NEW YORK, USA – On average, people spend 90% of their lives indoors*, and in the nine months since lockdowns started around the world, this has felt more real than ever. For many, this reality has sparked a growing desire to be outside and explore a lifestyle away from the familiar urban jungle and closer to nature. Increasingly, this has led to populations fleeing large cities** in search of a more fulfilling life.
As a brand linked to the beach and nature, Corona is addressing this shift with the launch of its new original content series, Free Range Humans. The series, which celebrates real-life individuals who made the leap, aims to inspire those pursuing meaningful lives outside to take that next step once the pandemic subsides. Corona believes our best selves are experienced outside, and it is with this mantra that the brand is delivering a first-in-kind series to provide much needed escapism with the credibility that few can. The series is the first global content franchise from the Anheuser Busch InBev (AB InBev) brand, which operates and markets Corona exclusively outside of the US.
Free Range Humans is an eight-part digital content series celebrating individuals that chose to break from routine in pursuit of more fulfilling lives outside. The series comes out of the newly launched Corona Studios, and marks the first of many content-led initiatives for the brand, who is expanding its entertainment footprint to engage consumers more deeply across their passion points. Free Range Humans can be viewed on Corona’s Youtube channel and other social platforms starting today.
For many, a relaxed, outdoor way of life is a mere daydream. Through its 6-10 minute episodes, Free Range Humans offers mental disconnection for those indoors and celebrates the stories of individuals around the world who made this a reality. They challenged a conventional lifestyle to overcome obstacles and fully embrace their passions, ranging from underwater art sculpting to the development of an influential female surf school. Each story offers insight and inspiration into what a rich life can be when we just make that first step.
Free Range Humans season one features:
- Bruna Bessa, a Brazilian public relations associate turned surf instructor and founder of Mare Alta, a women’s empowerment surf camp that hosts retreats around the world.
- Juan Pablo Bueno, a Colombian biologist who built an eco-friendly resort in the jungle of La Macarena without disturbing a single tree.
- Mario Rigby, a Canadian influencer who gave up a potential Olympic career to become a world traveler focused on breaking cultural perceptions by helping people discover new places and people around the world
- Emily Penn, a Cambridge-trained architect turned ocean advocate from the UK who leads sailing expeditions to eradicate plastic from our oceans.
- Jason deCaires Taylor, a UK artist who used his passion and talent to create underwater sculptures that become coral reefs and marine ecosystems.
- Roushanna Gray, a South African sustainable coastal forager who educates students about the edible treasures that nature has to offer.
- Zandile Ndhlovu, who broke through cultural barriers to become the first Black freediving instructor in South Africa.
- Darci Liu, a dancer who became China’s first professional surfer, using her knowledge to inspire and change perception as a surf coach, eco-entrepreneur, and environmental advocate.
Free Range Humans marks the formal launch of Corona Studios, a new venture within the brand to provide high quality, consistent, and entertaining content to consumers. With Corona Studios, the brand will build deeper consumer connections through story-led content across its passion point verticals of travel, surf lifestyle, sustainability, wellness, and the creative arts. Over the last nine months, the brand has set the stage for this platform, producing over 30 films in collaboration with dozens of local, world class creators. As the platform expands, Corona Studios aims to diversify its content base across relevant formats and verticals, from long form videos to short form clips and more. Free Range Humans was originally conceived by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam and developed as a global entertainment platform by Pereira O’Dell.
“This is not just another travel series. With the events of this year, we know that people around the world are increasingly appreciative of the outside and pondering what an alternative life could look like. This series was developed to give new, first-hand inspiration on what that could look like once the lockdowns subside” said Felipe Ambra, Global Corona VP. “The people we are celebrating are an embodiment of the Corona lifestyle and we hope can serve as motivation for others to pursue a fulfilling life in and around the natural world when they are able to.”
While Free Range Humans is inspired by the traditional television show format, it was specifically shot to live natively across the social universe, with a connected ecosystem of supporting content. Instead of standard 22 minute episodes, for example, the series offers 6-10 minutes episodic stories, collectively equivalent to the production of a feature film, involving collaboration with over 100 people. Each episode is flanked with a range of promotional cuts and 2-3 assets for the curious minds looking to explore each cast members’ passion points more deeply.
Notably, the series was produced remotely by Pereira O’Dell and shot by Rocket Film. The casting process was rigorous and assessed 500 candidates, and the shoot included teams working in six virtual edit rooms across multiple time zones, allowing for nimble, real-time collaboration between editors, producers, and sound design daily. Post production was led by Cosmo Street Editorial, with music scored by Quiet City.
In light of the COVID-19 climate and with consumers increasingly emboldened to disconnect and pursue their passions, Corona also wants to enable more people to live a free range lifestyle. That is why the brand is accompanying its series launch with the announcement of its Free Range Fund, a grant pool to help support the outside projects of select consumers globally. With the fund, Corona aims to identify and enable passionate individuals who broke routine to pursue their projects fully, with the potential to be featured in Season Two of Free Range Humans. Consumers can apply for the fund at www.CoronaFreeRangeFund.uk.
For additional information about Free Range Humans visit Corona.com and YouTube.com/Corona.
*https://indoor.lbl.gov/sites/all/files/lbnl-47713.pdf
**https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/31/coronavirus-has-tainted-city-life-now-i-long-for-nature-and-community
CREDITS
FREE RANGE HUMANS: CORONA GLOBAL
CLIENT: ABINBEV, CORONA GLOBAL
Senior Vice President, Global Brands: Richard Oppy
Global Vice President, Corona: Felipe Ambra
Global Marketing Director, Corona: Chris Jones
AGENCY: PEREIRA O’DELL
Creative Chairman, Co-founder: PJ Pereira
Chief Creative Officer: Robert Lambrechts
Executive Creative Director: Nick Sonderup
Creative Director: Thiago Cruz
Senior Copywriter: David Mattera
Senior Copywriter: Ivan Rivera
Senior Art Director: Camilo Ruano
Senior Art Director: Pedro Sampaio
Senior Art Director: Perry Morton
Art Director: Estefanio Holtz
Copywriter: Andre Bittar
Design Director: Som Perry
Executive Producer: Veronica Beach
Executive Interactive Producer: Erin Davis
Senior Integrated Producer: Anthony Ramirez
Senior Print Producer: Dana Canneto
Producer: Molly Harrower
Producer: Kasia Olczak
Producer: Jon Serna
Producer: Nick Felder
Director of Business Affairs: Tamika Knight
Business Affairs Manager: Audra Brown
Business Affairs Manager: Shay Davis
Director of Operations: Jennifer Carrillo
Managing Director: Mona Gonzalez
Group Brand Director: Erin Shanahan
Director of Strategy: Tom Naughton
Director of Communications Strategy: Ashley Wells
Communications Strategy Director: Nina Cole
Social Strategist: Haley Carter
CASTING: Taking Over
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Rocket Film
Director: Klaus Obermeyer
Managing Director: Sara Eolin
Head of Production: Marla Whittaker
Line Producer: Melissa Forman
Production Manager: Chad “Frenchie” Alburtis
Production Coordinator: Christina Bolt
Field Production:Emily Penn
DP: Tim Walker
Producer: Tim Tyrell
Coordinator: Tasha Hayes
Jason Taylor
UK:
DP: Tim Walker
Producer: Tim Tyrell
Coordinator: Tasha Hayes
France:
Producer: Frank Corbery
DP: Morgan Le Faucheur
Darci Liu
Producer/DP: Daniel Holmes
Bruna Bessa
Brazil:
Producer: Daniel Araujo
DP: Renato Passarelli
Nicaragua:
Producer: Rick Briggs
DP: Phillip Schonweitz
Juan Pablo Bueno
Producer: Maria Ximena Lopen
Coordinator: Juan Soler
DP: Omar Gutierrez
Mario Rigby
Producer: Jacinta Kuznetsov
DP: Will Allen
Roushanna Gray
Producers: Carmen Amos/Greer Hoeks
DP: Bryan Little
Zandile Ndhlovu
Producers: Carmen Amos/Greer Hoeks
DP: Lourens Van Rensburg
Stock Research:
Stock Researcher & Clearances: Giovanna Righini
EDITORIAL
Cosmo Street Editorial
Producer: Kacie Gomez
Head of Production: Marie Mangahas
EP: Yvette Cobarrubias
Bruna:
Editor: Justin Trovato
Assistant Editor: Andrew Corrales
Juan Pablo:
Editor: Julie Kravitz Gannon
Assistant Editor: Andrew Corrales
Mario:
Editor: Kimmy Dubé
Assistant Editor: Edward Schroer
Roushanna:
Editor: Jeff Grippe
Assistant Editor: Alexandra Jimenez
Zandile:
Editor: Andrew Corrales
Assistant Editor: N/A
Jason:
Editor: Brendan Bigelow
Assistant Editor: Garrett McDonald
Darci:
Editor: Edward Schroer
Assistant Editor: Shiyu Hu
Editorial Emily Penn:
Barrelhouse Productions
Editor: Mitchell Hunter (Long Form)
Editor: Michael Read Moore (Short Form)
Head of Production: Josh Diaz
Production Coordinator: Monica Hyde
Music & Mix: Quiet City Music + Sound
Composers: Chris Jordao, Darren Solomon, Aaron Mirman-Heslin, Erik Della Penna, Dmitry Libman
Animation:
The End:
Executive Producer: Duda Izique & Helena Jardim
Post Production Coordinator: Bruno Melo
Matte Painting :Rafael Falconi
3D: Renato Montoro
VFX Artist: Guilherme Sarinho & Caique Veloso
Color:
Apache Digital:
Colorist: Quinn Alvarez
Producer: Caitlin Forrest
EP: LaRue Anderson
Online:
Ingenuity Studios
David Lebensfeld – VFX Supervisor / Founder
Grant Miller – VFX Supervisor
Kieley Culbertson – Executive Producer
Rachel Faith Hanson – VFX Producer
Wen Qian – Lead 2D Compositor
Chad Sigston – Lead Online Editor
Austin Witherspoon – Online Editor
Max Drenckpohl – Online Editor
PR: ALISON BROD MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS
Lauren Bishop – Senior Vice President
Adrianna Lauricella – Vice President
Lexi Harrison – Senior Account Executive
