The spot follows two menacing security guards as they drive an armored van down a dark and deserted back alley street and stop at an undisclosed location, where they deliver a sleek unmarked box. As if by magic, the box pops open and fog rolls out to reveal the Cantroller which springs into the air and seamlessly pulls apart to display the masterful tech inside. As the can explodes, graphic annotations and circuitry animate around it, highlighting the various key innovations - Bluetooth, lithium Ion battery, haptic feedback, micro USB charging, and of course, beer. It’s nothing you’d ever expect from a can.

To inject energy into the Cantroller’s movement, the team added clean graphic bezels to frame the components, so that when it broke apart it had real energy without feeling destructive. As the first of its kind, the team had to ensure that Cantroller’s functionality was quickly and easily understood, so successfully hitting the timing and animation beats was crucial. ‘There were so many features to highlight in a relatively short time,’ said Gibbs, ‘striking a balance between maintaining a level of dynamism and allowing enough time to digest the graphics was a fine balance to strike.’

Despite the intensity of the spot, the careful marriage of the photoreal CG and motion graphics resulted in sophisticated and beautiful details. Careful attention was paid to the condensation and water vapour effects, making sure to highlight ice cold Miller Lite beer inside. Andre’s performance tied the piece together, breaking the tense build up of the spot with an energetic call to action for players.