Elvis Costello Stars in New Linda McCartney Ad

Today sees the launch the first TV advertising campaign for the Linda McCartney Foods brand for 15 years with a new range of chilled meat free products. Produced in close collaboration with the McCartney family, the animated TV commercial which was directed by Jordan Bruner of Strange Beast features the McCartney family in animated form and was produced by Passion Pictures NYC/Strange Beast NYC. The commercial was devised by writer and creative director Simon Aboud.

 

Singer/songwriter Elvis Costello provides the voice over track and the music is a new recording of Paul McCartney’s Home in the Heart of the Country.

 

Director Jordan Bruner says, “The McCartney family were looking to create a spot that was edgy, fresh and memorable”. The spot marries psychedelic content with a mix of hand drawn and 2D watercolour animation. Bruner continues, “I’m typically drawn to surreal 2D and collage animation, and it seemed like a great way to showcase Linda’s personality and outlook on life. 

 

"I wanted the journey through the animation to be fluid and dream-like, so we had a lot of fun using watercolour transitions to carry us through the spot.” Director Jordan and Passion Pictures NYC Creative Director Pete Candeland worked with each member of the McCartney family to design a character that would represent them in the animation.

 

The animated film is part of a national #lovelinda campaign which launches the new product and also remembers Linda’s life and the great influence she had in getting people to eat less meat. Earlier this month a version of the spot without the voice over and pack shot was released on Paul McCartney’s website to generate an online buzz. In addition to the commercial campaign, a making-of documentary will be hosted on youtube on 28th January.

 

The animation transports viewers into a fairy-tale world where characters including Linda herself, Horse Boy, Napoleon Dog and Ballerina Cat join the McCartney family in a musical fanfare that culminates with a meat free woodland feast. The spot was produced with a team of around 20 designers, animators, and compositors.

 

Title: Love Linda

Length: 1 x 40, 1 x 30 cut down

Format: 16 x 9 HD

Client: Linda McCartney Foods

Agency: Hain Daniels Group

Writer/Creative Director: Simon Aboud

Music: “Heart of the Country” written + performed by Paul McCartney 

Voice Over: Elvis Costello

Production Company: Passion Pictures NYC/ Strange Beast NYC

Director: Jordan Bruner

Creative Director Pete Candeland

Producer: Angela Foster

Exec Producer: Belinda Blacklock

Lead Designer: Kim Dulaney

Additional Designers: Jordan Bruner, Stephanie Davidson, Cat Johnston, Erin Althea, Stephanie Davidson, Gordon Waltho

Animation: Jordan Bruner, Lizzie Akana, Blake Patrick, Greg Lytle, Dennis Moran, Chris Cookson, Leah Shore

Lead Compositor/Editor: Lee Gingold

Compositor: Eric Epstein

CG Product Artist: Ed Manning

Final Grade: Absolute Post