'EVERYONE WELCOME.' UW-Stout Polytechnic students – and professor Jesse Woodward, who owns Aurora Bell Tower Studios LLC – worked with the Menomonie Market Food Co-op on a new animated commercial that's driving foot traffic at the local grocer. (Screen grab via commercial)

Menomonie Market Food Co-op (MMFC) has seen a boost in guests recently after launching an animated commercial on social media, promoting its $6 Monday Value Meals. Available at both the Menomonie and Eau Claire locations, the meals provide a healthy, affordable option with fresh, local ingredients and can be enjoyed in their family-friendly dining areas or as a take-home option.

The 45-second animated commercial – now found across MMFC's Instagram, Facebook and TikTok pages – was made in collaboration with UW-Stout Polytechnic animation and digital media students Alyssa Hills and Lin Fullen as part of their field experience at Aurora Bell Tower Studios LLC, owned by Assistant Professor Jesse Woodward. 

Under the direction of Woodward, Hills and Fullen served as background artists, animators and illustrators on the project.

“We’ve received a fantastic response to the commercial on social media, and we continue to see a steady stream of customers coming in for the meals,” Marketing Manager April Aken said. 

Aken and Measha Vieth, also part of the MMFC crew, can be heard via voiceover in the animation.

“Jesse, Alyssa and Lin’s encouragement, friendly demeanor and expert guidance truly set the tone. They absolutely captured our vision, perfectly representing our co-op as the friendly, fun and welcoming space that we strive to be every day,” Aken said.

For other businesses looking to collaborate with UW-Stout Polytechnic faculty and students, Aken says to “go for it,” calling the support of local talent “essential to a thriving community.”

“Now, more than ever, it is important to recognize the value of human-made art and the unique heart and personality it brings to a business. You can truly see the time, love and labor they poured into this project, and it has made a wonderful impact,” she said.

Connecting with Audiences Through Animation

In the animation, viewers are greeted by warm smiles and warm food. A group of friends – six animated fruits and vegetables – gathers around a table and invites others to join them at the Menomonie Market. 

Hills thinks the animation element brought a spark to the commercial that other media couldn’t.

“Animation is, in my opinion, undervalued as a medium. There are certain things that you can accomplish with animation that wouldn’t be as successful with other mediums,” she said. “With animation, you also have more freedom to execute effects and tell a story exactly how you want it.”

“Before we even touched a pen to page or presented our first ideas, we did market research. During the first few days of preproduction, I looked at common marketing ads for both local small-town shops and large branded companies to get an idea of what could be expected of us and to be prepared with questions that could lead to a more perfect idea of a final product," Fullen said of their inspiration for the animation. (Image via UW-Stout Polytechnic)

Hills and Fullen used Toon Boom Harmony, an industry-standard software for 2D animation, which Woodward teaches in his classes. They used Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects and Procreate to create highly detailed food illustrations and other animation. (Screen grab via commercial)

“The Menomonie Market is a local business that operates on the support of its locals. Stout, while also local, can provide a service in seeking to educate the population and, by extension, improve the local area. When those two mix, they create opportunities that are mutually beneficial for the company and the college, with students gaining hands-on learning experience,” Fullen said.

This article was originally published by UW-Stout Polytechnic and has been edited for publication in Volume One • The Menomonie Market Food Co-op operates two locations in the Chippewa Valley • UW-Stout Polytechnic (712 Broadway St. S., Menomonie) is home to one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest, learn more about the School of Art & Design online