From Constraints to Breakthrough Creativity: Quesada's Quirky TV Commercial

The foundation of a successful commercial campaign begins with establishing clear objectives and key messages, as well as identifying project constraints. This enables marketers to set targets and foster inspiration — ultimately leading to a powerful campaign. At Black Box Productions we turn project constraints into creative fuel.

The Challenge

Quesada, the popular Canadian fast-casual restaurant chain known for its fresh, Mexican-inspired dishes, approached us with a unique objective: tackle the perennial issue of people mispronouncing their restaurant's name. They wanted a single creative asset with a humorous approach that could resonate with audiences in both English and French, across TV and social media. The client felt strongly that the campaign would not rely on any Mexican tropes or stereotypes.

The Creative Approach

Since the campaign needed to be versioned in French and English, we knew that voiceover — as opposed to scripted dialogue — would be the most effective approach to deliver key messages in multiple languages without filming twice.

Inspired by nature documentaries and the film "Stranger Than Fiction," our creative director Ben Goloff envisioned a captivating narrative: the Noble Burrito-Eater as the subject of a nature documentary, narrated in the style of David Attenborough. The humour stemmed from the narrator's struggle to pronounce the restaurant's name, Quesada, until the frustrated Burrito Eater shouts "QUESADA!" — delivering the punchline of the spot.

During the initial pitch, we also experimented with AI-generated voiceovers to illustrate the concept. The client liked the proof-of-concept, but recognizing the importance of a human touch and being able to direct the performance, we opted to work with a professional voice actor. During an hour-long recording session, we refined the delivery to achieve the tone we were seeking.

The Execution

Storyboarding played a pivotal role in bringing our vision to life. Detailed plans facilitated efficient shot planning and minimized wasted time during filming. The creative approach of this campaign made it easy to version across formats. By keeping framing and composition versatile and telling the story with a single actor, we were able to capture footage that seamlessly translated into different aspect ratios (16:9, 1:1 and 9:16), including traditional TV spots, web videos, and social media content in both English and French. Our client liked the campaign creative so much, that they asked us to apply the concept to a radio ad as well.

We utilized a nimble 10-person crew filming on an Alexa Mini cinema camera. To capture mouth-watering close-up shots of the food, we combined a probe lens with a camera slider — enabling us to showcase tasty food details while incorporating dynamic movements. A dedicated food stylist ensured the food appeared appetizing and visually appealing throughout.

The Result

The TV and radio spots are now airing regularly during sports events in select provinces across Canada. This project proves that constraints are not limitations but a springboard for creativity.

• Successful creative processes thrive within constraints
• Collaboration, clarity, and visualization are essential for concept development
• Flexibility to adapt and expand campaigns based on client feedback is crucial
• Constraints are not impediments but catalysts for innovative ideas and execution