Tom Hooper’s 2023 spots were a masterclass of craft

Stories about autism, about Alzheimer’s disease, about cerebral palsy—not the limitations they impose, but the ways people transcend them. See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Creativity Award winners here That was the theme of much of Tom Hooper’s commercial work in 2023, and what a collection of spots he put together—a short film for Vanish, the Reckitt stain removal brand, starring a girl with autism; Chevrolet’s touching holiday ad about a woman with Alzheimer’s; and Montefiore’s beautiful year-end spot featuring a boy with cerebral palsy who embarks on an epic flight of imagination around New York. Few directors, if any, achieved that level of craft and emotion across three separate spots last year. Each piece was its own masterclass of storytelling, building fully realized worlds with remarkable performances throughout. Patrick Milling-Smith, co-founder of Smuggler, told Ad Age earlier this year that the Vanish spot might be his favorite in his 22 years at the company. “It’s just so pitch-perfect, and the performance from the girl is heartbreaking,” he said. The Creativity Awards jury agreed, applauding Hooper for the high quality of all three spots. “There were three things that moved me last year, and two of them were on Tom’s reel,” said one judge. Hooper, who was taking a break from film work last year to spend more time with his children, told Milling-Smith he wanted to lean into commercials. The results of that focus are evident. “Often with feature directors, it’s about getting a window of availability,” said Milling-Smith. “Tom said, ‘I want to dedicate myself to commercials.’ And he really acquitted himself so well.” See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Creativity Award winners here

Tom Hooper’s 2023 spots were a masterclass of craft

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