MADRE TEQUILA: THE NATURAL WAY
Creative / Art Direction
Brand:
MADRE MEZCAL
Project:
The Natural Way
Role:
Creative Direction
Art Direction
Content Strategy
BTS Photography/Video
Visual Identity
BTS Photography
Graphic Design (Digital + OOH)
Team:
Stefan Wigand - Brand Direction/Production
Carly Foulkes - Campaign Photography
Dan Dealy - Cinematography
Nathalie Kossek - BTS photography + VHS footage
Campaign Brief
Nathalie led the content capture brief end-to-end — planning, production, logistics, casting direction, styling, graphic asset direction, and narrative.
Case Study Note: Nathalie developed the original concept around an authentic female point of view, with women as narrators of their own story. As the project evolved, the client's direction moved toward a more conventional visual treatment. Nathalie shifted into an on-location art direction role, translating the client's revised vision while working to preserve the integrity of her original female-driven narrative wherever possible.
Campaign video
With each location, we created clips of the experience alongside an original poem to honor the drink of tequila. Nathalie wrote the poem alongside providing the voiceover in the video and directing video.
Case Study Note: Nathalie proposed, from the project start, a full storyboard to guide the campaign's narrative — the client opted for a more free-flowing, unscripted shoot. This loosened the story, and the plot-line was reconstructed in post. Nathalie's original poem, used as voiceover, became the anchor that pulled the piece back together narratively. The experience reinforced her preference for storyboard-driven work with a clear narrative established from the start. The 16mm was a great choice for the aesthetic narrative.
Campaign Photography
All primary campaign photography was captured on a Contax 645 medium format camera, lending the imagery a rich, elevated quality. Photography was shot by Carly Foulkes and directed by Nathalie.
Case Study Note: While the medium format results were beautiful, Nathalie would reserve this approach for major brand moments going forward and not the primary photography approach. For projects where channel growth and volume are the priority, a lighter, less resource-intensive shooting approach is better suited to the pace and needs of that kind of content.
social-first in mind.
With a social-first approach, Nathalie captured behind-the-scenes footage on iPhone, Polaroid and VHS camcorder to document the in-between moments of the campaign shoot. While the client initially favored a more polished, trend-resistant content style, Nathalie advocated for releasing the raw footage — betting that audiences would respond to intimacy and authenticity over aspirational polish. The content performed strongly, resonating with viewers who wanted to feel close to the brand rather than distanced from it.
The Natural Way Playlists
Our Spotify playlists highlighted one of our talent, Gia and our partners at the Sailing Collective.
Our cover design was created by Nathalie in collaboration with LAND.
Madre x LAND
Driven by our partnership with LAND, we tasked the studio to create specific illustrations for THE NATURAL WAY. Nathalie was responsible for concepting the creative brief and production of assets with LAND all the way to graphic execution during the campaign. Her inspiration stemed from the lighting direction she proposed: warm, beautiful summer light — and the results of cyanotype — raw, organic and grounded.
