In early 2011, Immix Wireless (an old client from a previous employer) had reached out regarding the creation of a new commercial to kick off the new year. Immix Wireless is a bit of an underdog in the cellular world.
Despite its lengthy presence in the area, many potential clients had associated Immix negatively as a generic brand. Immix offers fantastic nation-wide services at highly competitive rates, but they've been overlooked in favor of AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and even Metro PCS.
The plan was to create a commercial that would strengthen the brand and identity for Immix Wireless. Without creating a new identity, the plan was make viewers aware that Immix Wireless is much more than just a small local carrier in Berks/Susquehanna County.
A few of the initial character mock ups and designs.
The Purple Guy.
The new face of Immix Wireless.
A fully animated spot in After Effects was the preferred route for this commercial. After teaming up with Ron Eckler, a skilled 2D animator/illustrator, a nameless character was created for Immix (since dubbed "The Purple Guy") in their company color.
Given the amount of time I used to play Little Big Planet, it was pitched to Immix that we add something else to the illustration. Something that felt more tangible and easy to grasp. All without being overpowering or detracting from the message.
Pitch Graphics.
This was used illustrate to the client the intent to use of realworld textures to create a more immersive viewer experience.
There was a character and a style direction. The last remaining piece of the puzzle was to bring the Immix logo into this new stylized graphical look. Below is a side by side walkthrough of the reconstruction of their logo from a PNG taken off their website, through the final After Effects animation.
Once the logo animation was complete, the rest of the commercial fell into place. The visual concept was simple - the purple sphere would spin, different scenes elements would rotate in/out and ultimately we would reveal that the purple sphere was the Immix logo. No cutting, no variety of angles, just straight forward and to the point.
Without mentioning other cellular providers, the commercial had one primary objective - show the viewer how much money could be saved by switching. To drive the point home, humorous and outlandish scenarios approach were taken to leave a lasting mark on potential customers. If you could save money, what would you do with it? Why not have your cake and eat it too - without having to sacrifice reliable coverage.
After "Rainy Day" had been on air for a few months, Immix wanted to expand on this universe and their commercial branding. The new commercials weren't intended to be about general awareness, but instead to push a new affordable pre-paid option for Immix customers. The mini campaign for "iPay" was born, once again featuring the beloved The Purple Guy.
Split into three specific catergories (minutes, texts, and data), each commercial pays homage to the original in style and look, but with their own unique deviation. Most notably, the commercials included a donut that was to feature a specific phone model that was carried by Immix at the time of the commercials airing.
Before "iPay Data" could be finished, it underwent some script revisions and minor retweaking at the request of Immix. While a majority of the script and visuals remained intact, the new commercial instead pushed an Unlimited Data plan option (which was not to be confused with "iPay").
Of the complete series, "Unlimited Data" is my absolute favorite. I attribute this largely to the sheer number of pop culture references littered throughout the commercial. I think it's a nice balance without beating the viewer over the head too much.
Client: Immix Wireless
Animation: Matthew Sienzant
Character Illustration: Ron Eckler
Script: Andrea Luhman
Created at Shufflebox Productions between 2011-2012.