Remi Babinet talks Spider-Man, Evian & Baby&Me 2

BETC Paris produced an advertising sensation with Baby & Me for Evian last year. The spot, which featured adults dancing with a baby version of themselves, was crowned YouTube’s Most Popular UK Video Advert and racked up more than 73 million online hits.

Now, BETC is back with Baby & Me 2 and the spot includes a very special guest star – the amazing Spider-Man.

Remi Babinet, chairman and global creative director of BETC, talks to us about the ideas behind the Evian new ad, the challenges faced by the creative team and his favourite superhero.

How did the relationship between Evian and the new Spider-Man film develop?

A wonderful encounter between Sony and Evian and, from this wonderful encounter, a beautiful baby was born. We recognised Spider-Man as a universal icon and an essential figure in popular culture. He is an approachable superhero, through whom you can reconnect with your childhood. We soon realised the potential for celebration that goes with this idea of the encounter between Spider-Man and his inner baby. For a brand like Evian, this encounter is a new way of creating surprise, creating an event and finally offering people a new entertainment experience.

Why is Evian a good fit with the Spider-Man film?

Evian and Spider-Man share common points: Evian is a water that can be consumed limitlessly by anyone and Spider-Man is a culture hero who appeals to everybody and spans generations, Evian is a promise of health and Spider-Man is a hero known for his agility and exceptional energy. Evian expresses a vision about living young and the idea that youth isn’t a matter of age but more an attitude towards life - an attitude that presents curiosity, energy, and a zest for life. In order to live young, you need to listen to your inner youth – which is represented in this film by Spider-Man’s inner child.

Are brands eager to work with popular feature films and, if so, how difficult is it to find the right partnership?

It’s an interesting idea to investigate. We were interested in working with Spider-Man because he is such a big figure in popular culture, is a universal character and popular worldwide with all ages. He is both a boy-next-door and a superhero. Evian water can be consumed by anyone of any age and helps us all to connect with our inner baby, so the partnership was based on that commonality. Through this encounter, we create a real and truly joyful pop culture phenomenon! By approaching the intimate side of Spider-Man, we reveal the innocence and purity of the superhero and manage to reach a sort of fantasy in the collective imagination.

Why did you think ACNE’s Tomas Skoging was the right choice for director of the project?

We chose Thomas because of his cinematographical style and experience. Right from the beginning we both had total understanding of how this idea should be translated on screen.

Where was the ad shot and how long did it take?

The project took about nine months to complete. We were focusing on a very collaborative approach to production, especially for the film. Sony supported us during all stages of the film production, in order to ensure we stayed as close as possible to the reality of the superhero. Post-production took place in Europe, in Paris, with Mikros and at the Sony Pictures Imageworks studios in LA. Communication ran smoothly and I think everyone is happy with the result.

What were the biggest challenges in the creative process?

The key element in order to stand out from all the communications operations associated with the launch of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was to present the superhero as a guest in the Evian universe. Seamlessly blending the Evian brand identity and the well-established Spider-Man image was the biggest challenge. Despite the immediate fit and various common points between the two, we had to be very careful in portraying both equally, so that they complement each other without one part dominating the final message of the film. This goes for the whole process from idea to production. We had to show how Evian and Spider-Man can be seamlessly merged in one personage, as if they had always belonged together.

What music is used and why was it chosen?

We used the same music that we used for the first Baby & Me film. The two of them will be appearing alongside each other in the media so it was a logical choice.

How did you cast Spider-Man?

We worked closely with Sony on production and filmed with the official Spider-Man body double. 

What do you hope people will take away from the ad?

Living young is an approach to life, not a matter of age. Thanks to its purity and unique mineral balance, Evian is a promise of health and helps you listen to your inner child, in the same way Spider-Man does when he sees his inner baby. We hope that everyone will join us is reconnecting with their inner baby after seeing this ad.

The encounter between Spider-Man and his inner baby has plenty of surprises in store, the superhero is seen to be utterly bewitched by his inner reflection and there is an atmosphere of teasing, freshness and innocence. This is a side of Spider-Man that is totally new for us and illustrates, in true Evian style, how youth is not a matter of age, nor a matter of superpowers, but is an essential, intimate and universal value.

Babies have been associated with Evian for years, but how did the Baby & Me campaign come about?

The babies are an essential part of Evian’s culture and history. In France, it’s the water distributed in maternity hospitals and recommended by doctors for mothers to give their babies - something that dates right back to 1935. For the Baby & Me campaign, we thought it would be fun to let the babies meet their adult selves, and decided a reflection in a mirror would be the perfect way to do this. The encounter becomes a symbol for the vision of youth that Evian represents: a positive attitude and an open mind, even when it comes to the unexpected. The idea of Baby & Me is still very strong and very relevant.

A free iPhone app was a big part of last year’s ad, are apps and/or social media being integrated into this year’s?

We are approaching things a little differently this time. Sony is enabling the brand to express itself on fans’ digital platforms in order to commit to a real conversational strategy on social networks. Evian will also be taking advantage of the partnership to invest in cinema in several countries with local events, such as the screenings of the film on giant screens in Times Square on the day of the premiere.

Apart from Spider-Man, who’s your favourite superhero and why?

I personally always admired the way Batman solves Gotham City’s crime scene and security problems with very targeted action. All that without using guns or causing unnecessary deaths, while driving everyone’s dream car. Batman’s personage has always managed to impress me in one way or another.