We are pleased to bring you an interview with Massimo Guerci and Victor Spang Arthurrson, the creators of the wild homepage takeover ad in Italy for ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.’ Massimo Guerci, senior art director, and Victor Spang Arthursson, interactive account manager senior, responsible PM for the project, work in digital at the agency SPQR Network, part of the group Flumen Communications Companies.


The 3D trailer was created by the agency as part of the campaign to launch the film “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (Piovono Polpette) in Italy. The success was immediate, with a video played rate of 36%.




What was the initial client brief for the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs campaign?

Victor: Apart from the necessity to launch the film, to create curiosity, awareness and to stress the premiere date we were asked by the client, Sony Pictures Releasing Italia, to emphasize the fact that the film was made in 3D and would deliver an extraordinary experience. So the 3D aspect was fundamental and has in one or another way been present in each asset delivered during the campaign for the film.


How did you decide on the full screen format?

Victor+Massimo:
The full screen format in this case was absolutely necessary to create a strong impression. Since the “3D” objects needed to enter and exit the video in a convincing way, and the objective was to make everything as natural as possible, we saw no other possible solution.


What we wanted to achieve was an increasing effect of surprise, and not using the full screen format would have resulted in a “fake” effect, which obviously needed to be avoided.

Other solutions were of course discussed and rejected together with Joseph from Eyeblaster Italia, who has been of invaluable help to us during this project. We are extremely satisfied with the final result, which was very good indeed.

What was the client’s reaction/feedback?
Victor: In this project, as normally with this client, we had a very open work process, where the client has the possibility of being a part of the project already from the start, and storyboards were presented, updated and approved and intermediary rough versions were presented for approval throughout work process. This minimized the final feedback and is fundamental in a multidisciplinary project to avoid delays and to stay within budget.

The final result thus was highly appreciated and we have so far only received appreciatiivecomments on our work.

Your idea about the perfect working day:

Massimo+Victor: On this question we agree surprisingly well. In the morning an update online, and some general searching for inspiration. Then lunch outdoors, during a sunny spring day in Rome. In the afternoon, work on a stimulating and exciting campaign and then, after work, a beer with our colleagues.


Your muse best comes when:

Massimo: In the morning, when I take the shower. 90% of the ideas that I develop during the
day come to me just after awakening, when the brain is still shut down. The rest of the
day I work on developing these ideas, whereas in the evening I try to relax as much as possible.


Victor: In the evening, just after I’ve entered the bed and am about to fall asleep. Unfortunately, some of my great, world changing ideas gets lost during the night, but fortunately I don’t work as a creative.


How did you start working in digital advertising?

Massimo: While studying communications I had a boring job for an architecture publishing house, doing data entry. Fortunately I worked in the department of web design, and being as I’m curious, in a short time I learned to use Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver, and soon after I started working as web designer.


Victor: I started already in 2000, while studying, when a friend of mine tipped an agency with whom he was collaborating with about me. They were searching for people and I had some experience from a fanzine I was running online since some years back, where I did everything from the design and programming to photographing and writing articles. That was the starting point and since then I’ve been in the business, with various roles, more or less constantly.

Bravo on an excellent campaign!