Next time you’re strolling down the candy aisle in a Walgreens store, take a look at the recently installed, end-of-the aisle “Sell-a-Vision” screen displaying a 30-second Brach’s Candy commercial.
The picture-and-music spot was produced collaboratively between Blue Chip Marketing Worldwide, a 29-year old Northbrook agency specializing in consumer packaged goods, and Radar Studios’ director director/stop motion specialist Sam Macon.
They created a “Fall isn’t Fall without It” promotion featuring Brach’s classic Candy corn, a Halloween staple since Brachs introduced it in 1927, using colorful paper cut-out artistry of characters raking leaves, playing football and having autumn fun. (Click here to see the spot.)
The “Fall isn’t Fall” point-of-purchase Walgreens’ screen was leased exclusively by Brachs throughout the autumn months,” says Blue Chip associate creative director Joel Walker.
“The screen is triggered by motion control, near the candy displayed at the end of the aisle. This is a unique opportunity for non-traditional advertising, but at the same time, it’s a more traditional approach,” Walker notes.
“We don’t have much control over the screen or music quality, so just using music and sound effects worked very well, considering that consumers have a short attention span.”
Blue Chip and Radar mutually admiring of ecollaboration
Walker had high praise for Radar, saying, “working with Macon and the Radar team on this project was an absolute joy. Sam was absolutely brilliant and the team’s contribution, creativity and collaborative spirit were essential in shaping the Brach’s world we wanted.”
Macon, in turn, was complimentary about working with Blue Chip, saying, “It was a great project, especially because of the freedom and creative opportunities it offered.
“It was cool to work with an iconic brand like Brach’s and be able to handmade characters and scene incorporate traditional materials with updated digital motion control technology.”
For Blue Chip: Jaimie Flagg, general manager; ACD Walker; Adam Dubinsky, art director and Zack Stoller, assistant account executive.
For Radar: Producer, Jonah Mueller; postproduction producer, James Henry and editor, Brian Willard.
Inert fact: Of the 20 million pounds of candy corn Americans consume each year, Brachs is the most popular. If all the Brachs Candy Corn sold each year were lined up, it would circle the earth four times. Brachs and other companies make about nine billion kernels of candy corn each year – more than the number of people on the earth!
