Client:
Vision Express
Project type:
In-house
What was delivered:
Art direction
Marvin assests
Vision Express
Project type:
In-house
What was delivered:
Art direction
Marvin assests
Vision Express embraced a fresh brand identity with Marvin the Mole and his family as the friendly faces of their new positioning.
Collaborating closely with Passion Animation Studios and Leo Burnett, we crafted a TV advertisement featuring Marvin to highlight the affordable "glasses from £25" offer. I contributed to developing Marvin's character stills, which were integral to the launch campaigns. The core poses of Marvin, shown here, set the tone for the campaign’s creative direction and reinforced the brand's accessible image.
Extending Marvin’s Role Across Campaigns
Following the successful TV campaign, additional Marvin poses were created to support other initiatives, such as our “Thorough Eye Test Simply Explained” and children’s services. However, due to high production costs, we were limited in the variety of poses available, which constrained the ability to fully diversify Marvin’s use across further campaigns. Despite these limitations, Marvin continued to be a valuable asset, providing a warm and approachable brand presence that resonated well with both adult and young audiences.
Added Value and Flexibility
To expand Marvin's role in minor campaigns, I created additional poses by creatively combining elements from existing images. This approach allowed for greater flexibility, enabling us to incorporate Marvin into smaller, day-to-day brand communications. For example, I customised him in a hard hat and high-visibility jacket for use on store hoardings during refurbishments, ensuring a consistent, branded presence even outside our larger above-the-line campaigns. This adaptability maximised our use of Marvin while keeping production costs low.
This flexibility also allowed us to infuse some fun into our new branding. For example, we used one of the custom Marvin poses in our sustainability campaign to design error pages on the website. This not only reinforced the brand's personality but also created a more engaging, memorable user experience, blending branding with functionality. By doing so, we enhanced various touchpoints of the brand while maintaining consistency across both large and small-scale campaigns
Pose Direction
During this project, I developed a strong working relationship with the team creating Marvin. Using my illustration background, I helped refine the poses, especially when speed was crucial. For the sustainable glasses range campaign, the initial Marvin pose looked more like he was carrying the earth instead of hugging it. To expedite the process and avoid additional costs with the external agency, I quickly mocked up an alternative pose that gained quick internal approval, ensuring the final version was ready in time for the campaign launch.
Marvin Illustrations
I also adapted the Marvin poses into line illustrations for coloring sheets and balloons, using my illustration skills to add extra touchpoints to the store journey. This initiative, along with the introduction of our soft Marvin toy, helped strengthen Vision Express's family-friendly branding and further attracted customers to the stores. By creatively integrating Marvin into these additional formats, we enhanced the in-store experience and deepened our connection with families visiting our locations.
