Hasta La Creative!

BBDO New York introduces a new character for GE with the spot “Invention Donkey.”

Invention Donkey is a micro-sized donkey who grants invention-related wishes (sort of oddly specific, but okay). He introduces himself to a guy who has a little trouble with the wish part initially, asking for two best friends, DVDs and then a fun app. When Invention Donkey takes him to task for his lame wishes, he then comes up with “something to help power the planet.” Invention Donkey’s response involves a lot of hard work and planning, which, it is implied, GE has already put into finding a solution.

BBDO New York turned a lot of heads with its inventive and surreal advertising for GE last year, including “Childlike Imagination,” “What Would Happen,” “Ideas” and “The Boy Who Beeps.” The agency’s latest effort for GE is a slight change in approach, similarly surreal to past efforts but with a less serious tone (and a cute, tiny talking donkey). Like previous spots (particularly “Ideas”), it continues to celebrate the culture of invention at GE.

“We can show specific examples of things they’ve made of the last few years, but the pure essence of that place is teeming with inventors,” Tim Roan, BBDO New York creative director and copywriter, told Creativity. “They invent the big, important stuff. But a lot of the innovation most often covered or talked about is stuff like apps. That’s what people consider great contributions to mankind? So we’re trying to lead the witness to think a bit different about how the big, important, difficult stuff doesn’t happen with a snap of the finger. It takes unbelievable amounts of people, planning, foresight, and perspective.”

Credits:

Agency: BBDO New York

Client: GE

Title: Invention Donkey

Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide: David Lubars

Chief Creative Officer, New York: Greg Hahn

Executive Creative Director: Michael Aimette

Creative Director, Copywriter: Tim Roan

Creative Director, Copywriter: Levi Slavin

Art Director: Cesar Finamore

Group Executive Producer: Diane Hill

Head of Music Production: Rani Vaz

Global Director: Brandon Fowler

Senior Director: Peter McCallum

Account Manager: Tessa Cosenza

Account Executive: Will Langenberg

Production Company: Radical Media

Executive Producer: Gregg Carlesimo

Line Producer: Robin Buxton

Director: Steve Miller

Editorial: Mackenzie/Cutler

Editor: Ian Mackenzie

Assistant Editor: Nick Divers

Executive Producer: Sasha Hirschfield

VFX: Framestore

VFX Supervisor: Theo Jones

Head of 3D: Andy Rowen Robinson

Director of Animation: David Hulin

Head of Production: Sarah Hiddlestone

Compositing: Raul Ortega

Producer: Raven Sia

Sound Mix: Mackenzie/Cutler

Engineer: Sam Shaffer