Yellow Boat Music Orchestrates the Return of the Famous Gio Compario

Yellow Boat Music’s Philip Jewson and Paul Cartledge have partnered with creative consultants Chris and Siân Wilkins and tenor Wynne Evans to re-imagine the music for the return of the infamous moustachioed mascot.

Celebrated Director Graham Rose directed the commercial, filmed in the Liberec Stadium in the Czech Republic.  Chris and Sian Wilkins came up with the TV work and campaign concept for the project, also writing the lyrics to the new song. Partnering with Yellow Boat Music, Paul and Phil wrote, composed and produced the comeback song to accompany Chris and Sian’s lyrics which describe the benefits of price comparison cunning.  

Paul Cartledge comments on the brief for the project: “The real challenge was trying to find a new tone for the song. Originally a march was used for the jingle but with Wynne’s return to our TV screens Chris and Sian envisioned something on a much grander scale.

When they briefed us, they asked if we could find a sound not dissimilar to Wynne’s version of ‘Shenandoah’. Phil and I had produced Wynne’s latest album and Phil had actually written the arrangement for ‘Shenandoah’. So we had a running head start on how we knew it could sound.  In the end the new version was arranged from an existing war time song by George Cohan – no longer a march.”

The new arrangement for ‘Comeback’ was performed with Principal Tenor, Wynne Evans (as Gio Compario) and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir.

Philip Jewson Comments on the music production, “Obviously Wynne would be performing the vocals, but to emanate the sound in Shenandoah we knew we’d need to record a full orchestra and choir as well as having them on stage for the visuals. What’s really interesting is how a music arrangement can completely flip the persona of a character. Part of the brief was to create a piece of music with real emotion, which showcased Wynne’s talent and I think the orchestra and choir arrangement lent really well to this. The music is something people can enjoy, it’s the ethos of the whole thing and we’ve had a great time working on it.”

To achieve the final sound, Wynne, the orchestra and the choir were recorded both in situ in the Liberec Stadium and in the recording studio. The spot aired as a 90” TVC on Sunday 26th July and will be followed this week by several radio scripts also put together by Yellow Boat Music.

Paul Comments: “It was a pleasure to work on this project. The film is a testament to how music production and real musicians can give adverts a new lease of life. Everyone involved, from Wynne, to Chris and Sian, the orchestra and the choir were absolutely brilliant. We can’t be happier about Gio’s comeback.”

Wynne Evans, star of the campaign and performer of the new song, said: “After a short break, it’s exciting to be back behind the moustache as Gio Compario. We’ve really gone all out to make sure that the new song has been composed and produced to the highest standard. I’m incredibly proud of the music and I’m looking forward to the public hearing it.”