Trads
Client: Trads, Glasgow, Scotland
Production Type: Promotional
Deliverables: 4x 2-minute videos
Project Overview: Trads is a premium sunglasses brand that blends timeless aesthetics with modern craftsmanship. They approached us to create a series of high-quality brand videos for their website and social media platforms. Our goal was to help define their brand identity through a visually striking and emotionally engaging campaign that resonated with their target audience. We produced two distinct campaigns: one to showcase Trads' summer collection and another to further develop their brand story. Each campaign was carefully crafted to capture the essence of Trads: elegance, adventure, and effortless style, while maintaining a consistent visual and tonal identity across all videos.
Campaign One: The Summer Collection
Pre-Production
For this campaign, we meticulously planned a three-day shoot in Madrid to highlight Trads' latest summer collection. The team included the brand’s founder, his manager, two photographers, a model, and me, all travelling from Glasgow. We collaborated with local models from across Spain to ensure an authentic feel. Pre-production involved securing shooting locations that reflected Trads' stylish yet relaxed identity, rooftop bars, bustling streets, and sun-drenched plazas. We also worked closely with the brand to align on aesthetics, ensuring consistency across all content. Mood boards, shot lists, and logistical plans were developed to streamline the production process.
Production
The first video was a commercial-style piece featuring three models. It followed a narrative where each model picked up a pair of Trads sunglasses, stepped out into the vibrant Madrid sunshine, and embraced the city's energy. The final scene brought them together at a rooftop bar, capturing the social and stylish essence of the brand. The second video was a highlight reel of the other models we filmed with. Without a strict storyline, this video captured the carefree and adventurous spirit of Trads' target audience, dancing, laughing, and enjoying the summer sun. The third video offered a behind-the-scenes look at the Trads crew’s journey, from boarding the flight in Glasgow to linking up with the models, capturing content, and enjoying the Madrid nightlife. This gave audiences an inside view of the brand’s creative process.
Post-Production
We focused on maintaining a cohesive colour grade and visual style to unify the campaign. The edits were sharp, energetic, and engaging, with a mix of dynamic cuts and smooth transitions that mirrored the brand’s aspirational yet effortless identity. Music selection played a crucial role in reinforcing the campaign’s mood, complementing the visuals with an upbeat, summery feel. Each video was optimised for multiple platforms, ensuring seamless integration across Trad's website and social media.
Results & Client Feedback
The Summer Collection campaign successfully showcased Trads as a premium yet accessible sunglasses brand. The videos provided them with a wealth of content to use across digital platforms, increasing brand awareness and customer engagement. The client was thrilled with how we captured their vision, emphasising the aspirational yet relatable lifestyle they wanted to convey.
Campaign Two: The Brand Story
Pre-Production
For the second campaign, we developed a story-driven concept that reflected Trads' ability to transport wearers to a better, more exciting place. Working closely with the client, we refined the narrative to ensure it aligned with their vision. We scouted locations that would visually contrast Glasgow’s rainy atmosphere with the warmth of Valencia. Offshore, a small independent coffee shop in Glasgow, kindly allowed us to film there for free, providing an intimate and cosy setting for the opening scene.
Production
The video followed a woman sitting alone in a coffee shop, staring out at the rain. A mysterious box appeared on her table, containing a pair of Trads sunglasses. When she put them on, she was transported to Valencia, bathed in sunlight. Removing them, she returned to Glasgow. After realising the power of the glasses, she embraced the fantasy, leaving the coffee shop with newfound excitement. Filming in two cities presented logistical challenges, particularly in achieving seamless transitions between the two environments. Careful framing and lighting ensured a cohesive look, making the transitions feel magical yet believable.
Post-Production
The edit was crafted to enhance the dreamlike quality of the story. Smooth, seamless transitions helped bridge the gap between Glasgow and Valencia, reinforcing the idea of instant transportation. Colour grading played a crucial role in creating contrast: Glasgow’s cool, muted tones shifted dramatically to the warm, golden hues of Valencia. The pacing was carefully balanced to build intrigue while keeping the narrative clear and engaging.
Results & Client Feedback
This campaign strengthened Trads’ brand storytelling, positioning them as more than just a sunglasses company, it established an emotional connection with their audience. The narrative-driven approach resonated deeply, making the product feel aspirational and lifestyle-enhancing. Trads was extremely satisfied with the final product, praising our ability to bring their vision to life while maintaining consistency across their brand identity.
Challenges
Every ambitious project comes with its own set of challenges, and our collaboration with Trads was no exception. From managing travel logistics to ensuring brand consistency across multiple videos, we faced a range of hurdles that required careful planning and creative problem-solving. Here are some of the key challenges we encountered:
Travel Logistics
Shooting in multiple locations across different countries required extensive coordination. Our team travelled from Glasgow to Madrid for the summer collection campaign and from Glasgow to Valencia for the brand story video. Scheduling flights, securing accommodations, transporting equipment, and ensuring smooth transitions between locations while sticking to a tight production schedule was a significant challenge. We overcame this by meticulous pre-planning, ensuring that every detail, from shoot timing to gear transport, was accounted for.
Consistency Across Videos
With multiple videos being created under two separate campaigns, it was crucial to maintain a unified look and feel that aligned with Trad's emerging brand identity. This meant keeping a consistent colour palette, tone, and cinematographic style across all content. We achieved this through careful shot composition, cohesive lighting setups, and a unified post-production workflow that ensured all videos felt like part of the same brand world.
Capturing Authenticity
One of the most important aspects of the campaign was to make the content feel organic and authentic rather than overly staged. Working with models from different backgrounds and cultures added to the natural energy of the videos, but it also required skilful direction to ensure the right balance between performance and realism. By fostering a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere on set, we encouraged natural interactions, allowing us to capture genuine moments of fun, excitement, and effortless style.
Seamless Transitions Between Locations
For the brand story video, transitioning between the rainy streets of Glasgow and the sunny atmosphere of Valencia had to feel seamless. This required precise framing and lighting techniques to ensure the visuals flowed naturally. In post-production, careful colour grading and transition effects were used to enhance the dreamlike transformation while keeping it believable and engaging.
Conclusion
This project was more than just a showcase of sunglasses, it was an exploration of mood, style, and the transformative power of a great pair of shades. By combining strong visual storytelling with stunning locations, we helped Trads craft a brand identity that goes beyond fashion, it’s a lifestyle, an attitude, a feeling. From Madrid’s rooftop bars to Valencia’s sunlit streets, each frame captured the spirit of adventure that defines Trads. Through these two campaigns, Trads now has a suite of high-quality video content that not only elevates their brand but also connects with their audience on an emotional level. We loved collaborating with them, and we can’t wait to see where their journey takes them next.
Trads | Summer Collection
Trads | Behind The Scenes
Trads | When In Madrid
Trads | Find Your Sunshine
