Client and Background
DS Smith is a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, recycling services, and paper products. With an unwavering focus on circularity, they play a vital role in helping supply chains across Europe adapt to emerging environmental policy.
As part of their commitment to compliance and partnership, DS Smith commissioned an animated explainer to help their customers and partners understand the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and what it means for their businesses.
The Challenge
The introduction of the EUDR brings new legal obligations to businesses handling materials derived from forests. While the regulation is essential for protecting natural ecosystems, it’s also detailed and potentially overwhelming to busy procurement teams and operational managers.
DS Smith needed to simplify that complexity. The goal was to create a fully animated video that clearly outlined the regulation, explained the company’s approach, and reassured partners that DS Smith was taking the lead in navigating compliance.
The message had to be straightforward, practical, and brand-aligned. It couldn’t feel like policy-speak or legalese. It had to feel helpful.
Our Approach
We teamed up with Hammerspace Video, who supported the project through creative development and project management. Working closely with the initial brief, we developed a storyboard and script designed to demystify the EUDR while reinforcing DS Smith’s tone of clarity and reliability.
This project was fully animated from the ground up, with no live footage, no interviews, and no voiceover ad-libbing. Every element was deliberately crafted to support understanding.
Key creative decisions included:
- Simplified visuals to break down complex regulations into easy-to-follow steps
- Consistent iconography and flowcharts to reflect DS Smith’s structured approach
- Brand-colour animations that reinforced trust and professionalism
- A voiceover tone that was calm, clear, and directive, speaking as a guide, not a narrator
We also included a subtle visual nod to documentation, dashboards, and digital workflows to reflect the procedural nature of compliance, without overwhelming viewers with bureaucracy.
The Outcome
The final animation is a structured, clear, and reassuring explainer that helps DS Smith’s partners and clients quickly understand the essentials of the EUDR and how DS Smith is supporting compliance.
Delivered as a short-form, fully animated video, the piece:
- Clarifies complex regulations in under three minutes
- Reinforces DS Smith’s proactive stance on legal and environmental responsibility
- Supports toolkit engagement by encouraging partners to take action with confidence
- Strengthens supply chain trust with a clear and helpful tone
Reflection
This was a strong example of animation doing exactly what it’s best at: taking something complex and making it accessible. The collaboration with Hammerspace was instrumental in keeping the creative process efficient and focused. Their project management and early creative input helped us sharpen the narrative and build something clear, fast, and impactful.
In a world of shifting regulations, this video helped DS Smith step confidently into the role of guide, not just supplier.
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