DARTINGTON CRYSTAL
A Case Study
PROBLEM
Dartington Crystal, the UK’s leading glassblowing company, wanted fresh marketing assets to boost sales of their more affordable glassware online. While the factory’s history, characters, and craft lent themselves to a documentary approach, their immediate goal was sales - with assets tailored to a younger audience.
PROCESS​
We proposed a hybrid solution:
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Three lifestyle videos showcasing the journey from fiery furnaces to stylish, modern usage by a younger demographic.
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A mini-documentary (produced at a discounted rate, because we couldn’t resist the story potential) that highlighted the human artistry behind the brand.
Initially, we pushed to feature one of the charismatic, long-serving glassblowers. Dartington’s team, concerned about brand fit, instead chose to focus on their chief designer of 25 years. It proved to be the right call - her passion and emotional connection to her work created a film that resonated deeply.
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PRODUCTION
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Shot over a week, with a small crew capturing:
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Lifestyle product footage.
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Factory action around the furnaces.
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Emotional interviews and storytelling.
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Delivered a flexible set of assets: polished 30-second ads, lifestyle content, and the mini-doc.
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PAYOFF
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Lifestyle Ads: Initially undermined by poor distribution (agency partner uploaded unfinished clips with no music). Once corrected, they became core assets for Dartington’s online presence and are still in use on their website today.
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Mini-Doc: A huge success. Now shown in Dartington’s visitor centre cinema, it has become the most popular piece of content with guests. Viewers frequently comment on the designer’s passion - inspiring many to purchase her favourite designs.
