The B2B payments world isn’t exactly known for soul. But JCB’s “Better With Omotenashi” campaign broke that mould—with a quiet kind of power. It didn’t chase the noise. It created presence.
Built around a 600-year-old Japanese philosophy of hospitality—Omotenashi—the campaign repositioned JCB in the European market, not by trying to out-hype fintech competitors, but by doing the opposite: leading with care, trust, and calm authority.
And it worked.
So well, in fact, that it took home Gold at the 2025 Drum Marketing Awards EMEA, in the Rebrand category. A win for bold restraint, cultural storytelling, and craft-led creative.
Designing Stillness. Animating Intent.
One of the standout elements of the campaign was the motion work—crafted to feel considered, intentional, and human. Not flashy. Not fast. But precise. Warm. Rooted.
Timothy Simon led post, animation and motion art direction, helping to shape the moving visual language of the campaign. At the heart of it: animation that felt more like brushstrokes than pixels.
The style borrowed from Nihonga, a traditional Japanese watercolour technique. That influence carried through everything—from animated storytelling to the way transitions unfolded. Each movement was there for a reason. Each visual had weight.
It gave the brand space to breathe. And more importantly, it gave the audience space to feel.
In Motion, We Trust
This wasn’t about ticking B2B boxes. It was about building emotional architecture—through motion.
The campaign spanned OOH, banners, longform video and talking-heads content. But everything shared one language. One tone. One feeling. It was cohesive in the way the best design systems are—modular, but deeply connected.
Motion gave it rhythm. Structure. Atmosphere.
It showed how even in corporate spaces—especially in corporate spaces—storytelling through motion matters. Not just to catch attention, but to shift perception. To build trust. And to create that rare feeling: belief in a brand.
The Result? It Moved People. Literally.
Awareness up 51%. Familiarity up 68%. Brand consideration up 43%.
In a crowded category full of speed and sameness, JCB found its voice by slowing down. By being different. And by moving differently.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lesson in this campaign for anyone working in motion, brand, or story:
Good motion doesn’t shout. It listens. It guides. It invites.
And when it’s done with this kind of intent—when every frame carries cultural weight and creative purpose—it’s more than animation. It’s communication with soul.
Big respect to the team at Transmission, and everyone involved—especially Simon Panton, Mark Blaylock & Aliya Akram —for turning quiet storytelling into award-winning impact.
Learn more about the award win here and view the project here
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Timothy Simon
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