Jade Leaf Matcha | 18 Months of Stop Motion Storytelling and Monthly Content Creation
Client: Jade Leaf Matcha
Goal: Create monthly stop motion content that brought Jade Leaf's products to life across email marketing, social media, and their website.
What we made: Stop motion animations, video production, and product photography for a new product launch.
Where it was used: Email marketing, social media, and website.
Highlights: Halloween stop motion launch project, self-unboxing ceremonial kit, magic show concept, ceremonial matcha variety video blending multiple footage sources.
Value: Approximately 20 pieces of content delivered over 18 months, a consistent monthly content system, and a partnership that expanded to a second brand.
The Challenge
Jade Leaf Matcha needed content that matched the personality of their brand. Not just product shots. Something with movement, creativity, and a sense of play that could bring their matcha products to life across email, social, and their website.
It started with a single project: a Halloween-themed stop motion featuring their product. What followed was an 18-month monthly content partnership that grew from executing specific ideas to Sean taking a larger creative role as the relationship deepened.
What We Did
Sean worked with Jade Leaf from August 2021 to February 2023, producing approximately 20 pieces of content across stop motion, video, and product photography.
Stop Motion
Stop motion was the core of the partnership. Each piece was built around a specific concept, ranging from simple and playful to technically complex. Standout pieces included:
A Halloween-themed stop motion that launched the partnership
A piece where a hand emerges from a matcha bag and grabs a glass of matcha
A self-unboxing ceremonial kit, where each item moves on its own, assembles a bowl of matcha, and sips itself away
A magic show concept where an empty box slides in, a wand waves, and the kit reveals itself before sliding away
Each piece was storyboarded in advance so Jade Leaf could visualize the scenes and provide feedback before production began.
Video
Sean also produced a video showcasing Jade Leaf's ceremonial matcha varieties. The project required blending three different sources of footage: low-resolution clips from the farmers in Japan, existing footage from the client, and Sean's own studio footage. Using stabilization and quality enhancement tools, Sean unified the footage into a cohesive final video that stayed true to the brand's story.
Product Photography
When Jade Leaf launched their collagen matcha mix, Sean created product photography to support the new release.
How we worked together
The collaboration evolved naturally over the course of the partnership.
With Jules, the process started with her bringing an idea and Sean figuring out how to execute it. Once the concept was clear, Sean sketched out a simple storyboard showing the scenes, movements, and flow of the piece. Jade Leaf could review, approve, or request changes before any production began.
When Jessica took over as Head of Marketing, the dynamic shifted. Ideas became more collaborative, and Sean took on a larger creative role, developing concept lists for the team to review and approve before moving into storyboarding and production.
Both approaches worked because the foundation was the same: clear communication, a defined approval process, and a consistent delivery rhythm that the team could count on month after month.
“Sean has proven himself to be an invaluable asset to our team. His creativity, professionalism, reliability and overall demeanor are remarkable. Beyond providing stellar work, he’s a joy to partner with. His expansive skill set and comprehension of brand is impressive. Plus he’s extremely responsive, collaborative, timely and patient.”
What this unlocked for Jade Leaf Matcha
Over 18 months, Jade Leaf built a library of stop motion content that gave their brand a distinct, recognizable visual language across email marketing, social media, and their website.
The monthly cadence meant there was always something fresh and new to deploy. New product launches had supporting visuals ready. Seasonal moments had content built around them. And the creative range, from playful single-scene pieces to complex multi-element productions, gave the team options for different placements and campaigns.
The partnership also expanded beyond Jade Leaf. As trust grew, Sean was brought on to create content for their sister brand, From Great Origins (FGO), a natural extension of a relationship built on consistent results and a process that worked.
“Sean is a dream to work with. He’s a passionate, creative visionary with top notch execution. He is extremely detail-oriented, taking my concepts and bringing them to life in ways I didn’t imagine. He’s an out-of-the-box thinker and problem-solver that always goes above and beyond.”
