Ralph Lauren 'Wimbledon'

Some characters are instantly recognisable. They carry decades of history, personality, and emotional connection before they ever appear on screen. The Polo Bear is one of them.

For Ralph Lauren’s latest campaign, The Mill was tasked with bringing their beloved character into live-action environments, not simply as a digital asset, but as a fully realised presence with personality, charm, and authenticity.

The challenge was to preserve everything audiences love about the Polo Bear while creating the illusion that he had always existed in these beautifully crafted worlds. Achieving that balance required a close collaboration between artists across every discipline, from on-set supervision and animation to editing, lighting, compositing, and colour.

Across five films and 35 completed shots, The Mill’s artists worked over 7 weeks of production to create a seamless digital character, where every movement, gesture, and interaction was carefully considered.

Because behind every invisible VFX shot is a team of artists making thousands of creative decisions.

From Icon to Character: Finding the Soul of the Polo Bear

Before the Polo Bear could step into a real-world environment, the team first had to understand what made him unique.

“The challenge was not to change the character, but to discover how he would naturally exist in this world,” explains Alban Lelièvre, Animation Supervisor.

The animation team focused on creating a performance that felt specific to the Polo Bear: elegant, charming, slightly mischievous, and full of personality.

Rather than looking towards existing characters or actors for inspiration, the team built the performance from the Polo Bear’s own identity.

“We weren’t trying to imitate anyone,” says Alban. “We wanted to develop a performance that belonged only to him.”

Because the Polo Bear spends much of the campaign seated and interacting with Tom Hiddleston, the storytelling relied heavily on subtle acting choices. A glance, a pause, or a small adjustment could completely change the meaning of a scene.

“The smallest gestures often carry the most weight,” Alban explains. “Adjusting his glasses, tightening his tie, or carefully holding a teacup all reveal something about who he is.”

For the animation team, simplicity was often the biggest challenge. A movement that lasts only a few seconds on screen could require many iterations to find the exact emotional tone.

One of Alban’s favourite moments is a small piece of character acting: the Polo Bear’s anticipation before reaching for a bowl of strawberries.

“It’s a tiny action, but it tells you everything about his personality.”

Building Believability Through Invisible Details

Creating a convincing digital character is never about one single technical achievement. It is about hundreds of details working together.

For Mathias Barday, CG Supervisor, the priority was making sure the Polo Bear felt completely at home the moment he stepped into Ralph Lauren's live-action worlds.

The team paid particular attention to how the Polo Bear would physically exist within each scene: how light would fall across him, how shadows would land, and how he would interact with the environment around him.

“When the goal is invisible integration, every detail matters. Lighting and compositing are essential, but they only work because every department contributes to creating something believable.”