category finalist
chris@thecanalcollective.com
RODAN + FIELDS - Love What You See
Rodan + Fields was entering national retail for the first time. The work couldn’t look like direct-selling content. It had to feel elevated, modern, and premium without losing credibility. And with an idea that expressed a feeling, the execution had to convey emotion and warmth.
And we had eight weeks. Craft became the differentiator.
Building a Science-Meets-Craftsmanship Visual System
The brand’s core tension, clinical rigor vs. emotional transformation, became the foundation of the aesthetic. We designed a visual language that balanced precision with warmth, laboratory cues layered with hand-touched elements.
Glass, light refraction, and structured compositions referenced formulation rigor. Soft gradients and luminous auras echoed the emotional payoff of transformation.
Typography was restrained and modern, allowing the product and skin to dominate. Handwriting was used to mirror the authenticity of the real-world consumer reviews. Motion graphics were minimal, precise, and intentional. Every detail served clarity.
Cinematography
Once key scenes were finalized, we reshot them on a Super 8 camera to introduce a subtle analog texture across the final cuts. This hybrid approach with digital film gave the videos a handcrafted, tactile quality without sacrificing precision or production speed.
Lighting was engineered to mimic dermatological environments – clean, directional, revealing – but softened with diffused glow to evoke radiance rather than artificial perfection. Close-ups were uncompromising. Skin was allowed to be skin, highlighting real results and reinforcing credibility. Every frame balanced efficacy with emotional resonance, turning transformation into a visible, believable experience.
Performance Craft
Editing favored longer beats over frantic cuts, reinforcing confidence in the product’s efficacy. Models were chosen for their authenticity and were shown in warm home environments rather than in stark white studios. Music was spare, yet unique and intriguing. The work didn’t chase attention. It commanded it.
Production Excellence Under Constraint
In three shoot days across two locations, we captured:
• 9 Anthem Films
• 18 Product Films
• Hundreds of beauty and product stills
Stills and motion were captured simultaneously to ensure aesthetic consistency across every channel, from social to retail to paid media. Every asset shared one cohesive visual system.
Despite the compressed timeline, no compromise was visible on screen.
The campaign drove engagement rates 45% above benchmark across paid and organic social. Branded search surged 57%, total search demand hit its highest level since 2023, and 80% of view-through conversions were initiated by our CTV ads.
Nominated for a 2025 Glossy Beauty Award (Best Brand/Sub-Brand Launch Campaign).
