An airborne teddy bear really rises to the occasion in this space-grazing British spot for Specsavers.
The commercial, aptly titled "Stratosphere," is about all of the fantastical, flighty ways that the young (or maybe the young at heart) might lose their glasses. In it, the stuffed hero wears purple frames and floats into orbit on a set of helium balloons—probably the best way to leave a birthday party.
Director Simon Ratigan—via production house HLA and the client's in-house agency—strikes a light, airy tone, and the approach fits, even as the camera cuts to slightly more down-to-earth glasses mishaps. It's still highly dubious, however, that a giraffe would eat a pair of lenses. Everyone knows they prefer homework.
The ad comes home to tout the brand's "kids get two free pairs" promotion, and the campaign, hashtag #TeddyInSpace. The behind-the-scenes clip, which shows how Specsavers's creatives actually sent up the bear (on only one, much bigger balloon), is sweet, if at moments unbearably cheeky. Faux 2001 strains build on the soundtrack as earnest technicians from mission control—the dudes making the video—track Teddy's trajectory across the heavens to his bumpy touchdown in a Herefordshire field.
In other words, the bear gets points for style. But hopefully, FCB's ballooning, human advernaut, Baptiste, will make a softer landing.
CREDITS
Agency: Specsavers Creative
Creative Director: Graham Daldry
Copywriter: Aaron Scoones
Art Director: Mike Hutchinson
Agency Producer: Sam Lock
Media Agency: Manning Gottlieb OMD
Production Company: HLA
Director: Simon Ratigan
HLA Executive Producer: Mike Wells
HLA Producer: Tim Daukes
Editor: Owen Oppenheimer
Postproduction: VFX
Audio Postproduction: Soho Square Studios