A heartfelt animated TV and cinema commercial that brought Tom Percival's illustrated world to life, telling powerful stories of hope, resilience and the transformative impact of BBC Children in Need.
Challenge
During the COVID-19 pandemic, BBC Children in Need needed to replace its traditional live-action appeal film with the charity's first fully animated TV and cinema commercial. The film had to tell emotionally authentic stories of children facing isolation, disability and poverty while remaining hopeful, uplifting and capable of inspiring donations from audiences across the UK. Tom Percival was commissioned to write and illustrate the story, and our challenge was to faithfully translate his beautiful picture-book world into animation.
Solution
Working closely with BBC Creative, Tom Percival I directed this emotive and beautifully crafted film to bring his distinctive illustration style to life on screen. We preserved the warmth and handcrafted quality of the artwork through layered textures, expressive character animation and cinematic pacing, allowing each child's emotional journey to unfold naturally. Every creative decision was designed to balance difficult subject matter with optimism, creating a film that felt intimate, compassionate and full of hope. A bespoke musical score by acclaimed composer Alexander Baranowski and voice-over by comedian Sarah Pascoe help to add the finishing touches.
Result
Broadcast nationally on BBC One and BBC Two in the lead-up to the Children in Need appeal, the two-minute TV and cinema commercial became the centrepiece of the campaign, supported by a suite of shorter edits and campaign assets across multiple channels. The project demonstrated how thoughtful animation and emotionally driven storytelling can engage mass audiences, encourage generosity and communicate the life-changing impact of the charity's work with warmth and humanity.
