From Lemonade Stand to Global Stage: Creative Team Wins Gather Contest with Maison Huis - Sponsored by Ohhh! Contest

Creative team wins Gather Contest with vibrant and colorful Maison Huis ad Lemons, featuring family, optimism, and cold-pressed juice.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, September 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Writer-director Colin Francis Costello and his team have won the Gather Contest, a cinematic global competition sponsored by Ohhh! Contest and MBY x Maison Huis. The colorful, quirky 35-second spot titled “Lemons” charmed judges with its simplicity, heart, and cinematic craft.

The commercial tells the story of a little girl frustrated that no one would buy from her lemonade stand. Her parents watch and then step in, juicing lemons with a Maison Huis masticating cold-pressed juicer. As soon as the juice begins to flow, so do the customers. A playful voiceover ties the narrative together: “When life gives you lemons, juice them!”

“I love the use of colors, the video feels vivid and full of life. The young actress matched that energy beautifully with her expressive performance. Bravo,” noted Lou Gang, Maison Huis's CEO.

The creative was developed by Costello and his partner, Creative Director and Art Director Lily Kim, for branded entertainment production company Ela Road Films and co-produced by Christine Sclafani, owner of Macaroni Entertainment, and Julio Splinker co-owner of Existe Mas. Kim’s daughter, Nari Aleksey, stars as the determined lemonade girl.

Costello explained the narrative influence: “I have always been a fan of Peanuts, the simplicity, the humanity, the way a tiny setup pays off with warmth instead of noise. With the lemonade stand, we wanted that same feel, a simple, loving story that leads to a small but satisfying surprise. It is about optimism, family, and the idea that thoughtful craft, in this case fresh juice, can change the whole day.”

Kim described the client brief and look: “The brief centered on togetherness, and we needed to highlight the Maison Huis juicer as the thing that brings people together in this story. During concepting, the adage ‘when life gives you lemons, make lemonade’ came to mind, and we gave it a playful twist. From the start, I envisioned the spot bursting with color and energy. I wanted it to feel fun, vibrant, and full of life. That is why the cast wears bright, colorful clothing that echoes the fruits and vegetables going into the juicer. Even the lemonade stand has its own character, with a carefully chosen color palette. At the end of the day, fun and color, lots of it, were the name of the game.”

Sclafani reflected on the intensity and payoff of the shoot: “Producing Lemons was one of those moments where everything had to come together quickly, and it did. We had just one day - eight hours to shoot, so there was no room for hesitation. What made this even more remarkable is that we were working with a brand-new production team. Instead of slowing us down, that fresh energy inspired all of us to bring our best. The urgency and collaboration on set were electric, and you can feel that spark in the commercial itself.”

Ohhh! Contest is a community-driven crowdsourcing platform that provides a single destination for brands to collaborate with real filmmakers through cinematic video contests. Launched by Amine El bouhssini and Soufyane El Anssari, the platform has already partnered with leading brands such as Wolfbox, HBADA, Sunaofe, and Maison Backyards.

The spot can currently be seen online here.

About Ela Road Films, LLC
Ela Road Films, LLC is a branded commercial and narrative production company specializing in feature and short films, TV, and commercials. It was started by Colin Francis Costello in 2023.

About Macaroni Entertainment
Macaroni Entertainment's vision is to be a pioneering force in the global entertainment industry, driven by the core values of diversity, inclusion, and innovation. Our aim is to create a dynamic platform that reflects the richness of the human experience by curating content that transcends cultural boundaries and resonates with a global audience.

About Existe Mas
Existe Mas is a collective of visionary artists shaping contemporary filmmaking. The group creates stories that probe human nature, spark emotion, and encourage people to live more fully. Their work goes beyond entertainment, amplifying underheard voices and pushing the limits of visual storytelling to challenge norms and inspire positive change.

Ela Road Films LLC
Info@elaroadfilms.com
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