Water Wisdom from a Bowl
In collaboration with The20 and TasWater, Water Surety was a fun, character-led campaign built around a very unsure (but very charming) fish named Bob. The goal was simple: deliver practical water-saving advice in a way that felt light, engaging, and just a little absurd. Introducing Bob – hyper-realistic, mildly panicked, and deeply in love with life inside the bowl.
Bringing the Fish to Life
To get our goldfish talking, we had to push well beyond what nature intended. While he may look like your average fish, under the surface, he’s rigged like a tiny actor. We added extra bones to his face for lip sync and expressive eye movement, along with articulated fins and even makeshift “hands” so he could gesture while chatting. His tail was also rigged to react with characterful flicks as he swam or got excited.
The mesh was carefully sculpted to give him just the right mix of realism and charm – detailed enough to feel believable, but still fun to watch. We textured his scales to catch the light and give him that just-out-of-the-bowl shimmer. On top of that, we had to simulate dynamic bubbles that would puff out whenever he talked, laughed, or darted around – adding a layer of visual life to every word and wiggle.
The bowl itself wasn’t just a backdrop – it was a little world of its own. We detailed the environment with blue pebbles and scattered props that hinted at the fish’s daily life. A miniature scuba diver bubbled away in the background, adding movement and a touch of whimsy to every scene.
Bob Goes Social
To make the most of Bob’s charm, we created a series of short, punchy animations tailored for social media. Each piece was designed to highlight Bob’s lovable personality and reinforce key water-saving messages in a way that was light, engaging, and easy to share. Whether he was forgetting what he was saying mid-sentence or enthusiastically misquoting facts, Bob became a relatable face for the campaign – one that audiences could laugh with while still learning something useful. His bowl-sized world translated perfectly to the small screen, turning scroll-stopping moments into meaningful reminders.
Style Meets Story
That attention to detail gave us the room to lean into personality and timing. The goldfish wasn’t just a digital creation – he became a funny, sincere mouthpiece for TasWater’s message. Whether nervously explaining evaporation or reminding viewers to skip hosing down concrete, he delivered it all with flair.
Sometimes, the best way to talk about water… is with a fish that can talk back.