Look Dev
Jose Antonio Martín
Company: Mach Studio
Rigger
Christian Dan
Mach Studio
Animator
Cinderella animations only:
Grabriel Nobrega
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Director
Lee Peffer
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Animation Director
Felipe Jornada
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Art Director
Lucas Andrés Barreto
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Director of Photography
Frederyco Martins
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Modeling
Bruno Saber
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Modeling
Daniel Bahia
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
3D Animation
Jerome Saravá
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Animation Supervisor
Leo Cardaval
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Rigging Supervisor
Henrique Ribeiro
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Rigging
Lee Peffer
Vetor Zero/ LOBO
Stop Motion Animator
Jack and the Beanstalk animations only:
Martin Allen
Coffee & TV
Creative Director
Jonny Grew
Coffee & TV
Creative Director
Josh George
Coffee & TV
Character Design & Development & CG & Animation
Catherine Elvidge
Coffee & TV
CG & Animation
Adam Lindsay
Coffee & TV
CG & Animation
Adrian Russel
Coffee & TV
CG & Animation
Amy Heyes
Coffee & TV
CG & Animation
Richard Costin
Coffee & TV
CG & Animation
Steve Waugh
Coffee & TV
Art Director
George Neve
Coffee & TV
Grade
Charlotte Hopkins
Velocity
Producer
Company Credits
MRM//McCann Madrid
Idea Creation
McCann Milton Keynes
Idea Creation
Coffee & TV – only Jack and the Beanstalk animation credits
Production
Animation, Illustration, CGI and 3D Services
Vetor Zero / LOBO – only Cinderella animation credits
Production
Animation, Illustration, CGI and 3D Services
Mach Studio – only Ugly Duckling animation credits
Production
Animation, Illustration, CGI and 3D services
Global Radio
Production
Music & Sound Production