Cheetos is a brand known for its playful irreverence and strong visual identity, often centered around the iconic “Cheetos dust” as a distinctive and recognizable orange element. When exploring opportunities for culturally relevant campaigns like Halloween, the challenge was to connect this brand asset to a broader entertainment context in a way that felt both unexpected and instantly understandable.
How might we translate Cheetos’ visual language into a culturally resonant idea that remains bold, simple, and scalable?
I approached this by looking for a conceptual bridge between the product and a recognizable cultural moment. The collaboration with Wandinha (Wednesday) created that opportunity, specifically through the character “Thing,” a disembodied hand with a strong visual presence. The idea emerged from a simple connection: Cheetos-covered fingers naturally resemble ‘Thing’, turning a familiar product behavior into a culturally recognizable visual.
From there, the focus shifted to developing this idea into a flexible visual system that could work across different formats. Rather than treating each asset as a standalone execution, I explored how composition, lighting, and tone could reinforce both the eerie aesthetic of the show and the bold, humorous nature of the brand. The goal was to maintain clarity of the concept while allowing for variation and scalability.
Generative AI supported the process as a tool for rapid visual exploration. It enabled faster iteration, but also required careful curation since many outputs lacked the precision or intentionality needed to align with the brand and campaign idea. This reinforced the importance of strong creative direction, with AI acting as an amplifier rather than a decision-maker. To each audience, I tailored a background that reflects their identity: the first, Streaming Lovers; the second, Wandinha (Wednesday). The combination of visuals and copy gave each ad a more personal, contextual feel. I used Adobe Firefly (Nano Banana), Midjourney, and Runway to bring these to life.
The result is a concept that ties product, behavior, and culture into a single visual idea, while remaining flexible enough to scale across executions. More broadly, this project highlights how generative tools can expand creative exploration, but the strength of the outcome still depends on the clarity of the idea and the ability to guide it with intention.
Default
Streaming
