HISTORIC WORCESTERSHIRE

CLIENT

We were commissioned by Visit Worcestershire to create an all-round multi-platform creative solution to support the launch of their new initiative – Historic Worcestershire.

THE BRIEF

The project aimed to highlight the county’s heritage offer, split into four themes: royals & rebels, democracy, creatives, and industrial. The client wanted something funny and cheeky that would engage audiences across TV and social media. They wanted the main campaign film to be centred around four characters, one to represent each theme, to help tell the story.

OUR SOLUTION

THE CHARACTERS

The client provided us with a document of significant historical moments and people and we selected the ones we felt were most rooted in Worcestershire’s history. We chose King Charles II, Oliver Cromwell, Edward Elgar, and John Wheeley Lea & William Perrins – all directly tied to themes that are central to the campaign – monarchy and rebellion, the fight for liberty, artistic legacy, and industrial innovation.

Getting the casting right was crucial. We needed talent who not only resembled the historic figures but could also bring plenty of character to the roles. Our Producer, Georgia, nailed it and teamed up with the fantastic Cotswold Costumes to source historically accurate outfits. Our fantastic makeup artist handled wigs, moustaches and finer details that helped make the characters feel instantly recognisable and stand out against modern-day settings.

HERO FILM & TV AD

For the 3-minute hero film, we developed a concept around the idea that “the past is present.” The four characters were reimagined in modern-day Worcestershire, each appearing in full period costume and delivering a dramatic monologue in a historically significant location. At first, the audience believes they’re watching the past, until something modern abruptly interrupts them, like a hiker, selfie-taking tourists, or litter pickers. Their confused reactions break the fourth wall, creating a playful clash of eras.

Our Director, Scott, wrote a comical script, and our animator, Georgia, mapped it all out in a storyboard to keep the shoot organised. We filmed across four days at eight different Worcestershire locations.

Our animators also added subtle animation to set the context of each scene in the past before the modern-day interruptions broke through. Finally, our Editor, Michael, pulled everything together in post with sound effects, music, and a colour grade that gave the whole campaign its finished look.

To meet the brief for a 30-second TV ad, we shot a shorter cut of the hero film at the same time. It was designed to be broadcast-ready while still telling a complete story in half a minute.

SOCIAL CUTS

We wanted to make sure the client got the most out of their video content. Social cuts were part of the brief, so we planned for them right from the start. We didn’t just think about aspect ratios. We created content that felt native to each platform and spoke directly to that audience.

One idea we’d pitched early on was based around one-upmanship. We storyboarded four short reel-style videos where two of the characters go head-to-head, each trying to one-up the other with facts about their corresponding theme. This format felt like a natural fit for social and gave the characters more personality outside the main films.

We shot all of these vertically during the same schedule as the hero film and TV ad, integrating them smoothly into the wider production. It meant the client walked away with a full set of assets designed for different platforms, all tied together with the same campaign feel.

WESTMINSTER PR STUNT

As soon as the hero film started taking shape, the client was so excited that they came up with the additional idea of a PR stunt in Westminster. The idea? Two of the characters – King Charles II and Sir Edward Elgar – plus a couple of knights hit the streets of London, chatting with the public about Worcestershire’s history and inviting people to visit.

With a very quick turnaround to line up with the campaign launch, our Producer moved fast to get permits and filming permissions sorted. Our animators designed custom illustrated postcards with a call-to-action on the back to visit the campaign website, as well as branded signs to help set the scene visually.

We documented the stunt in a short social-first film, interviewing members of the public for their reactions. It was a fun day out in London, spreading the word about Worcestershire (and getting plenty of funny looks walking around with such royalty!).

THE IMPACT

In total, we delivered a 3-minute hero film, a 30-second TV advert, four social reels, a Westminster PR stunt film, plus illustrated postcards and sandwich boards. The campaign has been really well received, with great feedback on the characters and the fun way they celebrate Worcestershire’s history.

“Another huge thanks is to the fab team at Spark Media who just ran with all my crazy ideas, Scott Barnett just totally got the whole concept and Georgia is the best producer, getting a new TV ad, full launch video, social media clips and our Westminster PR stunt all in hand. The whole team and all the actors used were just fabulous”
– Lorna Robinson, Visitor Economy and Destination Manager at Worcestershire County Council