To illustrate the power of Kleenex Anti-Viral tissue, Rhino brought to life the Flu Bug - a jittery, mischievous little guy whose M.O. is to appear out of nowhere and derail the best-laid plans - then set him loose in a smattering of media formats, including live video and web animation.
The first of four webisodes, Figure Skater, premiered in April; it features the animated Flu Bug jack-hammering a real ice rink while a figure skater glides by. The announcer says, "I hope that bug she had last week doesn't trip her up." To the Flu Bug's delight, the skater's crucial jump ends with a fall through the ice and a fantastic splash. The webisode's closing line: "The cold & flu bug messes with you. We mess with him."
"We were one of the first in the world to produce animated mobisodes and webisodes, with the mobile series 'Gemma,' launched in Israel and in Italy", said Gemma creator, Rhino CEO Zviah Eldar. That series quickly became the second most downloaded content, after news, on the Israel's Orange mobile network.
For the Flu Bug, Rhino started with a sketch. The resulting Flu Bug - created in Photoshop and Maya, finished in After Effects, and delivered in a targa sequence - twitches and skitters his way through live video, peers around corners of the Battle the Bug website, and gets yanked into an animated Kleenex tissue box, also built by Rhino.
The Flu Bug's media flexibility - and his part monster, part cute-bug appeal - are the result of Rhino's ability to work across all media platforms and its commitment to memorable characters and animation that strengthen the brand.
"The process is the same for all forms of media, whether it's TV, web, or film," said Harry Dorrington, Creative Director and Animation Director. "We combined excellent technical skills and animation technique with a passion for storytelling, and discovered a character who thrives across platforms."
"The series is another example of no matter the medium, the screen, or the size, we tell a story, and we entertain. Rhino continues evolving more and more as an international studio, whose work can be viewed on four screens around the world, television, in movie theaters, the internet, and even mobile," said Managing Director, Rick Wagonheim.