Calum Abernethy

As Creative Designer, Animator and Web Developer at Wrapped, Calum combines creative design with animation, motion graphics and technical development to bring ideas to life across digital platforms. His ability to work across both design and technology allows him to create engaging visual experiences that are not only distinctive but also practical, accessible and suited to their intended audience.

Calum has particular experience in using animation and digital storytelling to communicate complex or sensitive subjects. He understands how movement, illustration, pacing and visual simplicity can make information easier to understand, especially when traditional formats or written content may struggle to connect with an audience.

A strong example of Calum’s expertise is his work on Every Body Deserves Kindness for Leeds Beckett University’s Obesity Institute. Developed to help primary school children explore weight stigma, body image, bullying and kindness, the campaign required a carefully considered creative approach that would make sensitive conversations accessible to children aged seven to nine.

Calum developed the animation’s visual concept by listening to interviews with the children and exploring ideas shared during the co-production workshop. Their perspectives helped shape a creative approach that made the campaign’s sensitive subject matter accessible and engaging for a young audience. Once the concept was approved, Calum storyboarded the animation around the agreed script before bringing the story to life through illustration and motion.

The animation formed a central part of a wider educational resource co-produced with children, including those with lived experience of weight stigma. Calum’s work brought the story to life through movement, timing and visual expression, helping communicate a sensitive subject in a way that was approachable, memorable and appropriate for classroom use.

The finished campaign has been shared through education and public-health networks, including Leeds Beckett University’s partner primary schools. It also received Silver at the 2026 Northern Digital Awards, recognising the wider team’s approach to combining research, creative storytelling and educational impact.

Alongside animation, Calum works across website design and development, digital assets and video content. His technical knowledge gives him an understanding of how creative ideas function across different platforms, enabling him to consider usability, accessibility and performance alongside visual design.

Calum also contributes to Wrapped’s specialist content, sharing his perspective on how creative and technical decisions influence digital experiences. In his article, Why Investing in a Strategic Website Saves Money in the Long Run, he explains why effective websites need to be planned around user needs, business objectives and long-term development rather than appearance alone.

Working directly with Wrapped’s research, strategy, content and digital specialists, Calum can take audience insights and creative concepts through to practical execution. His combination of design, animation and development skills helps bridge the gap between an idea and how people experience it, bringing creative thinking and technical understanding together to produce work that communicates clearly and connects with its audience.