Animated Series from YouTube Tackles Dangers Behind Digital Content

Device created this instructive video campaign that explores the current digital media landscape and the ways to navigate it.

The goal of the campaign was to generate more awareness among users of the younger generation about the potential dangers and falsities lying behind digital content. The main idea? Hit pause, take a step back and think for yourself – when faced with an overwhelming amount of information, it’s often hard to separate fact from fiction or to come up with a discerning opinion.

That’s Device created five short and engaging videos tackling some of the most typical situations for online users – They made sure to refine the message in order to make it as clear and concise as possible, while retaining a humorous, tongue-in-cheek approach. They chose the examples that better represented each situation and worked to find the right tone of voice to fit the global scope of the campaign. Appealing to young people from all over the world, belonging to different cultures and with different habits is no small feat, but this was a challenge they gladly took on. Device's approach aimed to honour the richness and diversity of the world, while speaking in a ‘universal; language that would get the message across in a funny and clear way.

Device applied this from concept to execution, from the clear narrative structure and humorous approach, to the campaign’s aesthetics.

Character explorations

The visual style they developed aimed to complement the narrative of each video: Device wanted to create something that looked both unexpectedly weird and optimistic, mixing a touch of surrealism with daily, usual situations. They used exaggerated proportions and a vibrant, acid colour palette to transform these everyday moments into something memorable, and they steered clear from any gender or race references in keeping with the campaign’s universal spirit. Strong, defined shadows and clean outlines contribute to a minimalistic, yet highly expressive style that leaves no room for the superfluous. Their focus was always on the main action and message for each short video: Device avoided distractions, but had fun adding some subtle, unexpected elements that would further engage the audience.

The music and sound effects they chose was also very important in creating a complete experience, as they added further emphasis to the narrative and visual style: they opted for a retro track, reminiscent of '80s video games, added some contemporary beats and used vivid sound effects to enhance that slapstick mood.

By blending all these elements together the five videos make for a coherent, memorable campaign, mixing a distinctive look with a concise and structured narrative and a dash of fun. 

The second batch of instructive video campaigns for YouTube continues to explore the current digital media landscape and how to navigate it securely. These 30-second pieces highlight three essential ‘skills’ necessary to confront the challenges of identifying truthful information on the internet, responsibly sharing it, and tracing its sources.

The length and topic of these pieces have allowed Device to develop more complex narratives, incorporating more cinematographic narrative elements and evolving the animation style to refine the humorous tone of the previous ones. Additionally, the team have incorporated subtle references to fantasy and horror films, all while maintaining an adult and sophisticated approach.

This style refinement leans towards slapstick and exaggeration, incorporating gradients to enhance the sense of depth and achieve a more detailed and precise construction of the characters. Finding the right pace enhances the narrative with a humorous approach and a clear structure. Features a touch of surrealism, thanks to unreal proportions and a vibrant, acidic colour palette. This style significantly contributes to inclusivity since it avoids direct references to gender or race.

The tone of the pieces combines a direct focus on the main action, aiming for a clear message, combined with subtle, funny, and unexpected elements to further engage the audience.

By seamlessly blending all these elements, the three videos craft a coherent memorable campaign. They not only extend the lifespan of the previous five pieces but also merge a unique, inclusive look with a concise, structured narrative, all while adding a touch of fun.