For this project, I was tasked with creating an animated advertisement, and I chose to take inspiration from Nike’s iconic style of storytelling. Rather than focusing heavily on selling a specific product, Nike’s advertisements are known for highlighting the journey, mindset, and resilience of athletes. Their campaigns often center around powerful, emotionally driven narratives that aim to inspire and motivate their audience. I wanted to capture that same energy and approach in my own ad. My focus was less on showcasing a particular item and more on telling a story—one that conveys determination, passion, and the pursuit of greatness. The goal was to create an ad that not only grabs attention visually but also leaves a lasting impression through its message, encouraging viewers to push past their limits and believe in themselves.
The first step in my process was designing the main character, which was a crucial part of setting the tone and visual identity of the ad. I wanted the character to have a bold, dynamic look that would immediately stand out and feel full of energy. To achieve that, I drew inspiration from early 2000s action cartoons, particularly shows like Ben 10 and Teen Titans. These series are known for their sharp, stylized designs, expressive features, and fluid motion, which I felt would perfectly complement the fast-paced and motivational tone I was aiming for in the ad. I focused on creating a character that felt strong, determined, and visually engaging—someone that audiences could root for and feel inspired by, much like the young heroes from those iconic shows.
Next, I moved on to developing the storyboard, which helped me plan out the overall flow of the ad and get a clear sense of the story and timing. This step was essential for visualizing how each scene would transition, where key moments of emotion or action would land, and how the pacing would support the message I wanted to convey. It allowed me to map out the journey of the main character and make sure the narrative was both engaging and cohesive from start to finish.
After finalizing the storyboard, I jumped into the animation process and brought the scenes to life. This is how the final animation turned out. While I’m proud of the movement and overall flow, I had hoped to spend more time refining the backgrounds to better complement the action and atmosphere. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to fully complete those adjustments before the deadline, but it’s something I’d definitely like to improve on in future versions.