Over the past decade, the Staatsloterij (Dutch state lottery) New Year’s Eve draw has become known for its emotionally resonant end-of-year commercials, often featuring animal protagonists such as a dog, a hedgehog, a cat or even a cuckoo-clock bird. These films have established an instantly recognisable Staatsloterij signature – heartwarming storytelling rooted in connection and small acts of kindness. The draw is now watched by millions on December 31.
This year, TBWA\NEBOKO has boosted that signature and added the surprise of a distinctive creative change. The 2025 campaign, Give each other some luck, leads with a fully handcrafted stop-motion film, produced with awarded British animation studio, Blinkink, globally recognised for the famous John Lewis Christmas commercial, The Bear & The Hare.
The film underlines this year’s message with a story that follows a grumpy elderly neighbour, accompanied by a small dark cloud that mirrors his mood, and his equally displeased cat. Nevertheless, he accepts parcels for the entire neighborhood. And when a New Year’s lottery ticket is delivered to his home, he reluctantly sets out to return it. What follows is a journey through his street, where unexpected kindness from neighbours gradually softens his outlook.
TBWA\NEBOKO executive creative director, Dennis Baars, stated, “Each year, the narrative of the campaign is all about the same insight: that some things in life are more valuable than a Jackpot prize of 30 million euros. This year we created a nice little story about a grumpy neighbour, but we really wanted to tell it in a surprising way. We were convinced that the human craft of stop motion would elevate the storytelling.”
The film’s emotional depth is enhanced by a delicate new rendition of Bad Day by Daniel Powter, performed by German artist, Lorena Kirchhoffer, and composed by Jorrit Kleijnen, that underscores the warmth and fragility of the story.
To create the film, TBWA\NEBOKO partnered with Blinkink and director, Joseph Mann, to create a fully handcrafted stop-motion world. Animation director, Sam Gainsborough, was also brought in to oversee the character’s performance from onset into post, helping to develop nuance in the storytelling. Every puppet, prop and environment – from the miniature hallways to the protagonist’s drifting cloud – was built, textured, lit and animated by hand over several weeks.
Joseph Mann commented, “Technically, stop frame animation felt like the perfect tool for a story about community and togetherness, using a mixture of scales we managed to get the detail and personality into every shot. And honestly, our team made it what it is. I worked with an incredible group of makers and animators who brought their own craft and style to every single frame.
“This project was pure magic. Stop-frame animation just never loses its charm, watching characters and entire worlds come alive in front of your very eyes is always a joy to be part of. It’s a unique process that is equally rewarding to be part of as it is to see the final film come to life.”
Following its premiere on December 6, the campaign will run nationwide across TV, online, social media, radio, out-of-home and retail channels from December 10 to 31.
Credits
Client: Staatsloterij
Agency: TBWA\NEBOKO
Production: Blinkink
Media: WPP Media
Social: TBWA\NEBOKO
Influencers: First
Digital Extensions: Men in Green
Shopper Marketing: Brompton Road
Sound Design: Public Audio
Grading: Electric Theatre
PR: NewsLab
Music: Lion Noir Studio
Singer: Lorena Kirchhoffer
