Why T. Rowe Price Enlisted Acrobats for Its New High-Flying Ads

Nothing says investment management like a bunch of acrobats flying through the air with the greatest of ease. Right? Judge for yourselves from the circus atmosphere in the spot below, created for T. Rowe Price by The VIA Agency. You'll see some impressive moves, the conceit being that careful adjustments drive the aerial ballet, much as the client's nuanced solutions can help your nest egg grow: [kickout id="1"] VIA attempted to "go beyond the tired category clichés of long roads and future dreams," agency CEO Leeann Leahy tells AdFreak. "Instead, we needed a creative answer that highlighted T. Rowe Price's unique approach to retirement products." Ultimate, she says, "the idea was born to show the beauty, nuance, thoughtfulness and precision of active management in the same way we might look at a dance performance or an acrobatic troupe." Casting the performers involved a global search. "There really aren't that many troupes doing these kinds of performances," says VIA group creative director Mike Daitch. "We ended up with acrobats from Russia, London, Scotland, Sweden and Vegas." He adds, "All the performances were captured in camera. We also mounted the camera on a car so that we could keep moving with the acrobats. In post, we did add animation into the shots to highlight the small movements and really bring viewers' eyes to the details we wanted them to see." Location filming in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland, enhanced the visual palette in unexpected ways. Note the contrast between the high-flying teeter-totter routine set against the industrial landscape. Such scenes might be just novel enough to draw viewers' attention and, perhaps, entice them into giving T. Rowe Price a tumble. "We were particularly relieved at the end of shooting—no injuries!" Daitch says. "To commemorate the week, we decided to capture a team jump in super-slo-mo. We got in place, counted down, and jumped as high as we could. And so much for the injury-free record—one of us landed funny and sprained a knee." Sometimes it's best to leave the acrobatics, and the investment decisions, to the pros. CREDITS Client: T. Rowe Price Heather Dzielak: Head of US Intermediary Product and Marketing Mark Sobolak: Head of US Intermediary Integrated Marketing Robert Ihle: Sr Manager, US Intermediary Marketing Heather Buchanan: Lead Manager, US Intermediary Marketing Carole Smith: Sr Manager Advertising The VIA Agency Chief Creative Officer: Greg Smith Executive Creative Director: Teddy Stoecklein Group Creative Director: Mike Daitch Associate Creative Director: Chris Cote Associate Creative Director: Lauren Croteau Senior Copywriter: Judi Cutrone Copywriter: Jessica Fidalgo Art Director: Matt Scheumann Art Director: Morgan Gelfand Group Strategy Director: Julia Brady Client Strategist: Moya Fry Chief Strategy Officer: David Burfeind Group Planning Director: Scott Macleod Project Lead: Lawson Condrey Producer: Barry Wolford Associate Producer: Alexa King Studio Manager: Duane Holmblad Studio Designer: Jenn Arredondo Production Company: Cut Media Director: Stu Thompson Producer: Katie Wright Director of Photography: Scott Marshall Photographer: Rutger Pauw Phantom Op: Ross Pimlott Post Production: Vacationland Productions Editor: Sam Peisner Post Producer: Amanda Gray Acrobats: Eugene Butcher Pip Elysium Hauk Pattinson Kate McWilliam Craig Dagostino Edd Muir Aaron Hakala Lukas Ivanow Carole Demers Andrei Saladonau Anatolie Sandu

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Why T. Rowe Price Enlisted Acrobats for Its New High-Flying Ads

Aerial ballet from The VIA Agency

David Gianatasio

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David Gianatasio