Integrated content studio Humble has signed Dutch director Ismael ten Heuvel, a.k.a. Ismael, for commercials in the U.S. This marks his first exclusive representation in the American ad market (he had been handled for U.S. work earlier via a worldwide arrangement with Media Monks’ TheBoardRoom).
Based in Amsterdam, Ismael is an idea-driven storyteller who has collaborated closely with European agencies like DDB, Ogilvy, and TBWA. His work spans such brands as Ford, Volkswagen, and most recently Heineken for which he and his colleagues re-created 1880s’ Paris.
Ismael honed his skills as an art director and worked at Lowe Amsterdam for over a decade and credits his agency background with giving him the gift of being able to recognize a good idea in a matter of seconds. This deep knowledge of the creative process helps him cultivate ideas alongside agency teams in his work today. Ismael films have garnered honors including Cannes Lions and Epica Awards.
In his latest piece, Ismael collaborated with J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam to tell the bittersweet story of a young girl going back and forth between her divorced parents’ homes for PLUS Supermarket’s holiday campaign. The piece was directed by Ismael and female filmmaker Basha who are both on the roster of Pink Rabbit, his production company in Amsterdam. The PLUS short earned inclusion this week into SHOOT’s The Best Work You May Never See gallery.
“I was immediately drawn to Ismael’s work because of his range,” said Humble president/founder Eric Berkowitz. “Whether he’s telling a story using ornate art direction and production design, or a simple, more restrained approach, the takeaway remains the same–his films are extraordinary.”
