Screen Magazine
CRAZY GOOD: Head Gear Animation For Leo Burnett And Pop-Tarts By Julie Mynatt
Sometimes the best things are the simplest ones. For Pop-Tarts Toaster Pastries from Leo Burnett (Chicago), Head Gear Animation (Toronto) was charged with creating four simple, cel-animated spots that are a refreshing break from the more typical high-energy, high-volume advertising for kids.
Simple black-and-white line animated Pop-Tart characters (designed by Leo Burnett art director Amy Servidea) are seen in a number of silly, slightly absurd situations. The French Toast flavored Pop-Tart is served up as a beret-sporting Francophone complete with pink poodle. The Wildberry Pop-Tart is a daredevil who leaps toasters Evil Kneivel-style. Each of the Pop-Tarts are pursued by wily kids (each with their own quirks) who want to gobble up the delicious pastries.
Head Gear Animation usually does their own character design, but director Steve Angel was so taken by the whimsical characters that Servidea created, he was instantly interested in bringing them to life. "When they approached us we figured why not. They were so quirky and the voice casting was so funny and strange, we liked it right away," says Angel.
Angel also says that his collaboration with Servidea, copywriter Pete Levebvre and producer Scott Gould has been pretty open, allowing him to pitch in ideas to add to the silliness. "They've been good in giving me a lot of license to come up with funny bits," says Angel.
So far, Head Gear has completed four spots for the campaign, and they've enjoyed every moment of the process. "The scenarios are so funny, its been engaging and fun the whole time," says Angel. "It's funny and simple. It cuts through [other kids' advertising] as a result of that." Head Gear Animation is represented in the Midwest by Liz Laine Reps, Inc.