Pilot’s Grand Visual Metaphor for the Life-Changing Power of a Pen
How might your life have been different if you had a different name? It’s not a choice that many people feel they have, but in an age when defining our own identity is more encouraged than ever, is it something we should let our parents choose?
That’s one of the questions that Dentsu Creative France’s new campaign for Pilot pens asks as it presents a metaphor for how you might like to ‘Write your World’.
The film, the first for the new brand platform for the first time, shows a baby reaching for a Pilot FriXion erasable pen on her first day on Earth to make a monumental decision that might just inform the direction of her life.
To find out more about this memorable campaign, LBB’s Alex Reeves spoke to head of strategy Alexandra Servant-Rony and executive creative director / deputy general manager Sébastien Zanini.
LBB> What was the original brief or challenge that Pilot came to Dentsu Creative France with?
Alexandra> Pilot contacted us four years ago to relaunch their brand in a context where writing instruments were decreasing, and pens mostly seen as a disposable commodity, with poor added value. But with its 100-years history, Pilot has always been a pioneer and a leader in its market, number one in the rollerball category, as well as creator of and number-one player in the thermo-sensitive segment. In a market mostly driven by price-oriented players, they had to win back market share, while providing everyone in Europe with the greatest writing experience, and remind people they need quality products that live up to the nobility of the act.
LBB> How did the strategy materialise from that?
Alexandra> In a context where people are abandoning handwriting for their cell phones or computers, and our brains are overwhelmed with information, we wanted to remind people that handwriting has never been so powerful to help us to live a purposeful life. Handwriting is a sensitive extension of our mind, it brings wellbeing to performing, feelings to thinking. As a historic brand, Pilot had to support the act of writing to empower people to express their uniqueness. That’s how we came up with this European brand platform: ‘Write your world’.
‘Write your world’ invites people to put more of themselves into everything they do by writing, creating, exploring, erasing, changing things. Our new brand territory doesn’t only speak about the high value of our products, it also positions Pilot’s products as a strong tool driving purpose for anyone.
LBB> And from there how did that turn into the creative idea?
Alexandra> Through this campaign, we wanted to show that Pilot’s products are a symbol of emancipation and self-expression, and especially its erasable Frixion pen, which allows anyone to correct and rewrite endlessly. The copy shows how a simple pen can help us decide for ourselves and change our destiny to be in harmony with the life we want. To materialise this idea, we told the story of a newborn baby girl who erases the name her parents gave her on her birth bracelet, and who rewrites the one she chooses for herself, tracing out her own destiny.
LBB> Why Beyoncé and Serena?
Sebastien> The film portrays a newborn baby, just a few hours old, to whom a name is given for the first time: Beyoncé. Chosen by the parents, this name is nothing more than a fantasised projection. And since it doesn’t resonate with anything for this newborn, the baby decides to forge a different destiny by writing “Serena” instead of “Beyoncé.” Sports over music. We opted for two famous names associated with internationally popular personalities to emphasise the idea of changing one’s fate rather than merely changing a name.
LBB> What was the biggest challenge in this project and how did you overcome it?
Sebastien> We cast two little girls who could have reminded us of Beyoncé at birth in order to strengthen the false lead. During the filming, we chose to work with the one who felt most comfortable during the takes. The magic happened. She gave us so many beautiful moments with her smile, her gaze, and her movement. Subsequently, the challenge was to transition into surrealism with the hand that grabs the pen. We naturally utilised 3D for this purpose.
LBB> What will you remember most about working on this campaign?
Sebastien> This was the debut film of a directing team, including star director Paul X. As husband and wife, parents of a little girl, they fell in love with the script and wholeheartedly committed to the project. The production involved splendid work in set design, artistic direction, and music.
