NEW YORK - The Napoleon Group (www.thenapoleongroup.com), here, recently completed work on a series of spots for agency Pyper Paul + Kenney that re-brand the Southeast supermarket Kash n' Karry as the Sweetbay Supermarket chain. The spots combine live action, practical photography and photoreal 2D and 3D CGI to promote the revamped, upscale stores and the enhanced assortment of fresh food products they now offer.
All four of the spots are :30s, with one focusing on Sweetbay's produce department, another on its meat and fish, and a third on its bakery/deli. The forth commercial - and first to air last November - is a combination of the other three, highlighting all of the supermarket chain's departments.
In the meat and fish version of the campaign, lobster, shrimp, lemon and a crown roast, spin and swirl in a sequence that's half kaleidoscope and half fireworks. The produce spot has similar movement, with strawberries, peppers, cherries, melons and pineapples taking the lead.
According to John Clausing, senior graphics artist for The Napoleon Group's Code f/x division, the spots' CG was created using Sofimage|XSI and was animated initially to a click track for timing purposes. Matt Ranson used a combination of Adobe After Effects and Discreet Flame and Smoke to composite the numerous layers.
Live action, 35mm film footage of the store's clerks was shot on location in a Tampa, FL store, with Marty Napoleon directing. The spots end with a tag featuring the Sweetbay logo, which breaks from the campaign's 3D look with more of a toon feel. The spots were finished in Discreet Smoke at Napoleon.
Code f/x's Steven Meyer served as executive producer on the project. Nancy Cannava was live action line producer. Tracy Savage provided design and Matt Semel and Tony Johnson served as animators. Mixer Ron DiCesare at The Napoleon Group?s Ultra-Sound unit posted the audio.
Co. 3's Victor Mulholland provided film-to-tape transfer services. The original calypso-inspired "Sweet Life" track was created by Tim Fowler at Digidesign Pro Tools house Sound Asylum, based in Tampa, FL.