There are two types of advertising creatives; painters and polishers.
Painters cover every product with a coat of their very own, super-trendy paint.Polishers strip back to reveal the truth and beauty.
Painter’s output tends to feel similar, informed by whatever’s currently fashionable.
The output of polishers is more varied, informed by the idiosyncracies of each client.
(Not their own subjective preferences.)
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Elder provide home care for the elderly.
A category many would consider uninspiring.
Not us.
It's an emotional issue everyone can relate to, who out there hasn’t had an elderly relative?
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The task was to let adult children know that there’s an alternative to care homes.
Your parents may need care, but it doesn't mean they need to leave their home.

The first thought set up the alternative clearly, but didn’t sell it.
We interviewed those facing the issue.
One finding surprised us; outweighing the help they'd gain by moving to a care home was the life they'd lose.
They're losing their life.The small things that make up their days.
The neighbours, the gardening, a pet, a trip to their hairdresser.
Basically all the routines and habits that give them a sense of being and comfort.
We turned this observation into some adcepts.

They were all very logical, but felt like a bunch of flyaway phrases and words.
They didn't feel emotional.In fact, the list we’d made before turning them into adcepts seemed more human and powerful.

The formal advertising elements; headlines, endlines, gridded layout, etc, seemed to diminish the emotional power of the core observation.
Maybe we needed to express it visually?
Then an idea occurred; plants.
Uprooting a human being and dropping them into a new, unfamiliar environment is similar to uprooting a plant and replanting it in a new location.

Its a shock to the system.
You can’t assume it'll continue exactly as it was.
It’s possible.
But it may do worse?
It's a risk.
So we owe it to people to make them aware of the issues involved before they take that risk.We took a board to the parents and the kids in the market to discuss the issue.

It struck a nerve.
Parents saying it helped explain to their kids why they're so reluctant to leave their home.

The idea of showing roots obviously lent itself to animation more than live action.It also meant we could swerve the issue of casting.
Casting can alienate; too young and they won’t feel believable, too old and they won’t feel relatable. (You’ve seen all those awful pensions ads).
Animation would be more distinctive too.
Just because it’s a serious subject doesn’t mean we have to come across as worthy and dull.

Showing parents physically connected to elements in their lives was powerful.
Almost like an umbilical cord.
Being ripped from their roots was also powerful, but there was a concern that it appeared like "the hand of God pulling them up to heaven?”
Once said, it was hard to unsee.
We felt that explaining the concept of roots was the crucial point, so we lost the hand of God.

What style of animation should we use?
A Wallace and Gromit style would add charm and humanity, but maybe it was a little overused. And 'kiddie'.
We wanted something fresher, relevant and more adult.
Enter Andrea Love, she animated with wool.

Tonally it felt more appropriate, more adult, but still charming.

It was very helpful to have such an unusual visual world, it tied together all of our channels nicely.

Tonally it felt more appropriate, more adult, but still charming.