David Yurman x SCAD Holiday 2023 Ad Campaign

Review of David Yurman x SCAD Holiday 2023 Ad Campaign with models Maya Stepper, Laurence Coke, and Ken T

David Yurman shares a glowing Holiday 2023 campaign that was created through a special collaboration with students at Savannah College of Art and Design.

Through SCADpro, the university’s in-house innovation studio, over 40 students representing many of SCAD’s programs across creative disciplines in visual effects, film and television, advertising and branding, and luxury and brand management collaborated with David Yurman’s creative team to immerse audiences in a winter-in-New-York-inspired setting. The project was created within the university’s LED volume stage for virtual productions. Utilizing a combination of CGI and XR camera tracking and real-time rendering technology, the collaborators merged the real and virtual worlds to create immersive virtual environments that serve as the setting for the campaign and pay homage to the brand’s perennial inspiration and home of New York City.

“In collaboration with the David Yurman team throughout this SCADpro project, our students met the challenge and developed a theme, story and concept design that not only reflects connection, craftsmanship and magic of the brand’s iconic and timeless collections – but pushed the boundaries of innovative storytelling through technology. There are no limits as to what can be created with the trailblazing LED volume technology, and most of the scenes were executed in a virtual New York City environment using a gaming engine which is interactive with camera movement. For the more intimate scenes like the atelier, our students created the environment and procedural animation fully in CG. It was a remarkable feat, and one-of-a-kind experience for our students to help create this truly special holiday campaign for the brand.”–– Munkhtsetseg (Muunuu) Nandigjav, Associate Dean, SCAD School of Animation and Motion

“Our campaign is focused on taking viewers on an adventure through Manhattan at the most magical time of the year, using a fusion of creativity and technology that pushes our artistic boundaries set by David, Sybil and Evan Yurman,” said Carolyn Dawkins, David Yurman Chief Marketing Officer. “With the power of XR real-time technologies and software found in LED Volume, such as Disguise and Unreal Engine, there is no limit to how our consumers can experience the world of David Yurman.”

Bathed in a soft warm glow and dancing snowflakes, the visual vignettes take shape across moments of connection through the act of gifting, which highlights the creation of meaningful memories through heirloom pieces and holiday traditions.

“This brand is so rooted in the arts – that’s what makes it such a fun story to tell. Creating this New York City environment, this surrealist city, was accomplished beautifully through the LED volume screen. We built a wall in front and had that magical, winter city environment you can’t really get in person. I step back and think, ‘Wow,’ this opportunity with David Yurman opened up so many doors for me – not just with film but through new connections and friends, it was a great time and experience.”–– Dawson Cifarelli, SCAD film & television senior and project director

It’s great to see a brand invest in and uplift the next generation of creatives who will be shaping the world of luxury communications in the near future. Initiated with The David Yurman Endowed Scholarship for Jewelry Design, which is awarded annually to a rising star jewelry design student from SCAD’s top-ranked School of Fashion, the partnership between David Yurman and SCAD is now entering its third year. Education is one of the most important gifts of all, and here David Yurman beautifully highlights the power of gifting in the many forms it can take.