2026 Winner

Food insecurity over the holiday season remains a persistent issue, but much of the category messaging leans into somber, donation-driven appeals that struggle to stand out or sustain attention. Highmark Health needed a platform that could communicate its long-term commitment to addressing food insecurity, not just seasonal giving. Rather than relying on traditional emotional cues, “(un)Hungry” was built as a character-led holiday film designed to endure beyond a single campaign cycle. The story follows neighbourhood kids as they rally together to help a family in their community, going door to door to collect canned goods, shifting the narrative from charity to community action. The film used a distinct visual approach: a CG film with a tactile, painterly style and stop-motion sensibility, where every detail, from virtual hair strokes to hand-finished textures, added warmth and personality. By recalibrating how the message was delivered, the platform turned a familiar issue into something more immediate, inviting both connection and response.

Credits

Client: Highmark Health
Agency: Tonic by Highmark Health
Sr. Vice President: Amy Spears
Sr. Creative Director: Keith Loell
Sr. Director of Content: George Friedman
Creative Director: Shawn Smith
Executive Producer: Alyssa Kramer
Manager Copywriting: John Venable
Lead Copy: Lauren Black
Lead Design: Amy Ballintine
Lead Creative Integration Manager: Katie Krissinger
Manager, Creative Integration Management: Julia Westbrook
Produced by Tonic DNA
Executive Producers: Stefanie Bitton, Nadim Chartouni
Producer: Sofie Lamontagne
Agent: Liz Laine Reps - Liz Shaw
Directors: Jamil Lahham, Fabien Fulchiron
Storyboard: Steven Go
Character Designs: Valentina Brancati
Environment Designs: Phoebe Mao, David Goldstyn, Michael Renaud
Matte Painting: David Goldstyn
Animation Lead: Jamil Lahham
Animation: Wiley Townsend, Leya Laroche-Boafo, Tyron Rijavec
Rigging: Mirayi Studios
3D Environments, Props & Textures: Fabien Fulchiron, Jamil Lahham, Lisandre Theriault-Brunet, Maxime Pelletier, Quentin Labbe
3D Character Hair: Jamil Lahham, Fabien Fulchiron
3D Character Textures: Fabien Fulchiron, Maxime Pelletier
Lighting: Fabien Fulchiron, Lisandre Theriault-Brunet, Maxime Pelletier, Carl Valleray
Compositing Lead: Marta Grasso
Compositing: Marc-Andre Bourgoin
Music & Sound: Vapor Studio