Loyalkaspar + Jakob Strom: Sampo

Loyalkaspar recently teamed up with director Jakob Ström to create a whimsical spot for Finnish bank Sampo.

I’m not crazy about the writing; things get a little awkward about halfway through, when the little sad guy starts smiling, apparently because he has become two entities (Idea + Action) rolled into one.

But the visuals are endearing and inventive. Lassoing the sun as if it were a balloon, and the jagged, hand-torn environmental elements (the pond and stormy sky, for instance) are great visual touches that give the spot a healthy dose of personality. Speaking of personality, with only a couple minor exceptions, the character animation is fluid, believable and fun.

Credits:
Client: Sampo Bank
Project: “Ideas Into Action” (:65)

Agency: Bob Helsinki, Helsinki
Production Companies: Renck Akerlund Film Produktion, Stockholm
Loyalkaspar, New York

Co-Directors: Jakob Ström, Loyalkaspar
Producers: Sarah Grey (Renck Akerlund); Mark Groeschner (Loyalkaspar)
Design/Animation/Post: Loyalkaspar, New York

EDIT: It has come to my attention that this spot was already posted by Tread a while back. Oh well. It deserves a second viewing.