The Hatschi from Whistler Mountain
Ogilvy & Mather Zurich, in collaboration with Manifesto Films, has produced an action-packed commercial for Panadol Extra and Antigrippine.
Just in time for the peak of the flu epidemic, Panadol goes on air with a commercial for Antigrippine. And in the truest sense of the word. The origins of this commercial date back some time, because even when advertising for pharmaceuticals, it is important to observe the package insert with the side effects, particularly with regard to the legal requirements. A number of conceptual and organizational obstacles had to be overcome. After pre-testing an international commercial, Ogilvy & Mather and its client Glaxo Smith Kline decided to look for an implementation that was more specifically geared towards the Swiss brand environment. The aim was to create a female identification figure for the commercial who would be "credible, close to everyday life and yet still exciting for the target group", as CD Thomas Bolliger explains. After testing three concepts, the idea with a female helicopter pilot came out on top - even before Melanie Winiger took off on her helicopter flight across Swiss screens.
The idea behind the concept was to shoot several commercials for different Panadol products at the same time. All these products were filmed in the same environment, each with a different short story. This approach made it possible to plan for significantly reduced costs.
Additional costs could be saved by shooting in Canada. Zurich-based Manifesto Films has an offshoot there. The foreign shoot also made sense because filming for advertising is not necessarily a top priority for the rescue services in Switzerland. The rescue and abseiling operations were subsequently filmed in the Whistler Mountains with a Canadian leading actress. The red and white helicopters from a private rescue company didn't even have to be changed much. Only a few logos had to be pasted over.
A bigger challenge for director Reto Salimbeni was coordinating two helicopters in the air. The camera was in one and the action took place in the other. "Safety was particularly important with such fast and extremely close maneuvers in the air. My directing instructions were only followed as a third priority," reveals Salimbeni.
Nevertheless, the commercial is convincing with lots of action. Although a "directors cut" looks even more spectacular, it was no longer an option for a pharmaceutical product. The Swissmedic guidelines for pharmaceutical advertising had to be observed here. In addition, the impression must never be created that a pilot was piloting a helicopter under the influence of medication. With clear time indications and correctly timed animations on the effects of Panadol, Swissmedic was convinced and Ogilvy was ultimately able to deliver an entertaining commercial.
The idea behind the concept was to shoot several commercials for different Panadol products at the same time. All these products were filmed in the same environment, each with a different short story. This approach made it possible to plan for significantly reduced costs.
Additional costs could be saved by shooting in Canada. Zurich-based Manifesto Films has an offshoot there. The foreign shoot also made sense because filming for advertising is not necessarily a top priority for the rescue services in Switzerland. The rescue and abseiling operations were subsequently filmed in the Whistler Mountains with a Canadian leading actress. The red and white helicopters from a private rescue company didn't even have to be changed much. Only a few logos had to be pasted over.
A bigger challenge for director Reto Salimbeni was coordinating two helicopters in the air. The camera was in one and the action took place in the other. "Safety was particularly important with such fast and extremely close maneuvers in the air. My directing instructions were only followed as a third priority," reveals Salimbeni.
Nevertheless, the commercial is convincing with lots of action. Although a "directors cut" looks even more spectacular, it was no longer an option for a pharmaceutical product. The Swissmedic guidelines for pharmaceutical advertising had to be observed here. In addition, the impression must never be created that a pilot was piloting a helicopter under the influence of medication. With clear time indications and correctly timed animations on the effects of Panadol, Swissmedic was convinced and Ogilvy was ultimately able to deliver an entertaining commercial.
With 100,000 employees in 160 countries, Glaxo Smith Kline is one of the world's largest manufacturers of prescription medicines.
Andreas Panzeri
