We partnered with the iconic artist to turn select chapters of the book into a series of animations, based on Bono’s own personal doodles and drawings.These animations were to serve as a series of announcements such as his memoir, his book tour and drive sales of both his physical and audio book across a strategic mix of organic and paid platforms on U2’s socials and website. In Episodes 1-3, Bono takes us from his early days growing up in Dublin to U2’s unlikely journey to become one of the world’s most influential rock bands, to his more than twenty years of activism. In Episode 4, we zoom into his creative mind and explore a fictional account of what could have been happening during Halloween in New York City the time his book was released.

Accompanying the intimate narration of his book, we brought Bono’s personal sketches and memories to life through a series of animations, each telling a different story from Bono’s legendary past. He provided us with forty original drawings, all drawn by hand on his iPad, which provided the spark that drove the visual narrative of each piece.

The razor used as a teenager, the toaster from Bono’s house and the first kiss on his wedding day, these are a few of the true to life details our team threaded into the storytelling of Bono: The Surrender Animations. We leveraged the original illustrations Bono created for each of his chapters and identified an animation artist that matched Bono’s personal aesthetic to uphold the artistic integrity of his sketches. We developed an animation treatment that kept the sincerity of the words and illustrations- executing with childlike simplicity that’s raw and visceral. It was also critical for us to find archival photos from Bono’s life to transform into illustration and parallel the authenticity of the memoir. As Bono’s stories progressed, we brought the drama into a crescendo by amplifying the use of color episodically, slowly expressing touches of romance and magic. In its culmination, we fully lean into a colorful surrealism to enliven the fictionalized account of the Halloween Parade.

From the selected excerpts, the team developed a shot list to generate research on key characters and details, Bono’s illustrations and sound design. As we transitioned between moments, we mimicked book-like transitions, as though one was flipping through the pages of the autobiography. The team proceeded into the development of storyboards, animatics and sound design. It was in the intricate layering of Bono’s VO, demo recordings and the sound design that set the ambience and direction on the breathing moments and loudness of the animations. To reinforce the book’s release, our team developed a cover reveal that concluded each animation with a punch of punk and rock and roll.