Canopius Insurance - Event Animation

The Brief

Canopius approached us with a clear sense of direction and a strong appetite for creativity. As a global insurance group with a forward-thinking mindset, they were looking for a short animation to help bring their story to life at an upcoming event.
They needed something fresh, fast-paced and visually engaging, something that captured the energy of their journey and the bold personality of their brand. The animation would chart their evolution from a small start in 2003 to a thriving international company, highlighting their entrepreneurial spirit, dynamic leadership, and growing global presence.
Rather than take a traditional or overly corporate route, we chose to enhance the visual identity already built into their branding. By using the distinctive lines and circular forms at the heart of Canopius Insurance’s design system, we decided that we would use those shapes as both narrative drivers and visual transitions. The shapes weren’t just graphic elements; they became the vehicle for moving through the story, linking ideas and anchoring the flow of the animation in something distinctly Canopius.
The idea was to take what already existed within their design language and push it to its full potential. We didn’t want to impose a new visual concept, but instead amplify the one already in place, letting it do the heavy lifting in a fresh and imaginative way. This helped ensure the animation felt unmistakably theirs, both in tone and form.

Our Response

From the beginning, Canopius Insurance made it clear that they wanted something energetic, grounded and visually sharp. The brief called for a strong sense of brand presence, clever use of geometry, and an open, spacious feel, without tipping into anything too floaty or abstract. That clear direction gave us the perfect foundation to get creative within a defined structure, where we could play and problem-solve while remaining anchored by recognisable elements.
We began by assembling a detailed moodboard to explore visual tone, motion references and aesthetic direction. Once that was aligned, we moved into production, bringing the spiral, dot and line elements to life in a way that felt active and intentional. These weren’t just flourishes or surface-level design. They drove the rhythm, transitions and pace of the entire piece.
To keep the animation visually engaging across its full runtime, we introduced subtle shifts in the colour palette between sections. This helped define clear narrative chapters and gave each part its own mood, while maintaining cohesion through the persistent presence of the geometric shapes. By playing with scale, layout and motion, the animation maintained a sense of variety without straying from the brand’s core identity.
The final result is a confident, punchy animation that delivers the Canopius Insurance’s story with energy and clarity. It combines abstract design with structured storytelling, resulting in something that feels expressive but purposeful. There’s a precision to the way it moves, yet it remains playful, using visual rhythm and motion to bring out the core themes of momentum and innovation.
This project stands out as a great example of how clear creative parameters can lead to rich and rewarding outcomes. It gave the studio space to explore, while also grounding the work in a defined set of brand values. It’s the kind of brief we love: tight, purposeful, and full of potential.

Style Frames

Storyboard Development

Final Animation Snapshots

final Animation

Behind the scenes

To demonstrate our process throughout projects and give a little insight into how we create our characters, here are some behind the scenes assets from our artists.

What our client Said

“Producing our first ever animated video was a scary proposition and uncharted territory for us as an agency. Working with The Animation Guys they put us at ease, listened to our ideas and made the process come to life. They’re genuinely decent, honest and hard-working people that ultimately produce first-class animation videos. We couldn’t be happier with our final product and no doubt will return to them for a follow up video at some point! Fully recommend.”

Beth Hellowell

Managing Partner @ Signify Digital