This paid YouTube ad campaign needed to cut through to adult smokers fed up of the challenges of needing to smoke while travelling - communicating the anytime, anywhere product benefit in a bold, entertaining way.

The concept played with the unskippable nature of the ad and broke the 4th wall. I scripted two scenarios, with different heroes (a leisure and business traveller) caught up in delays and queues, unable to smoke, while beset by annoying passengers representing VELO’s other audiences. The ads were filmed in a purpose-built set, completely painted in brand blue, with practical effects like invisible wires and clever camera tricks to create floating signs and the impression of train seats.

The videos were rolled out to VELO’s audiences on YouTube… and became their most successful ad campaign of the past 5 years.