UK Department of Health agency, NHSBT’s (NHS Blood and Transport), Give Blood appeal needs nearly 700 new donors every day to cover the country’s blood requirements.
The job that London creative agency, Pablo, and production company, Prettybird, was given was to make becoming one look easy – as well as very much needed.
Pablo came up with a wonderfully everyday metaphor, the milkman – an iconic symbol for local communities. The friendly milkman figure seems to be delivering milk to people in a regular community. Instead, he’s delivering bottles of blood to those in need.
Prettybird made that metaphor engaging.
Director, Tom Beard, commented, “The challenge of delivering a metaphorical narrative
in less than a minute without it feeling rushed or confusing was a lot of fun. It was very important to me that the characters were all relatable, everyday types that an audience could easily familiarise themselves with. I hope this spot manages to engage and inspire new donors to give blood.”
Oscar-winning actor, Jim Broadbent, added his characteristic voice.
Tim Snape, executive creative director at Pablo, explained,
“We have tried to create a piece that is both welcoming and arresting in equal measures to affect people emotionally and deliver the truth about what it takes to keep the country going strong. Prettybird has produced the film masterfully, pairing the emotional components of the story, with the cinematic, very British feel of the spot. It was very solid creative and practical partnership —pairing Pablo’s vision, story and concept, with Prettybird’s realisation.”
Juliette Larthe, Prettybird executive producer and co-founding partner UK, added,
“We started working with Tom Beard unofficially in 2017. I had been a fan of his work for a while, so it’s a delight to have Tom working with us on a plethora of projects. Whether it’s stills, shorts, music videos or advertising, every medium he uses hones his storytelling technique. This new film for the Give Blood campaign is a perfect example of Tom’s ability to weave a visual narrative around an important issue, navigating it with style and impact, and illustrating the important core message.”
Credits:
Production Company: Prettybird
Director: Tom Beard
Executive Producer: Juliette Larthe
New Business: Mia Powell
Producer: Hannah Bellil
DoP: Rina Yang @ Lux
Composer: Dan White @ Buff
Editor: Ben Crook @ Speade
Colourist: Joseph Bicknell @ Cheat
Audio: String & Tins
Agency: Pablo
Creative Director: Tim Snape
Agency Producer: Nina Bacchus
Executive Producer: Alex Nicholson
Planning Director: Mark Sng
Head of Account Management: Kirstin Ross-MacLeod
Account Director: Graham Moffat
Head of Brand, Engine: Gemma Irvine
Client: NHBST
Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications: Ceri Rose
Head of Marketing, Blood: Nadine Eaton
View Tom Beard’s reel here.
