Make A Note

PROJECT FOCUS
BRAND ENERGY, CAMPAIGN MOMENTUM

MAKE A NOTE.

TO GRAB DOROT.

Creative Direction
Creative Strategy
Directing
Pre-Production
Producing
Production
Cinematography
Post-Production
Project Management

Challenge

Dorot Gardens’ old commercial was widely viewed as “boring” and wasn’t capturing the brand’s spark. With a major campaign on the horizon, they needed a fresh spot that would energize shoppers, excite leadership, and set the stage for growth into 2026. Partnering with The Y Collective, Morel Creative took the lead from concept through delivery — shaping the creative direction, building the script, and managing every detail of production. The result was a bold new :30 hero spot, :15 and :10 cutdowns, and a suite of digital “matching luggage” assets, giving Dorot a campaign that was fun, self-aware, and impossible to ignore.

Impact

Delivered a Spot Called “Lightyears Ahead” of Dorot’s Previous Commercial

Generated Enthusiastic Praise from Leadership and Stakeholders

Earned Validation from Dorot’s Cable TV Agency as “Terrific”

Sparked Conversations About Expanding Into a 2026 Broadcast Campaign

Reinforced Brand Confidence and Creative Momentum

“Make it Not boring”

The Y Collective, Dorot’s agency partner, pitched the idea for a campaign built around the playful line “Make a Note to Grab Dorot.” The concept had legs — fun, memorable, and ready to be extended across channels — but the execution needed a production partner who could translate it into a compelling on-screen experience. The Y Collective doesn’t handle full-scale production in-house, so they tapped us at Morel Creative to bring the idea to life.

The mission was clear: craft a hero commercial and supporting assets that would carry Dorot Gardens through the 2025 holiday season and into Q1/Q2 of 2026. This wasn’t just about replacing a tired commercial. It was about injecting energy into the brand, giving stakeholders confidence, and creating a campaign strong enough to evolve into something bigger — potentially even a full national broadcast.

We kicked off by collaborating closely with The Y Collective to shape the creative direction. Early drafts leaned too safe — polished, but not much different from the “boring” spot Dorot was trying to leave behind. That’s when the real breakthrough came: embracing a “breaking the fourth wall” approach. Instead of pretending this wasn’t a commercial, we leaned into it with a wink: “We know we’re selling you something, and we know you know — so let’s have fun with it.” This shift transformed the energy from traditional CPG to something bold, self-aware, and instantly more engaging.

Even when late-stage scope pressure popped up — requests for motion luggage assets at the eleventh hour — we navigated it constructively. We worked with Y Collective and Dorot to find a solution that delivered what they needed without derailing timelines or budgets, reinforcing that we’re not just executors, but creative problem-solvers.

From there, we built the team, production plan, and vision needed to execute on time and on budget. Our role spanned the entire spectrum: creative development, script writing, pre-production, directing, DP’ing, producing, editing, post, and project management. Along the way, we made smart creative decisions to maximize impact — like using off-screen sound effects to heighten moments and leaning on clever visual framing to balance product, branding, and Catalina’s strict safe zones.

Outcome

The final campaign deliverables included a :30 hero spot, :15 cutdown, and two :10 cutdowns, along with a full set of digital “matching luggage” assets for Catalina placement. Each piece carried the same DNA: a self-aware, playful commercial that called attention to itself while still heroing Dorot’s products.

Visually and tonally, the spots leaned into color, rhythm, and personality. The “note slapping” motif became a clever, repeatable visual hook, tying back directly to the campaign line “Make a Note to Grab Dorot.” The “fourth wall break” style gave the work an authenticity that felt fresh for the category — more like a cultural wink than an ordinary food ad. And every detail, from product placement to copy integration, was designed to keep the energy high without losing clarity.

This wasn’t just another polished CPG commercial. It was a campaign that captured Dorot’s spirit, modernized their voice, and made people pay attention.

Anyone I’ve shown the commercial to thinks it’s terrific — including our cable TV agency

Dorot Gardens Leadership

Even that rough cut is lightyears ahead of what the last commercial was

Dorot Gardens Leadership

Appreciate you! Proud of our work!

Jessyca Dewey | Founder, The Y Collective

Even before launch, the response from Dorot Gardens’ leadership was overwhelming. The GM called the rough cut “lightyears ahead of our old commercial.” By the time the final cuts were shared, enthusiasm had spread internally and externally. One senior leader shared that “anyone I’ve shown the commercial to thinks it’s terrific — including our cable TV agency.” That kind of unsolicited validation signaled that Dorot had a campaign with real momentum behind it.

The work has already sparked conversations about expanding into a full broadcast campaign for 2026. What began as a contained project to replace a stale commercial has grown into a launchpad for bigger ambitions. For Dorot, it’s not just a new ad — it’s renewed brand confidence. For us, it was proof of what we do best: guiding a brand from strategy through production with clarity, creativity, and conviction.