Seznam / High-end CGI Creature Development

Krusty has been the face of the Czech internet for years, but the digital age required a major evolutionary leap. Our task wasn't just to make a pretty commercial character, but to build a robust, stylized 3D asset capable of seamless interaction across Seznam’s entire modern ecosystem.

We had to honor the immense nostalgia and instant recognizability of the real Jack Russell Terrier while re-engineering him into a high-fidelity CGI masterpiece that reflects a technological leader.

The biggest hurdle was defining the visual direction. Our creative journey took us through heavily stylized concepts, a plush toy aesthetic, and even a claymation look, before finally landing on the perfect balance: a hyper-realistic model with a subtle, stylized touch.

Once the aesthetic was approved, the next challenge emerged—infusing this digital puppet with a genuine, likeable personality. We achieved this through countless iterations of fine-tuning his facial expressions, model proportions, and behavioral animation.

We kicked off with extensive 2D and 3D look-development sketches to lock in the anatomy and character design. This was followed by the highly technical groom phase—simulating the character's fur—before moving into custom rigging, character animation, cinematic lighting, and final Hollywood-grade rendering.

Even with a brand-new digital model, the emotional bridge to the audience remained intact: 85% of viewers recognized the brand within the first five seconds of his reveal, and post-tests showed a massive 67% positive emotional response. Krusty is no longer just a figure in an ad; he is now a sophisticated, active asset ready to guide users through the next era of the Seznam gateway.