The Danish Cancer Society has embarked on a unique and creative journey for its annual sun campaign, resulting in this hilarious and charming spot featuring Igor; a vampire on a mission to prevent sun damage.
Not all clients would dare to say yes to a film about a sun-fearing vampire going through an identity crisis who sets fire to himself in front of an entire 1st-grade class in Denmark. But when Mad Cow’s Klaus Spendser added his signature touch of quirky humor the piece became an instant hit. Spendser teamed up with the agency Pong and the film company Holy Ravioli, to create the vampire Igor. We first meet Igor in 1346 AD when he is in his vampire prime - wandering round his castle in the Czech Republic and scaring the local villagers. Cut to 700 years later and things have changed, much to Igor’s dismay the villagers are no longer afraid of him or anything that could be dangerous, including the sun. As a man who spontaneously bursts into flames at the first touch of sunlight, Igor can’t believe the ignorance of humans and embarks on a mission to remind the sun-loving population to remember three important rules: 'Shade, sunhat, and sunscreen'.
Naturally, he brings along his faithful assistant, Boris and the two travel across Denmark and trial out all sorts of unorthodox methods to get the message across. The film beautifully uses absurdist scenarios such as ‘Igor on the bus’, ‘Igor at the beach’ and ‘Igor teh primary school teacher’ to engage the viewer and raise awareness around the dangers of sun damage.
"In the Sun Campaign, we have employed a myriad of unconventional methods to reinforce the importance of sun protection to the Danish public. When Pong proposed enlisting a vampire to deliver this crucial message, we were captivated," says Peter Dalum, project manager in Prevention & Information at the Danish Cancer Society.
He adds: "After all, vampires are masters at evading the sun's harmful UV rays. And the vampire Igor is the perfect ambassador to help us sun-loving Danes remember the sun advice."
Director Klaus Spendser was also unquestionably confident when he saw the pitch.
"A possibility emerges - an opportunity beckons. And I was compelled to seize it. When Pong presented me with the Danish Cancer Society's pitch, I knew we could create something extraordinary," Says Klaus and he unleashed "the most formidable film arsenal I have ever assembled".
"Because if we wanted to fulfill our dreamy ambitions, it would require an apparatus beyond the ordinary," he says. "And it has been an extremely touching experience to see how people are willing to help me when the case is right. My close friends at Armada Films in Prague made sure there was even a movie. They pressed the big button, and suddenly there was a 50-person film crew in the Czech Republic with gloves on,". He adds: "Combined with the most impressive forces in Denmark, we have quickly made a film that I could not be prouder of. When the project is right, we can set our collective forces free and create strong creativity. I would be eternally grateful if only one could glimpse that in future projects. Or, as our vampire, Igor would probably say it: "I'm simply 'stake-ed' with joy!'
