Film / Heathrow
To coincide with the launch of a new train service in Q4 2020, I created a new brand identity for Heathrow Express’ onboard TV channel, a new strategy for branded content production, and a new suite of passenger information videos.
The creative strategy and direction I developed reflects the service’s role as a gateway, penning the strapline ‘Connecting London with the World’. This positioning then played out into the brand idents, branded content strategy and suite of passenger information videos
Idents
The new visual identity appears interstitially alongside content from the BBC, the Travel Channel, Heathrow and its advertisers.
We imagined the Heathrow Express journey as a portal that takes you from London to other countries around the world. The prominent neon circles throughout the idents marry the portal concept with Heathrow Express’ iconic ring logo.
The brand is all about minimalism, elegance and relaxation, so we sourced drone footage from around the world with high frame rates and slow forward movements that were then paired up in post, marrying vanishing lines, perspective and field of view to create seamless transitions and a slow, building transition that is pure relaxation. A 3D rendered portal acts as a light source in the scene, with rotoscoping frame by frame to paint in and out of scenes. All of this achieved a polished result, without the associated cost of dedicated shoots, which were outside of the client’s budget.
Announcements.
Taking inspiration from the classic Heathrow purple, we explored the play of light in tunnels and in modern user interface design. The new suite of announcements can be scheduled dynamically in any order, can be easily updated and replaced on the fly.
Credits
Jonathan Gilbert
Creative Director
Executive Producer