For the World of Santa project—a personalised festive experience for children—our goal was to produce a 30-second ad that captured hearts while being sensitive to the presence of young audiences following on from being the primary production company responsible for the main film.
We started with the creative – a narrative to generate an emotional connection, similar to iconic John Lewis Christmas ads. The concept needed to appeal to parents, intrigue children, and ensure it remained abstract enough not to challenge parental explanations about Santa. Once agreed, the creative formed the backbone of the ad.
We then had to:
- contact broadcasters and book slots
- script the TVC
- storyboard the TVC
- submit to Clearcast (the body responsible for approving TV ads in the UK)
- cast the actors – including getting permits and approvals for casting a school age child
- source a suitable location
- create a production schedule and shot list
- compose an audio bedding and record the voiceover
- handle all licensing
- editing, colour grading, sound design and slate
- distribution to broadcasters
We put together a full blog which you can read here that runs through in far more detail the process of creating a TVC in the UK as well as some information on budgets and benefits. Below is a short BTS reel from the shoot to see how it is all put together – the stuff you don’t see on camera!
