Honda’s stop-motion commercial Honda Paper has won recognition for animation at the AICP Show awards. Shot by Director PES, the Honda Paper spot weaves together roughly 3,000 hand-drawn illustrations using stop-motion filming that takes viewers through a paper-flipping, historical journey of Honda products. It opens with founder Soichiro Honda’s use of a radio generator to power his wife’s bicycle, and the story continues with Honda’s development of motorcycles including a nod to winning Isle of Man TT races (1961-1967), seguing to outboard motors and then to the first CVCC vehicle. Nostalgia leads the viewer through a series of past Honda vehicle models, such as multiple generations of the Civic and Accord as well as the all-new 2016 Pilot, to F1 and Indy racing to the development of robotics and jets and numerous innovations in between. The commercial concludes with the copy, “You never know where a dream will lead you.”

People who watch the commercial on YouTube are prompted to explore an interactive version highlighting each product shown. Clicking a product will trigger a pop-up, allowing users to see the real product, and explore its history and significance to Honda. A behind-the-scenes video elaborates on the Production and artistry of the film with commentary from PES.

Honda Paper was supported on Honda’s social channels with Twitter trivia, teaser clips on Instagram and Vine, Honda product images on Instagram and GIFs on Twitter.

“The goal is for the marketing itself to become a demonstration of Honda thinking and all the people that touch our wide range of products along the way,” said Tom Peyton, Assistant Vice President of Marketing for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “This commercial stands for the courage and conviction to imagine and make dreams a reality and speaks to Honda’s innovative nature and respect for personal achievement and contributions.”

Honda Paper Credits

The Honda Paper campaign was developed at RPA, Los Angeles, by chief creative officer Joe Baratelli, executive creative director Jason Sperling, creative director/art director Ken Pappanduros, creative director/copywriter Chuck Blackwell, senior copywriter Chris Bradford, art director Laura Crigler and copywriter Josh Hepburn (film), creative social media director J Barbush, art director Jesse Echon and copywriter Michael Chenchief (social), social media editor A’sia Horne-Smith, production officer Gary Paticoff, executive Producer Isadora Chester, producer Matt Magsaysay, group strategic planning director Christian Cocker, associate digital marketing director Aaron Dodez, digital content strategy supervisor Mike Dossett, digital content strategy Tyler Sweeney and Hartman Wong, associate digital producer Connor Gomez, program manager Melissa Heitman, digital design director Michael Takeshita, director of digital production Dave Brezinski, executive digital producer Linda Kim, associate digital producer Connor Gomez, program manager Melissa Heitman, director of business affairs Maria Del Homme, management account director Brett Bender, group account directors Adam Blankenship and Jeff Moohr, management supervisor Rose McRitchie, account executives Susan Kim and Paul Sulzer, production information manager Marco Pantone, account supervisor Renee Egizi-Finger, and account executive Kaelin McGill.

Filming was shot by director PES (Adam Pesapane) via Reset with managing director Dave Morrison, executive producers Jen Beitler and Jeff McDougall, head of production Amanda Clune, producer Stan Sawicki, director of photography Eric Adkins, production designer John Joyce, motion control operator Mark Eifert, motion control assistant Calvin Frederick, animation supervisor Eileen Kohlhepp, animators Amy Adamy, Sihanouk Mariona, David Braun, Julian Petschek, Javan Ivey, Jen Prokopowicz, Brandon Lake, Ranko Tadic and Quique Rivera, illustrators Jerrod McIlvain, Nicole Cardiff, Vincent Lucido, Arwen King, Meghan Boehman, Monica Magana, Kei Chong, Trevor Brown & Alex Theodoropulos, set dresser/painter Veronica Hwang, illustration coordinator Evan Koehne, art department Nate Theis, Ellen Ridgeway and Melissa Quezada.

Editor was Stewart Reeves at Rock Paper Scissors, Los Angeles with assistant editor Jasmina Zpharieva, executive producer Angela Dorian, and producer Leah Carnahan-Dogruer.

Visual effects and finishing were produced at A52 by executive producer Patrick Nugent, VFX supervisor/lead Flame artist Andy Raphael Barrios, producer Lusia Boryczko, pre-visualisation team Ranko Tadic and Ingolfur Gudmundsson, colourist Tommy Hooper and online editor Dan Ellis.

Post production for the behind-the-scenes work was done at Bo’s House of Visual Arts by post producer Eddie Granada, editor Wendy Sandoval, lead cameraman Zach Grant, cameraman/pick-up-shots Mark Tripp, graphic artist Michael Kelley and colourist Augie Arredondo.

Sound was designed at Factory UK by sound designer Phil Bolland and head of production Lou Allen.

Sound was mixed at Lime Studios by re-recording mixer Dave Wagg, mixer Mark Meyuhas (behind-the-scenes), assistant re-recording mixer Adam Primack, executive producer Susie Boyajan.

Interactive video technology was provided by Wirewax by VP Business Development and Client Services Bea DiCarlo.