Whistlefish have launched their first ever TV commercial — and we’re proud to have produced it. The 30-second spot is now airing on ITV and via Sky AdSmart, celebrating the brand’s joyful, design-led cards and those small everyday moments they’re made for.
See the full Case Study page here
The brief in a sentence
Make a warm, authentic film that feels like Cornwall, aspirational yet relatable, and land a clear, memorable message about beautiful cards for life’s big and small moments.
Creative approach
We developed a simple, emotive narrative: a gentle voiceover guiding us through everyday celebrations, intercut with a handful of intimate coastal scenes. To keep it grounded, we blended two professional leads with real families and filmed at a single hero home plus nearby coastline. That balance let us deliver craft on screen without over-inflating the footprint or the budget.
What we delivered
- 30-second TVC master (Clearcast-approved)
- Texted and textless variants for broadcaster delivery
- Cutdowns for digital (optional: 20s/10s)
- Broadcast deliverables via Peach
Broadcast & Compliance (Clearcast, Peach, ITV & Sky AdSmart)
For a first-time TV advertiser, the jargon can feel like alphabet soup. We handled it end-to-end so Whistlefish could stay focused on the brand.
Clearcast (pre-clearance)
We submitted the script and substantiation (offers, T&Cs, VO claims) before production, then provided the finished clocked master for final clearance. Typical timelines are ~10 working days end-to-end, with a couple of iteration cycles common for on-screen text legibility and supers.
Peach (delivery)
Once cleared, we created broadcaster-spec files and delivered via Peach to ITV/Sky AdSmart with the correct clock numbers, audio layouts, and texted/textless variants.
ITV West & Sky AdSmart
Whistlefish opted for ITV’s West region to start, supported by a highly targetable Sky AdSmart plan. AdSmart’s audience filters help stretch creative further — ideal when testing a first TV flight ahead of a national roll-out.
Production in Cornwall, built for UK wide broadcast
- Casting: Two experienced leads for emotional nuance; supporting roles from the Whistlefish network to keep it authentic and efficient.
- Locations: A single hero home and nearby coastline to maintain continuity, maximise shoot time, and lean into the brand’s Cornish roots.
- Post: Post-production, editorial, mix and colour handled in-house for consistency; we graded for a natural, elegant palette that lets the illustrations and typography sing.
- VO & music: A warm, unhurried read; licensed track guided by tone and Clearcast-friendly lyrics, with clean stems for broadcast spec.
A huge thank you!
Huge thanks to Shona and the Whistlefish team for the trust and the collaboration. This one was a joy.
Thinking about your first TVC?
If you’re exploring TV for the first time, or levelling up your broadcast creative, we can take you from concept to on-air with Clearcast and delivery handled in-house.
- Learn more about our TV advert production (UK)
- Explore TV advert production in London
- Or get a feel for our broader UK Wide Video Production Services
