The Challenge
Cultural moments are easy to get wrong. Asian American customers can tell immediately whether a brand understands a holiday or just showed up. The brief called for something genuinely celebratory without being too generic or overly commercial. Citizens had a natural asset to build from: branded red envelopes available in-branch for customers to use as traditional cash gift vehicles.
The Insight
2024 was the Year of the Dragon. Citizens didn’t need to explain the holiday. It needed to honor it with something crafted and alive. The red envelope was the bridge.
What I Did
I illustrated and animated an original dragon character emerging from Citizens’ branded red envelope. It ran as in-branch digital signage and organic social across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
The Result
A single animated asset that worked across two surfaces and said something real. For a bank, in a category where cultural campaigns often feel like checkbox exercises, the dragon was the opposite — specific, celebratory, and made with care.
Personal Note
As someone born in another Year of the Dragon, it was an honor to bring this guy to life and release him into the wild (and on social media).
My Role: Content Creator (CW, Designer & Animator)
In-Branch Digital Signage
Social
Credits
CW: Andrew Ralston Smith
Illustrator/Designer: Andrew Ralston Smith
Animator: Andrew Ralston Smith
