'How to New York'

To launch its new color collection, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Google and SuperHeroes have translated the joy of putting on makeup (and the brand's unmistakable New York attitude) into a campaign designed to stop people mid-scroll. The challenge was to create a world that felt authentically New York and unmistakably Marc Jacobs, while pushing beyond what a traditional live-action shoot could capture alone.

In “How to New York”, SuperHeroes brought that world to life through a hybrid production combining a live New York shoot with the creative possibilities of Google Flow. Creator Vienna Skye moves through the city wearing Heart On Lipstick, Joystick Blush and Flashes Mascara, as subway cars, sidewalks, bodegas and buildings respond to her in playful, surreal ways.

Marc Jacobs Beauty and Google collaborated with SuperHeroes and AI artist duo EtherealMoon (part of the agency’s AI art collective JIMMY) on the campaign’s creative idea and surreal transformations. “It was great fun to come up with creative ways to integrate the textures and shapes of the products into the films, taking what we know and love about Marc Jacobs Beauty to make NYC come to life. We used Google Flow's generative video models, including Veo for scene generation and Omni for stills, and layered them into the live-action shoot,” said JIMMY artists EtherealMoon.

New York-based director and cinematographer Mike Klubeck (Apple, Ray-Ban, Calvin Klein, Dior) shot the film, bringing a sharp, cinematic style that matches the brand's fashion background. The team kept the human element at the center, with a real crew, a real director, and creator Vienna Skye as the main subject. AI was used to expand what the camera could show, making the setting and story more engaging for viewers who scroll quickly.

"The opportunity was more than adding AI effects to a live-action film. It was finding the point where the real and imaginary world could mix," said Rogier Vijverberg, chief creative hero at SuperHeroes and founder of JIMMY. "Shooting in New York gave us real street scenes and the energy of the city. Working with artists in Google Flow let us make the city play along."

The campaign consists of a total of 11 films and runs on YouTube and a range of other social channels. “It’s a great example of how AI and human craft merge in modern-day hybrid productions, shaped by close collaboration among artists, creators and brands,” said Aurora Straton from Google.