Luma, the GCI animation studio, has scored a major coup, with Minneapolis-based Periscope, one of America’s fastest-growing independent creative agencies appointing it to produce an animated sequence in a 30-second television commercial for Kemps, a category-leading range of dairy products that are popular in the Midwest.
“We were searching for an animation studio that had experience in creating photorealistic animals, and one that was brave enough to attempt bovines dancing on their hind legs – the project was also very budget- and deadline-constrained – and Luma was able to work professionally within those limitations,” says Patti Hoffstad, executive producer of broadcast for Periscope. “We received an incredible piece of work, and the production process went extremely well – our client was absolutely thrilled, as were we.”
Advertising Greek-style snack mousse, cottage cheese and yoghurt, the animated spot opens up with four Friesland cows grazing at dawn, in a lush green meadow. Theodorakis’ Zorba, The Greek is heard, as one cow after another stands up on their hindquarters and breaks into a Sirtaki, a popular traditional Greek folk dance, which is often performed in a line or circle formation.
Produced in just two months, the advert is currently flighted on cable television in major hubs like Minneapolis/St. Paul and Milwaukee, opening the door for the Johannesburg-based success story to secure more work in a consumer-hungry mass advertising market like the USA.
“Its been years in the making – building a strong, vibrant, international network, a polished and talented team with good infrastructure and an understanding of what makes client service really deliver, both to a client and agency’s needs. Our relationships with international clients are growing from strength to strength,” says Luma director, Paul Meyer.
Having developed Hollywood-styled tools in-house – a hair and fur system, and a muscle and skin simulation system, the studio is able to produce at an international benchmark. Competing with historically strong animation markets like Japan, France, the UK and the US, the cherry on top is that the agency is able to deliver quality at significantly less cost than their international peers.
“It’s a question of timing – the world is really beginning to sit up and take note of our work, from clients in Australia, Czech Republic, China, Singapore and closer to home in Kenya and Ghana,” adds Meyer.
