Everybody's favourite blue dude returns to college in the second installment of Sony Walkman spots featuring the cranially-gifted alien Plato. Created by Young & Rubicam copywriters Matt Aselton and Darren Wright and art directors Dave Skinner and Hunter Williams, the three new spots are directed by Phil Morrison of Epoch films.

Sony wanted to appeal to late teen-early 20's consumers when it first launched the campaign, so a college setting seemed natural. In the first round of spots, Plato lands on campus via spaceship and proceeds to woo the ladies with his intellect, romantic wiles and, of course, his high-tech Sony gear that seems out of this world. This time around he goes to the doctor for a check-up ("Doctor"), tries to shed pounds to make the wrestling team ("Wrestler") and wins his first match with music-induced super powers ("Match"), a spot that Aselton says is an homage to '80s flick "Lunatic Fringe."

The spots hinge on Plato's aloof personality; everyone wants to get to know him, yet are slightly intimidated by him. "The idea was to make him like the cool stoner who doesn't talk that much," Aselton explains. "Also, the ladies had to like him."

Putting Plato into the everyday world of academia required skilled puppeteers and the post-production wizardry of Ring of Fire under the guidance of visual effects supervisor/creative director Jerry Spivack.

"He's a (Japanese) bunraku puppet, which is operated by puppeteers with rods," says Morrison explaining the shooting process. "The rods and puppeteers are removed digitally. Then we shoot plates for everything and whatever we don't want to see is removed."

Plato's subtle and human physical characteristics were achieved with the help of puppeteers from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, five of whom operated him. And apparently, they succeeded in giving Plato a convincing performance. "People always ask me if there's a little guy in there," offers Aselton, "and I'm like 'Come on, how little do you think guys can be? Ain't no such thing as a guy that little.'"

And like a true college pupil, Plato will be back for a junior year as Aselton says the third chapter the blue alien's worldly and musical exploits are in the works.

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