ELEMIS REBRAND

ELEMIS underwent a major brand transformation led by Creative Director Becky Smith in collaboration with Spring Studios, redefining its visual identity across colour, typography, and logo. Central to this vision was the concept of “above and below”, balancing sensorial botanicals like rose and starflower oil with marine actives such as Padina Pavonica and red algae, alongside a strong commitment to inclusivity across all ages and ethnicities.

The challenge was to translate this multidimensional vision into motion, creating a cohesive video language that could authentically represent both the brand’s scientific depth and human diversity. At the outset, there was no established motion system to guide this, requiring a framework that could unify storytelling, casting, sound, and visual identity across global campaigns while maintaining a premium, immersive feel.

As Head of Video, I played a key role in shaping the motion language for the rebrand, marking a clear progression into leading video direction across the global brand team. I developed early look and feel explorations using existing and stock footage, editing and grading test films that defined the visual tone, pacing, and narrative structure. These were presented to founders and senior stakeholders for approval, forming the foundation for the final campaign direction.

Working closely with Becky Smith and the wider art direction team, I helped translate the rebrand into a cinematic motion system that balanced “above and below” storytelling with a strong focus on human representation. The films featured a diverse cast of models across ages and ethnicities, with motion and edit crafted to celebrate skin, texture, and individuality alongside ingredient storytelling. I introduced fluid transitions, layered compositions, and a sensorial approach to pacing to connect product, nature, and people seamlessly.

I also placed a strong emphasis on ASMR-inspired sound design, blending natural and real-world audio, from insects to ambient London soundscapes, to heighten immersion and bring the brand world to life. Following the shoot, directed by Candice Lo with post-production support from Luke Shelley at Candlelight Films, I oversaw the optimisation, finalisation, and deployment of all video assets, alongside additional editing for social outputs.

In parallel, I redefined logo placement across motion and initiated the ELEMIS Motion and Video Bible, establishing a global standard for video and motion across pre- and post-production. The result was a cohesive, inclusive, and elevated motion identity that fully realised the rebrand vision, embedding a new visual and sonic language into ELEMIS’ global creative output.

TEAM - Creative Direction Becky Smith, Art Direction Lara Al-Hadeedi, Charlotte Mills and Olivia Roseanna, Graphic Art Direction SPRING STUDIOS, Video grade and edit support of Luke Shelley at Candlelight Films, Video and Motion Art Direction, Production & Digital Design by Charly Hoyle