OHIO alumnus lands finalist spot in Super Bowl fan favorite, Doritos ad creation contest

Each year, millions of people tune in to watch the Super Bowl, but it's not just the game that draws them in—it's also the creative (and sometimes cringeworthy) ads that accompany it. One standout in the Super Bowl ad world is the Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign. This competition invites independent artists and fans to create their own Doritos commercial for a chance to win a cash prize and have their ad air during the big game. Thousands of submissions poured in for this year’s contest, and among the top 25 finalists was a Bobcat-heavy team led by Ohio University alumnus Collin Black.

Black, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in integrated media and communication, has spent his time since OHIO perfecting his craft of directing, filmmaking and visual effects, taking any opportunity possible to create something that will advance his skills and help get his work noticed.

The Doritos commercial was no different. However, he never expected his work to gain national recognition by placing in the top 25 commercials and being showcased on the Doritos official website, giving it a much broader audience than Black ever anticipated.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Black said. “When I saw the email weeks after submitting the commercial, I was floored. It was just so cool to get that kind of recognition, and I was honestly blown away by how supportive people were and the feedback it received. We didn’t make it to gain this recognition; it was about doing something creative with friends and pushing the boundaries of what we could do.”

The idea to create the commercial came during a weekend in late October when Black saw an opportunity to try something new: Doritos was hosting its annual “Crash the Super Bowl” contest. While many would hesitate, Black and a group of fellow OHIO alumni figured they were all free for a weekend and decided to take the leap.

“We have a tight-knit group of OHIO alums here in LA who often work together on short films or other creative projects, so I texted them to see if they’d be interested in getting together over a weekend and creating something together, and everyone was on board,” Black explained. “I didn’t have many commercials on my resume, and this seemed like a good excuse to push myself creatively. It was a way to see what I could do with a tight budget, limited time and a small but talented team.”

Inspired by the notion of absurdity, Black's idea for the ad quickly took shape: a comedic, historical Trojan horse scenario, with a very modern twist.

“I’ve always loved the mix of history and comedy, and I wanted to create an ad that didn’t feel like an ad,” he added. “Something that told a story—when is the most inappropriate time in history to eat a Dorito? That’s the question we explored.”

The production was as scrappy as it was ambitious. Shot in his own driveway and yard in Los Angeles, Black and his team used green screens, scavenged pallets and a lot of ingenuity to build the set.

“It was basically a backyard hangout, but it looks like a big-time shoot. It’s cool how it all came together, especially since we were combining characters, sets, period costumes and green screens. Looking back, it was probably one of my more ambitious projects,” said Black.

Despite the limited resources, the team pulled it off, shooting the commercial in just one day; however, post-production was another challenge. With only two weeks to finish everything, Black worked tirelessly on the visual effects, drawing on his extensive VFX background.

“When you love something, you just do it,” Black said. “I love the process—the creative problem-solving, making stuff with my friends and coming up with cool ideas.”

Since relocating from Athens, where he previously worked on the video team for OHIO’s University Communications and Marketing, to Los Angeles nearly two years ago, Black has been fortunate that his skills and work ethic have offered him incredible opportunities already working in the industry, specifically in visual effects.

“I was lucky enough to not have that LA struggle that so many do,” he noted. “I saved up, got jobs right away and started working in the industry freelancing on projects like Mr. Beast videos, Billie Eilish’s ‘Birds of a Feather’ music video and as a visual effects supervisor on a TV show.

In addition to these highlights, Black has been building a name for himself, often juggling multiple roles on top of his freelance work by directing his own short films and even hosting a visual effects YouTube channel.

He also credits his time at OHIO for equipping him with the skills to think creatively and resourcefully, as well as introducing him to so many people who have been crucial to his success—like his team on this commercial, comprising OHIO alumni Nick Ruhenkamp, BSC '20 (assistant director); Logan Hall, BSC '20 (first assistant camera); Josh Lehrfeld, BSC '20 (grips); Alex Radanof, BSC '21 (set builder and art director); Lily Barney, BSC '21 (costumes and makeup); Seth Jacob Garrett, BSC '19 (sound); Christian Dietrich, BSC '19 (colorist); and actors Erin Bechler, BSED '20; Paul Kruse, BSC '20; Matt Dugan, BSC '20; and Cal Gunderson, BSC '20.

“Ohio University gave me the foundation to push myself,” Black said. “It’s the kind of place where you learn how to think outside the box and make things happen with what you’ve got.”

Now that he’s proven he can tackle commercial work, he’s focused on bigger goals—specifically, directing. In addition to his work on commercials like the Doritos ad and one for Coors Light, he’s also involved in a feature film with Shout Factory.

“At the end of the day, my interests and career goals are leading me toward pursuing full-time directing,” Black said. “This Doritos project was a step in that direction. It’s about showing people what I can do with a limited budget and resources. The goal is to keep pushing, keep making things and ultimately prove myself as a director.”

Black’s journey is far from over, but his recognition in the Doritos contest is a clear signal of what’s to come. With his creative vision, collaborative spirit and relentless drive, it’s only a matter of time before his next big project hits the screen.

Want to hear more about Super Bowl ads? Listen to the latest episode of our "Ask the Experts" podcast with Chuck Borghese, a visiting professional in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Borghese shares stories and insights from his advertising career and tells us what he's looking forward to seeing in Super Bowl LIX.

Listen now!

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