How Summer Nostalgia Runs through This Broadcaster’s Spot
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a childhood summer holiday. Warm days, endless movies, time spent with family and friends, and the feeling that the moment will last for a lifetime – and it does, at least within our memories. Those blissful days spent at home are exactly what broadcaster ARTE taps into in its latest campaign, as well as that all important bond between siblings.
‘The Summer of Brothers & Sisters’ de-romanticises sibling relationships by depicting classic scenarios through amateur photography and camcorder footage to take us back to simpler times. The quality of the videos combined with brothers hanging sisters from clothing hooks, drawing with markers on each other's faces and many many playfights, all paint a nostalgic picture for viewers. Despite the flawed relationships that siblings foster, the memories created are movie-like, with the sentiment being supported by TV shows and movies featuring famous siblings Venus Williams and Serena Williams, Prince William and Prince Harry, and Beyoncé and Solange – to name a few.
To hear more about creating an authentic portrayal of sibling relationships, LBB’s Nisna Mahtani speaks to KesselsKramer’s creative director Maartje Slijpen and senior creative Brenda Waegemaekers, as well as photographer and director Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek.
LBB> There’s a sense of real sibling relationships in this spot. Why were ARTE keen to use these bonds as the focus of the new campaign?
ARTE> Sibling bonds are one of the most common, and at the same time most complex relationships between people. Sometimes inseparable, often friendly, not infrequently ambivalent, and sometimes even hopelessly at odds. Famous siblings are no exception, and as such, they provide the perfect material for our ‘Summer of Brothers & Sisters’ pop-cultural focus.
LBB> How did the creative process begin and what were the ideas that initially floated around?
Maartje & Brenda> With a programme lineup that looks into the lives of superstar siblings and fictional families, we started digging for truths and fun facts everyone can relate to. Both growing up with older sisters, we could vividly draw from our own memories. At first, we had some ideas around similarities. Then, we wanted to focus on the love between siblings. Then the strife – as it seemed more fun. Eventually, we realised it’s the paradoxical feelings siblings can feel for each other that make their bond so intriguing.
LBB> A striking shot is of a brother hanging a little sister by the dungarees onto a hook on the wall. How did you capture that moment, what was some of the planning that went into it and what was everyone's reaction on set?
Maartje, Brenda & Daniel> The coat rack scene is based on our own childhood experiences. Working with children never goes as planned, so we had to be open to improvising or even changing the scene. To kids, everything gets boring within a fraction of a second. Even hanging from a coat rack. Luckily, the girl loved dangling on the wall. It was her brother who was more of a challenge to capture. Not impressed by being the centre of attention, he preferred playing in the garden.
LBB> There’s a lovely, nostalgic quality to the spot in the way it’s captured at the beginning. Can you talk us through how you created the aesthetic through raw amateur photography and a camcorder?
Daniel> Choosing the right camera setup was a big part of the job. We spent quite some time before the shoot hunting for old and cheap second-hand cameras to test. This helped us in finding the most perfect match. In addition to the extensive camera search, we ensured that the location, styling and set design felt real enough to radiate the amateur feel we were aiming for. In the end, it all came together.
LBB> Why do you think nostalgia is such a powerful tool to use within the creative space and how can brands utilise it authentically?
Maartje & Brenda> Although nostalgia in itself is subjective and can differ per generation, it’s a powerful tool in making people feel something. It allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper human level. This is also why it’s sometimes used a bit too easily, too often. Adding a retro filter and done: warm memories triggered. To us, the idea in itself was relatable and therefore nostalgic. Then, the form followed naturally.
LBB> What was the casting process like? Were you looking for actual siblings and how did you get the most authentic representation of siblings out of the cast?
Maartje, Brenda & Daniel> Working with actual siblings was a must for us. Why fake a family dynamic, when you can have a real one? The effort went into finding those authentic sibling pairs who would be comfortable on camera, without being too self-aware. The sincerer, the better.
LBB> Alongside these ‘home movie’ style clips, there are also snippets of movies and TV shows among other things. How did you use the narration and editing to tie everything together?
Maartje & Brenda> The most suspenseful part of the post-production was that – because we shot everything on camcorder and analogue – the outcome was sort of a surprise. To keep the footage as raw as possible, we decided not to grade any of the film material. For the cinema trailer, we added a spoken narrative that underlines the sweet side of siblings, because the visuals already show the friction. As the brother-and-sister bond is so universally understood, we didn’t face many challenges in tying the campaign footage to the ARTE fragments. But ultimately it’s up to the viewer to decide how fun the work is – depending on your childhood traumas, of course.
To anyone with or without siblings: immerse in ‘The Summer of Brothers & Sisters’ on ARTE or arte.tv until August 20th.
