In December 2025, I began exploring AI-powered image and video generation for the first time. After running a few small experiments, I decided to take on a more ambitious challenge: creating an unofficial commercial for Arbuz, a grocery delivery service.
I wanted to develop an unconventional New Year story that would reflect the nature of the service without relying on a straightforward product demonstration. The main objective was to capture a sense of warmth, lightness, and holiday spirit — to create a film that could make the audience smile and evoke a genuine sense of affection.
At the time, my family had been rewatching the animated film *Madagascar*, followed by *Mr. Popper’s Penguins*. Both films became key creative references for the concept. This led to the creation of the main character: a charming penguin with almost human-like intelligence, preparing for the holidays in his own way and sharing the joy of the New Year with the people around him.
Some time after the commercial had been completed, a story about a penguin that had separated from its colony and wandered alone toward the mountains went viral around the world. As a result, penguin-related content suddenly became part of a major online trend. However, my film had been conceived and produced well before this story gained attention. It was never intended to capitalize on a viral moment or generate publicity through a trending news story.
For that reason, I chose not to develop or actively promote the project at the time. Publishing it in the middle of that media cycle felt inappropriate, as it could easily have been interpreted as an attempt to exploit a sensitive and widely discussed story.
This project became my first complete experience of producing a commercial film with generative AI — from the initial idea and visual concept development to the production of the final video.