Finding the look
Three rounds to find Lumino's look
Most explainers start with a brand guide. Lumino didn't have one yet: no animation style, no illustration style, not even a set of icons. Everyone agreed on one thing, though. It should feel like its own thing, fresh and upbeat and made for real people. So the video ended up helping shape the brand itself.
Getting there took a few tries. Our first style frames came out too abstract, and the storyboards that followed swung a little too playful. The version that stuck landed right between the two: Lumino's blues and teals, lots of white space, a pop of orange and yellow, and illustrated people doing everyday things.
Once the look clicked, the fun part was making every line of the script earn a picture. Say “dentist,” and a search map fills with three very different dentists. Say “rated by fellow Canadians,” and the stars pop in. Say “evening hours,” and a clock starts spinning.
Sound design went on last and gave the whole thing a slightly digital edge, which Lumino's team loved for a brand that lived online. French came after, translated by Sun Life's team.
