First of all, some good news: mental health is a less taboo topic today than ever. According to research published in Harvard Business Review last yeartwo-thirds of Americans have discussed mental health with their colleagues, a significant increase from previous research conducted in 2019.
On the other hand, a large number of people suffer from problems related to negative mental health. The same study showed that 68% of millennials and a staggering 81% of Gen Z had left a job due to a mental health issue. So while progress is being made, more needs to be done, and more conversations need to happen. The stigma around mental health may be improving, but it’s not entirely gone yet.
To help spark larger discussions, footwear brand TOMS collaborated with the Happiness Project to create a clothing line that directly contributed to mental health charities. On top of that, the articles themselves are designed to spark conversation and break down the barriers surrounding mental wellness.
To draw attention to the project, the brands joined forces with the Warm & Fuzzy team, led this time by ACD Yagmur Altan, for a charming and accessible campaign. With Warm & Fuzzy leading creative direction, as well as animation and production, the result is a light, impactful film that showcases the full breadth of Warm & Fuzzy’s creative capabilities.
To go behind the scenes of the film and discuss how he brought the theme to life in a positive and consistent way, LBB sat down with Yagmur…
LBB> Hello, Yagmur! What was the original brief here and how deep was Warm & Fuzzy’s involvement in the project?
Yagmur> Hello! Our client’s initial brief was to create an upbeat and engaging version of mental health that would feature the TOMS x Happiness Project collection and raise awareness among TOMS partner mental health hotline organizations. This report also included a request to incorporate the Happiness Project’s mascot character, Nick, into the story. With all of this in mind, our team built the creative direction of Nick’s story from the initial narrative and concepts, to the final execution.
LBB> So how well does the finished film align with your vision for the project?
Yagmur> For this project, we wanted to reflect the youth and freshness of both brands, and set a warm and friendly tone for the cause of mental health. We wanted to create a relatable, upbeat and light-hearted narrative while maintaining the authenticity of social media culture. Ultimately, we wanted people to see this movie with a smile, like Nick.
We are proud to say that our collaboration with both brands was smooth and fun. We produced a humanistic and joyous piece and we hope that our film will help support people affected by mental health problems.
LBB> Capturing mental health related topics through animation must have been an interesting challenge. How did you end up deciding to go with the style that worked so impressively here?
Yagmur> Fortunately, people are more open to talking about mental health and the issues surrounding the topic today than perhaps ever before. We were just happy to help spread awareness and show that no one has to go through these issues just by telling Nick’s story. From a creative perspective, on the other hand, this project had some unique challenges.
We went into the design phase with Nick’s character image and optimism in mind to ensure we generated a positive visual language. One of the challenges was making sure the design wasn’t overwhelming and that Nick was the center of attention in the piece. We balance this by leaning towards bold, eye-catching graphics, drawn by hand and communicating through abstract shapes.
LBB> The way Nick moves on screen gives him a lot of character. Again, what was your creative process for that and how did you bring it to life?
Yagmur> We wanted to tell a happy story, so we accompanied the narrative with some gags while giving Nick some features. We kept the film in a single stationary shot, as he interacts with everything going on around him. Our intention was to create some playful perspective illusions, and we decided to achieve this using 2d, 3d and stop-motion elements.
Most of the designs were illustrated in Photoshop to achieve a hand-drawn look. We again used Photoshop for some cel animations and After Effects to bring Nick to life. Additionally, we animated the hands and some other objects that interact with Nick in 3D and translated his movement into the correct visual style.
LBB> What kind of difference did working on so many parts of this campaign, from creation to 2D, 3D and stop motion animation, make in terms of your creative process?
Yagmur> We were delighted when TOMS came to us with this campaign, especially since it is for a cause of social good. And working on each part of a piece, from the initial idea to the final execution, helps us visualize the entire creative process. We view animation like film and believe that having multiple elements and styles to achieve the desired look increases creativity.
At Warm & Fuzzy, we’re always looking for fun challenges. That said, combining line art illustration and product photography on the piece was critical to this project. We already had the idea of creating perspective illusions using lines and shapes. Our solution was to treat the products as part of those illusions and include them in stop-motion based on how Nick interacts with them.
LBB> What was the most challenging part of this project and how did you overcome it?
Yagmur> The biggest challenge was coming up with a unique design approach that spoke for both brands, aligned with Nick’s simple design style. As the team worked on some initial style frameworks, we realized that we didn’t want to make it look too childish, but just keep the naivety and charm of the simplistic drawings. We approached the design with hand-drawn lines and not a lot of fills, keeping Nick as the center of the piece.
LBB> What kind of reaction has the campaign received so far?
Yagmur> The campaign has been well received and is making progress in its goal of raising awareness and funds for TOMS partner mental health hotline organisations.
It’s been great to see our work as part of a campaign that aims to have a lasting positive impact on mental health and is using the platform to give back to the community.
LBB> If you had your time again, is there anything you would do differently?
Yagmur> From the beginning, this collaboration with both brands turned out to be a nice production. The line art style and story we developed fit perfectly with the campaign and the message we wanted to convey. It was simple, fun and powerful. However, it also meant that to get it right, we had to animate every element. That left us with only a certain amount of time to focus on each piece of the puzzle.
If we had our time again, we would possibly streamline the production workflow to leave more room for improvement. Some tasks take longer to achieve the desired look, and it’s important to tackle the difficult alongside the easy.
LBB> Finally, it’s important to take care of your mental health no matter who you are or what you do. As artists, animators, and creatives, what steps do you take to make sure your mental health stays in good shape day in and day out?
Yagmur> For most creatives, this field is both a hobby and a job. We consider ourselves lucky to be in an industry that allows us to be creative and do what we love, because that’s an important part of keeping your mental health in good shape.
On the other hand, it’s also easy to get lost in the creative struggle, tight deadlines, and burnout. We believe that it is imperative to take time to have a clearer mental space, change projects or do other personal things that you love, and go out to enjoy nature and the company of friends.
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