How do you elevate a local inside joke into a compelling story that resonates beyond its immediate audience?

The goal was to embrace Tacoma's unique identity while crafting a polished, universally engaging campaign that could entertain, celebrate, and inspire.

Challenge.

Case Studies | sElf Storage

CLIENT

@Tacoma_WA official Instagram

A bulletin board filled with black-and-white photographs, newspaper clippings, handwritten notes, and red string connecting various items, indicating a detective or investigation theme.

PROJECT

Video and design campaign including:

  1. Feature video

  2. Supporting teaser video

  3. Digital and print design

  4. Social media management

  5. Partner collaboration and coordination

GOALS

Viral social response, especially with re-shares

Kick off the Tacoma holiday season.

Highlight and benefit collaborative sponsors in a natural way to increase their community visibility.

AUDIENCE

Hyperfocus on the community of Tacoma, WA, especially millennials and the creative community.

Vintage black-and-white photograph of a historic Tacoma, Washington building with the sign 'Tacoma Ice Co.' and a large advertisement for ice and cold storage, featuring multiple stories, a smokestack, and industrial architecture.

SOLUTION

We created a mockumentary-style holiday mystery trailer, featuring Tacoma historian Michael Sullivan as the investigator. Seamlessly blending real history with an absurd narrative, his character’s fear of Tacoma losing Christmas entirely brought both levity and local connection to the story. The campaign leveraged detailed set pieces, atmospheric cinematography, and Tacoma's distinct personality to engage the audience deeply.

Tacoma Elf Storage documentary spoof trailer written, produced, and directed by Chris Daniels.

EXECUTIOIN

Creative Direction & Strategy:

Developed and guided the entire concept, ensuring the campaign celebrated Tacoma's quirks while delivering humor and nostalgia.

  • Shoot Direction & Production: Directed all aspects of the shoot, including lighting and serving as the director of photography (DP), ensuring a cohesive and cinematic final product.

  • Team Leadership: Led a design and video team in shooting, editing, and crafting additional design elements featured in the video and promotional materials.

  • Editing & Post-Production: Balanced humor, suspense, and authenticity to keep viewers engaged.

  • Community Integration: Wove Tacoma’s history into the narrative, featuring real anecdotes and landmarks to enrich the authenticity of the campaign.

  • Strategic Launch: Released the video on Instagram on Thanksgiving Day, tapping into the start of the holiday season when audiences were primed for festive content.

The campaign was a resounding success:

  • Nearly 250,000 plays on Instagram.

  • Thousands of likes, comments, and reshares, fostering widespread engagement.

  • Sparked community pride by celebrating Tacoma’s culture in a fresh and creative way.

RESULTS

Poster with vintage style pointing hands and bold text reading "The Holiday Mystery Continues" and "Keep Your Eye On" with an eye illustration, an arrow pointing left, and the word "Open" at the bottom.
A building with a neon sign reading 'Tacoma Self Storage' at night, with city buildings and a parking lot visible in the background.

CHRIS’S ROLE

This project highlighted my ability to lead across all facets of creative execution, including:

  • Developing the concept and overall strategy.

  • Directing the entire shoot, including lighting and serving as the director of photography.

  • Leading casting decisions and guiding performances, including featuring local historian Michael Sullivan.

  • Editing the final video to craft a narrative that balanced humor and suspense.

  • Overseeing a design and video team for shooting, additional editing, and promotional design elements to ensure a cohesive visual identity.

A person walking through a long corridor lined with white storage unit doors on both sides.