#Makethefuture
Shell—Make the future campaign
As Creative Director, Shane led the global Shell Make the Future campaign 2016, a large-scale initiative designed to reframe how people think about the future of energy through storytelling, technology, and participation. At the center of the campaign was an interactive film built around Best Day of My Life, where viewers could actively explore Shell’s clean energy initiatives by tapping into different moments within the experience. Each interaction not only revealed a real-world innovation, but also unlocked a musical layer, turning the film into a living composition.
Featuring global artists including Jennifer Hudson, Steve Aoki, Pixie Lott, Luan Santana, Yemi Alade, and Tan Weiwei, the experience allowed users to switch between performers and dynamically remix the song, blending voices, instruments, and stories into personalized versions of the track. The result was a seamless fusion of narrative, music, and interactivity, where learning about the future of energy became an engaging, participatory experience.
The project was also adapted into a global linear campaign, broadcast worldwide, extending its reach across multiple platforms and audiences. Produced in collaboration with teams across the globe and filmed in New York, the campaign became one of the most viral of its time, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers and redefining what branded storytelling could be at scale.
How it worked.
Each of six “hives” in the video represents a different energy system: Bio-Bean, Capture Mobility, GravityLight, Shell Eco-Marathon, MotionECO and Pavegen. A broader view of the interconnected “beehive” makes up a life-size diorama that demonstrates how the systems are best used together for a more sustainable future.
Tap on a hive to reveal the energy system
Tapping also introduced a musical instrument. The more you reveal the more instruments get introduced to the song.
Tap on the singer to change between the different artist
OVER 260MIL VIEWS
99 MARKETS
new york / LONDON / BUENOS AIRES
Work
Shell - Executive Creative Director
#Makethefuture was an integrated campaign of events, tours, and media focusing on six social entrepreneurs.
The centerpiece of the 2016 campaign was the music video Best Day of My Life, starring Jennifer Hudson, Steve Aoki, Pixie Lott, Luan Santana, Yemi Alade and Tan WeiWei.
Skills
Executive Creative Director / Creative Ideation / Project and Team Leader / Game Design.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Shane led executive creative direction for Shell’s global Make the Future campaign, an integrated platform spanning interactive film, music, events, tours and media. The campaign translated six real-world clean-energy initiatives into an accessible participatory story built around the song Best Day of My Life.
ROLE & CONTRIBUTION
Executive Creative Director responsible for the core creative vision, interactive concept, experience design and leadership of an international multidisciplinary team. Shane helped coordinate artists, production partners and regional stakeholders while shaping a campaign designed to work across interactive, broadcast and live channels.
EXPERIENCE INNOVATION
Viewers could explore six interconnected energy “hives,” reveal the innovation behind each system and unlock new musical layers. They could also switch among six global performers and dynamically remix the song—turning complex sustainability stories into an intuitive, playful experience.
IMPACT
260M+ views across 99 markets, with production spanning New York, London and Buenos Aires. The work paired global scale with meaningful participation, showing how interactive storytelling could help audiences understand emerging energy systems rather than simply hear claims about them.
STRATEGIC VALUE
Make the Future demonstrates Shane’s ability to lead complex global campaigns that unite brand strategy, entertainment, technology, music and purpose. It turned education into participation and extended one creative platform coherently across cultures, channels and audiences.
LET’S BUILD WHAT’S NEXT
Looking for a creative executive who can connect strategy, story, product and emerging technology?
CONTACT SHANE →
shanesmall@gmail.com