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Favourite Projects

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OpenAI - Brand Refresh Launch & Superbowl Ad

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This month saw the most popular AI assistant platform, OpenAI, undergo a subtle yet beautifully crafted brand refresh by STUDIO DUMBAR/DEPT in collaboration with Dinamo Typefaces. 

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Accompanying the refresh launch is a striking, attention-grabbing motion graphics video. 

Titled ‘Refreshed.’ the film adopts a clean and minimal aesthetic, that utilises graphic design grids and typography to accentuate the brand's new look. It’s also accompanied by incredibly capsulating sound design, and is a perfect example of how clean motion graphics with solid audio design can create something striking and impactful, with simple visual language.

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A week later, OpenAI were seen using the power of motion graphics to debut their first Superbowl ad with the team at Builders Club. 

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The film focuses on highlighting the history of mankind, showcasing our evolution and development throughout the ages. The film includes key points in humanity's past, such as creating fire, the invention of the wheel and our first journey into space: positioning OpenAI as another one of these key turning points for mankind, as we enter ‘The Intelligence Age’.

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The 60-second animation employs their simple dot icon, which is cleverly transformed and used as a visual-storytelling element.

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It’s iconography is brilliantly used again when it’s neatly weaved into the slogan toward the end of the video.

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ChatGPTs investment and marketing push is a clear response to the controversial launch of competitor DeepSeek. 

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Furthermore, it serves to ‘normalise’ AI’s use, focusing on targeting the general consumer market.

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Behind the Design of Powerbeats Pro 2 - Beats by FutureDeluxe
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To coincide with the launch of the new Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds, Beats by Dre collaborated with the exceptionally talented team at FutureDeluxe to create a mixed-media film showcasing the rigorous design and testing process the product underwent.

The film combines live footage, 2D motion graphics, CGI, 3D, and even dashes of AI to create a well-rounded product film. 

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To demonstrate the design process, the team used data as a driving factor for the film's visual narrative. 

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As you would expect from a premium audio company, the film features bold, dynamic, and well-crafted sound design. Every bit of movement is thoughtfully accompanied by sound effects that help you feel the movement and tempo of the visuals.

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The team used an impressive tech stack to achieve this unique look of blended mediums.

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Nick Bauer, CG Designer on the project said:

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"Using footage of pro athletes—we generated depth maps with RunwayML. Then with these values inside of Houdini, we were able to extrude points and cull those in the background, converting a 2D grid of points into a 3D scene with real depth."

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The team also created 3D stills of the athletes using a combination of iPhone LiDAR and LumaAI.

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Raj Davsi, Creative Director at FutureDeluxe said: 

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“The opportunity to craft and direct ‘Behind the Design’ for the new Beats Powerpro 2 was an incredible experience, from shooting the live action to creating beautiful CGI.

The entire film was developed through an experimental research and development process that allowed us to push creative boundaries, resulting in a film rich in design layers and dynamic mixed-media moments. A few highlights include on-set scanning and transforming Messi into particles using innovative experimental techniques. This was all made possible thanks to our collaborative and creative clients at Beats.”

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We reached out to their Executive Producer, Andy Hopkinson, to hear more about their approach to using AI tools. He explains:

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“The use of Runway ties into our thinking process around how AI tools are best when integrated into existing workflows.”

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In keeping with its name, FutureDeluxe pushes the boundaries of CGI, video, and motion design and is leading the way in technological innovation, particularly in AI. They’re one of our favorite studios setting the standard of forward-thinking design.

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Industry News

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Buck Anyways Merger

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Big news in the creative world - two creative legends, BUCK and Anyways are joining forces!

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The well-known global design studio has officially merged with the London-based creative agency, which originally spun out of the editorial platform It's Nice That. The two have collaborated before on standout projects like the Adobe MAX rebrand and YouTube’s animated design system.

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With this merger, BUCK brings Anyways' playful, concept-driven creativity and global network, blending it with their deep expertise in design and storytelling across different mediums. 

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To push things even further, BUCK is launching a new creative department, led by Ellen Turnill Montoya, focused on advancing their work in branding, campaigns, and creative strategy.

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The Anyways team will become a full part of BUCK’s European operations, strengthening their presence in London and deepening collaboration with their Amsterdam studio. 

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Over time, the Anyways name will phase out as everything rolls under the BUCK banner. BUCK’s CEO, Emily Rickard, sees this as a huge step in growing their creative offering and solidifying their position in Europe, while Executive Creative Director Vincent Lammers is excited about the creative opportunities this new chapter opens up.

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Trends to watch

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Rise in Kinetic Typography

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The use of kinetic typography in motion has been making a big comeback. Type has always been an extremely powerful tool for conveying emotion and tone of voice. Combining this with motion allows brands to really amplify their messaging. 

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The art of animating text through temporal and spatial transformations has become a cornerstone of contemporary motion design. By incorporating principles from animation theory, cognitive psychology, and human-computer interaction, it enhances emotional engagement, improves information retention, and redefines accessibility in digital communication.

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Timing, pacing, and movement are essential in creating a kinetic type piece that truly stands out. While it may initially appear to be a simpler animation technique, the level of intuition and craftsmanship required is exceptionally high. 

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A big benefit of this technique is that it allows you to tell a story without a voiceover, making it an extremely versatile tool for social media and OOH marketing. Skilled copywriting is of the utmost importance when creating a kinetic typography film. When crafted carefully, a well-written script can be taken to the next level. When paired with solid sound design, this technique can be amplified even further. 

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Apple has led the way in this trend for over a decade. One film that anyone working for an animation studio has likely received as a reference hundreds of times is their classic Carbon Neutral ad.

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We reached out to our friend Phil Garnham, Executive Creative Director at Monotype, to ask his thoughts on the future of motion and type. 

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Having founded your own type foundry and worked at industry leader, Monotype, for over five years, you will have witnessed significant changes and shifts in trends in the industry over the years. What impact and benefits do you perceive with the integration of motion, and are there any trends you anticipate influencing the industry this year?

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“The role of ‘display’ or ‘headline’ typography is to provide that distinctive voice, the leading, unique visible word that subliminally wedges itself into our subconscious, words and character that cannot be unseen. Motion has taken display type to another level entirely, further enhancing those subliminal memorable superpowers.” 

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He adds,

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"Variable, or dynamic typefaces are enabling even greater depth in motion, as we move towards a state of reader-word interaction, brands will undoubtedly leverage typography as an engagement device, a mechanism to meet their audience where they are with unprecedented levels of adaptation, and customisation. Typefaces that know us, our reading likes and dislikes.”

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How do you see the role of kinetic typography evolving in motion design, particularly in terms of balancing creative expression with maintaining the integrity of a typeface's design principles?
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“In the age of adaptive branding and AI, the notion of ‘rules’ and the ‘type principles’ set in history are up for grabs. The democratisation of type design over the past 5-10 years has skewed the goal posts to a point that the ‘fine craft’ of type is at odds with the overarching concept of a neat ‘idea’. The industry has become driven by two forces 1. The need to be seen and recognised. And 2. The need to ‘own’ type as an asset. 

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Typefaces are seemingly stretched, warped and bounced… and I’m good with that, if it serves a smart conceptual good. We create to make new, to inspire, to reimagine the world… but newness only really cut-through when it serves. Without meaning or sentiment, misplaced broken typographic style can be interesting but more often than not is reduced to hollow Instagram fluff.”

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We share this sentiment. Motion without thought, while it may look cool, serves little purpose. Motion with intention is where a message thrives and connects with an audience. We’re really excited to see a big revival of this motion graphics style. 

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Typography alone has the ability to evoke emotion and resonate. When combined with thoughtful movement, its power is elevated substantially.

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Monotype recently launched Re:Vision, a new kind of trends report - where they’re bringing typography into conversation with every aspect of culture. You can read more about these reports here.

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Cavalry Charge!

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Cavalry is making waves across the motion design industry, and is giving Adobe After Effects stiff competition with a unique approach to motion design.

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Unlike After Effects' layer-based structure, its node-based system is what sets Cavalry apart, allowing for flexible, non-destructive animation workflows.

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Cavalry enables real-time connections between parameters. So it’s especially powerful for data-driven animations and large-scale projects by making it easy to adjust, tweak, and tinker with more complicated dynamics and animations.  

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On the technical side, Cavalry leverages GPU acceleration and optimised instancing, making it a dream to work with. Forget the days of RAM previews loading at a snail's pace. The built-in physics tools also open up new creative possibilities without the need for third-party plugins.

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Where Cavalry shines is in automation. Its procedural behaviours streamline repetitive tasks, making it a game-changer for projects that require multiple variations. We see this being a pivotal tool when it comes to social content and templated animations.

While it’s not a full-blown After Effects replacement yet - and we don’t think it ever will be -  Cavalry redefines how motion design is approached - offering greater speed, flexibility, and creative opportunities.

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For studios willing to rethink their workflows, combining the strengths of both tools could be the key to staying ahead in an evolving industry.

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Design & Animation: fafa

Music & Sound design: Vincent Gaudas

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Studio Updates

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We are finalising our search for a new senior motion designer at our studio this month and are looking to onboard a new team member very soon. We’re truly excited about the talent we’ve spoken to and how they will enhance the content we create here at OK Social.

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Jimmy was fortunate to spend time in the beautiful city of Stockholm for EY Doberman’s DesignBaren event during Stockholm Design Week. He explored the city for inspiration and listened to the discussions surrounding AI. You can read more about that here.