Danielle Calodney’s Comedy Celebrates What it Means to Be Human

Watching Danielle Calodney’s mesmerizingly colorful, personality-filled portfolio, audiences learn something about themselves. 

Known for her infectious comedic tone and scroll-stopping work for major brandsdanielle calodney, director Danielle Calodney brings a vibrant, joy-forward perspective to relatable, high-concept comedies. Her distinct flavor of observational comedy is rooted in the nuances of the human condition and her characters’ lovable personalities. 

“My sense of humor is things that are generally relatable and yet tie into the uncanny part of being human,” explains Calodney. “I like stories about something no one ever shines a light on. And then, when the light is shone it’s a realization of, whoa, that’s a universal experience. The universality of the experience is what makes it funny.” 

Calodney’s experience spans broadcast, branded content, and vertical storytelling. Her work is ever-relevant because it is ever with the fresh zing of intention and attention, shaped by the always-evolving media landscape and fluent in the languages of internet culture. Danielle redefines what commercial filmmaking can look like in the attention economy.

The sharp wit and fast pace of her TikTok series for Caribou Coffee, for example, elevates the style of social media reality shows wildly popular among Gen Z and Millennials. The authenticity of and high stakes of young singles on real dates alongside the mesmerizing edit won global audiences over. This TikTok-first campaign delivered over 740M media impressions, a 170% sales lift, and a 99.9% positive sentiment with young audiences.

Calodney’s recent campaign for Homegoods crafts an epic series of drama and comedy filled episodes for social media platforms. From the use of household items to “spill the tea” about the dorms’ complicated romances to the discovery of a juicy betrayal among friends all due to a blanket, every visual story unfolds a narrative arc, seamlessly weaving brand storytelling. 

This series of short, character-driven, social-first comedy films premiered across social channels just in time for move in season. 

Danielle’s work connects with audiences because her comedy is deeply human. Her humor hits at the deep and shadowed truths of the human experience we’ve yet to realize were shared.  Her artistic perspective blooms from a profound and nuanced understanding of both her internal and external world. 

For Danielle, comedy is a three-stage evolution. She allows the comedy to unfold and solidify at every step of a project, and she works collaboratively to hone every humorous beat. She breathes life into robust story worlds and characters while effortlessly hero-ing brand storytelling. 

Calodney’s creative process begins with an established connection between herself and the brand, “I spend a lot of time thinking about what my connection to the brand is or fortifying my tie to it, ensuring I have a deep emotional connection to the brand. So, I enter this world where I feel like I become a steward of the brand.” 

Unfolding brand stories with a comedic flair, much of Calodney’s work sparkles with her premium, kaleidoscopic approach to art direction. The rumpled exasperation of a 5:00am wakeup, the awkwardness lingering awkward silence after a nail salon mishap, the uniting whimsy of cities in miniature – Danielle’s visual storytelling submerges audiences in her colorful, dynamic visual realms. 

“When I’m putting together an image on screen, I’m looking for how much contrast I can put in every iota of the frame. I’m always thinking of contrast, texture, and layers. I always want the image to have as much complexity as possible,” says Danielle. 

An attentive, artistic, and nuanced voice in the world of observational comedy, Danielle Calodney demonstrates how humorous, eye-catching brand stories can win the hearts of audiences. 

Joining ELEANOR in the US, Danielle adds a powerful new comedic lens to the company’s culture of craft and taste. 

“No one is doing it like Eleanor,” Danielle says of her new home. “I’m obsessed with the artistry of ELEANOR. The elegance. You can tell it’s a company where the art really does come first.” 

ELEANOR President Sophie Gold sings Danielle’s praises, “Degas once said that ‘art is not what you see, but what you make others see’. There’s something in Danielle’s comedy that exemplifies that sentiment. Her work represents exactly the intention-filled humor that audiences are craving on every platform, that is the future of advertising. I know we will be an unstoppable force.”