If you’re not yet familiar with Diaframma, it’s time to get acquainted.
The Italian studio has been serving the toy industry for more than 40 years, creating memorable commercials for iconic brands and toys. Known for its creative team, wide array of services, and vast storytelling ability, Diaframma continues to evolve with the latest technology and an investment in its people.
The Toy Book recently caught up with Diaframma Vice President Jehan Hindo for an update on the company, its recent productions, and what 2023 is looking like so far.
The Toy Book: It’s been a busy year for Diaframma. Can you tell us a little bit about some of the clients and toy brands you’ve worked with this year and some of the “greatest hits” you’ve produced in recent months?
Jehan Hindo: 2022 has been a great year for us and we are forever grateful to all our loyal clients and the toy industry for never skipping a beat. This year we have been lucky to work on some of the hottest brands in the preschool area for Jazwares such as their Cocomelon and Blippi lines. With MGA Entertainment we’ve continued to bring to life their girl brands such as Rainbow High, L.O.L. Surprise!, and Na! Na! Na! Surprise creating both TV commercials (TVCs) as well as parent spots. Funko has been fun new client to continue to work with and Spin Master’s Harry Potter line has kept us in a magical world.
TB: Earlier this year, the introduction of Diaframma’s new virtual stage added new capabilities to the company’s production arsenal. How have your toy industry clients benefited from this new technology?
JH: The Edge Studio — yes, we named our LED wall — has been a huge success this year.
Our clients have been really excited to take this leap with us into the virtual world and I am happy to say that it has been fruitful, to say the least. We haven’t done anything groundbreaking yet as we wanted to get our toes wet first and make sure we really become an industry expert in this category but it definitely has opened up new location ideas, has helped streamline our art department, and our creatives are really loving the freedom and flexibility they have when pitching new ideas.
TB: Now that the virtual stage has been in use for about a year, what are some additional innovations that clients can look forward to?
JH: This was a big investment and we are always on the lookout to expand and innovate but right now we need to keep investing in making virtual production a fully loaded asset. We have invested in people in the form of talent to help expand our creative reach and really keep the “sky’s the limit” ideology.
TB: When we first connected in early 2020, we had no idea that the world was on the cusp of a pandemic. Diaframma, quite notably, was swift to adapt to the chaos of the world, tapping into the creativity of its team to continue working through the mess. Are there any lessons learned during times of uncertainty that companies should be mindful of moving forward?
JH: I think we all learned pretty quickly not to take relationships and the art of in-person meetings for granted.
I know for us, it was a hard two years of not going to toy fairs or having our clients physically here with us. It has made us become much more detail-oriented (although, I have to say, we were already pretty annoying about the details beforehand) but 2020 really taught us to be prepared for anything and everything that could go wrong or change the scope or timing or direction in a blink of an eye. I would say to always have a backup plan, just to be on the safe side, because nothing is ever certain.
TB: Time to break out the crystal ball: Looking ahead into 2023, what are you excited about, and how can toy and game makers best position themselves to work with Diaframma on new projects?
JH: Yikes! 2023 really is sounding more and more like the future now isn’t it?
We are excited to be back traveling to toys fairs and meeting our clients face to face again, but with that being said, I would say with the industry moving at such a fast pace it really would be best to start planning ahead for 2023 TVCs now.
Everyone’s timeline is always creeping up and when that happens the creative could suffer without proper brainstorming time. So my advice to toy and game makers is to reach out sooner so that we can really create something magical and noise-breaking for them.
“Deadlines and things make you creative”
— Jack White
At first, I laughed at this quote but then realized he is right. Deadlines help inspire creativity, and so do budget constraints, limited resources, or network and/or Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) restrictions and guidelines.
For information on hiring the Diaframma team for your next toy or game commercial, email jehan.hindo@diaframma.com.
This edition of Talkin’ Toys is an exclusive digital companion to the 2022 Innovation & STEM issue of The Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!
