Starling “Brilliant Basics” Campaign

 

Experience

At Cub Studio, we have a strong track record of creating content for leading financial institutions including HSBC, BNY Mellon and Revolut. Our expertise lies in producing clear, engaging explainers that simplify complex products and services.

 

For Meta, we developed short-form animated content for WhatsApp that showcased key features in a way that felt simple, human and tailored for social-first platforms. While more streamlined than the scope of Starling’s brief, this work demonstrates the clarity, accessibility and impact we bring to explanatory storytelling.

 

Relevant Work

Here’s a selection of relevant work. While not directly analogous to the Starling brief, each project demonstrates core elements that will be central to this campaign:

  • Animated UI – bringing digital interfaces to life with clarity and polish

  • Character iconography – human touches that make features relatable

  • Animated brand elements – reinforcing identity through motion

  • Typographic animation – delivering messaging with impact and style

Strava

Explanatory animation and use of UI

Airtime

Animated app UX and onboarding content.

Dunkin’

Animated character icons and brand extenstion.

Cowboy

Animated UI and brand iconography.

 
 

Creative Approach

We want each film to feel as effortless as the features themselves. The tone will be clear, confident and human, with animation that feels sleek, modern and distinctly Starling.

 

  • Visual style: Bold, minimal design with Starling’s colour palette at the core. Animation is crisp and playful, with subtle depth to emphasise simplicity and ease.

  • Branded: Utilising the strong motion brand of Starling (murmurations etc).

  • Tone of voice: Friendly, reassuring and jargon-free. The language explains, not sells.

  • Pacing: Quick, dynamic cuts (10–20s runtime) to keep attention high and suit social-first formats.

 
 
 

Reference

We’ve collated a selection of animated typography references that showcase the kind of bold, kinetic type treatments we imagine for Starling.

These examples highlight how motion can bring language to life - from stretching and morphing type to playful distortions and rhythmic transitions - ensuring key messages are delivered with impact, energy and clarity across social formats.

Structure of Each Video

  1. Hook (0–3s) – A quick, relatable “problem” moment or scenario.

  2. Feature Reveal (3–10s) – The Starling feature in action, explained visually and verbally.

  3. Benefit (10–15s) – Why it matters: ease, clarity, confidence.

  4. Close (15–20s) – Simple branded lock-up, always consistent but adaptable across features.


Design & Animation

  • Characters & UI: A balance of stylised UI animation and minimal character touches to humanise the features.

  • Transitions: Fluid, seamless moves between UI screens, icons and scenarios to reinforce Starling’s frictionless feel.

  • Sound Design: Subtle cues (pings, swipes, chimes) plus upbeat, modern music track to keep energy consistent.


Process

  1. Discovery & Scriptwriting – Agree messaging, refine copy to match Starling’s tone.

  2. Storyboards & Styleframes – Visualise look and flow of each piece.

  3. Animation – Build out in batches for efficiency and consistency across all 16 features.

  4. Sound Design & Delivery – Final polish with audio, ensuring every format is optimised for social.


Output

  • 16 videos at 10–20 seconds each.

  • Vertical (9:16) hero format, with additional aspect ratios on request.

  • Delivered fully branded with music and sound design.

 

Project Objective

To reframe Starling’s “basics” as “brilliant basics” by:

  • Showcasing ongoing technology.

  • Driving awareness and understanding of key product features.

  • Enhancing engagement with both new and existing customers.

The Ask

Produce 16 short ‘how to’ walkthrough videos that bring Starling’s most useful features to life in a clear, engaging and social-first format.

Features to Cover

  1. Instant notifications

  2. Low balance warning

  3. AI payee

  4. Round ups

  5. 24/7 customer service

  6. Recurring payments

  7. Spaces

  8. Virtual cards

  9. Foreign currency

  10. Bills manager

  11. Split incoming payments

  12. Settle up

  13. Spending tab & categories

  14. Spending intelligence

  15. Card controls

  16. Accessibility features

Initial Priority Features

We’ll begin with three high-impact essentials:

  • 24/7 Customer Service – reassurance that customers can always speak to a human in the UK, anytime.

  • Recurring Payments – a single, simplified view of all regular outgoings.

  • Bills Manager – a frictionless way to set aside bill money, reducing stress and improving habits.


Scope of Work

We will lead the process end-to-end:

  1. Concepting & Direction – creative strategy, visual language and approach.

  2. Copywriting & Storyboards – clear, on-brand scripts and visual planning.

  3. Animation & Execution – engaging, polished videos optimised for social.


Deliverables

  • 16x videos (10–20 seconds each, flexible).

  • Social-first orientation: 9:16 vertical as the hero format.

  • With sound design and music included.