Observed Signal · Jul 14, 2026 · Campaign Launch · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Shinola Debuts First Brand Campaign Directed by Nicholas Braun
Shinola, the American watchmaker founded in Detroit in 2011, launched its first-ever brand campaign, “The Restaurant,” on July 14, 2026 — its first major marketing push in 15 years and the first major creative work under creative director Jonathan Bailey. The US-only cinematic spot, created by London-based independent agency GentleForces (its first brand partner), reframes watch advertising by focusing on people’s relationship with time rather than product features. The film stars Nicholas Braun, who makes his directorial debut co-directing with writer Quba Tuakli (a GentleForces practice lead), and uses a narrative twist—initially appearing as a breakup—to reveal a protagonist confronting time, ending with the strapline “Set The Pace.” Stills were shot by Brian Karlsson; production and post partners include ProdCo, Gorilla, Marsheen, 750MPH and Punderson Gardens.
Creative/agency news about a brand campaign and agency client win; relevant to advertising and creative services but not industry-shifting or platform-level policy or technology.
Track ADWEEK Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Shinola launched the brand campaign “The Restaurant” on 2026-07-14 — its first major marketing campaign in 15 years and first major creative work under creative director Jonathan Bailey.
- London-based independent agency GentleForces created the US-only campaign and serves as Shinola’s first brand partner.
- Nicholas Braun stars and makes his directorial debut co-directing the film with writer Quba Tuakli, a practice lead at GentleForces.
- The cinematic spot reframes watch advertising to explore people’s relationship with time, uses a narrative twist, and ends with the strapline “Set The Pace,” spotlighting Shinola’s Runwell watch.
- Stills were shot by Brian Karlsson; production and post-production partners include ProdCo, Gorilla, Marsheen, 750MPH and Punderson Gardens.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mapped“GentleForces creative practice lead Quba Tuakli told ADWEEK that society’s everyday relationship with time was a far more powerful psycholog...”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Saucony's Film Celebrates Community in Solo Running
Saucony released a four-minute branded film titled “The Runners” that frames running as both an individual practice and a communal experience. The spot uses a one-shot technique and voiceovers recorded by Saucony teams in Asia, EMEA and North America; it features professional runners Sam Chelanga and Hazem Miawad and highlights five Saucony shoe models including the Endorphin Azura and ProGrid Guide 7. Duo Hot Icarus directed the film, Stept Studios produced it, and Wolverine Worldwide’s in-house production team “The Den” handled photography with James Lacroix. The campaign, which premiered at New York’s Metrograph, is running across digital, streaming TV, social and out-of-home channels, with outdoor placements planned in Philadelphia for the Love Philly Run. The work continues Saucony’s year-old “Run as One” initiative to shift brand positioning from pure performance toward emotion-driven lifestyle marketing.
Rhone shifts to brand-building with NYC campaign
Rhone launched a new brand campaign, “A Love Letter to NYC,” as it pivots from performance-focused marketing to upper-funnel brand building amid growth in retail and wholesale. The campaign — created in-house and with media handled by Kepler Group, the brand’s media agency of record — spans linear and connected TV, social, direct mail, print, out-of-home, and in-store activations, including Citi Bike dock takeovers and a Flatiron store photo booth. Bethany Evans, who became Rhone’s chief marketing officer in November 2024 after more than five years at The North Face, says the effort highlights the brand’s move to an omni-channel approach and reflects an evolution in performance apparel. Rhone operates a flagship in Flatiron, is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, has more than 20 U.S. retail stores and expanded wholesale partnerships including Bloomingdale’s.
Top 10 Ad Campaigns: Playful, Cultural, and Celebrity-Driven!
Adweek’s roundup highlights ten notable ad campaigns emphasizing playful self-awareness and brand storytelling. Burger King retired its long-standing King mascot in an Oscars debut where U.S. & Canada president Tom Curtis hands the crown to customers; CMO Joel Yashinsky framed the shift as positioning the brand as inclusive. Uber ran a meta St. Patrick’s Day spot called “Irish Xit.” Other launches include Ugg’s return of the Fluff Yeah sandal, JCPenney’s Texas runway featuring local residents, Hotels.com’s literalist spots, a Beats x Nike co-branded earbud spot with LeBron James, Sprite’s global “It’s That Fresh” platform, Patrón’s cinematic short directed by Guillermo del Toro, and Colgate’s emotional Millennial‑caregiver creative. McDonald’s “Big Arch” burger ad was named Adweek’s Most Effective Ad of the Week, performing 136% above the Quick Serve category average for March 10–16.
Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts
Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.