The Craft
Q&As and behind-the-scenes info on the latest and greatest
commercials, shorts and music videos.
From 'feeling the pinch' to the Grinch: creating Asda's Xmas ad
shots speaks with Joe Bagnall, Head of Film at Lucky Generals, about how their team brought Dr Seuss Enterprises' legendary sourpuss, The Grinch, to life for ASDA's seasonal offering.
How Knightley & Wilkinson made Waitrose's Christmas
This year's Christmas ad avalanche brought a flurry of great spots, but it's Waitrose's rom-com that won hearts and minds. Here, creative team Jen Ashton and Oli Short, along with director Molly Manners, discuss perfect casting, balancing pace and performance, and getting Richard Curtis's blessing.
How Tesco found the funny in flawed festivities
Tesco’s latest Christmas campaign, That’s What Makes It Christmas, delivers a series of relatable, perfectly imperfect festive moments instead of one glossy seasonal epic. shots caught up with BBH ECD Felipe Serradourada Guimaraes and Biscuit Filmworks’ Jeff Low to learn how they brought a bit of honesty to holiday storytelling.
How Michael Gracey portrayed a child’s safe haven for Shelter
The award-winning Partizan director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman, Better Man) talks about the creation of the homeless charity’s Christmas ad: including the casting of a boy who could convey the film’s emotional duality – both its harsh realities and the emotional refuge that childhood glee and imagination offers.
How Quality Meats helped Mr. Submarine get freaky at fifty
With Chicago sub institution Mr. Submarine celebrating a half-century, Quality Meats, and in-house production arm Sandwiches, decided to create 50 wild, wacky and really, really weird spots in tribute to its advertising past and the city it calls home. shots caught up with QM founders Gordy Sang and Brian Siedband, alongside director Brad Morris, to find out how they found all the fillings.
True blood: How a pumpkin conveyed the real horror of endometriosis
This powerful campaign for The Menstrual Health Project used a Halloween-theme to authentically depict the agony of this misunderstood condition. TBWA\MCR Creative Director Rose Alder and Packer Productions Director Zeynep Oguz share production tales, including the frightening two-week timeframe.
How Mike Diva turned a mascot into a monster
20+ years after being freaked out by Gushers' unhinged child-morning candy commercials, Lord Danger director Mike Diva created a Halloween-teasing comedy horror starring Bradley Whitford and a juicy new monster. shots caught up with Diva to find out how some sweeties gave him the shivers.
How Will Wightman and a budget camera shot up a sh*thole
The Blinkink director's latest slice of insanity, This Place is a Sh*thole, creates a manic monster out of an everyday horror: messy housemates. Jamie Madge caught up with Wightman to get down and dirty with the production process, jungle soundtrack, and innovative use of consumer 360 cameras.
Some recent interviews in our "How To" series.
How Uncommon made football a funny old game
Flaming footballs, falling pianos, marching bands and monster trucks all feature in FC 26's epically entertaining spot. But what did it take to corral all these things (and a squad of star players) to create a footballing fever dream?
BBH’s picture perfect approach to out of home
With iconic brands such as Tesco, Häagen-Dazs and Burger King, BBH London has been able to create suitably iconic out of home work that has picked up plaudits and admiring glances in equal measure. ECD Felipe Serradourada Guimaraes and CPO Stephen Ledger Lomas tell Danny Edwards about their approach to the medium, its recent renaissance, and why trust trumps bravery.
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Anne-Sofie Lindgaard lifts the mask on her debut commercial
MindsEye's most recent directorial signing has just released her debut commercial spot, a powerful, Halloween-tinged film for domestic abuse charity I Choose Freedom. Using horror tropes the spot highlights the real-life terror faced by thousands of women and, here, Anne-Sofie Lindgaard discusses what went into bringing the campaign to the screen.
How Judith Veenendaal encouraged audiences to Feel
In August, director Judith Veenendaal, in collaboration with Bonkers United, division7, and SMUGGLER, released two powerful shorts that shine a poetic spotlight on the importance of self-checking for lumps. Now, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, shots caught up with Veenendaal to find out more about how the personal project came together.
How Erwin van den IJssel created infinite patterns for Playgrounds
Nexus Studios director Erwin van Den IJssel shares how he blended animation, typography and improvised jazz to create a frenetic title sequence celebrating the diverse talent at Playground's 2025 In Motion festival, held at the Barbican in London.