How Starbucks created a moment of calm this Christmas

What was the initial brief like from Starbucks?

Lauren Coates, creative director, TBWA: When the brief came in, we immediately recognised it as an exciting opportunity. Starbucks, a globally renowned brand, had seen its connection with consumers shift slightly over the years. 

We just needed to find the right role for Starbucks without it feeling like a gimmick. We needed an authentic reason to show up and be part of the conversation. 

Starbucks is that cozy and inviting spot you seek when you need a break. Our aim was to reposition Starbucks as the ultimate refuge from holiday stress—a place where people could reconnect with the holiday spirit and their loved ones (over their favourite beverages, naturally). And with that vision, we dove right in.

What was your inspiration for this campaign?

LC: The inspiration was reality. We wanted to portray a true reflection of the holidays. It’s not always pretty. And that’s ok. We knew we could have a lot of fun with staying true to the way people see the holidays. We just needed to find the right role for Starbucks without it feeling like a gimmick. We needed an authentic reason to show up and be part of the conversation.

There’s so much richness and truth in the story, we knew animation would be a great way to stand out and have a bit of fun with it.

Research showed that people already see Starbucks as a good place to take a breather when they’re on the go. Even more so when the holiday rush hits. So we stayed true to what Starbucks represents, a little haven when you need it most. It was important that our story resonated with our audience. The holidays aren’t always what they’re made out to be. They’re tough. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by endless gatherings, shopping trips, and gift wrapping. You can soon forget what really matters - time with your loved ones.

Why use animation, and not live action?

LC: We know how cluttered the holiday market is. It’s not easy going out with a new campaign at this time of year when there’s so much stiff competition for eyeballs. Animation felt like the perfect way to tell our story in a light hearted and entertaining way. It gave us the freedom to play in different worlds and added an extra layer of charm and festive magic to, what can be, a heavy reality. 

 We had a story laid out that could have taken various forms, but it was Andy & Adeena who brought that extra sparkle to it.

What started out as a simple idea grew and grew. There’s so much richness and truth in the story, we knew animation would be a great way to stand out and have a bit of fun with it. We just needed the right kind of character to centre our story around. That’s where George came in. Our modern day family man is just making his way through the hustle of the holidays. He loves the festivities but boy is he a busy man. He just needed a little sip of something special to recuperate and remind him of the joy of the season.

How much freedom did the production team have to put their own stamp on the story?

LC: The project was a true team effort from beginning to end, involving the agency, production team, and Starbucks. We had a story laid out that could have taken various forms, but it was Andy & Adeena who brought that extra sparkle to it. We knew animation would capture the holiday spirit beautifully, but blending stop-motion, 3D sets, and 2D characters really made it come alive—one of the best parts of collaborating with Blinkink. 

The rotating set would give the impression that our protagonist; George, was having to move from set to set on some kind of massive, out of control hamster wheel.

They understood the idea's potential and took it to new heights with their creative vision. Seeing every detail fall into place was incredible; every tiny piece, from the little red cups in the Starbucks set to the fine stitching on George’s jacket, was carefully crafted. It was such a memorable project, and each of us wanted a keepsake from the shoot. The client took the Starbucks set, others collected some carrots, and I have my own George sitting on my desk. He’s faceless, since his expressions were animated in 2D, which is probably a relief—having a constant look of worry watching over me might be a bit much!

What was the creative process like, from initial ideas to the final product?

Andy & Adeena, directors, Blinkink: Our original brief was to create a stop motion look in CG. However, we thought we’d do better than that and do it in stop-frame for real rather than try and fake it. We had a few ideas on how we wanted to move through the world. One idea was for the world to spin around the camera as if the viewer was at the centre of a spinning plate but we all decided unanimously that the curved set was a more interesting look worth exploring.

Combining these two animation techniques was actually a technical nightmare...But the end results turned out dreamy!

Can you tell us more about the rotating set?

A&A: 'Rolling roads' or curved sets have been used loads of times in stop motion, but normally with the curve positioned coming towards camera. However, we unconventionally spun our rolling road 90 degrees. This meant our rotating set would give the impression that our protagonist; George, was having to move from set to set on some kind of massive, out of control hamster wheel. Only when we get to Starbucks does the hamster wheel slow down.

Can you talk us through the decision to blend 2D and 3D animation?

A&A: George was animated in stop-frame and it was later decided to make all our other characters 2D. This was to create the idea that George is at odds with the world and those around him. This mixed media technique also made sure George was highlighted and singled him out as the star of the show. 

The set build took about 5 weeks. Every single little prop had to be handmade from scratch. 

Combining these two animation techniques was actually a technical nightmare as we had to make sure that George’s interactions with his 2D entourage all perfectly lined up when we animated him on set. But the end results turned out dreamy!

How long did the 3D models and sets take to make, and what materials did you use? How many people did you have working on them?

A&A: The set build took about 5 weeks. Every single little prop had to be handmade from scratch. We had Gordon Alan leading the build and he had around 4 or 5 model makers and set builders working with him. Materials included wood, plastic, card, resin and metal. This was a fairly traditional set build so we’d use whatever material seemed most appropriate.

 Even though we’re showing how chaotic the holidays can be, it doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom. We like to call it ‘joyful chaos’.

Seeing George come to life was a real treat, we had an incredible character designer who captured George’s personality and charm perfectly. Adeena then painstakingly crafted 4 identical versions of him, so each set pretty much had its very own George. 

We wanted him to look very tactile so he felt like he really belonged in our beautifully handmade world. We did this by adding details like a light paint brush texture on his face and hands and a real working zip on his hand sewn jacket that was dyed the perfect shade of Starbucks green!

Are there any fun facts about the film or hidden details that we might miss on first watch? 

LC: The amount of craft was unreal. Every time you watch it you discover something new. There’s so many insightful human moments throughout. Stories within stories. From a shopper’s despair at an empty shelf to an office worker flossing. My favourite has to be the little girl nibbling carrots and putting them back in the supermarket. It’s a quick moment that makes me smile each time I watch it. Even though we’re showing how chaotic the holidays can be, it doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom. We like to call it ‘joyful chaos’.

The 2D animation was so beautifully executed by our animation team it’s almost a shame it rushes by so fast!

A&A: There are loads of hidden details to watch on repeat viewings! The 2D animation was so beautifully executed by our animation team it’s almost a shame it rushes by so fast! Things like the exasperated shopper scanning the shelves and then just giving up is so fun and worth looking out. A little detail we love are the bubbles in the water cooler at the end of the office set. It’s all these little details that really make a miniature world feel real!