CANDELA'S EXPERIENCE WITH SPRITE AND ASIAN ICONS

Mauricio Candela
May 7, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Aug 11

Global Vision: Mauricio Candela’s Sprite Campaign with Lay Zhang & Jay Chou

When advertising meets culture, location, and celebrity influence, the result can be visually electrifying. That was precisely the case when Miami-based celebrity and lifestyle photographer Mauricio Candela collaborated with Sprite, Ogilvy Asia, and the powerhouse Asian production company Amanacliq for a high-profile campaign featuring two of Asia’s most iconic artists: Lay Zhang and Jay Chou.

This wasn’t just a photo shoot—it was an international production spanning continents, involving hundreds of hours of coordination, artistic vision, and creative execution. Here’s a deep dive into the making of this global advertising campaign, straight from behind Candela’s lens.

A Collaboration of Giants — Sprite, Ogilvy, Amanacliq, and Candela

A Fusion of Global Brands and Talent

The project brought together some of the biggest names in the industry:

Brand: Sprite – known for its energetic, youth-driven identity
Agency: Ogilvy Asia – one of the world’s top creative agencies
Production Company: Amanacliq – a leading force in Asian visual content
Celebrities: Lay Zhang (EXO, solo artist) and Jay Chou (legendary pop icon, filmmaker)
Photographer: Mauricio Candela – internationally awarded for his lifestyle, portrait, and advertising work

Each of these players brought their own strengths to the table, but the challenge was clear: how do you craft an advertising campaign that captures both celebrity charisma and brand authenticity while navigating tight production windows, multiple countries, and multilingual coordination?

Shooting Across Borders – China and Australia

Location 1 – Shenzhen, China

The first part of the production took place in Shenzhen, one of China’s most dynamic urban hubs. The creative focus here was to showcase urban energy and modern youth culture—a perfect fit for Lay Zhang, whose cool persona and massive Gen Z fanbase aligned seamlessly with Sprite’s brand message.

Candela worked closely with the production crew to:

Scout locations that reflected the city’s neon-soaked vibe
Coordinate complex lighting setups to blend cinematic moods with natural movement
Adapt to cultural workflows while still maintaining his distinctive visual style

“It’s about respecting the energy of the place,” Candela says. “I wanted every frame to feel spontaneous yet composed—like real moments frozen in time.”

Location 2 – Melbourne, Australia

From Shenzhen, the campaign moved to Melbourne, where Jay Chou brought his artistic and cinematic flair to the set. The scenes here were more minimalistic, focused on performance, motion, and stylized simplicity.

In both countries, Candela had to adapt to vastly different environments, cultural expectations, and time constraints—all while making each frame campaign-worthy.

The Art of Celebrity Photography Under Pressure

Pre-Production Precision

In high-stakes advertising photography—especially when working with global celebrities—pre-production is everything. Candela and the Amanacliq team spent days preparing before a single frame was captured.

Tasks included:

Rehearsing camera moves and lighting changes
Testing backdrops, props, and color schemes
Plotting timing to the minute for each celebrity session
Synchronizing lighting across both sets to maintain brand consistency

This detailed prep work allowed Candela to maximize limited time with the talent, ensuring every second on set was productive.

Shooting with Jay Chou and Lay Zhang

Candela was tasked with not only photographing the campaign but also overseeing all visual direction and execution. This involved navigating both technical leadership and creative intuition—two qualities that define his career.

Jay Chou brought a calm, cinematic presence. Lay Zhang added edge and kinetic energy. Candela’s job was to bring out their personalities while aligning with Sprite’s brand tone: fresh, bold, urban.

"Both of them were incredibly professional," he recalls. "But when you're shooting world-famous artists, the window is short. Everything has to be pre-lit, pre-blocked, and pre-approved. You get ten shots—make them count."

Style, Mood, and Consistency Across Markets

The campaign required stylistic unity, even though it spanned continents. That meant:

Color grading that stayed consistent across cities
Lighting setups that matched brand guidelines
Posing styles that complemented both celebrities while speaking the same visual language
Post-production editing handled with a global lens

From a technical standpoint, this level of consistency is complex—but Candela thrives in this terrain.

“I come from advertising,” he says, “so I understand both sides: the creative dream and the brand brief. My job is to merge them.”

Behind the Scenes — Moments that Made the Magic

While the final campaign delivers sleek, commercial visuals, it’s the behind-the-scenes moments that truly define the experience. From late-night lighting adjustments to impromptu rehearsals in hotel conference rooms, every member of the team worked in sync.

Photos from behind the scenes show:

The hustle of setting up location shots in urban Shenzhen
Team briefings in Melbourne with sunlight pouring in
Candela reviewing takes on a monitor with the agency creatives
Costume fittings, makeup tweaks, and last-minute touch-ups

These candid moments are proof that creativity thrives on preparation, collaboration, and vision.

A Career Milestone in Global Commercial Photography

For Mauricio Candela, this campaign was more than just another shoot—it was a milestone in global-scale visual storytelling. It brought together his strengths as a portrait artist, commercial photographer, director, and creative visionary.

Key Takeaways:

Working across cultures sharpens creative intuition
Pre-production is your greatest ally when time is tight
Authentic energy is what makes even commercial shots feel real
Celebrity photography demands clarity, speed, and empathy

Final Words from the Photographer

“There’s something incredibly rewarding about working on a campaign this big, this complex, and this meaningful. From China to Australia, from the streets to the studio, every frame told a story—not just about Sprite, but about human energy, style, and global connection. That’s what I live for.”

Ad Agency: Ogilvy Asia

Client: Sprite

Celebrities: Lay Zhang + Jay Chou.

Production Company: Amanacliq

Photographer: Mauricio Candela