I’m working on upgrading the site, and one new feature is a video player that can handle video playlists. To celebrate that fact, here’s a compilation of pixel work I did for Bell Mobility 2003-2007.
Comment?
Pixel Reel
HD People
Dad... Why do the people on TV looks so much smoother that us?
This was the last commercial we produced for the Bell pixel campaign – I like the self-referential script on this one. This ad was actually produced in HD format, and it was quite a treat to see those giant blocky pixels in crispy clear HD. You might not think that HD would improve the look of low res pixel animation, but seeing the designs sharp is much more like viewing them on a computer monitor – its ultra-mega-pixelicious!
Bell Canada moved on to advertising with the beavers frank and gordon after this and having just dropped them are currently in a transition to a new campaign.. Farewell pixel people, it was fun!
click below to watch the HD people ad here:
Air Band
..are you ready to ROCK!?!
Finally an ad that blends hair metal rock bands and looney tunes style impact with the ground! This ad also features the samsung a920 jive phone and encourages you to download music directly to your cell phone. I love the classic rock band stylings in this spot, and the dazed single focused obsession with being ready to rock. Nice impact with the amp and drums too!
view the air band commercial here:
Greeks
..are we merely watching shadows on a cave wall?
This Olympic theme spot for bell mobility goes way way back to when men wore togas and the Pegasus ran free. Featuring the Samsung a920 (aka ‘the jive’ phone) this ad also introduces us to the predecessor of our modern luge competition: sliding down an icy hill on an old shield.
This one was also a Bessie award winner. I believe we were simultaneously working on about 9 different pixel ads for Bell at this time, and this commercial was a finalist in the 2006 best single spot category, winning Bessie craft awards for writing, art direction and animation. Yay us!
view the bell greeks olympic ad here:
Cheetah – Bell Mobility vs. Rogers
Which is faster, a rabbit or a cheetah?
This Bell Mobility ad features the return of JT & Carl, who originally showed up in the tv@work commercial. This version of Cheeta is the directors cut, which includes a rivulet of flourescent green toxic waste in the lab. For some reason Bell didn’t want to be associated with toxic waste.
This commercial compares the speed of Bell Mobility and Rogers cellular network speed, which made Rogers so unhappy they sued BCE claiming
“The Cheetah & Hare ad disparages denigrates, discredits, tarnishes, diminishes and otherwise depreciates the value of the goodwill associated with the Rogers trademarks and Rogers brand. Rogers is symbolically devoured, choked on and then spat out by Bell,”
The full story is on cbc.ca
View the bell mobility cheetah commercial here: