Whistlefish’s First Ever TV Ad: Produced by Here Now Films

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.

An image of Ellen Watson in Here Now Films' recent TV Advert.

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.

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