Land Rover plays with clay in new TV ad

The "claynation" campaign created by RKCR/Y&R and Wunderman, broke on TV yesterday (3 January), following the car's launch in Italy.

The 30-second TV spot features the Freelander 2 as it drives across a chaotic, ever-changing plasticine terrain. Art direction was led by Dave Godfree and the ad was written by Mark Waldron. The executive creative director was Graham Lang.

Accompanied by press and online executions, the campaign will include a behind-the-scenes documentary on how the Brooklyn production company Hornet set about creating the animated world.

The behind-the-scenes footage also features an interview on YouTube with animated driver "Clay Mason" about his experiences of driving the Freelander 2.

Dorian Leroy, global communications manager, Land Rover, said: "We chose the animation theme for the campaign for its unique celebration of the overall versatility of the vehicle, while showcasing the optimistic and active lifestyles of Freelander owners.

"This film is a departure for Land Rover. The Freelander 2, Land Rover’s biggest-seller, is a supremely capable vehicle used the world over. We wanted to encapsulate this in a leading-edge global campaign."

Graham Lang, Land Rover's global integrated creative director, said: "Trying to stand out in the automotive market place is always a challenge, but to stand out and get the right messages across is even more difficult. 'Claymation' gave us a great way of doing both.

"I love the authenticity and charm of the medium and as a storytelling device, it gave us unlimited flexibility."

This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk