Software: Adobe Premiere Pro
Aim of Exercise: Recreating the Ads I Couldn’t Skip
Back in 2023, I was spending a lot of time online and, like everyone else, getting served a steady stream of ads. Some of them were unskippable. After being forced to watch the same ones repeatedly, I started wondering whether I could recreate one myself.
At the time, I was a few months into my Virtual Production role and quietly missing Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro. So, I wanted a creative outlet that would challenge me without pressure. No client. No deadline. Just curiosity.
This particular exercise recreates a Dyson ad I kept seeing. Visually, the two versions are remarkably close. I carefully matched the pacing, selected stock footage that mirrored the original casting, and rebuilt the motion graphics to sit almost identically. As a result, the finished piece feels very close to the source material. The real difference is simple: one was made by the original agency, and one was made by me.
In total, the process took roughly eight hours from idea to finish. I originally cut it in September 2023. However, I only wrapped it properly in January 2026 when I added the final “Visit Dyson.ie” end frame. I built the entire piece in Premiere Pro. Halfway through, though, I realised After Effects would have made certain elements easier. Lesson learned.
For the actors, I used stock footage from Pexels. This was purely an editing and recreation exercise. It was never intended as commentary on the original campaign or the agency behind it. In fact, I tried to track down the original agency to credit them but could not find that information.
What I enjoy most about exercises like this is the process itself. Reverse engineering something polished, you start to notice decisions you might otherwise overlook. Timing. Typography. Transitions. Sound design. You begin to understand just how much invisible craft goes into a fifteen second ad.
This piece forms part of a small creative challenge I set for myself. Each month, I aim to make something purely for experimentation. In order to keep lesser used skills sharp while giving myself permission to play. No pressure. No outcome. Just experimentation and playful chaos.
Pexels Footage Used
https://www.pexels.com/olia-danilevich
https://www.pexels.com/@cottonbro