This stop-motion animated short from Mailchimp follows two friendly grocers, Raj and Stan, who run a quiet local shop. Their peace is interrupted when a massive, automated “Super Supermarket” opens next door.
They investigate the noisy competitor and find cold self-checkouts and an aggressive cleaning robot that chases them out. Defeated, they return to their store. Instead of trying to compete with tech and scale, they pivot. They rename their store “Community Store” and create a welcoming space for customers to connect over coffee. By leaning into personal service and warmth, their shop thrives again—proving that heart can beat automation.
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget)
Highlight a real fear: Small businesses competing with big corporations
The story taps into a core fear for small business owners—being replaced by faceless, high-tech giants. The superstore represents that threat with its robots and sterile design.
→ Lesson: Address your audience’s biggest fear and offer hope through emotional storytelling.
Make your customer the hero: The community grocers win with values
This is a classic underdog story. The grocers don’t beat the superstore with size or automation. They win by focusing on community, comfort, and human connection.
→ Lesson: Position your audience as the hero and show how your brand helps them win by being true to themselves.
No product needed: Just values and storytelling
Mailchimp never shows its platform in the ad. Instead, it tells a story that aligns with its audience—small business owners—proving the brand understands and supports them.
→ Lesson: Build trust through content that reflects your audience’s values, not just your features.
Humor Breakdown
The humor is soft, visual, and charming. Raj and Stan move in synchronized, stop-motion style that adds quirk. The overzealous cleaning robot becomes a funny villain—not threatening, just absurd.
This contrast between human warmth and tech overload creates gentle laughs that stick with viewers.
→ Lesson: Use visual comedy and low-stakes conflict to add personality to your brand without distracting from the message.
Final Verdict
Mailchimp turns a small business story into a relatable, heartfelt campaign. With no product pitch, it builds brand trust through emotional storytelling and smart humor.
By showing that community and connection can triumph over automation, Mailchimp aligns itself with the very people it serves—and does it with style.
BRAVE-o-meter Score :
B-9 | R-9 | A-8 | V-9 | E-7
BRAVE – 8.4/10
Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: mailchimp.com
LinkedIn: Mailchimp on LinkedIn
