LOBO and FCB Health get the snowball rolling on a new campaign for the SAFE Project, raising awareness about the risks of increased alcohol consumption during winter.According to the National Institute of Health, colder weather and fewer sunlight hours can lead to increased alcohol consumption, potentially resulting in addiction, liver disease, and other serious health complications. These are just some of the challenges addressed by the SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic), a national nonprofit working to end America’s catastrophic opioid epidemic and other forms of addiction.FCB Health and LOBO are contributing to SAFE’s cause with “The Snowball”, a film that tells the story of Lars, a resident of a cold and dark city in winter. As the harsh climate leads him to drink more frequently, Lars develops a growing dependence on alcohol – symbolized by the titular snowball, a sort of “sidekick” to the character that grows increasingly larger as the narrative unfolds, until it engulfs his entire life.To convey the mood of a Holiday fairytale, the film was done entirely in animation, simulating the tactile, handmade feel of stop motion done with paper sculptures and cutouts. This result was achieved with a unique blend of traditional artistry and cutting-edge technology, using AI to add paper-like textures to frame-by-frame animations done by hand.We named this approach, developed by our R&D division, “2D Diffusion Render”. This technique enables us to turn 2D animation into highly customizable visuals tailored to the narrative and aesthetic requirements of each project. With it, a 2D animated sequence can receive virtually any finish, from realistic 3D to handcrafted stop-motion to painterly looks, to name just a few. The result is a process that harnesses the best of technology while preserving the true artistic spirit.