• by Aaron Baar , July 31, 2015

HP laments the loss of creativity that happens when one grows up, but shows that it can be found — via its Sprout technology — to inspire the next generation. 

Via a short film, the brand tells the story of a woman who — as a child — had been extremely creative, using markers to put make-up on her dolls, dressing in outrageous costumes and exploring the world. The creativity follows her through her teen years, but begins to dwindle as she gets older (in one instance, she’s discouraged from hanging a drawing on her cubicle wall) at work. After a montage of corporate meeting after corporate meeting, she watches her daughter at home coloring on her dolls with markers. Inspired, she grabs an old sea shell from her youth, and uses Sprout (which helps users merge physical and digital worlds) to scan it into the computer for technology-fueled creativity. The entire story is scored with a children’s choir version of Supertramp’s “Logical Song” (which begins with the lyrics:“When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful, a miracle.”)

“We're all born creative, with lots of ideas and a desire to express ourselves. But for most of us, as we get older, life starts to get in the way of our creativity. Sprout can help everyone express their creative side, by removing barriers between having an idea and making it a reality,” Matt Cowling, worldwide communications director for HP, tells Marketing Daily. “Our approach is really just about making people aware of Sprout's technology and what it can do for them, even if they don't currently feel ‘creative.’”

The campaign, which will also include another film showing the immersive nature of Sprout and some mini-documentaries, builds on the company’s introductory efforts, Cowling says. “When we launched Sprout, we focused on what made the product different from the rest of the tech category — the ability to use your hands to create and blend the digital and physical worlds,” he says. “Now, we're building on that story with a campaign to help consumers realize the real, practical ways Sprout can fit into their everyday lives.”

In addition to the videos, HP will launch a truck tour this summer, giving consumers a change to try out the Sprout system, making something of their own, and entering for a chance to win one for themselves. The campaign will also include digital, social and out-of-home elements.

Because Sprout is mostly unfamiliar to general consumers, the company is launching the effort with some lead time to give consumers an opportunity to truly understand the technology before the holiday season. 

“Given that this is new technology, we're anticipating that we will need to educate customers over a longer period of time,” Cowling says. “So we're beginning this campaign a little earlier than the normal holiday season.”