Leeds agency delivers AI campaign for Russell Hobbs

Leeds-based brand and communications agency, Ponderosa, has developed a cutting-edge marketing campaign for leading innovator in home appliances, Russell Hobbs.

Tasked to create an innovative marketing campaign for the brand’s category-defining product, the Calm™ Kettle, Ponderosa, in collaboration with Tungsten Media, used pioneering virtual production software and AI to bring Russell Hobbs’ ‘a moment of me-time’ concept to life.

The Calm™ Kettle, whose design originally derived from AI, reimagines the everyday boiling experience; integrating gentle coloured lights, optional soothing sounds and quiet boil technology, to create a more tranquil and immersive moment, aligning with the brands ‘We get life’ messaging.

The campaign explores the idea of where the mind wanders to while waiting for the water to boil, using state-of-the-art virtual production and AI-generated visualisations to transform imagined worlds into reality.

To create the thought-provoking video launched at IFA in Berlin, Ponderosa collaborated with production specialists, Tungsten Media, to create multiple mesmerising scenes. Through AI-driven visualisations and virtual production techniques, the team designed an on-brand virtual kitchen, blending real-world elements and digital artistry.

Speaking on behalf of the campaign, Jon Workman, creative director at Ponderosa said, “Virtual production was at the heart of our creative approach.

“We wanted to push creative boundaries by exploring how we could generate abstract visuals, seamlessly merging a virtual kitchen with real-world propping and people.

“We captured this all via a motion control robot which allowed us to craft a 3D space where the physical and digital worlds coexist, which we then enhanced with AI-generated creations.”

Alastair Scott, brand manager at Russell Hobbs said, “We wanted a campaign that did justice to the products originality and ingenuity. With Ponderosa’s boundary breaking creative vision and Tungsten’s pioneering production work, this campaign undoubtedly measures up to the unique nature of our brand new Calm™ Kettle, and our reputation as an iconic British innovator.”

To support the consumer launch, Ponderosa has implemented a multi-channel campaign, including high-impact out-of-home placements across 6-sheet, 48-sheet, and 96-sheet formats. The agency has also developed video on demand content, radio advertisements, programmatic assets, and a full suite of social assets for Meta, Pinterest, and TikTok, ensuring widespread engagement across digital platforms.