Burberry's choreographed promoting ignores the Christmas malt
Shortly after partnering with footballer and activist Marcus Rashford to fund youth centers in the UK, Burberry launched its new festive campaign featuring a choreographed fashion film celebrating the brand's heritage and what it means today. The ad was produced by Riff Raff Films and created in collaboration with the directing quartet Megaforce and choreographed by the dance collective (La) Horde.
Unlike many advertisements this time of year, the film eschews the wholesome schmaltz and cheesiness for something more contemporary by capturing dancers Kevin Bago, Robinson Cassarino, Chantel Food and Zhané Samuels elegantly bypassing huge blocks of ice in London's Petticoat Lane.
The spot is dressed from head to toe in the heritage label's latest collection and a nod to the 1950s classic, Singin & # 39; in the Rain. “We came up with the idea for this film that runs through Burberry's history. The founder, Thomas Burberry, created innovative weatherproof clothing that was used by polar explorers. This gave us the idea of a story in which the characters defy the elements with ease, ”explains Megaforce.
“That iconic scene from Singin 'in the Rain came to mind, so we wanted to take inspiration from it and make a version that speaks for our time. This year has been tough for all of us, so we wanted to take the metaphor forward and turn the rain into blocks of ice. We also changed the narrative from a single character to a group of friends because it's better to endure adversity. "
Matthew Fone, Founder of Riff Raff Films, added, “For me, the best part about this collaboration is how Megaforce captured what Burberry stands for today, along with its outstanding legacy. and made a festive film that sums up the notion of both in a simple metaphor of adversity in its own inimitable, no-gimmicky way. "
Blocks of ice created by MPC for visual effects fall in place of balls and add to the playfulness of the display. "The film shows our ambition to challenge the ordinary and push the boundaries of remote post-production," said Alex Lovejoy, creative director at MPC.
“A key element was building the falling ice blocks. To do this successfully, it was important to collect data on the set. So we did a detailed photogrammetry of the streets and pointed out real blocks of ice that were splintering. This was used as the basis for our CG so that it could be accurately synchronized with the live action. We're all incredibly proud of the final film, which was a lot of fun. "
The spot is accompanied by a campaign that was shot by Rafael Pavarotti, with Manchester United player Marcus Rashford, as part of its new partnership with Burberry to fight child hunger and poverty. The brand has also committed to partnering with a number of local and global charities as part of this campaign, including London Youth, the Norbrook Youth Club and Manchester Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Center, the Wide Rainbow Partnership and the International Youth Foundation.
Credits:
Agency + production: Riff Raff Films
CCO: Ricardo Tisci, Burberry
Directors: Megaforce
DOP: Katelin Arizmendi
Post production: MPC
Choreography: (La) Horde
Sound: Sam Ashwell, 750 mph
Music: twenty under music