Hector, the animated character that supports Texaco’s Road Safety campaign, has won the award for New Media: Best Commissioned Animation at the recent British Animation Awards. Created by Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest (VCCP) Hector won the award for its ‘beautiful design and innovative use of 2D and 3D animation, and strong storytelling and characterisation’.
VCCP teamed up with Aardman Animations, the triple Oscar winners, to create ‘The Peculiar Adventures of Hector’, a series of films based on books written by Natalie Herbert and Tristan Poulter and illustrated by Tom Percival.
The animation targeted six to 10 year olds and comprised of five films, each communicating a road safety lesson created in collaboration with the Department of Transport. Each animation followed the vivid imagination of Hector and a colourful cast of animal friends in 2D and 3D with flat imagery as he learnt the importance of using a seatbelt, bike helmet, zebra crossing, understanding traffic signals and being seen in the dark.
The Hector programme aimed to educate children on the importance of staying safe on the roads through entertaining them and is part of a long term plan to make the Hector character synonymous with road safety.
The animations were brought to life by Aardman Animations and produced by Alison Graham and directed by Arthur Cox directors’, Sarah Cox and Sally Arthur. The VCCP team also made ‘cameo’ appearances as cast members from Creative Director, Nicola Jackson as ‘Jackson’ and Account Director, John Boardman as ‘JB’.
Jon Boardman, account director at VCCP said: “It has been great to see the Hector campaign develop and grow during its second year. Through working with Aardman we were looking to appeal to even more children and engender greater emotional loyalty to the brand over the longer term.
“All those who have worked on the Hector campaign are immensely proud that we have received such a prestigious award.”
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For further information contact: Jon Boardman at VCCP on 020 7592 9331 or visit www.vccp.com
About Texaco
Texaco has 1,100 branded service stations in the UK.
The Texaco brand is owned by Chevron Corporation. Chevron Corp. is one of the world’s leading energy companies. With more than 53,000 employees, Chevron conducts business is approximately 180 countries around the world, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas, and refining, marketing and distributing fuels and other energy products. Chevron is based in San Ramon, California, USA. More information on Chevron is available at www.chevron.com
For further information about Texaco, contact Daniel Schraibman on 0207 719 4459 or email danielschraibman@chevron.com
About Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations, based in Bristol UK, is one of the world’s leading animation studios. Founded by David Sproxton and Peter Lord in 1976 Aardman produces feature Films, television commercials and television series for the global market. The studio has won over 400 international awards including 4 Oscars®, 1 Emmy and 7 BAFTAs.
Aardman’s Broadcast and International Departments are responsible for the development, production and distribution of Aardman’s TV series, specials and shorts. Recent credits include Creature Comforts (ITV1), Angry Kid (BBC3) and Planet Sketch (CiTV). Current productions for 2006/7 include Chop Socky Chooks (Cartoon Network and Teletoon) and Shaun The Sheep (BBC & WDR).
