Executive Education gets animated charm

Off the platform of curiosity, Executive Education seeks to promote agility of thought through the premise that questions change the world, not answers. It is with a curious mind that new worlds open.

"The brief was to create a piece that would be used as a sales aid to introduce potential delegates, who are corporate executives, to the institution's way of thinking and be used as a stand-alone in media that supports long format (more than 60" duration) such as the internet and cinema," says CD, Sammy-Jane Thom.

Breaking the mould on traditional AV

In keeping with this way of thinking, the agency wanted to break the mould on the traditional AV. "We didn't want something expected and familiar to this audience. We wanted to create something that would leave viewers thinking, contemplating and inspired to explore.

"Our AV had to offer an alternative headspace to this audience, so that they would be receptive to the school's offering. Therefore, we decided to go the route of animation, which allowed us to explore the world of metaphor.

"Our objective was to get this type of thinking across in an emotive yet entertaining way that took the viewer on a journey. We did this by showing an average 40-year old executive walking in a cityscape with a strange companion, a creature, which represents his curiosity. With each exploration, his 'curiosity creature' evolves in size and colour, with more adventure and new worlds opening up to the two of them. The animation culminates in a magical end scene where the man is rewarded by his curiosity.

"It was really important that we collaborated with suppliers that would help realise our objective."

The animation by Conduit brought the story to life, paying exceptional attention to detail and colouring the film with a fresh hand-painted technique. The sound design by Soft light City captured the essence of 'curiosity' - creating a balance between intrigue and warmth, with outstanding attention to sound effects for the alternative worlds.

"We are very proud of the end-product that took four months to achieve and believe that the animation awakens the desire that lies within each of us to explore, discover and try new things," concludes Thom.