The Extraordinary Contraption

 

Objective

To celebrate SEGRO’s 100-year milestone in a fun and memorable way, capturing their brand purpose, and demonstrating the depth and breadth of their customers. Their aim was also to create the first ever property sector viral video, with a target of 500,000 total views.

Synopsis

A film to celebrate SEGRO’s centenary. Inspired by artist Rube Goldberg, Contraption epitomises their brand purpose “to create the space that enables extraordinary things to happen”.

Results

Within just four days, Contraption did become the first property sector viral video, with over 500,000 views across all social channels. It quickly surpassed 1,000,000 views thanks to social sharing, and has won multiple awards for its creativity and ingenuity.

“It’s been great working with Big Button. Having the clarity and conviction to go from concept all the way to creation — and not deviating from it — to produce something so special is an impressive achievement. It was an ambitious idea and there were tensions and pressures on all of us throughout the process to deliver, but it was a really good relationship working with Big Button.”

 

Nick Hughes

Director of Marketing and Communications, SEGRO

Background

In 2019, we were asked by SEGRO to pitch concepts for a film to celebrate their centenary, with the brief to ‘mark the milestone in a fun and memorable way’. The idea the company favoured was the construction of a ‘kinetic sculpture’, so we partnered with specialist installation artist Nik Ramage to create a ‘extraordinary contraption’, inspired by the work of cartoonist Rube Goldberg.

Built and shot in three-weeks in a brand new SEGRO warehouse in Rainham, Essex, the final contraption was a breathtakingly intricate machine constructed entirely from the products of SEGRO’s extensive array of customers. This included an aeroplane seat, Brompton bicycles, sheets from the Queen’s dry cleaners, Thunderbird 2, 100 lemons and a two-tonne concrete drainpipe — to name just a few!

The contraption was filmed in a single take and was featured on the SEGRO website and across social media. Within just four days, Contraption became the first property sector viral video, with over 500,000 views across all social channels. It quickly surpassed 1,000,000 views thanks to social sharing, and has won multiple awards for its creativity and ingenuity.

Watch the director’s commentary below to hear from director Simon Crofts and artist Nik Ramage about the inspiration and process of designing the Extraordinary Contraption:
 

 

And, of course, it didn’t always go to plan… here are the outtakes: