Two Characters in Music in One Visual Narrative Through Coke Studio's Collaboration with Rakhmat Jaka
Designer: Ogilvy Singapore x Rakhmat Jaka
Client: Coke Studio
Scope: Illustration
Ogilvy Singapore collaborated with Indonesian visual artist Rakhmat Jaka, to become one of the collaborators for the Coke Studio vinyl project, a project from Coca-Cola which often carries out multi-genre collaborations. Interviewed by Grafis Masa Kini, Rakhmat Jaka explained that the vinyl project he was working on was a celebration of the seventh season of the TV program Coke Studio Philippines. In celebration of this, Coke Studio vinyls containing original tracks from various musicians, were produced on a limited basis. Since its release at the end of March 2024, this vinyl project has attracted the attention of many people. The zoetrope technique used in the vinyl project animation makes Rakhmat Jaka's illustrations look playful and brings the music recorded on the vinyl to life through moving visuals that shape a narrative.
Elaborating on the design process for this vinyl project, Jaka explained that the brief he received was quite clear with an explanation of the musicians' background and keywords that could be translated into visuals. In taking on this project, the main challenge Jaka faced was how to create a unified story on one vinyl from two different musicians. Jaka finally tried to combine the two characters in the same narrative through his illustrations. "In the illustration, I depict Zack Tabudlo (Filipino musician) with a modern character as an urbanite who likes riding motorbikes, and Dwta (Filipino musician), has a character who is very attached to nature and her ethnic roots," Jaka clarified.
Eventually, the narrative formed through Jaka's illustrations is a journey from a modern city to the mountains dominated by natural landscapes. "By combining musical elements throughout the journey," added Jaka. Another challenge that Jaka encountered in working on this vinyl project was adapting the illustration to the Zoetrope animation technique. Teeking, a Zoetrope animator from Australia, specifically lended a hand with this project. "Because this animation is only limited to 43 frames, there must be adjustments in the illustration because it cannot be too complex and the animation must be simple and of course it must be able to loop to keep it interesting."
For admirers of Rakhmat Jaka's work, seeing his illustrations "come to life" and moving is refreshing. With the Zoetrope technique, Jaka's distinctive lines and shapes are increasingly highlighted and move dynamically. When played along with music from Zack Tabudlo and Dwta, Jaka's illustrations move along, making these two different mediums into one whole. The various shapes in Jaka's illustrations successfully describe and differentiate the character of the music recorded and released on vinyl. Jaka himself admitted that he was happy with his collaboration with Ogilvy Singapore for Coke Studio. "I'm definitely happy to be able to collaborate with an agency as big as Ogilvy and a brand as big as Coca-Cola," said Jaka. The artist also said that he enjoyed the creative process of this project which was relaxed but still progressing.
Project information:
Photo & Video:
(Copyright © Coke Studio & Ogilvy Singapore, 2024)
Illustrators: Rakhmat Jaka, Vanilla Chi, Mathieu Labrecque
Design: Coke Studio, Ogilvy Singapore
Creative director: Nikhil Panjwani
Art Director: Hugo Suissas
Design Lead: Anna Gregorio
Copywriter: Tiago Silva
Program Director: Eugenia Ngan
Project Integration Lead: Grace Lee
Animator: Tee Ken NG
