Design Challenge and Design Ideas

HARU is a tech start-up focusing on helping charity organisations sell their inventory online. Their service is app based, which makes e-commerce simple by utilising existing online platforms such as eBay and Amazon. The app features a unique algorithm which helps charities identify the best price for each product they are trying to sell dynamically, in real time.

Our brief was to produce a short animation that would explain the HARU concept and process to potential investors.

In terms of the visual look and feel, HARU wanted something unique with a fun feel that would communicate to investors that they are a young, fresh company with a new approach to a concrete problem. The animation needed to make a lasting impression within a short period of time and ultimately help them secure funding.

How the brief was fulfilled

Through a collaborative process of mood board development the client settled on a striking style for the animation. Our approach utilised 3D animation with a muted colour palette derived from the HARU brand, allowing key elements to stand out. The story was told in a unique way, taking influences from childhood scientific experiments.

Copy was used sparingly throughout, only communicating absolutely essential information, and this kept the story simple and easy to follow. The animation, music bed and sound effects all contribute to a light-hearted, humorous and fun feel throughout, which reflects the personality of HARU as a business. Not only does the animation communicate what HARU does, it also accurately depicts the process charity shops will take on their journey with the HARU app.

Produced entirely in house by our motion graphics team, it was storyboarded and produced within the space of a week so that HARU could use it in an important pitch. Our team were incredibly dedicated and there were many late nights, but it was worth it.

HARU were absolutely blown away by the final result and have used it in many pitches to investors since, securing funding for the next stage of their journey as a business. The animation is used as an opener at pitches, to quickly set the tone, establish the product credentials and simply and effectively explain how the process works.