In a world where giant brands are ditching human touch for AI shortcuts, a humble French supermarket has just delivered a stunning masterclass in the magic of real animation—and it's got everyone talking!
Imagine this: While powerhouse companies like Coca-Cola and McDonald's turn to artificial intelligence for their holiday commercials—often resulting in soulless, automated creations that leave viewers cold—a French grocery chain called Intermarché has stepped up with an ad that's all heart, crafted entirely by human hands. And get this: It's sparking whispers that even animation giants like Disney and Pixar might want to take notes. But here's where it gets controversial: Is AI the lazy way forward in creative industries, or is it the inevitable evolution we can't ignore?
Take Coca-Cola's Christmas spot, for instance. It features animals as the main characters, but the AI approach can feel robotic and impersonal, churning out endless clips without the warmth of genuine storytelling. Intermarché's ad, on the other hand, puts animals front and center too, but oh, what a world of difference human animation brings! From the initial idea and narrative arc to the flawless delivery, this festive ad raises the bar for heartwarming holiday tales. It's so captivating that fans are already creating their own art inspired by it and begging for a full-length movie.
Directed by the talented team at Illogic Studios and brought to life at the Parisian animation house Wizz, with creative oversight from the agency Romance, "The Unloved" is a testament to collaborative human effort. The ad opens in a cozy home setting where a little boy is frightened by a toy wolf gift. To calm him, his uncle spins a yarn that smoothly shifts into an animated adventure—perfectly illustrating how stories can bridge the real and the fantastical.
At its core, the message is simple yet profound: Nourishing food fosters true friendships. The animated segment follows a solitary wolf who ditches his meat-eating habits and experiments with plant-based options to win over pals during the holidays. This clever tie-in resonates with Intermarché's commitment to fresh, wholesome products from their farmers and producers—think crunchy carrots and juicy fruits that make for delightful, healthy feasts.
And this is the part most people miss: Unlike Pixar's ultra-realistic 3D worlds that can sometimes feel too polished and distant, Intermarché's team chose a different path. They used 3D animation (a technique where objects are created in a three-dimensional digital space, allowing for detailed movements and perspectives) but layered on a painterly effect—a soft, artistic style reminiscent of hand-painted illustrations. This gives the ad the cozy, tactile feel of a beloved children's storybook, aligning beautifully with the idea that the animation is a bedtime tale shared with a child on Christmas Eve. For beginners in animation, think of it as blending the depth of computer graphics with the charm of traditional art, making everything look like it was lovingly sketched by hand.
In a bold contrast to Coca-Cola's ad, which relied on a tiny team of five AI specialists to generate over 70,000 video clips (often leading to repetitive or uncanny results), Intermarché poured in the effort of more than 50 dedicated professionals. As Wizz explained in an interview with LLBOnline, the process began with artists—including a German illustrator renowned for animal drawings—sketching 2D concepts inspired by classic holiday stories. These were then adapted into 3D, but with meticulous hand-sculpting and animation to keep that authentic, handmade vibe. Every fur detail on the wolf or leaf on a vegetable was crafted with care, not automated shortcuts.
This dedication has paid off big time. The two-minute ad boasts the cinematic quality of a full feature film, even though Intermarché is mostly known only in France and Belgium. On YouTube alone, it's racked up thousands of likes and comments, with viewers sharing fan art and expressing enthusiasm. One commenter, who isn't even French, declared, "I'm not French, but I would watch an entire series about this adorable wolf." Another chimed in, "Intermarché just did better than Disney." Tweets and images are flooding social media, like this one from December 10, 2025: "uuughh i love himm,, 🥹✨✨" with a link to a pic.twitter.com/JlAA8cYejv, or another from December 9, 2025: "It was a fun little study 🐺" with a pic.twitter.com/jvQBCMBqxh.
Feeling inspired to create your own holiday animations? Check out our recommendations for the best animation software and the best laptops for animation work—tools that empower creators to keep the human spark alive in a digital age.
As a freelance journalist and editor for Creative Bloq, I cover the latest in design news, reviews, how-tos, and gear picks for creatives. Beyond writing, I manage projects at Hermana Creatives in London and Buenos Aires, leading teams of designers, photographers, and video editors who craft visual wonders for the hospitality world. And yes, I even find time to dance Argentine tango—proving that creativity comes in many forms!
But let's stir the pot a bit: Could this be a wake-up call for the animation industry, suggesting that AI's rise is overshadowing the irreplaceable soul of human creativity? Or do you argue that AI is just a tool, like any other, and that blending it with human touch could lead to even greater innovations? What do you think—should brands like Disney and Pixar pivot back to full human animation for that emotional punch, or is AI the future we all need to embrace? Share your thoughts in the comments below; I'd love to hear your takes on this debate!
