Spark Christmas

Spark NZ’s Christmas campaign “Give a gift that unleashes theirs” returns this festive season. Working with Colenso BBDO and Supernormal, we set out to tell a story about a grandmother helping her grandchild discover their gift.

It’s easy to believe that developing one’s talent is a solo journey, but this story reveals how powerful the touch of nurturing support can be.

We crafted the grandmother’s own “hero’s journey” to bring this idea to life. In our tale, she ventures through a fantastical forest, catches a ride on a passing bird, and braves the unknown to retrieve a special “gift” that will spark her grandchild’s potential. Through her journey, she shows that sometimes, the greatest gifts are the ones that inspire others to discover their own.

Step into our whimsical, vibrant world—a place that feels like it leaped straight out of a teenager’s wild imagination!

Here, the grandmother transforms into a cool cat character rocking a bomber jacket and a snazzy pair of white boots, while strange flora and quirky fauna fill every corner.

The overall design keeps things loose and free-flowing, with just the right dash of details to make it pop without feeling too polished.

To crank up the playfulness, we leaned into classic cel animation techniques, adding that extra touch of handmade charm to bring it all to life!

CREDITS

Client:
Spark New Zealand

Agency:
Colenso BBDO

Production Company:
Supernormal

Animation:
Pixelpush

Director:
Siew Wee H’ng

Producer:
Han Law

Animation Lead:
Robert Wallace

Design & Illustration:
Siew Wee H’ng
Luke Toth
Robert Wallace

2D Animation:
Luke Toth
Jesse Carl Membrere
Robert Wallace

Cleanup & Colour:
Jared Toth
Luke Toth
Jesse Carl Membrere

Compositing:
Robert Wallace
Siew Wee H’ng