Vine videos last just six seconds. That’s all the time you get. Yet within those six seconds talented creators can tell complete stories, deliver jokes, and share clever ideas. Crafting a memorable Vine is a genuine art, and a small group of directors have become known for mastering that tiny format.
For brands, finding an audience on Vine was a tougher challenge — but Lowe’s managed to do it remarkably well. Lowe’s Vine channel and the #LowesFixinSix campaign became one of the platform’s most popular presences, earning multiple awards and recognitions, including a Cannes Cyber Lion. Six seconds proved to be an ideal span for delivering quirky, useful DIY tips that viewers enjoy watching and sharing.
One helpful DIY idea came from Old Town Home, and I even borrowed their prosthetic leg prop to take a selfie (shown above).
I’ve only made a couple of Vines myself, but I’ve always been impressed by Lowe’s stop-motion work. So when Lowe’s invited me to spend a few days in New York watching their Vine production, I eagerly accepted. They even asked me to suggest a tip I’d like to see turned into a Vine — I couldn’t say no.
My suggestion was a practical hack: use sawdust as a desiccant. Lowe’s transformed that idea into a visually clever Vine.
Lowe’s partnered with BBDO to host a blogger event where, over two days, we observed the entire creative process. My friend Jason Haymond happened to be the producer on set. The production team included creative directors, producers, a director, production assistants, editors, and stop-motion specialists — a full crew assembled to produce four Vines in two days. With Lowe’s executives and a group of bloggers watching, the pace and pressure were apparent, but the team delivered.
Beyond watching the shoots, members of BBDO’s creative team explained their concepts and planning. The amount of thought, storyboarding, timing and precision that goes into a single six-second spot is impressive. We also met with a team from BuzzFeed that works with Lowe’s to promote these Vines through native advertising — a format BuzzFeed has helped refine and popularize.
BuzzFeed collected the blogger-created Vines along with other home-hack videos for a feature on creative DIY tips that make everyday projects look effortless. The results highlight how short-form video can teach, entertain, and inspire with just a few frames.
The trip was a fantastic behind-the-scenes look at how a major brand builds playful, shareable content. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or just enjoy clever short videos, Lowe’s Vines are addictively watchable — you’ll likely view more than one in a row.
Shown below are a few snapshots from the production, props, and set designs. The cutthroat trout used in my Vine:
Fake water on set:
Production and behind-the-scenes stills:
