Sprout, the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, today unveils a refreshed on-air look designed by Trace Pictures, a multi-disciplined design firm and production house. This new look and feel perfectly captures the unique and charming world of Sprout.
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The full branding package consists of show openers, identity pieces, in-show design and promo packages that feature parents and kids interacting in a handmade Sprout world. This refresh is the culmination of a one-year collaboration. Trisha Emerson, Executive Producer of Trace, explains: “I got the call from Sprout saying they were so happy with our pitch and felt we would be perfect for the Sprout refresh. We, of course, were thrilled.”
“What distinguishes Sprout in the preschool marketplace is that it is a destination where everyday moments matter most. Therefore it was very important to us that when viewers experienced the refreshed look, that they still recognized it as the world of Sprout,” said Meredith Halpern-Ranzer, Sr. Creative Director for Sprout. “We came to Trace looking for an evolution of the brand, not a revolution.” The missing link to this evolution was finding a way to express the sense of interaction between the network and Sprout families, and where Sprout fit in that relationship. According to Justin Stephenson, Sr. Creative Director at Trace: “We collaborated intensely with the Sprout team to arrive at a place that worked perfectly for them and was very exciting for us.”
Trace utilized the distinctly low-fi “diorama” as the basis for it’s campaign. ”The diorama is such a fun, flexible, and familiar thing – it really is a great way to stage the inner life of a child and imagine how they see and interpret the world” says Stephenson. Trace drew upon a truly wide range of techniques: full live action vignettes, green screen live action, stop motion, 3D CGI, cell animation motion graphics and, of course, an amazing array of hand-crafted design elements. These elements include hills made of fabric, a flowing river made of tissue paper, trees and flowers made of felt, a yawning cardboard alarm clock, a giant moon made from a sponge, a soda bottle rocket that flies through space, tin foil stars that fall from strings, kids dancing on paper puddles and many, many more.
“In addition to all of the thinking that went into this project, it really engaged our production talents and interests. In one frame, you could have hand crafted elements mixed with 2D, CG, and live action. It was a real combination of carefully balanced styles and techniques that blended seamlessly together,” says Stephenson.
“Partnering with Sprout on this refresh was a very intense process, we really went deep with them to create a creative strategy that worked perfectly for them. This was not only about good production, but also about communication through the process and delivery.” Trisha Emerson.
“The entire Sprout team is thrilled to see the continued evolution of Sprout’s unique brand vision come to life as a result of our collaboration with Trace,” added Halpern-Ranzer.