What Are Gifts?
On YouTube, Gifts are animated stickers viewers send mid-stream, purchased with Jewels, as a way to show a creator they're watching, in real time. Fifty of them needed to feel like one family, not fifty different ideas.
From Sketch to Gift
Each asset starts as a rough sketch exploring shape and character, then moves through color, form, and material until it's ready to perform at full scale, at speed, in a live stream. Meant to read instantly at a small size, each gift carries its own personality while holding together as part of the same family.
AR Effects
The same expressive language extends into AR: effects viewers can wear directly, built inside YouTube's Effects Maker, so showing up for a creator doesn't stop at the chat window.
Problem
YouTube needed to grow its Gifts catalog for vertical livestreams with a set that could scale without turning into either a random grab-bag of ideas or a single, over-specific mascot people couldn't relate to.
Insight
A strong shared theme, broad enough to include everyone and specific enough to feel considered, was the only way to keep a large set feeling cohesive.
Solution
Brand New School designed a full system of 3D Gifts, AR effects, and combo animations, moving from sketch through color, form, and material to a consistent style built for legibility at speed and personality at small size.
Result
A gifting library built to scale across YouTube's full tier structure, extending into AR and combo mechanics designed to reward viewers the more they engage.
Credits
- Chief Creative OfficerJonathan Notaro
- Creative DirectorReza Rasoli
- Technical DirectorJustin Bakse
- Lead AnimatorAustin Weyer
- 3D AnimatorsChris FosterLenar SingatullovMohammed ElberkawiPete Germano
- DesignersBon ZhangNin WangValentino VilchesYi Chen Kuo
- 3D DesignersBon ZhangJuni KweonJean-Michel VerbeeckMohammed ElberkawiYoon Lee
- ModelerRyan Chong
- ProducerTiffany Tse
- Executive ProducerJohnna MacArthur
- Chief Operating and Financial OfficerDevin Brook