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Congratulations to Anomaly who have been awarded Silver for Ancestry® – The Old Piccadilly Lights in the outdoor category at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
The Old Piccadilly Lights was originally one of the winners of Ocean’s annual Digital Creative Competition, securing a prized slot for Ancestry® on Landsec’s iconic screen last year.
Anomaly’s activation was a nostalgic treat aligned with the 80th anniversary of The Blitz. The campaign took the iconic Lights back in time, recreating London’s famous illuminated signs over the past 80 years to the present day.
The screen time was donated by Landsec and Coca-Cola, which has had a presence in Piccadilly Circus since 1955.
The spotlight opened in 1949 when the illuminated advertising signs were first switched back on at the end of World War II after a 10 year hiatus. The lights had previously gone out in 1939 to comply with wartime blackouts.
The content remained true to each featured period, combining historical imagery with archive film footage of famous signs from multiple angles to accurately recreate the classic advertising hoardings from the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s.
Each individual historical sign, from Bovril and Coca-Cola to the Guinness clocks and Schweppes fountain, required a different treatment in 3D render so that when people saw the ads brought to life they precisely mirrored the originals.
An end frame directed viewers to Ancestry® where they could bring their own backstory to life.
Ocean Outdoor joint managing director Phil Hall said: “Ancestry® turned the clock back on the famous Piccadilly Lights, taking one of the nation’s favourite landmarks back in time from full motion to the age of neon and all the way back to a time when there were no lights.
“This was a beautifully thought through campaign by Anomaly, making it a worthy winner of Ocean’s digital creative competition and now a highly deserved Silver at the Cannes Lions. Our congratulations go to everyone involved.”
Ocean’s 2021 Digital Creative Competition opens for entries shortly.
Production Credits:
Client: Ancestry®
Agency: Anomaly
Animation and Post Production: Blind Pig
- Executive Producer: Thierry Levy
- Creative Director: Ric Comline
- Creative Lead: Sean Cooper
- Animation: Sean Cooper, Lawrence Scanlon
Media Planning: Ocean Labs
Anomaly's Ancestry® Piccadilly Lights showcase wins Silver at Cannes Lions
Anomaly's Ancestry® Piccadilly Lights showcase wins Silver at Cannes Lions
Anomaly's Ancestry® Piccadilly Lights showcase wins Silver at Cannes Lions
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