Studio tasked by Runtime to create a series of shorts using humorous animation to reinforce a message about eating right.
Calabash Animation was recently tasked by Runtime, the next-gen nutrition provider, to create a series of animated shorts for the company’s worldwide social media feeds. Aiming to reach customers in the U.S., the goal of the new campaign is to use animation to humorously reinforce the message that eating well will help you increase your performance and focus.
“Marketing for me is always about trying to entertain people, so if I can make you laugh then I have your attention, and that's 90 percent of the battle,” commented Runtime executive Tobias Batton. “Animation is a great medium for getting the attention of certain demographics.”
Batton and Runtime commissioned Calabash to create 30 pieces ranging from short animations of less than 10 seconds to numerous still images. The company then began populating them in their social media feeds, and like a market focus group, closely monitoring which garnered the most engagement. The ones that resonated most with their audience were expanded.
One of the winners is a character dubbed Lord Thunderloin, a jacked-up bodybuilder who opens a bottle of Runtime energy drink by crushing it between his huge pecs. Another popular animated short features a nerdy gamer who after a gulp of Runtime instantly transforms into a muscular Viking confidently hitting his PC.
"We know every time we hear from Tobias, we're in for something wild and imaginative,” shared Calabash executive producer Sean Henry. "Big corporate clients usually tend to play things safe, but Runtime is all about pushing the envelope. We had a blast seeing just how far we could push the humor, and as usual Tobias was willing to take it even further. It's always great working with people who challenge us creatively and who truly believe in the power of animation to connect with consumers.”
“When you cast a wide net with a lot of diverse creative it provides you with the data that shows what is actually resonating with people,” added Batton. “We knew going in, we were probably going to only use half of what Calabash created, but that was okay. I'm a repeat Calabash customer across several companies and if they weren't great to work with, I wouldn't go back to them. People really love Lord Thunderloin, which is a testament to Calabash’s work.”
Source: Calabash Animation
