How Amazon Prime Video’s cinematic ad created a TV hit
“An Unlikely Friendship” is the tale of an unexpected bond, forged through a shared love for entertainment, between two misfits: Hattie, a bullied hyena who can’t smile, and Carl, a grumpy zookeeper who can’t find any reasons to smile. Madrid agency’s CYW’s calm, positive and collaborative way of working produced a spot for Amazon that wowed audiences and has now won the November-December Thinkboxes award for TV creativity, run in association with Campaign.
“TV is still a very relevant medium. Even more around Christmas time as it traditionally brings families together. Our approach for this campaign was to make a short film, highly crafted and cinematic. There was no doubt for us that big TV screens would provide the right viewing experience for more enjoyment.” Xuan Pham, Creative Director Europe, Amazon Prime.
Second in the November/December Thinkboxes was "A Christmas Carrot" by McCann UK for Aldi. "Big on a Christmas you can ALWAYS believe in" by Karmarama for Lidl was third.
Amazon Prime Video ‘An Unlikely Friendship’
- Agency: CYW
- Creative team: Carmelo Rodríguez and Willy Lomana; Lucas Siewert, Marta Horcajo, Eva Fernández; Xuan Pham (Prime Video)
- Client: Helen Cowley
- Production company: Blur
- Director: Chris Balmond
Aldi ‘A Christmas Carrot’
- Agency: McCann UK
- Creative team: Dave Price, Clive Davis, Andy Fenton
- Client: Adam Zavalis
- Production company: Stink
- Directors: Todd Mueller & Kylie Matulick
Boots ‘Bags of Joy’
- Agency: VMLY&R
- Creative team: Laurent Simon, Liam Riddler, Tom Reas
- Client: Pete Markey
- Production company: Smuggler
- Director: Tom Hooper
John Lewis & Partners ‘Unexpected Guest’
- Agency: adam&eveDDB
- Creative team: Richard Brim, Matt Gay, Feargal Ballance
- Client: Emma Wood
- Production company: Smuggler
- Director: Mark Molloy
Lidl ‘Big on a Christmas you can ALWAYS believe in’
- Agency: Karmarama
- Creative team: Nik Studzinski, Luke Ramm, Joe Holt, Louisa Whitehead, Fiona Moseley
- Client: Clare Farrant
- Production company: Independent
- Director: Gary Freedman