Hot air balloons play a colourful role in new Perrier ad

The film was created using special effects and has had an enthusiastic response in the media industry press. In the film, directed by creative partners Fleur and Manu, a variety of differently coloured balloons ascend from a jungle forest with a cascading waterfall at its centre. It soon becomes clear that each basket is peopled with a range of lively characters, from Parisian café waiters in traditional uniform, to sparkling cheerleaders, to an Edwardian Tennis umpire calling out on a loudhailer, and finally to a roaring lion, getting restless in its confinement. Set to a background track of Grieg’s gradually accelerating Hall of the Mountain King the ascending balloons converge, in to a narrowing funnel, and the film magically cuts to a close-up of bubbles rising in a Perrier bottle. In reality the actors were just suspended a little above the ground in hot air balloon baskets that were not in flight, during the main shoot, which took place in Argentina. The rest was added through sophisticated use of 3D visual effects technology. According to Franck Lambertz, Creative Director and special effects supervisor, the short video is:

“…A riot of colour, with multiple locations and many minute details in every shot…I even found myself in a helicopter filming with a 360-degree camera to create the back plates.”

This film is a real celebration of the excitement unique to the hot air balloon experience.