“Please install a smart meter” is not the sexiest call to action. Unless Albert Einstein asks it – in the bath, playing with an Instagram funny-face filter. AMV BBDO has done the near impossible. Firstly it has made Smart Energy GB’s smart meter ad irresistible watching. Secondly, and with the help of The Mill, it has brought the 1950s Albert Einstein “back to life”. Even the reason why Einstein was chosen is interesting: In consumer research Einstein was found to personify “smart” as well as having the ability to create surprise and deliver a wide range of messages.
Chris Taggart, director of marketing at Smart Energy GB, commetnted, “There is no greater ambassador for modern technology than Albert Einstein. We hope the public really enjoy seeing his wit and humour touchingly brought back for this campaign. He reminds us that while we have started to embrace smart technology in many areas of our lives, our energy system has fallen behind. He reminds the British public that smart meters will help to modernise our national energy system, and encourages them to get one installed and get Britain energy fit for the future.”
The 40-second commercial leads a full campaign consisting of TV, YouTube, social, radio and print.
The Mill re-created the digital version of Einstein using performance capture and CGI. Its visual effects artists developed special software and creative pipelines to guarantee that the photo-real digital avatar of Einstein was as high fidelity and realistic as possible. The process involved using cutting edge 4D volumetric capture technology to record the performance of an actor. Subtle facial performances and intricate details were then recreated in CGI, before the team meticulously groomed each hair, wrinkle and eye detail on the CGI model.
The personality rights of Albert Einstein were used with permission of The Hebrew University Of Jerusalem, which is represented exclusively By Greenlight. Social media components were produced by Gravity Road, which created more than 25 Einstein Selfies.
Matt Swinburne, creative director at AMV BBDO, stated, “Who better to convince Britain to get smart meters than the smartest man to ever live? Creating full CGI humans is very challenging, and we were lucky to have the Mill’s magic to pull it off. We hope the charming genius will make people smile and make that call to their energy suppliers.”
Alex Hammond, head of 3D at The Mill, added, “Tasked with the exciting but hugely ambitious ask of re-creating a digital version of Einstein, we had to create a unique and ground-breaking visual effects pipeline in order to create an avatar that was truly convincing. Our visual effects team, including facial shape experts, spent months researching and developing a robust toolset so we could convincingly portray the nuances of Einstein’s personality.”
Credits:
Agency: AMV BBDO
CCO: Alex Grieve
ECDS: Nadja Lossgott & Nicholas Hulley
Creative Directors: Matt Swinburne
Copywriter: Laurens Grainger
Art Director: Alicia Cliffe
Designer: Simon Dilks
Agency Planners: Joe Smith & Michael Alhadeff
Agency Account Team: Amy Tippen, Tessa Brisbane, Alistair Nichols, Victoria Norrington, Tony Kovachev & Matt Ruiz
Agency Project Manager: Amanda Poulter
Agency Producer: Zoe Robley
Production Company: MJZ
Directors: Rocky Morton, Henry Littlechild & Alex Hammond
Producer: Sara Nouman And Eliott Tag
Business Affairs: Maxine Thompson
Audio Post-Production: 750mph & Wave
Post Production, VFX & Colour: The Mill
Creative Director: Alex Hammond
VFX Supervisor: Alex Hammond
Executive Producer: Chris Allen
Producer: Sean Francis
Shoot Supervisor: Alex Hammond
2d Lead Artist: Ben Turner
3d Lead Artist: Alex Hammond
2d Artist: Matthew Mcdougal
3d Artists: Harsh Borah, Clare Williams, Andreas Graichen, Maria Carriedo, Sefki Ibrahim, Joao Pires & Dan Yargici
Matte Painting: Ross Urien
Designers: Freya Barnsley
Production Coordinator: Gabriela Goncalves
Colourist: James Bamford
PR: Gravity Road
Managing Director: Jacinta Szuman
Account Director: Claire Petzal
Account Manager: Martha Robertson
Executive Creative Director: Seb Royce
Creative Director: Peggy Nuttall
Creative: Tom Reynolds
Design: Eduardo Bardi, Curtis Reeve & Anoushka Schellekens
Head Of Strategy: Ruairi Curran
Strategy: Ronak Mokhtassi
Head Of Platform And Technology: Duncan Snowden
Head Of Production: Veronica Saez
Senior Producer: Rowena Jeffreys-Jones
Line Producer: Agnes Szyperek
Photographer: Garry Simpson
Editor & Motion Graphics: David Shepherd
Media Agency: PHD Omnicom
