Making an unskippable ad in the form of a Converse commercial

We’ve all seen (and skipped) the obnoxious ads on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and streaming services. You wait to skip them – or worse, sit through them.

As a video marketer in a feed full of noise, how do you make something “unskippable”?

Over the past four years studying video marketing, I’ve learned that people engage most with media that makes them feel or care – something relatable, without pressure. Flashy visuals and hard sells rarely connect. How often does a shoe ad spinning fresh kicks under bright lights actually make you feel something? A good product ad should show how it feels to own something, not just how it looks or works. There’s room for the usual glamor shots, but I wanted to try something different.

That was the objective of my project: to make something people wouldn’t avoid, but wanted to watch, share, and rewatch.

My main goals were:

• To showcase professional production quality – cinematography, sound, story. Not the most important part of a narrative, but still essential.
• To tell a compelling story without showing faces. Faces are often the core of connection, so if I could make people feel the story without them, the audience could project themselves into it – and into the product.
• To deliver a high-quality ad with minimal crew and almost no budget.

I felt successful in those goals. The cinematography supported the story rather than distracting from it. The plot left space for viewers to fill in the blanks with their own experiences. Why was she mad? What happened between them? I had answers as the director, but I left it open so viewers could make it their story.

I directed the actors with a light touch. Sometimes I gave no direction at all – just let them interact naturally in the environment. Their real-life chemistry created the most authentic moments, like in the minigolf scene. I focused more on helping them understand the emotional context than on hitting precise beats.

Logistically, the production was lean. The cast were volunteers, locations were donated, and the crew never exceeded three people – including me. I handled writing, preproduction, directing, camera work, and editing. A couple of others helped set up lights. The project took about 75 hours total: 25 in preproduction, 25 filming, 25 in post. With a small crew and a paid schedule, this could be completed in one workweek from concept to delivery.

The numbers support its impact. In just 24 hours on my personal Facebook page, it reached 10,000 organic views. On LinkedIn, where average view duration is 15 seconds, this video averaged 35 seconds.

Too many ads play it safe or copy what’s worked before. But good marketing isn’t about being safe. It’s about being fresh, memorable, and tailored to what your audience needs to see. If your story resonates, you don’t need to beg for attention – or blame the algorithm. People will stay. And maybe even hit replay.