Role: Art Director | Cinematographer | On-Camera Talent

Brief

As Capital One prepared for a nationwide hiring push, I was selected to lead creative content for the retail café experience, contributing to a broader social media campaign titled “Of Course”—a playful nod to the company’s culture of support, autonomy, and self-expression. The goal was to boost brand visibility across platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook by showing what it truly feels like to work at Capital One—in both corporate and customer-facing roles.

Approach

To bring this message to life, I positioned the café experience as a creative, empowering, and human-centered environment. As a frontline associate myself, I understood how to showcase that working in a Capital One Café is unlike any other role—merging world-class customer service with room to explore personal passions and growth.My direction emphasized:

• Bright, lively visuals to evoke optimism and belonging.

• Candid moments between teammates and customers that reinforce authenticity.

• Messaging that aligned with brand pillars like autonomy, innovation, and creativity, speaking directly to Gen Z and Millennial job seekers.

Obstacles & Challenges

• Filmed during live business hours, requiring careful navigation of audio quality, multiple takes, and waiver consent from customers visible in footage.

• Managed security and IT protocol challenges related to uploading content on internal systems with firewalls.

• Navigated limited filming windows and internal approvals, coordinating with stakeholders to secure café access and manage operations during production.

Results

• Content was featured across Capital One’s external channels: Instagram Reels, Stories, Twitter (X), and Facebook campaigns.

• Customers began recognizing me from the videos and engaging in real conversations about working at Capital One, helping drive organic interest and café traffic.

• The campaign boosted morale internally, especially in cafés, where peers felt seen and represented.

• Named point-of-contact by Capital One’s headquarters social media team for future café campaigns and trend-based content initiatives nationwide.

Art Direction Highlights

• Developed the creative tone and visual direction: uplifting, inclusive, vibrant, and culture-forward.

• Served as on-site art director, cinematographer, and shoot producer, managing talent direction, lighting, and flow of the café-based content.

• Partnered in post-production by co-reviewing edits with in-house editors, offering frame-specific feedback to align with the brand’s voice.

• Ensured brand consistency through Capital One’s mission of diversity, inclusion, and belonging, while embedding the company’s hiring story into every scene.

Tools & Software Used

• Filming Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro Max, DJI Gimbal, DJI Mic

• Editing & Review: Adobe Premiere Pro, Vimeo

• Collaboration: Google Docs, Sheets, Slides