Intro
Mama Teav’s—a Southeast Asian American pantry brand built on all-natural, whole-ingredient condiments rooted in family tradition—recently updated their product labels and introduced a new product. To support this milestone, they needed a comprehensive, evergreen suite of photography and video assets to launch and celebrate their new look and feel.
The concept for the shoot centered around an intimate dinner party, with a visual strategy anchored in Mama Teav’s core identity: bold, extroverted, familial, and unapologetically rooted in Southeast Asian culture.
Role: Art Director / Creative Lead
Agency: Garnish Studios
Photo: Scott Bleicher
Retouching: Derek Brooker / Stephen Foster Meyer
Video: Luis Romero / JC Calbayan
Styling/ Set Build: Echo Yun Chen / Renee Chang
Food Stylist: Gabby Phi
Deliverables:
Art Direction
Concept
The creative direction aligns seamlessly with Mama Teav’s brand pillars: bold, extroverted, and familial. By capturing an intimate gathering, the visual strategy shines a light on the vibrant, loving, and unapologetic warmth of Southeast Asian culinary culture.
Below are the conceptual mood boards that established this direction and the shoot.
Art Direction
Lifestyle & Video: We moved away from sterile, staged setups to capture the authentic warmth of an intimate dinner party. The creative direction aimed to replicate the lively banter, shared plates, and vibrant energy of a tight-knit kitchen—evoking the spirited upbringing of founders Anthony and Christina. The environment balanced traditional and modern Southeast Asian decor, capturing a fiery, familial warmth unique to immigrant households.
Product & Culinary: The food photography focused on real ingredients and genuine, everyday culinary uses. We showcased the condiments in action—drizzled over stir-frys, integrated into marinades, and used as a vibrant dipping sauce—placing the product naturally within authentic dining moments.
Visual Styling: To match the brand’s extroverted personality, the lighting design utilized a subtle hard flash, creating high-contrast shadows and saturated colors that demand attention.
Next work
