Fancy VFX Uses Emojis to Tell a Story of Unexpected Business Success for FedEx
Fancy VFX, a sister company to Goldcrest Post, New York, recently teamed with BBDO and production company Biscuit to tell the fictional story of an NFL star who unwittingly turns a small business into an overnight sensation in a new spot for FedEx.
Featuring Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, the spot is the first in a new campaign themed Where Now Meets Next, highlighting FedEx’s support for small business. Tweeting from the living room of his home, Henry mistypes the hashtag “Titanfans” as “Titanpans” causing a boutique kitchenware retailer of that name to experience a surge in orders. FedEx comes to the business owner’s rescue with a package of ecommerce solutions.
Working in tandem with BBDO’s creative team, Fancy VFX designed a series of whimsical emojis that pop onto the screen and grow increasingly numerous and hyperbolic as the business’s soaring fortunes ultimately cause the internet to break. “It took a lot of back and forth to tell the story properly without letting the graphics become distracting,” explains Fancy VFX Owner / VFX Supervisor Mario Caserta. “It needed a delicate balance.”
The visual effects team added lots of small touches that contribute to the growing fun and absurdity. “One of the emojis shows its head exploding,” Caserta observes. “A mushroom cloud rises from the face as its expression changes.” Fancy VFX also created a shot of a satellite blowing up in space as the frenzy reaches its peak.
Credits
Agency: BBDO, New York. David Lubars, Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide; Greg Ketchum and Tom Godici, EVP Executive Creative Directors; Greg Gerstner and Banks Noel, SVP Creative Directors; Alex Gianni, EVP Director of Content Production; Maria Real, Executive Producer; Lizzy Lehn, Producer; Julia Millison, Senior Music Producer; Kathleen Bannon, Business Affairs Manager; Josh Steinman, EVP Group Account Director; Isabel Pluck, Account Director; Devin Hauser, Account Manager; Caroline Schwartz, Account Executive.
Production: Biscuit. Noam Murro, Director; Shawn Lacy, Managing Partner, Executive Producer; Andrew Travelstead, Executive Producer; Sean Moody, Head of Production; Emily Skinner, Producer; Jennifer Berry, Production Supervisor.
Editorial: Rock, Paper, Scissors. Damion Clayton, Editor; Sebastian Zoltoff, Assistant Editor; Justin Kumpata, Executive Producer/Head of Production; Eve Komblum, Managing Director; Adam Parker Producer.
VFX: Fancy VFX. Randie Swanberg, ECD / Founder; Mario Caserta, Owner / VFX Supervisor; Alex Tracy, Head of Production; Graham Dunglinson, Executive Producer;; Janine Conway, Sr. Producer; Alanna Morton, Production Coordinator; Sungtae Will Kim, Designer / 2D Animator; Mark Woit and Marc Goldfine, Flame Artists; Andrew Santanastaso, Tech Ops.
Post: Color Collective, Alex Bickell, Colorist; Claudia Guevara, EP.
Audio: Heard City. Sasha Awn, EP; Keith Reynuad, Mixer and Sound Design.