THE SCRIPT - FREEDOM CHILD ALBUM CAMPAIGN AMP VISUAL CREATIVE REVIEW
LIGHTING THE WAY THE SCRIPT, FREEDOM CHILD ALBUM CAMPAIGN A SHORT EMAIL ARRIVES IN. IT S FROM MARK, THE SCRIPT S GUITARIST. ALBUM S JUST FINISHED, GET OVER TO THE LONDON STUDIO AND WE LL HAVE A LISTEN AND CHAT. JUST LIKE THAT, THE NEW ALBUM DESIGN CAMPAIGN BEGINS. When we consider any large packaging and identity campaign, we look for a unique image, a special element that will translate and evolve across all media. At the studio, an excited Danny (O Donoghue, lead singer) shows us a powerful image on his phone. It shows a young girl, standing facing a line of armed police in full riot gear. Danny says, So, the album is called Freedom Child, is this girl our mascot? It s fantastic but it ll be a challenge selling such a politically-charged image. The Script s success hasn t been built on grandstanding political statements. We needed to find a way to communicate the album s themes of freedom and the right to push back against oppression, in a graphical but apolitical way. We focused on the word Freedom and its connotations, sharing sketches, doodles and notions along the way: an open hand, a lotus flower, a light bulb, a line drawing of the human brain, a heart, a dove, a pair of angel s wings and so on. The band were positive, particularly about the angel wings. They immediately saw the branding potential, across videos, staging and merchandise. We also explored neon light along with the wings and gradually, the image of a solitary figure on a dark, rainy, urban street began to emerge. It wasn t our innocent child any more. Somehow we d settled on a young man, our Freedom Child, viewed from behind, with the angel s wings on his back. It illustrated our narrative perfectly. Now came the challenge of creating and shooting the image. This involved finding the ideal street, manufacturing a complicated lifesized set of wings for the angel character and making small scale models. Then there was a difficult night shoot in London s Petticoat Lane market in the pouring rain followed by lots of digital superimposing in the studio. The results were worth it. The final composition glistens with down-pouring rain and luminosity - we had our unique image! This image became our avatar, our identity for the album campaign and tour. We even developed a bespoke neon Vegas-styled typeface, a full neon colour palette and various supporting graphics.
ART FOR STREET'S SAKE ICONOGRAPHY The neon of the wings allowed us to extend the brand feel on to a range of other icons supporting the theme. These also worked across all formats and media, from sleeve, to in-store, to stage. This ad-wall in Shoreditch, London, is 20 metres long by 3 metres high. At the centre of our promotional graphic we positioned the angel s wings so that people could take selfies with them. Instagram lit up. Selfie Spot Outdoor Mural
Outdoor Advertising FREEDOM CHILD IN ACTION The visual is essential, it acts as an ambassador for the album. As a sound medium music is inactive until it is played, so our job is to make sure it can speak for itself, even when it s silent. With a strong identity, versatile enough to work across diverse applications, Freedom Child can be noticed and recognised from t-shirts to shop windows, from bus shelters to websites, right through to the stage set seen by the audience before the band go on to play. Music Video Branding Website Design No.1 Album in UK In-Store Window Display Bespoke Font Design Instrument Branding Merchandise
Creative Director, Gary Kelly with The Script, London, March 2017. TESTIMONIALS AMP Visual have done a phenomenal job on Freedom Child. The lengths they go to, and the sheer passion for completing a vision in full, are what sets them apart from the rest. They don t just run with an idea, they fly. They have always been an integral part of our design team, bringing our visions to life and also taking us in directions we never envisioned ourselves. AMP are true collaborators in every sense of the word and we love working with them. Danny O Donoghue The Script I have worked with AMP Visual since 2014 and they ve always been incredibly dedicated to producing work of the highest standard. AMP are very collaborative with both artist and label and consistently deliver everything we need ahead of our tight deadlines. Bec Adams Senior Marketing Manager, Columbia Records. IF YOU NEED TO CONNECT WITH AN AUDIENCE, YOU SHOULD CONNECT WITH AMP VISUAL RICHARD@AMPVISUAL.COM + 353 1 633 7644 AMP VISUAL CREATIVE AGENCY 68 PEARSE STREET DUBLIN 2 IRELAND WWW.AMPVISUAL.COM