Create a moodboard and set an aesthetic for this SodaStream Superbowl ad. Choose a celebrity for the role of “Traveler."
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I made a few slight edits to the script. I kept thinking about the work of Psyop and in particular this Coca-Cola commercial that showed everything from a dog's perspective. I liked the idea of playing with different perspectives. I feel that for me the original "it's a perfect wedding gift line", while it's great for selling the product, felt hamfisted to me. I didn't really understand it within the context and it felt random. I think if this idea of it being the perfect wedding gift is important, I want to show the man in his flashbacks leaving his daughter on her wedding night to bring her back the SodaStream device. This will be the catalyst for his journey in this version. If this is not important, I want to show a personal journey of a man who had it all before he lost his SodaStream device and now he can't go back to normal water.
I wanted to add a series of jump cuts in the middle between the point after the traveler reaches the oasis and when the residents bring him water. These jump cuts would give insight to why the man is traveling through the desert in search of the perfect drink, SodaStream. I wanted it to be really weird and psychedelic to go through the stages that one feels after drinking a SodaStream beverage. In terms of the pace, I was inspired by this commercial by the Mill for the World Cup for the Portuguese Football Federation. I liked the pace set by the footage in this video, but I want it to be more less frightening and warmer for this SodaStream commercial.
I think the juxtaposition of a really decadent oasis that has everything, except SodaStream could be a really funny contrast. This could also highlight the difference that the bubbles really make in terms of taste. In terms of color, I want to have a mostly French illustration influenced commercial with warm reddish tones for the majority. I envisioned the color palate following our main character throughout his journey. Starting out very dull as he moves into the oasis and having it slightly more bright and vibrant, with beautiful teal water in the Oasis. It should be fairly neutral, but still with warm tones in his flashback scene. When he tries SodaStream for the first time, everything will turn extremely vivid similar to the monkey image, and once he loses his machine I want it to devolve into darker purple and blue tones.
For some reason, I imagine the traveler wearing purple robes as he comes into the scene. I also want him to look haggard similar to the man in the top right corner. And as he leaves the town I want the scene to be brighter, not quite as dull as the beginning. I want the light to be shining, warm, colorful, as he stares into the horizon at the image of the SodaStream bottle he's hallucinating at the end of the video.
Since animation budgets are higher, I don't think that a celebrity is necessary for this idea to work; however, if there is the budget for one my first choice is Keanu Reeves.
Open on a vast open desert (think the beautiful wide shots from Lawrence of Arabia). There’s nothing but sand for miles, except for what looks like a tiny moving speck. We cut in close to show that the speck is a traveler on his last breath, slung over a camel. He spots an oasis on the horizon.
TRAVELER: Water … need … water.
We cut to him arriving at an extremely decadent oasis, where a few people have set up camp. There are copious amounts of food and drink.
A man rushes to his aid.
MAN: (shouting back) Get this man a drink!
A child runs up with a canteen full of water. But the fading traveler stops him.
TRAVELER: Water … with three pumps … light ice.
MAN: (shocked and confused) What?
TRAVELER: Need SodaStream … sparkling-water machine.
Cut to a series of fast shots detailing the man’s life before his journey. The man at his house with his family. He's drinking normal water. His wife showing him the SodaStream. Abstract bubbles. He drinks his first glass. Sunlight. His daughter being born. Bright psychedelic colors. Scenes in bright vivid colors. Show the beginning of the world in abstract colors. Have the colors merge and zoom out from the man’s eye. Refreshed look on his face. (He mouths the words “Ahhhhhh”) Show him again with a SodaStream bubble glass on his table reading. A scene in dark blue shades of his house in ruins (the aftermath of a robbery or bombing, it’s unclear what happened). He just got home. The police show his machine is gone. He puts up signs. His family is disrupted. Show him losing focus in his work. Cut to a scene of his friend opening his hands wide showing a photo. It shows a great oasis. The friend exclaims they have everything. He takes out a map detailing the desert and a picture of the oasis. There’s a big ‘x’ on the map for an oasis. He is outside his door with his wife. Everyone appears to be sad. He turns away holding the map with the camel. Cut to the scene of the present with him holding his map and picture, smiling. The image of the place looks the same.
KID: (pushing the canteen in front of him ) I just have this.
The man and child stare blankly.
There’s a long pause. They all exchange looks. The man’s camel spits.
The man’s face shows shock. He looks down again at his map and picture.
We hard-cut to the traveler riding through the desert again. Camel charging forward.
TRAVELER: Water … need … sparkling water.
Cut to a scene from behind the camel and traveler with a beautiful product shot of SodaStream on the horizon. Bubbles burst down into a bottle as the man stares ahead at his goal.
VO: Make the drink you’ve been thirsting for.
LOGO: SodaStream
The drink you’ve been thirsting for. (I feel it sounds stronger without 'make' even though SodaStream is the device, the drink should be the focus).
SodaStream, your own little oasis.
Make your own oasis with SodaStream.
An oasis is nothing without SodaStream.
Give your palate a taste of adventure, SodaStream.
Have your own little oasis in a glass with SodaStream.
A thirst worth dying for, SodaStream | A drink worth risking it all for, SodaStream.
Drink a peace of heaven, SodaStream.
Life isn’t the same without bubbles, SodaStream.
Ordinary water can’t quench extraordinary thirst.
For extraordinary thirst, you need extraordinary taste.
* I am not sure if this is the brand slogan, in which case ignore the statements above. I feel that with this desert theme bringing back this idea of an oasis would be nice to really hone in on the refreshing quality of SodaStream. I kept thinking of this idea that there’s this really great place in the middle of the desert, but without SodaStream it’s incomplete. I’d appreciate some feedback on this alternative perspective. Just a few rough ideas I wanted to propose.