Covert Welcomes Aniverse into Family

Above: Selahattin Iltas and Ahmet Iltas

UK-based creative studio Covert has announced it has formed a strategic partnership with Istanbul-based mixed-media studio Aniverse. From traditional cel animation to motion design, Aniverse specializes in creating high-quality, engaging, and original content for brands across commercials, out-of-home advertising, digital, and social media for such clients as Coca-Cola, Google, José Cuervo, Puma, Expedia, Zevia, and more. The partnership is structured so that the studios can collaborate on projects in tandem, tapping into the creative strengths and the markets they serve. 

“We are excited about the mixed-media possibilities with Aniverse, particularly exploring ways to blend their signature 2D style with our 3D and VFX-driven work,” said Max Murphy, Covert managing director and partner. “This partnership also broadens the creative zeitgeist of both studios, enabling us to help clients connect with their diverse consumer base by crafting brand stories with authenticity and cultural nuance.” 

With a combined 20+ years of experience working in the advertising, production, and animation industry, Ahmet Iltas and his brother, Selahattin Iltas, launched Aniverse with a mission to create a world-class animation studio built around international talent. As the studio grew in revenue and expanded its clientele, there came a demand to bring more talent in-house to streamline workflows collaborating with the client and staff artists. 

“Keeping the majority of our talent in-house has been key to our creative culture and growth as we have honed our specialty in 2D animation and crafting stories and characters with depth,” said Ahmet Iltas, executive creative director of Aniverse, who co-founded the studio with his brother in 2017. “For us, the excitement lies in the subtle details that make our work stand out – playing with light, textures, illustration styles, and transitions.” 

Leaving their creative mark in diverse markets around the world, Aniverse’s recent and noteworthy projects from the studio include “Experience The Magic,” a series of short animations for Coca-Cola Arena and Coca-Cola Etihad Stadium. Diving into Coca-Cola's vibrant red palette, the films embody the studio's unique ability to balance minimalism, character development, and charmingly bold motion. 

Also emblematic of the studio's standout work is a vibrant OOH campaign for José Cuervo's special edition bottles celebrating Día de los Muertos. Using mixed-media techniques, the studio brought the bottle designs to life with mind-bending motion graphics.

Lastly, a recent campaign for Puma via Publicis shines a light on what the studio can achieve in the promo world and integrating motion with live-action. The spot was created for Turkish football club Fenerbahçe's 2024-2025 jersey launch. Drawing from historical video and photo archives, it authentically captures the club's rich history and players from 1910 to today, with an array of distinct art styles reflecting the spirit of each era.

Beyond commercials, Aniverse is invested in doing more original and long-form content as a studio. They have three different short films in development ranging from anime to traditional 2D animation styles. 

“Our passion projects have been key to honing our storytelling skills — a benefit to both our clients and our team’s independent creativity – especially as everyone gets to contribute story and character ideas during scripting,” concluded Selahattin Iltas, Aniverse managing partner and animation director. “With a greater creative stake, it’s an experience that allows them to discover new ways to excel in their craft as animators.”