Consumer Technology Association Tariff Animation
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is the trade association representing the $377 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, which supports more than 15 million U.S. jobs.
Many of the small businesses and startups the group represents—and the consumers those companies serve—are unfairly impacted by tariffs. To grab policymakers' attention about this pressing problem, CTA partnered with Beutler Ink to create a compelling video explaining how tariffs force shoppers to pay more for fitness trackers, wireless headphones, and other connected smart devices.
We began the engagement by presenting CTA with several narrative concepts that all personalized the cost of tariffs for consumers. Once CTA selected their favorite, we crafted a script that supported the narrative while reinforcing key messaging points, then provided style and voice over options to help their team understand what the finished video would look and sound like. Once we were aligned on direction, we set about animating the video and delivering the final product.
The “Time to Wake Up” animated video we created for the CTA:
Frames the narrative around an average U.S. household during holiday shopping season, which personalizes the issue for consumers.
Combines brand-aligned style with playful, holiday-themed imagery that really stands out on social platforms and mobile feeds.
Uses an urgent-sounding voice over and cinematic "chase" music to amplify the tension and drive the story.
Seamlessly integrates important policy details and impactful numbers into narrative beats.
Ends with a clear call to action that directs viewers to CTA's website to learn more.
A week after the video debuted, the Trump Administration dropped smartwatches and Bluetooth devices from the tariff list. Senior officials told The Wall Street Journal they wanted to "diminish the impact on consumers in the holiday shopping season."
