Task

Invite everyone to celebrate moomins’ 80th birthday

For eight decades, the Moomins have brought joy, mischief, and timeless wisdom to people of all ages across the world. To kick off the celebrations with a touch of magic, we wanted to give all the wonderful Moomin fans a way to participate and make the anniversary year their own.

So, we created a new world for the celebrations. One that sits right next to the one and only Moominvalley.

Starting point

Moomins are the antidote to the fast-paced, polarised digital world

Dynamic social media platforms have drained our ability to focus and live in the moment. And every day, we pick up the pace. This shift in tempo—along with the rise of AI—has also reshaped the creative process, favoring inhumane speed and efficiency over thoughtful craftsmanship. But art isn’t just about the outcome; it’s also (or mostly, depending on who you ask) about the process. Getting your hands dirty, losing yourself in the hours, solving a puzzle piece by piece.

The Moomins have always championed cozy crafting and unhurried adventuring. Inspired by their ethos of slowing down, we created a world where everyone can pour their unique imagination and thoughts into pure art.

Good gracious me! Have you got a cave all of your own?

-Moominmamma,
Comet in Moominland, 1946

Challenge

Honor tove Jansson’s art – but inspire people to create something new

The Moomins are Tove Jansson’s life’s work, so when we began planning the 80th-anniversary activation, it was clear that we had to stay true to the world she created. At the same time, we wanted devoted fans to take center stage and truly immerse themselves in the world of the Moomins. A static gallery, for example, just wouldn’t cut it. So what to do, then?

IDEA

everyone can create their own interpretation of the moominhouse

There’s only one Moominhouse, but in our imaginations, it takes countless forms. We wanted people to create their own interpretations of this welcoming house, whose doors are always open. For the first time ever, fan-made content would be featured on Moomin.com. We invited people to draw, paint, build—or even dance and perform—their Moominhouse to life, giving them a space to share their creations with the world. The only rule? No AI!

True to the adventurous spirit of the Moomins, we created a little world, a map, to serve as the gallery for these creations.

I’ll think about that tomorrow, I’ve more important things on my mind now.

-Moomintroll,
Moominpappa at Sea, 1965

Execution

A digital village of carefully hand-crafted houses

The final creation is a rich, detail-filled little valley nestled right next to the familiar Moominvalley. This digital village showcases the picturesque houses crafted by fans, along with many well-known and lesser-known Moomin characters. Users enter the valley through the clouds and can freely peek into the windows of each dwelling, discovering the submitted works of fans. They can also leave a like or share any creation on social media. It’s all about charming, leisurely scrolling—an invitation to unplug and enjoy.

While the focus isn’t on competition, the most exceptional submissions will be celebrated and awarded later in the spring.

Visual design

A delicately drawn tribute to Tove’s timeless artwork

From a visual design perspective, we had a unique opportunity to dive into Tove Jansson’s original books, uncovering drawings of animals, plants, houses, and Moomin characters—then bringing them to life in the digital world, even animating many of them. This was a meticulous craft challenge, as it required staying strictly true to Jansson’s art; retouching the originals or creating entirely new elements is a rarity for the Moomin brand.

We approached this opportunity with the utmost care while also leaving a small mark of our own, introducing a few new designs, on the beloved brand’s history.

Results

thousands of hours of pure and simple play

Our campaign kicked off the 80th-anniversary celebrations, giving this special year an immediate global boost. Within just the first few weeks, we received hundreds of entries from all over the world—from Japan to the US, Germany, Poland, and the UK, to name a few—not to mention tens of thousands of visitors. And beyond the numbers, what’s not even reflected in the statistics is the countless students and teachers who have used the provided school materials in workshops, spending heaps of hours learning about the Moomins and crafting their own houses.

But in the end, all of this is just the icing on the cake.

What truly matters are the thousands of hours of creative genius, pure joy, and hands-on craftsmanship that people have poured into their moominous houses. It’s time-consuming, a little chaotic, and sometimes even frustrating. But above all, it’s creativity at its best. Pure, simple, and deeply human.