Unlisted + animation director Yves Geleyn create film for Coca-Cola via Ogilvy Shanghai + Hornet

Unlisted, and animation director Yves Geleyn, in collaboration with Coca Cola Greater China, Ogilvy Shanghai and Hornet tell a sweet, symbolic story about a father and son, a homecoming, and the new beginnings of the Lunar New Year.

Lunar New Year is the biggest and most important festival in Chinese culture, bringing families together to celebrate and connect. The spot imbues the bottle of Coca Cola with a hint of magic; the catalyst for familial bonding.

With Yves’ signature devotion to gorgeously realised characters on full display, and artistic inspiration drawn from traditional Chinese folklore, illustration, and sculpture, this modern-day folk tale offers the perfect blend of visual knockout and emotional punch.

WATCH THE FILM

The landscape is lush, painterly, graphic, and distinctly Chinese—inspired by the majestic Tianzi and Huangshan mountain ranges of China. Through color, lighting, and attention to small details like plant shape and foliage, there is no mistaking where this story takes place.

The characters meanwhile are brought to life in textural and sculptural CG. The family of tigers—in honor of the Year of the Tiger—are gloriously vibrant and bold. According to Geleyn: “I was ignited in my research by the wondrous and rich history of Chinese folk, art, sculpture, and culture and all of the different, yet recognizable ways they represent tigers. Their shapes pushed into a more graphic world and their faces and stripes were made into complex patterns. Wooden marionettes and sculptures complemented the paint workings or differing wood grains.

“I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in this project. Being able to make something truly unique, whose foundation lies in Chinese tradition but that’s manifested in a modern way. Harmonizing the old with the new and surprising people with something at once familiar and completely unexpected. It was a fun journey.”