Unilever Sustainable Living Microfilms
An idea born from a shoestring budget, that went on to win awards
– Concept Development
– Script Development
– Art Direction
– Video Edit Direction
The Opportunity
Unilever needed to show staff and the public how the business and its brands were delivering on their sustainability goals. There were eight stories to tell on a tiny budget, with no funds to shoot or animate any new content.
The Approach
-
Found the idea — rather than treating the lack of budget as a limitation, I developed a creative that worked entirely from existing footage, and made content people might have seen before feel fresh and new
-
Wrote for the format, not around it — scripted succinct, 10-20 second stories per brand, each one naming that year's sustainability achievement, its environmental impact, and its business benefit
-
Cut for impact — delivered the scripts as quick cut text overlays, revealing one word at a time, timed to beat-driven audio. The old footage transformed into something that felt fast, punchy, and current
The Result
The films became some of the most-viewed content on Unilever's social platforms — proof that a tight script and sharp edit can sometimes be just as effective as a big production budget.
They later won Gold in their categories at both the EVCOM Clarion and Film Awards, and the Deauville Green Awards.
