💙 A Smurfy Takeover: Celebrating 50 Years Across Europe

SMURFS 50th anniversary UNICEF action in Europe

In 2008, The Smurfs turned 50 — and they didn’t celebrate quietly. In a playful and heartwarming stunt, 15 European cities were “Smurfed” overnight, launching a year-long campaign that combined nostalgia, creativity, and purpose.

From Barcelona to Brussels, commuters awoke to find white Smurf figurines mysteriously placed in parks, fountains, and public squares. The figurines weren’t just decoration — they were part of a UNICEF-backed art and charity project that brought together fans, children, and celebrities for a cause.

But this whimsical spectacle needed to be seen far beyond the streets of Europe. That’s where Telemak (now 2 Stream)came in.

🎥 Capturing the Blue Magic – City by City

As the official production partner, 2 Stream was entrusted with filming the Smurf invasion simultaneously across 15 cities — a massive coordination challenge that we proudly took on.

With a combination of:

• 🎥 Fixed cameras capturing the figurines in iconic cityscapes

• 🚶‍♂️ Roving teams documenting real-time reactions and Smurf-themed activities

• 🖥️ Rapid editing & upload pipelines for press and social media use

We made sure the joy and surprise of the event reached not just passersby, but Smurf fans and media outlets worldwide— within hours.

🎨 The Figurines: From Streets to Stories

Each Smurf figurine, made of biodegradable material, was intended to be painted, personalized and eventually auctioned. Celebrities and kids alike contributed their art. These customized Smurfs were later sold, raising over €124,700 for UNICEF’s Schools for Africa initiative.

Some highlights:

• 50 golden Smurfs hidden across cities for lucky fans to find

• Traveling exhibitions across Europe

• Exclusive anniversary comic book reprint by Peyo’s original studio

🌍 A Global Story, Made Possible by 2 Stream

Thanks to our real-time coordination, technical agility, and storytelling approach, 2 Stream helped turn a local street surprise into a continent-wide celebration, seen across news channels, social platforms, and fan communities in more than 20 countries.

Our legacy as Telemak gave us the tools.

Our evolution as 2 Stream gave it reach.