How does set design work for an international brand?

Each country gets its own world: props, colours, wardrobe and even the kitchen layout are matched to the local culture, so the product reads as credible in that market.

Are entire rooms rebuilt for a shoot?

Yes. For Philips, complete kitchens were rebuilt in the style of the target country, down to culturally appropriate cleavers. Set building at that level was standard for these campaigns.

Studio & location, international

Advertising sets for Philips International

Philips International kept coming back: across several departments we made advertising material for household appliances — from hairdryers to shavers to toothbrushes. Large-budget shoots for which complete sets were built.

In short

For Philips International, Grietje created advertising sets for consumer products — from hairdryers and shavers to kitchen appliances. Each country got its own world: complete kitchens rebuilt in the local style, props and wardrobe matched to the local culture.

Styled advertising set for consumer products with pastel accents

The brief

Every campaign was global and every country required its own world. A set had to be able to look like a house in America; for kitchen appliances, entire kitchens were rebuilt in the style of the country. In Asia, for example, food is chopped with a cleaver — so that cleaver had to appear among the props.

The approach

We built completely new sets, on location or in the studio, with props in the style of the country. The models were dressed per market as well: pastel tones for Asia, businesslike and neat for other markets. Nothing was standard; everything was designed per country and per product.

The result

A returning client across multiple departments, with campaigns rolled out worldwide — proof that set design at an international level means bespoke work down to the smallest prop.

Materials & colours

Fully custom-built sets
Country-specific props and materials
Rebuilt kitchens per market
Wardrobe styling for models per country

The full story

One brand, many countries

Philips had several departments we worked for, and every country called for its own setting. A shoot had to look like a home in America, or suit Asia instead — every set was matched accordingly, including the props that belonged to that country's style.

Complete kitchens, rebuilt in the studio

When a shoot featured a kitchen appliance, an entire kitchen was rebuilt in the style of the country — down to the details. In Asia a lot of chopping is done with a cleaver, so those props had to appear in that kitchen. Only then does an image feel real to that market.

Wardrobe was part of the design too

These shoots involved high-end models, and their clothing was styled by us as well. Every market had its own dress code: pastel tones for Asia, businesslike and tidy for other countries. Nothing in the frame was coincidence.

"Selling a hairdryer in twenty countries means building twenty kitchens, twenty bathrooms, twenty lives — that was the best part of it."
— Grietje Schreuder

Frequently asked questions about this case

How does set design work for an international brand?: Each country gets its own world: props, colours, wardrobe and even the kitchen layout are matched to the local culture, so the product reads as credible in that market.
Are entire rooms rebuilt for a shoot?: Yes. For Philips, complete kitchens were rebuilt in the style of the target country, down to culturally appropriate cleavers. Set building at that level was standard for these campaigns.
Is wardrobe styling part of set design?: Absolutely. The models' clothing was styled per country — pastels for Asia, businesslike and neat for other markets — because everything in the frame carries the product's story.