That Classic Agency Character, the 'Hovering Art Director,' Is Now an Action Figure

What's a hip and happenin' way to appeal to the prime target of your stock photo service? Turn them into an ironic hipster action figure. With help from Achtung! mcgarrybowen in Amsterdam, Adobe Stock created what it's labeled "the ultimate designer toy for the ad industry." Which turns out to be a talking "Hovering Art Director" action figure. “We turned an everyday situation that pretty much all designers can relate to into a campaign for Adobe Stock,” explains Achtung! mcgarrybowen creative director Daniël Sytsma. “The idea resonated so much in the creative industry that we just had to go one step further and make a limited-edition Hovering Art Director action figure that any agency can try to get their hands on.” [kickout id="1"] The bearded, coffee-toting unit was inspired by the limited-edition toys strewn across agencies throughout the world. Why not add to them a tribute to the tricky dynamic between designers and indecisive ADs? Features include geometric tattoos, limited-edition sneakers, skinny jeans, a notebook and a prize reflective scowl. Shaped and designed alongside YumYum London, the Hovering Art Director spouts 19 phrases, produced with Studio Sophisti and thought up (or perhaps lived) by Achtung! creatives. These include the universally hated "Just make it pop," the biting "The '90s called ... and they want their dropshadows back" and, just in time for June, "Trust me, you'll thank me when we're in Cannes." Better still, all this helpful feedback comes unsolicited. The Hovering Art Director is motion-activated, making him worryingly realistic. "Yes, H.A.D. is basically a collection of all the art directors we’ve ever worked with before,” Sytsma admits. And he comes in classy Adobe Stock "collectible" packaging. Designers can win the Hovering Art Director—assuming they want another one—by submitting their own "hover" lines to hoveringartdirector.com. The most original entries (judged by actual hovering art directors) will be rewarded. The contest launched May 8 and will continue for two weeks. "We wanted to make a campaign that is relatable to the creative community, showing that Adobe understands the daily struggle of designers," Sytsma says. "In this project, both creatives and designers were involved from the very beginning." CREDITS Agency - mcgarrybowen Amsterdam Creative Director - Daniël Sytsma Senior Creative - Jasper Janssen Senior Creative - Niklas Kristensen Creative - Michael James Phillips Creative - Bert Marissen Creative - Alexis Jabbour Design Director - Christian Mezöfi Account Director - Sven Vening Strategist - Gerben van der Zwaard Producer - Esther Kroes Producer - John Gerard Producer Trainee - Suzanne Whittaker Adobe Alexander Meyers - Marketing Manager Benelux Patty Nozato - Director Campaign Marketing Christa Heupel - Campaign Marketing Adobe Stock Paul van Keeken - Enterprise Marketing Manager EMEA Nienke Schipper Pauw - Communications Manager Adobe Stock EMEA Henrik Owenmark – Campaign Marketing Group Manager AJ Joseph – Executive Creative Director Joel Giullian - Director Advertising and Production Elizabeth Dessuge – Senior Studio Manager Amy Goldstein – Social Media Manager Marissa Lee - Senior PR Manager, DVA and Adobe Stock Daniela Province – Senior Copywriter Celeste Lam – Art Director Production Sebastian Hedin (Hobby Film) - Director Jelmar Hoekstra - Editor Ambassadors - Grading & sound design Character design & animation - Yum Yum London Roy Bemelmans - Music & sound design Egotribe - Website

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That Classic Agency Character, the 'Hovering Art Director,' Is Now an Action Figure

Adobe's creation that designers everywhere will love

Angela Natividad

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Angela Natividad