Photobox ‘Photobox gold’ / Creature

Photobox, the online photo printing service, this week released its first campaign in the UK and France. The company, which acquired Moonpig in 2011, unveiled a 40-second spot which sees a young boy vying for the attention of everyone’s smartphones in order to make it into one of Photobox’s photo books.

The events take place at a normal family BBQ with the child’s parents and guests chatting and cooking food. A voiceover narrates the toddler’s thoughts as he proudly gears up to his epic moment which he knows will have everyone reaching for their cameras. We first see the child in close up, revealing just his painted face and headdress. The camera then focuses on the adults’ reactions at the child’s dress before it is unveiled to the viewer in all its glory. The child is seen wearing a colourful mix of a headdress made out of spoons, feathers and pipe cleaners; accessories made from hairbands and pegs; an apron as a cape; fingerless gloves; and what one can only assume to be his mother’s bra and red sparkly heels. To top it all off, he is seen saddled up upon the family’s pet Great Dane (who is incidentally also adorned with a pimped pair of ski goggles) and brandishing a dustbin lid shield and wooden sword while screaming a ‘tribal’ call at the top of his lungs. As the garden’s water sprinklers shower over him in celebration, the voiceover smugly proclaims that ‘this is Photobox gold’. The ad is shot in slow motion to help build up tension to the reveal and allow time to appreciate the fabulous spectacle.

The spot was created by Creature, hired by Photobox in August this year, and highlights the brands offers and free delivery option. It also hopes to promote the idea of celebrating photos via their inclusion in photo books rather than being buried in the depths of a smartphone folder. On top of this, the brand gently hints that a Photobox photobook could make an ideal Christmas present, as the last shot of the ad sees a photo album laid out on Christmas wrapping paper surrounded by holly, baubles and tinsel.

The ad is worth celebrating as it gives viewers a break from the swarm of overtly Christmassy festive ads that are currently bracing our screens, considering it is only November. Secondly, it embraces and rejoices at the idea of a little boy playing ‘dress up’. The ad’s iconic toddler is cheeky and fun-loving, his sassy and confident attitude bringing a smile to the viewer’s face. And finally, the spot gains brownie points for pushing to keep print, and specifically the humble physical photo album, alive, reminding us of the joy in having tangible souvenirs of life’s great moments which will make us laugh or cringe for years to come.

The ad was created by Creature’s Dan Ball and Joe Stone and directed by Blink Productions’ Los Perez.