Krispy Kreme

Every challenge Krispy Kreme presents us with is delicious, but none has been as bold as this: to transform a single donut into a cultural icon worthy of Times Square! The Big Apple Donut wasn’t just a novelty – it symbolized the brand’s reentry into the New York City market, and it needed to land with major impact.

From the start, we prioritized emotional resonance. Early creative sessions zeroed in on the feeling of delight, drawing references from high-gloss fashion ads and the theatricality of New York itself.

Cultural cues, tourist psychology, and the city’s hyper-visual energy shaped the discovery phase. Through moodboards, sketches, and consultations with cross-market teams, Salt Paper earned the green light to evolve the concept into a bold, high-impact experience.

Krispy Kreme originally conceived of the decorative box and doughnut combination as a Big Apple vacation souvenir. It was targeted primarily at tourists but, nearly five years later, the box is in high demand from New Yorkers as well as visitors.

Daniel Long, the Director on the project, drew inspiration from high-end product reveals associated with such luxury items as watches, jewelry, and cars – a concept that elevated a single donut to designer accessory status. The strategy centered on elegance and restraint, letting the red glaze command attention without distraction.

To guide the visual narrative, the creative team made strategic use of test shots, texture studies, and lighting trials. Every visual choice was made with scale in mind: how would this look thirty feet tall, more than a hundred feet wide, and glowing? A custom music score was commissioned to add emotional lift, timed precisely to camera moves.

Styling was just as intentional. Surfaces were neutral, reflective, and understated in order to let the red-glazed confection pop with intensity. A product this simple required meticulous planning to feel luxe and to hold attention.

The entire shoot was completed in a single day, demanding tight coordination and technical precision. In conjunction with Brother Rabbit and the cinematography team, Krispy Kreme and Salt Paper agreed on a neutral set to control reflections and lighting, ensuring every detail of the donut – from the sheen of the mirror glaze to the curve of the apple stem – flawlessly read on camera.

Motion was critical. The cinematography focused on fluid movement: slow arcs, elegant reveals, and dramatic close-ups that captured the donut’s glossy texture and craveable detail. Every frame was choreographed with intention.

Still photography was captured on the same day, creating a library of high-resolution images for PR, social media, and marketing assets. Throughout the day, client stakeholders approved shots to keep the process moving without sacrificing creative integrity.

Client collaboration was ongoing throughout the day, with approvals happening in real time. Though fast-moving, our production team never lost sight of the vision: make it elevated, iconic, and unmistakably New York.

The final hero video was scored with an original composition, designed to seamlessly loop on Krispy Kreme’s massive Times Square billboard. Its cinematic pacing and minimalist styling made the Big Apple Donut memorable – and award-worthy. The piece earned our director an Addy (American Advertising Award) and became a standout in Krispy Kreme’s brand storytelling portfolio.

In addition to the video, Salt Paper delivered a curated gallery of high-resolution stills. These assets were used across digital platforms, press kits, and social campaigns, each one maintaining the exquisite visual language established in the hero content. We performed an additional shoot to produce a number of corresponding assets, including digital menu boards and a special ecomm doughnut shoot.

Everything was timed to coincide with the Times Square store’s grand opening. The visuals didn’t just support the launch – they defined it – and they quickly gained traction online. TikTok and Instagram lit up with content from tourists and influencers, turning the donut into a viral sensation and amplifying the reach of the Times Square campaign. Even today, searches for “Krispy Kreme Big Apple Donut” lead to Salt Paper’s signature imagery, establishing a lasting digital footprint for the brand’s NYC return.