Best ad I’ve seen in a long time.

UPDATE: I found some info on the agency that produced this ad– turns out it came from production company Paranoid and creative/directing collective The Vikings.

Here’s a Q&A I found with The Vikings, at creativity-online:

What were your objectives on this project?

The Vikings: Actually, there were two different clients with two different objectives. B.M.U., the German Ministry for the Environment,wanted to improve the general public’s opinion of wind energy. Epuron was looking for investors. Though there were two different target groups, the same creative solution appealed to both.

What were the obstacles you faced throughout?

The Vikings: The biggest challenge was casting–finding an actor who was “believable” as the wind. We looked at tons of people. The actor we ended up choosing was literally the last guy who came to our final session. We all knew immediately that he was the one.

What are the challenges of doing a project for wind energy?

The Vikings: Because this commercial really delivers a social theme, the biggest challenge was communicating in a way that people would connect with–without feeling like they were being lectured or”preached” to.

In your opinion, what role does creativity play today when it comes to creating a brand?

The Vikings: As creatives and directors, we think that creativity plays a huge role in creating a brand, in determining how people feel about it. Brands that speak to consumers in an unusual way,that respect their intelligence, or appeal to their sense of humor are the ones we all remember most.

What does brand creativity need to do now in order to be effective?

The Vikings: The line between advertising and content is becoming blurrier and blurrier. “Wind” is a perfect example. When a client can get people to willingly watch his ad–and even pass it along to friends–then he’s way ahead of the game.

What kind of results did you see from this particular spot?

The Vikings: Industry response has been positive. Amazingly so.But even more importantly, viewers really seem to be touched by “Wind.”They remember the film–and its message.