HSBC.

Brands / 2D animation

Big personalities. Small creatures. Money up for grabs.

The project

Making money make sense.

HSBC wanted to help children aged 6–9 understand the value of money and encourage families to think about saving. The Woodland Wonga Show turns that brief into a forest game show, where three contestants compete for the big prize. There’s just one problem: their crafty host, Fenton Fox, wants the goodies for himself.

We were responsible for the design and 2D animation, creating the woodland cast and detailed environments, then bringing the show to life in After Effects. Four action-packed rounds give the characters a chance to put their money knowledge to the test, with enough comedy and competition to keep young viewers involved across the eight-minute film.

Format: Eight-minute educational film
Treatment: Character design / Environment design / 2D animation

Meet the contestants. Mind the host.

Fenton Fox the Fourth is all charm, sharp suits and questionable intentions. Facing him are Samantha Squirrel, a know-it-all social-media influencer; Rocky Rabbit, a wannabe rock star; and Tot the Mouse, our small but smart hero. Each has a distinct look and personality, giving children someone to recognise, laugh at and root for.

Fenton Fox in a silver jacket and red bow tie, holding his presenter’s card.

Tot the Mouse smiling beside a red spotted buzzer.

Rocky Rabbit in star-shaped glasses beside Tot at their podiums.

Samantha Squirrel looking concerned among the green treetops.

Rocky Rabbit showing off a large 24 Carrot Gold medallion.

Four rounds. Plenty to play for.

The game-show format makes the learning part of the action. Bank accounts, saving and spending become challenges for the contestants, while Fenton’s attempts to get ahead keep the story moving. Expressive reactions and visual jokes give the information a playful setting.

Woodland game-show title card for round one: Using a Bank Account.

Woodland game-show title card for round two: The Money Tree.

The contestants and Fenton beside a large money tree in the forest.

Fenton Fox presenting beside the money-tree platform.

A green crocodile peering from a pit in the woodland.

Fenton Fox looking worried beside the crocodile in the pit.

A world built for the show.

The forest needed to feel like a place where anything could happen. Layered trees, leafy sets, wooden podiums and oversized props create a colourful stage for the games. The racing sequence takes that world further, putting shiny cars alongside Tot’s inventive homemade entry.

Rocky Rabbit sitting in a red racing car with large exhaust pipes.

Samantha Squirrel beside a pink convertible in the forest.

Tot beside a homemade racing car with bottle-top wheels.

Tot, Rocky and Samantha at the race starting line with Fenton waving a chequered flag.

Tot driving the homemade racing car with a red sail and bottle-top wheels.

Tot the Mouse flying above the woodland treetops.

Character in every reaction.

We animated the show in After Effects, giving each contestant their own expressions and gestures. Voice performances from Claire Morgan and Marc Silc help bring out the contrast between Fenton’s showmanship and the contestants’ personalities. The result is an educational film driven by its cast, with the lessons carried through the story.

Tot in an action pose against a pink starburst background.

A brown eagle flying through the woodland.

Watch the film.

Join Fenton, Samantha, Rocky and Tot for the full Woodland Wonga Show: four rounds of woodland competition, with a few lessons about money along the way.