Impactful commercials are more than just advertisements—they’re opportunities to tell stories, evoke emotions, and form meaningful connections with audiences. When done right, a commercial transcends its purpose of selling a product, becoming an art form that strengthens brand identity, builds trust, and leaves a lasting impression.
As a Promax BDA Winner, my journey has been shaped by a passion for storytelling and creative excellence. At a young age, my work for Heinz earned a Silver Award, graced the cover of Archive Magazine, and set the foundation for a career rooted in creativity. My personal films have also garnered acclaim, winning the Stage 32 Grand Prize, Malibu Film Festival, and many others worldwide.
In this guide, I’ll share insights from working with global brands like Cartier, Coca-Cola, and Sephora, exploring how to blend narrative and visuals to create commercials that drive emotional engagement and deliver ROI.
Get ready to discover the art of crafting commercials that resonate, inspire, and endure.
The Art of Commercials: Why They Matter
Every great commercial has two critical elements: storytelling and precision. In today’s saturated market, brands are no longer selling products but lifestyles, emotions, and values. Commercials become the medium for communicating this message in a way that resonates.
For global brands like Cartier and Sephora, commercials reflect their luxury and empowerment. For Coca-Cola, they’re about happiness and human connection. Each project demands a unique visual and narrative approach tailored to its audience while staying authentic to the brand.
Insights From My Work with Global Brands
Collaborating with some of the world’s most iconic brands has taught me that impactful commercials begin with deeply understanding a brand’s essence and audience. Combining authentic storytelling, personal insights, and cultural relevance, I’ve crafted campaigns that resonate emotionally and elevate brand identity. Here are key takeaways from my experiences:
Behind the Scenes of Cartier Valentine ‘Love Bracelet’: A CGI Celebration of Love
For Cartier’s Valentine’s Day campaign in China, I had the privilege of directing a full CGI production for the iconic Love Bracelet. The project, created for Nurun at Publicis, combined luxury and romance, presenting the bracelet as part of a unique gift experience with an exclusive helicopter trip.
With almost complete creative freedom, working as a creative duo with Sylvie Kynn. I crafted a 3D animation showcasing Cartier’s elegance while resonating with the cultural significance of Chinese Valentine’s Day. The result was a visual piece celebrating love, positioning Cartier as the ultimate symbol of devotion in the Chinese market.
The Power of 3D Visualization in Product Commercials
Working with 3D visualization is a fantastic tool, especially when focusing on products like jewelry, perfume, cars, etc. This technique provides complete freedom of movement and exceptional fidelity, allowing detailed control over lighting and presentation.
Takeaway: CGI to elevate product commercials to new heights
This project demonstrates how CGI can craft visually stunning campaigns that are culturally tailored to resonate with specific markets. By aligning brand identity with meaningful experiences, you can create content that leaves a lasting emotional impact on audiences.
By leveraging 3D visualization techniques, brands can elevate their product commercials to new heights, creating visually stunning and impactful content that resonates with consumers. This approach not only enhances the viewing experience but also effectively communicates the product’s value and appeal.
Coca-Cola: Branded Music Videos with Global Celebrities
For Coca-Cola’s Coke Studio, I had the privilege of directing and producing two branded music videos featuring major global talents: C-Pop star Xin Liu (刘雨昕) for Boom Tick Boom and the renowned French duo Ofenbach for Real Life.
Coke Studio Concept
Coke Studio is Coca-Cola’s unique initiative to fuse music and brand storytelling. It brings together international artists to create original songs and performances. It’s a global platform that connects diverse cultures through the universal language of music, making it an impactful tool for brand engagement.
Production Highlights
Boom Tick Boom: Working with Xin Liu (刘雨昕), one of China’s most influential C-Pop stars, the video celebrated youthful energy and Coca-Cola’s brand essence. The project targeted the Chinese market, blending vibrant visuals with music that resonates with a younger audience.
Real Life: This production with Ofenbach was a cross-continental collaboration, filmed in Beijing for the scenes involving Xin Liu with another team in Paris for the duo’s sequences. Under the global direction of Dan Massie, I was tasked with ensuring the production and directing the part done in China.
The Power of Working with Celebrities
Collaborating with celebrities like Xin Liu (刘雨昕) and Ofenbach elevates the reach and impact of branded content. Celebrities bring a built-in audience and credibility that amplifies the brand message, creating an emotional connection between the artist’s persona and the product.
Why Branded Music Videos Work
Branded music videos, such as these, are powerful tools for:
- Storytelling: They blend product placement with artistic narratives that engage viewers emotionally.
- Cultural Relevance: Music transcends borders, making it an ideal medium for global campaigns.
- Brand Alignment: The Coke Studio concept aligns Coca-Cola with themes of creativity, diversity, and connection, reinforcing its image as more than just a product—a lifestyle.
Takeaway: Working with celebrities and branded music videos
Working with celebrities in branded music videos creates authentic connections with target audiences, leveraging star power and artistic storytelling to elevate brand identity. These videos become more than advertisements—they are cultural moments that resonate globally.
Sephora – Spotlight Your Skin “The Photo Booth” Campaign: A Global Brand Video for the Thai Market
Creating a campaign for a globally recognized brand like Sephora required more than just showcasing its products—it needed to evoke a personal, relatable experience that resonates with consumers. For this campaign, Spotlight Your Skin, and this particular video, titled “The Photo Booth,” I was tasked with crafting a video that captured the essence of Sephora’s brand experience, tailored specifically for the Thai market while delivering impact on a global scale.
The Challenge: Bringing the Store Experience to Life
Stores are natural touchpoints for connecting with a brand, offering immersive experiences and easy product access. However, filming inside a store posed significant challenges, particularly maintaining control over visual aesthetics, lighting, and design consistency.
Instead of focusing directly on the store environment, I sought a creative solution that symbolized Sephora’s experience while offering a highly stylized and visually controlled approach.
The Concept: Empowerment Through a Photo Booth
Drawing from my love for Sephora and relatable experiences like taking photos in a booth, I developed a concept where the photo booth became a metaphor for the store. The booth embodied empowerment and self-expression, allowing consumers to explore Sephora’s products in a playful, intimate setting.
- Visual Symbolism: The booth design integrated Sephora’s iconic black-and-white stripes and logo, directly connecting it to the brand’s identity.
- Relatable Experience: In the booth, consumers “tried on” products in a fun, dynamic way, mirroring the excitement of browsing a Sephora store with friends.
- Diverse Representation: The booth became a vibrant, club-like space featuring an eclectic cast that showcased inclusivity and celebration, key pillars of Sephora’s values.
Art Direction and Execution
As director and creative director, the production/agency and I extended the concept across the entire campaign, including videos, photos, and in-store elements. This cohesive approach ensured the campaign resonated across all touchpoints:
- Multichannel Reach: The content was deployed globally, appearing on TV, online platforms, LED screens in stores, and urban displays, creating an authentic 360-degree marketing experience.
- Catchy Music: Energetic and memorable music complemented the campaign, amplifying its playful and empowering tone.
- Visually Striking Design: Bold art direction and carefully curated aesthetics elevated the booth as a symbol of Sephora’s innovation and creativity.
The Results: A Record-Breaking Campaign
The campaign’s relatable concept and playful execution made an immediate impact. By focusing on empowerment and self-expression, it connected deeply with the audience. The result? Sephora sold out all the products tied to the campaign in record time, marking it a standout success.
Takeaway: Why Relatable Concepts Work
This project highlights the power of connecting a brand’s identity to relatable, everyday experiences. By creating a personal and engaging campaign, we transformed shopping into a moment of empowerment, making Sephora’s products not just desirable but essential.
How to Create Commercials That Resonate
Want to craft impactful commercials? Here are my key strategies:
1. Start with the Story
A good story is the foundation of any memorable commercial. Ask yourself: What emotion should this commercial evoke? What’s the brand’s core message?
Think of your commercial as a mini-movie with a beginning, middle, and end. Even in 30 seconds, a strong narrative can connect emotionally with viewers.
2. Visuals That Speak
High-quality visuals are essential. Use cinematography techniques like lighting, camera angles, and dynamic movement to match the story’s tone.
Incorporate innovative tools like FPV drones, motion control robots, XR visuals or unique set designs to stand out in a crowded market.
3. Know Your Audience
Global campaigns require understanding cultural nuances. What works in one market may not resonate in another. For example, Coca-Cola’s Asian festive campaigns required vibrant storytelling aligned with local traditions.
Research your target audience and create commercials that align with their values and preferences.
4. Focus on Emotional Engagement
The most successful commercials are those that create an emotional connection. Whether it’s joy, nostalgia, or inspiration, tap into universal feelings everyone can relate to.
Music, color grading, and pacing all play a role in evoking emotions.
5. Drive ROI Through Actionable Messages
While creativity is vital, every commercial needs a clear call to action (CTA). For example, Sephora’s Spotlight Your Skin, aka “The Photo Booth,” campaign transformed product discovery into an engaging, relatable experience, prompting immediate in-store and online purchases. A strong CTA drives results by turning viewers into customers.
Conclusion
Crafting impactful commercials combines art, strategy, and personal connection. You can create campaigns that elevate brand identity and leave a lasting impression by focusing on storytelling, striking visuals, and emotional resonance.
Using personal and relatable ideas drawn from your experiences adds authenticity and depth to the work, making it more meaningful and impactful for audiences.
Want to see these principles in action? Check out my commercials portfolio for examples of how I’ve helped global brands like Cartier, Coca-Cola, and Sephora connect with audiences worldwide.
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