From Madison Avenue to the Big Screen: A Journey by Colin Costello

My name is Colin Costello, and I’m the founder of Ela Road Films, LLC — named after the street in Barrington, Illinois, where my daughters grew up. Since they’re my greatest creations, it only felt right to build something in their name.

My journey into this industry has been anything but linear — more of a scenic route through valleys and peaks. After graduating from Penn State, I began my career in advertising, starting in New York and eventually making my way to Chicago, which I still consider home. I was lucky to work alongside some of the most talented creatives at agencies like DDB, FCB, Burrell, Leo Burnett, and JWT. It was there that I really honed my storytelling craft.

Eventually, I took the leap to Los Angeles — and I won’t sugarcoat it, that chapter came with its fair share of struggles. But over time, I found my voice again, this time as a WGA screenwriter on two feature films: The Stream and Alternate Universe. More recently, I’ve added “director” to the mix, bringing stories to life through short films and branded content. Founding Ela Road Films was the natural next step — a place to create bold, personal, and culturally resonant work.

Last summer, I was in a tough spot — I’d just lost my job at an ad agency and found myself at a real crossroads. But instead of spiraling, I used it as motivation. I took the last of my money and poured it into building my first commercial director’s reel. It was a huge risk — but one I believed in.

Around that time, our Music Supervisor, Ryan McLean, suggested we enter the Doritos Super Bowl contest. I’d always wanted to create something bold, cinematic, and female-driven, so I turned to my “Film Fam” — art director Lily Kim, co-producer Christine Sclafani, and cinematographer David Navarro. We decided to craft a campaign where women weren’t just background noise — they were the stars, the heroes, the ones driving the story.

Winning Platinum at the Vega Digital Awards is more than an honor — it’s a career-defining moment. These awards celebrate bold, boundary-pushing digital creativity, and being recognized at that level tells us we're on the right path.

Personally, it’s a reminder that resilience matters. Professionally, it puts Ela Road Films on the map in a whole new way. We’re incredibly grateful to the Vega jury for seeing the value in our vision — and for giving scrappy, indie teams like ours a platform to shine.

The real spark came from a question I kept asking myself: Why aren’t more women the leads in funny, bold, over-the-top Super Bowl spots? We’ve seen enough “guy fumbles the chip, chaos ensues” tropes. I wanted to flip the script — with women as the heroes, the weirdos, the warriors, and the ones delivering the punchlines.

Each of our Doritos spots lived in its own genre — from post-apocalyptic thriller to absurdist horror to full-blown sports movie — but they were united by a mission: go bold, go female, go fearless. We weren’t chasing trends. We were chasing truth — and doing it with style.

In today’s industry, I think this campaign stands for a bigger shift: intentional creativity. Not just entertaining for entertainment’s sake, but making work that pushes representation forward and opens the door for more diverse voices to shine.

Because the future of advertising? It’s inclusive. It’s weird. It’s a little messy. And yeah — it’s got Doritos dust all over it.

What set our campaign apart was that we didn’t try to play it safe or blend in — we went full throttle into strange, cinematic, and female-driven storytelling. We built three completely different mini-worlds, each with its own tone and genre, but all connected by a single mantra: Go Bold or go home.

Strategically, we treated the campaign like we were making short films, not commercials. That meant story first, character second, Doritos third — and ironically, that’s what made the brand pop. Our cast wasn’t your usual Super Bowl suspects. They were diverse, funny, fierce — and yes, mostly women — because we wanted to reflect the real world, not a dude’s snack fantasy.

We also did a lot with very little. We pulled off ambitious set pieces, stunts, effects, and genre tropes on a tight budget, fueled by passion and caffeine. Our composer, Ryan McLean, gave it scale. Our DP, David Navarro, gave it polish. And our whole Film Fam — from Lily Kim’s design to Christine Sclafani’s hustle — made it feel like a million-dollar campaign shot on a shoestring.

At the end of the day, I think the work shone because it had something a lot of ads don’t: a point of view. And we didn’t just whisper it — we screamed it in bold colors, big genre swings, and unapologetic joy.

Money — or more specifically, the complete lack of it. That was our biggest obstacle.

We were completely self-funded, and by “we,” I mean my incredible co-producer Christine Sclafani and art director Lily Kim, who covered food and props out of their own pockets. Our DP, David Navarro, came in with his own equipment and an unshakable belief in the project. He volunteered his time, as did our entire crew and cast. Every single person involved showed up not for a paycheck, but for the love of storytelling.

And that’s what made this campaign special. It wasn’t built on a big studio budget — it was built on trust, passion, and the kind of ride-or-die creative energy you just can’t fake. Everyone was in it 110%, giving their weekends, late nights, and sweat to make these spots sing.

We overcame the lack of resources by leaning into creativity. We treated limitations as a sandbox, not a barrier. And somehow, this scrappy, all-volunteer campaign wound up winning Platinum at Vega. That’s not just a win — that’s a miracle powered by community.

I hope this win serves as a calling card — that people see it and realize, “Hey, this guy can direct commercials. And more.” That’s the dream — to keep telling stories at a higher level, with even bigger canvases.

But honestly? What I really hope is that it opens doors for my team.

Lily Kim is one of the sharpest, most talented art directors I’ve ever worked with. She lives and breathes advertising, and I hope this shines a spotlight on her work so she can land even bigger jobs doing what she loves.

Christine Sclafani, my producing partner and founder of Macaroni Entertainment, put her heart and hustle into this campaign — I hope this grows her company tenfold, because she deserves that.

David Navarro gave this project the visual flair of a big-budget campaign on a no-budget timeline, and I hope agencies start throwing work at him left and right.

And our cast? They brought humor, power, and charm to every frame. I hope casting directors and creatives see this campaign and say, “We need them in our next spot.”

This win isn’t just for me — it’s for the whole team that made the impossible happen. If it leads to bigger, better, bolder opportunities for all of us, then that’s the real prize. Platinum is nice. But a full calendar for my crew? That’s the dream.

The response has been incredibly validating — especially from creatives I’ve admired for years. Geoff Edwards, Dennis Ryan, Pardé Bridgett (who also acted in Bag Football) and others reached out to say how funny and insightful the spots were. When people you respect in the industry take time to shout out your work? That sticks with you.

As for Doritos, we haven’t heard anything post-award yet, but they definitely noticed before — we were officially in the running for the Super Bowl. That alone told us the campaign had legs.

And audiences? They’ve loved the unexpected tone — these weren’t your average snack ads, and people picked up on that. The biggest compliment we’ve gotten is that each spot could be its own series. We’ll take that and the Platinum.

Be authentic. Don’t chase what’s trending — chase what’s true. Start with a story. Start with characters people actually care about. If there’s no emotional hook, there’s no staying power.

Too many ads try to go viral or be clever for clever’s sake. But the work that lasts — and wins — is the work that makes people feel something. Laugh. Gasp. Nod. Rewatch.

And when it comes to brands? Don’t shoehorn them in. Make them the hero in an organic, memorable way. Find that sweet spot where the brand isn’t just featured — it’s essential to the story.

Also: work with people who believe in your vision. That energy is contagious. Our campaign was built on nothing but passion, collaboration, and a shared love of doing something bold and different.

And finally — bet on yourself. Especially when it’s scary. Especially when it doesn’t make sense on paper. Sometimes the biggest risks become your biggest turning points.

The digital landscape is changing faster than ever — and honestly, I love it. New platforms, new formats, new rules being broken daily. It’s like the Wild West with better lighting.

These shifts are creating space for more diverse voices, for unexpected stories, and for creators who don’t come from the traditional pipeline. That excites me. You no longer need a $2 million campaign to make an impact — you need a bold idea, great storytelling, and a fearless team.

As for where I see myself? I want to keep evolving with the industry — directing more commercials, yes, but also branded films, shorts, immersive content, whatever’s next. I want Ela Road Films to be known as the home for daring ideas — especially those that center underrepresented perspectives and challenge the norm.

Ultimately, I don’t just want to follow the trends. I want to help set them. I want to keep making work that doesn’t just fit the digital space — it reshapes it.

I get it. It can be intimidating — like awards are only for people with big clients, big budgets, and big résumés. But here’s the truth: everyone starts somewhere, and some of the most compelling, original work comes from the hungriest creators — the ones who haven’t been given the platform yet.

You don’t need a long list of credits. You need a voice. A story. Something that makes people stop scrolling and lean in. That’s what resonates — not polish, but purpose.

Submitting your work isn’t about ego — it’s about taking up space. It’s saying, “I belong here, too.” Even if you’re working with no money, no connections, just a vision and a crew who believes in it — that’s enough. That’s more than enough.

So don’t wait for someone to hand you a seat at the table. Bring your own chair — or better yet, build your own f**king table. That’s how change happens.

Stay weird. Stay curious. Stay human.

We’re in an industry that’s obsessed with what’s next — the next tech, the next trend, the next platform. But real innovation doesn’t come from chasing algorithms. It comes from connecting. With audiences. With collaborators. With ideas that scare you a little.

Don’t be afraid to break the formula. Tell the story no one else is telling. Shine the light on characters we haven’t seen in the spotlight before. And when you’re in a position to lift someone up — do it. The next great idea might not come from the top floor. It might come from the intern with a fresh perspective and no filter yet.

And above all: lead with heart. It’s the one thing that never goes out of style.

This Platinum award is for the entire team that believed in this campaign when all we had was heart, hustle, and a bag of chips.

To Lily Kim, my brilliant creative director, who made bold look effortless. To producer Christine Sclafani, whose leadership and love for the work made this campaign possible. To David Navarro, our cinematographer/editor/VFX wizard/all-around rockstar, who gave the spots their epic scope. And to Ryan McLean, our composer and music supervisor, who brought the sound that made everything hit.

To our amazing cast — thank you. You brought your A-game and made these wild worlds feel real:

Cait Bidwell, Rachel Amanda Bryant, Bruna Bertossi, Alicia Blasingame, Pardé Bridgett, Tyrell Buckner, Sheri Marie Carruthers, Robert Craighead, Natasha Dixon, Rocki DuCharme, Jenae Galang, Matt Gutierrez, Emme Halo, Angelique Henderson, Victoria Ippolito, Nari Kim, Betsy Jill Jackson, Jules Kellis, Emma Massalone, Raven Maxile, Robin Maxile, Denise Milfort, and Madisyn Ruiz — you all gave unforgettable performances and turned Doritos into a cinematic universe.

To our hardworking crew — Sarper Gokbulut, Daniela Prado, Terry Ziegelman, Enrique Mejia, Joia Davida, Pablos Borges, Peter Swartz, Douglas Fitzsimmons, Nate Attias, Princess VaShion, Kelly Anderson, Sarah Wallis, Lara Bras, Julio Isaac Splinker, Shelby Eroen, Mike Lopez, Nikita Abramson, Victor Martinez, and Gabriela Carmago — thank you for going above and beyond every step of the way.

Special thanks to Chloe and Maxine Costello — my forever muses — and to Riley White, Brandon Zonsius, and Patia Prouty, who always show up with support, creativity, and love.

This wasn’t just a campaign — it was a community effort. And I couldn’t be prouder to share this win with the people who made it magic.

This is what happens when people come together for the love of story — and maybe a little chip dust.

Plenty — and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.

I’m currently directing All You Can Eat, a live comedy show in Chicago featuring a mix of sharp sketch, fearless stand-up, and some truly unhinged characters. It’s been a blast bringing that to life with local talent and feeling that raw, in-the-room energy again.

I’m also deep into development on my feature Doppelgänger, a twisted love story with a dark AI edge — think Her meets Fatal Attraction, by way of Black Mirror. We’ve got a killer cast attached and are actively seeking financing.

On the short film front, I’m directing a proof-of-concept for The Long Dark Climb, my homage to classic '70s disaster films — with modern edge and emotion. And right now, I’m enjoying the festival run for Swipe, a horror short I wrote and produced about grief, tech, and the digital monsters we invite into our lives.

And hey — if any agency or brand out there is looking for bold, story-driven, cinematic commercials?

Ela Road Films is open for business. Let’s make something unforgettable together.