According to the Lunar New Year Zodiac, the Rabbit is the luckiest of the twelve animals – Production company, Hornet has reunited with Ogilvy Shanghai for the second Lunar New Year in a row, bringing the magic of Coca-Cola’s Year of the Rabbit campaign to life with director Yves Geleyn.
Yves’ poignant storytelling and command of narrative details magnify the emotional intimacy of the rabbit family’s journey to overcome their differences, culminating in a particularly arresting moment of reunification and belonging – when Coca-Cola, the catalyst of joy and togetherness, reminds the Rabbits and the audience of this season’s powerful campaign message: Lunar New Year may change, but celebrating together is magic.
Yves heightens the film’s underlying message through contrast and a macro lens, pulling us down into the rabbit’s perspective while deftly juxtaposing Chinese-inspired landscapes and fine details. The soft, organic touch of the traditional home stands in stark contrast to the hard angularity of the modern one, yet there’s a surprising warmth brought in by the lighting that helps them feel connected.
“Compelling narrative, cinematic whimsy, and rich textural details. It’s everything you could want in a film like this, and more,” says Yves. Watch below:
REELated:
“Peter has an unparalleled ability to express emotions with the flick of a pencil’s line. His contours and features bestow a human-like manner that allows these anthropomorphized animals to carry the weight of this story’s dramatic arc.” Yves comments.
Behind the Scenes
Yves is talking about Peter de Sève, a feature film illustrator and character designer who helped with the project. Grandma and Grandson Rabbit’s designs feel connected yet allow their distinct personalities to shine through.
Additionally, the character’s fuzzy felt material and embroidered silk patterns evoke a whimsical tribute to the past that’s both charming and tactile.
We see this nod to the past in the food, as well, alongside contrast to further illustrate our theme of the old and new worlds uniting. The time-honored dumplings made by Grandma are served in a traditional bamboo steamer, unadorned and simple – the way they should be. Surrounding the dumplings, the elegantly plated modern food is a feast for the eyes. Yet the same ingredients are used for both. Once again we see that we are all the same, even if we at first appear different.
Tying the story together is the film’s true hero, Coca-Cola. The iconic bottle has been miniaturised to fit into the macro world, yet its details and power remain the same. It’s through the power of Coca-Cola that our Rabbit family rediscovers their sense of belonging, and it’s been there all along – in the pops of red seen throughout the film, in the flashback memory of Grandma, and in the final hug to end all hugs. Now that’s real magic.
CREDITS:
CLIENT: Coca-Cola
AGENCY: Ogilvy Shanghai
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Hornet
- DIRECTOR Yves Geleyn
- MANAGING PARTNER Hana Shimizu
- HEAD OF PRODUCTION Karen Lawler
- CREATIVE. Kristin Labriola
- EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Marty Geren
- PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Dez Stavracos
- PRODUCER Hanna Smith-Ide
- COORDINATOR Judy Tam
- COORDINATOR Jon Chun
- STORYBOARD ARTIST Steph Dere
- STORYBOARD ARTIST Kaycee Nwakudu
- STORYBOARD ARTIST Sami Healy
- CHARACTER DESIGN Peter de Sève
- DESIGNER Margaux Zinsner
- DESIGNER Hannah Kim
- DESIGNER Chiara Benedetti
- DESIGNER Thomas Dubois
- DESIGNER Alexis Liddell
POST PRODUCTION / VFX: Hornet
- CG LEAD Corey Langelotti
- CG LEAD Richard Kim
- MODELLING Angeline Rivera
- MODELLING Constance Bensen
- MODELLING Chris Cruz
- MODELLING Super Dope
- RIGGING Super Dope
- RIGGING Nicholas Christie
- ANIMATION Matt Corsillo
- ANIMATION Tom Shek
- ANIMATION Meg Oswalt
- ANIMATION Hee Jin Kim
- ANIMATION Nicholas Christie
- ANIMATION Tania Florit
- ANIMATION Zoey Dang
- RENDERING Richard Kim
- RENDERING Cody Chen
- RENDERING Sylvia Apostol
- RENDERING Laney Lai
- RENDERING. Nicole Noel
- COMPOSITING Paulo Dias
- COMPOSITING Andy Malvasi
- COMPOSITING Fred Kim
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