Animated Campaign

Milka

When Milka and Hogarth Hamburg set out to celebrate tenderness across generations, they needed animation that felt intimate, authentic, and playful. We were tasked with crafting four unique films blending collage and illustrative styles to reflect the perspectives of old and young to deliver a campaign that felt as warm and nostalgic as the memories it evoked.

Milka came to us with a brief for an unscripted social campaign about “tender moments”, we were immediately intrigued. There was something disarmingly honest about the idea: pairing two generations around a shared interest and letting the conversation flow naturally. No script, no polish, just people connecting. That kind of vulnerability needs animation that doesn’t get in the way. It needs to support and not overshadow the narratives.

We approached this by creating two animation styles: a textured collage aesthetic for the older generation, drawing on analogue materials and a bit of visual nostalgia, and a looser, illustrative style for the younger voices. Each had its own rhythm and tone, and together they mirrored the contrast and connection between the speakers. It wasn’t about being flashy. It was about being tender.

Styleframes

Young woman looking in awe in an motion design campaign featuring purple colours and collage style character design

Animated gramophone in a retro-styled room, part of Milka's collage-style generational campaign highlighting shared interests across ages.

Animated architectural scene showing dynamic motion, blending collage and modern animation styles to capture generational transitions for Milka's campaign.

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Historical café animated scene with individuals from different generations, using collage and mixed media to bring out generational perspectives in Milka’s campaign.

One of the trickiest aspects was the unpredictability. Since these were real, unscripted conversations, we didn’t know exactly what the participants would say—or how long they’d talk for. That meant we had to keep the animation process fluid. We worked in parallel with the live-action edits, often revising timing and transitions in real time as the conversations took shape.

We worked closely with Milka and Hogarth throughout the process. They gave us a lot of creative freedom, which we always appreciate, but they also challenged us to keep the brand’s emotional tone front and centre. Milka isn’t a loud or quirky brand. It’s soft, warm, and reassuring. This meant that every creative choice had to support that, even when we were experimenting with mixed media styles.

Animation of a ballet dancer on stage in an ornate theater, part of Milka's generational storytelling campaign, blending collage and classic art styles.

Animation story board showcasing various motion driven collage style characters for Milka story telling by Cartel motion design agency in Hamburg

Young girl with curly hair in a meditative pose, part of Milka's generational storytelling animation with a calming video effect.

Close up shot of collage style ballet shoes from animated motion design amination for an animated campaign for Milka by Cartel Hamburg

Illustrated scene of a classic house with two chefs standing out front, representing generational passion for food in Milka’s animated campaign.

When the campaign went live, it was one of those moments where everything just clicked. The films felt personal, gentle, and refreshingly human in a feed full of noise. We got messages from the agency team saying how much they loved the animation and, more importantly, how much the audience resonated with it.

It wasn’t trying to sell chocolate, it was trying to show what kindness sounds like between two people, and we think it succeeded.

Animated scene of children playing soccer in a lush field under a bright sky, symbolizing generational play for Milka's animated campaign.

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