ABOUT

THE BRIEF
From the success we had with the the Star Wars merchandise campaign in all its hand-made glory, Warner Media contacted me to help them create a series of promos in the same vein for the promotion of ‘Batman Day’ on the global Cartoon Network channel.

In conjunction with Spin Master toys, they sought to showcase their new Batmobile and Bat tech figurines employing a compelling way to engage their global audience

The brief was to integrate:
Brand ethos of both Cartoon Network and Spin Master, the featured product, the play environment, mood, relatability to the demographic, sustainability and home-made play.

THE IDEA - Batman Day Surprise Party!
The idea was simple: Host a surprise party for Batman on his special day!
All his friends and ‘frenemies’ could also get in on the action, culminating in a fun chase leading up to the reveal in the Bat Cave. This would also encourage collaborative play and have a positive message of sharing and friendship.

During lockdown we created a live-action animation pilot centred around hand-made puppets and cardboard backdrops. I wanted to lean into that concept again. The client loved this thought for ‘Batman Day’ as it meant something sustainable, achievable and relatable for the kids and parents.

THE EXECUTION - Glue guns and sharpies at the ready!
Ethical sustainability is very important to me, so I endeavour to recycle wherever I can. Apart from a new pack of sharpies, a box of blades and a bag of glue sticks, this entire set was crafted using discarded Amazon packaging and stockpiled cardboard boxes.

We created 15 naïve cardboard buildings with water towers and TV antennae, an illustrated city-scape backdrop, Gotham city streets and a floating-wall Bat Cave.

I'm always big on making things by hand. With all the technology and machinery out there, I'm worried kids just cant be kids. Creativity and inspiration mean everything. It's important to show children (and BRANDS) that you don't have to let the robots have all the fun. Lessons to be learned from my cats - sometimes all you need is a cardboard box!


DIRECTOR'S NOTE:
I've started gravitating back to what I love: making things personal and promoting creativity within. I have a 'cottage industry' set-up right at my home where I try to keep the workload all in-house (quite literally) and save/recycle materials across projects. Considering what the world has been through over the last couple of years and the current events that are creating such hardships for many, I've learned a lot of valuable lessons about wasting of resources and the value of entertaining one's self with the things that are right around you. It's been important for me to send a message that people should enjoy themselves, spend more time at home with their loved ones and embrace what they have, not worrying about what they can't do.