Published on August 4, 2021
When our partner Mattel approached us about a new series of stop motion for Fireman Sam, we were excited to use our insight-led creative process to deliver a set of highly entertaining stories featuring four different types of Fireman Sam toys and a broad range of toy characters from Mattel’s Master Toy partners Simba Dickie Group and Character Options, that fans would adore.
Our objective for the digital-first content series was to help Mattel reach a broader audience of kids in key markets including UK, Poland, Germany and France, capitalising on the increase in viewing for the Fireman Sam channel over the last year and driving further engagement on digital platforms. We built our creative premise to align with Mattel’s Fireman Sam brand strategy focusing on promoting the ‘Heroes Next Door’.
Mattel wanted us to develop a content series that remained true to Fireman Sam’s core values as a heritage brand, while finding new opportunities to become more relevant to digital audiences on YouTube and YouTube Kids.
The first pilot series of 8 episodes was launched in October 2020 and has achieved 3.6M views to date across all languages. Building on this, our digital studio created a new series of 24 x 2-minute episodes which are currently being rolled out on the Fireman Sam official YouTube channel.
Using a combination of existing and brand-new scripts to create engaging storytelling, one of the key goals for the latest series was to increase diversity amongst the characters, such as balancing out male versus female leads, while promoting positive role models. Additionally, the new series allows other characters, not just Norman, to make mistakes!
Another focus was to build out different storylines that combine fun and adventure with relatable characters, while showcasing new locations not seen in the TV series. Using insight from our network, we were able to see what was resonating with digital audiences and in turn make these elements a key part of our content strategy and creation.
The stop motion series continues to celebrate the brand’s balance of education and entertainment, providing safety tips, real-life lessons and emphasising collective teamwork themes throughout, alongside the humorous elements for which the show is well-known.
WildBrain Spark’s hugely talented animators worked exclusively on the script development, filming, and editing, and in partnership with the Fireman Sam original voice-over team.
They were the first to experience our new studio space in the heart of Bermondsey, London, creating detailed sets for the stop motion content under strict COVID-19 rules and regulations. With tight timelines and two episodes from the pilot series launched prior to Christmas 2020, the speed of the project meant the team was animating multiple episodes at the same time. An unbelievable achievement under such a restrictive working environment!
Watch one of the brand-new episodes here:
Norman Takes the Zipline! | Fireman Sam Official | Children's Cartoon | Stop Motion
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