Skånetrafiken: Crossing Borders Made Easy
Traveling to Sweden doesn’t have to involve blowing up a hundred balloons, building a giant catapult, or commandeering a swan-shaped boat. Thanks to Skånetrafiken, your journey can be straightforward and stress-free. This is the clever message behind the “Crossing Borders Made Easy” campaign, a comic series of films directed by Laura Hancock from HOBBY.
A Creative Collaboration
The films humorously depict the extravagant attempts of various Danes to reach Sweden. It was a fitting collaboration between Danish-American director Laura Hancock and the creative team at Swedish agency Infab. This blend of Danish humor and Swedish storytelling makes the campaign both unique and highly entertaining.
Humor in Every Detail
The films’ humor is grounded in relatable scenarios. For instance, one film features a man yelling at his unresponsive wife in a swan-shaped boat, a scene that resonated well with Danish audiences. “Danish humor is a bit darker than Swedish, but the agency and client were very open to it. That’s what makes these films so funny,” Hancock explains.
Casting and Performance
Hancock believes that performance is at the heart of comedy. She put a lot of effort into finding the right cast. The background extras, who improvised a humorous argument, were people she had worked with before in her previous role as a background extra coordinator. “They really went for it, and it was very funny to watch,” she recalls.
Each role was carefully cast to enhance the comedy. The man on the catapult was a Danish performance actor, chosen for his ability to execute physical comedy. The woman with the balloons needed to convey frustration authentically, capturing a specific Danish exclamation that has no equivalent in other languages.
Behind the Scenes
The films were shot in one day at Mormorstranden (Granny Beach) in Denmark in October 2023. Timing was crucial, as Denmark experienced its worst flooding on record just days after the shoot. “48 hours after the shoot, there was no beach,” Hancock reveals, crediting the producers for their excellent planning.
Weather also played a role in the production design. While figuring out how to build the catapult, the team discovered a tree in Lars’ garden that was perfect for the task. Despite the stormy conditions, they transported the tree to the beach, creating an authentic and functional prop for the shoot.
The Essence of Comedy
Hancock attributes the success of the films to the collaborative spirit of HOBBY, Infab, and Skånetrafiken. “I like to have as much as possible aligned before the shoot, so we have the time and space to concentrate on the acting,” she says. The team’s trust in the process allowed for a relaxed and enjoyable shoot, essential for creating genuinely funny content.
Conclusion
The “Crossing Borders Made Easy” campaign by Skånetrafiken showcases the brand’s ability to make travel simple and enjoyable. Through humor and creative storytelling, the campaign effectively highlights how easy it is to travel to Sweden with Skånetrafiken, proving that sometimes, all you need is a bit of fun to get your message across.
This professional campaign titled ‘Crossing Borders Made Easy’ was published in Denmark and Sweden in May 2024. It was created for the brand Skånetrafiken by ad agency Infab. This Film medium campaign is related to the Transport industry and contains three media assets.
