Emma Bunton Gives It Some Heart!

With Emma Bunton taking the drive-time slot as the new voice of HeartFM, it was only natural that BMB chose to freshen up the current commercial with a new vignette featuring the former spice girl. Jenny Ash once again takes the helm.

Look out for Jenny’s new comedy/drama TV series “Personal Affairs” currently airing on BBC3 and getting a real following.

Post Gold For Cash

POST GOLD FOR CASH TV COMMERCIAL

Post Gold For Cash is the new business venture from entrepreneur Ashley Faull of BidTV fame. Featuring the reassuring presence of TV personality Anne Diamond, this DRTV Commercial makes effective use of a simple, quick, money-spinning idea. 

The 1 x 30 sec commercial and additional website films were created by communications agency mr.h and produced by Toast TV. 

Look out for Anne Diamond and Post Gold for Cash now on selected digital tv channels.  

Heart FM revisited

HEART FM TV COMMERCIAL
Marketing's 'Agency of the year' Beattie McGuinness Bungay returned to Toasttv to produce a second commercial for Heart FM as the campaign rolls out from London across the TV regions and in Odeon cinemas across the country. Toast director Jenny Ash takes the helm once again. BMB selected Jenny on the strength of her previous work for the BBC and channel 4 - notably BBC4's forthcoming series "P.As"

Investing in Brighter Futures

Toast were asked by leading advertising agency mr.h to produce a short but powerful corporate communications film on behalf of the National Autistic Society.

The video entitled 'Investing in Brighter Futures' is all about the great work that the NAS, in partnership with the Bankers Benevolent Fund, are providing to families from the banking community who are living with autism.

The corporate video was produced with two clear objectives in mind.

To introduce the NAS and the BBF partnership and how they have set up the 'Investing in Brighter Futures' programme to help provide long lasting support to families from the banking community.

And secondly, the film acts as a stand alone piece of communication that will convey to families living with autism that there is a range of practical and emotional support on hand should they ever need it.

The finished film is a touching expose that features revealing, candid interviews from parents who are bringing up autistic children and how they're lives have improved considerably thanks to the 'Investing in Brighter Futures' programme.

Going Underground.

Last year Toast TV produced a number of digital airport panel executions for BAA through leading advertising and communications agency Masius.

BAA tried its hand in the wonderful world of digital outdoor advertising by commissioning a number of retail focussed campaigns to play out across the network of digital airport panels operated by JC Decaux

The plasma screens are positioned strategically to cover the entire departing audience in any given terminal at any or all of BAA's airports, and JC Decaux reckons that the screens are viewed an average of 6 times per flight per person.

This year BAA have also decided to go 'Underground' and have asked Masius to create a new moving image campaign to raise awareness about their latest 'special rates' for airport parking.

The high def escalator panels are part of the CBS Outdoor portfolio, who claim that the screens offer advertisers a targeted message to potentially millions of commuters every day.

The digital outdoor arena is ideal for this style of reactive marketing, where clients like BAA can continually adjust their campaigns to take into account new market trends, pricing structures and services....without breaking the bank.

The Outdoor Advertising Association ( OAA ) recently commented that the outdoor digital screens rate of revenue growth is now outperforming that of online, making outdoor screens the fastest growing medium in the UK.

So if your thinking about taking advantage of these new and improving technologies call us anytime for our latest toastdigital show reel and production rate card.

The most depressing day of the year/the coming of expectation

So, first blog of the year from me comes on apparently the most depressing day of the year but hopefully there are some stories around to bring a smile to your face. To begin, the most obvious is that America is on the eve of inaugurating it's first african american president in Barack Hussein Obama. A truly historic moment for the nation, which will no doubt be celebrated around the world as happened when he was declared the winner on the 4th november 2008. Now if that doesn't give you a 'happy injection' I don't know what will! Also yesterday Hamas announced an immediate new ceasefire with Israel. How long this will last in this volatile and fragile area of the world, no one knows, but for now Gaza can draw breath and try to get aid in quickly. On a lighter news note, it seems cows are receiving equality unheard of in Beirut.!!! 

Closer to home Toast have delivered the first Highlife Review for British Airways of 2009 for Spafax, filmed on location at County Hall in London. With Mark Eccleston as presenter we took a trip around The Movieum, a museum celebrating the history of the British Film Industry. The show reviews the releases on board flights for the month which include Cadillac Records starring Adrian Brody as Leonard chess founder of Chess Records in the 1950s, who signed seminal african american artists such as Muddy Waters, Etta James, Howlin' Wolf and Chuck Berry. Keeping within this theme The Express starring Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown as Ernie Davis the first african american to win American Footballs Heisman Trophy in 1961 which is presented to the outstanding player in collegiate football.

On a personal note i have now gone almost a whole day without a puncture on my bike which considering the five i had last week is something of an achievement!!

So whatever is going on in the world and your corner of it try and find the good things on this reportedly most depressing day of the year and bring a smile to our downbeat brethren and yourself.

As a dear friend said 'Dance as if no one were watching. Sing as if no one were listening. And live every day as if it were your last!'

Airborne Assault

GT Productions commissioned Toast to post produce all the video elements for a new Airborne Assualt Museum located at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire.  The installation and design by RDWP Ltd. is designed to promote the heritage of The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces; to educate and inspire those serving; to commemorate the actions of past and present members; and to inform and interest the public. It tells the story from the regiment's creation in 1940 to the present-day campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Jonathan Swinfen from GT Productions and Toast’s co-founder John Gradwell have worked together on many corporate video, commercial, TV and museum projects ranging from Shakespeare’s Globe to JVC and Disney.  Working from archive footage from the Parachute Regiment and the Imperial War Museum archive, 16 films were created with graphics from Dave King, an original score by Robert Hartsthorne and additional editing by Emily Harris. The museum was opened by HRH Prince Charles on the 9^th of November 2008.

Bowling battle....

Whilst we all returned from the Christmas break refreshed and ready for the new commercial and corporate challenges that lie ahead, it was felt by some, well James to be exact, that a little competition was needed amongst the Toast team.  This comes along in the form of a bowling extravaganza....  Yes, a night where every member of the toast team becomes equal in a fight to the death.  Well, not quite, more like we bowl and the person who gets the most points wins the prize...... (prize to be determined.... depending on who wins)

place your bets now........

Let's Get Physical

The new year is upon us, new years resolutions have been made and it will be interesting to see how many have been broken, but here at Toast we're looking to push through the pain barrier with  regular trips to the local swimming pool.

So far I've recruited Jeremy our senior producer but am looking for more Toast input.  It has been going well and we haven't hit the  mental wall yet except for an embarrassing accident last Thursday but that was less mental and more physical.

Afterwards however we raring to go for the rest of the day, ready to tackle any corporate film or commercial coming our way.

Let's see how long the aqua intentions last!!

Toast TV were asked by agency Masius to produce another set of Digital Airport panels for BAA's Christmas campaign. Sticking with the highly successful green swoosh campaign the animating panels feature products and offers available at the major UK airports.

Give it some Heart

Jenny Ash Directs her first TVC for Toast TV. Agency of the year BMB selected Jenny to helm their spot Heart FM.  Previously Jenny has been in high demand directing such TV dramas as "PA's" "Waterloo Road" "Days of Darkness" and drama docs such as "Night Stalker" "Dead man Boarding" "Gurus" and "Dolly". Jenny's work is all about combining the best possible performances with great storytelling and Toast is proud to add her to our roster of directors.

The British Legion breaks with a brand new poster campaign produced by Toast's digital arm - Toastdigital for this year's Poppy Appeal. The Poppy Man has been a feature of previous press and poster campaigns for the Royal British Legion. This year, Toastdigital brought him to life. This 3D figure appears out of falling poppies and extends a comforting, helping hand to an ex-serviceman. He features in cross-track poster sites throughout Central London Underground helping to highlight Poppy Week and the plight of those who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces and their dependants.