Everyday Magic on 35mm: OpenAI's First ChatGPT Campaign Settles Into Daily Life

OpenAI's first big ChatGPT campaign shows AI slipping into everyday life

OpenAI has launched its first large-scale brand campaign across the US, UK and Ireland. Shot entirely on 35mm, it follows people using ChatGPT to cook, learn, travel and hit fitness goals. The point is simple: AI is present, helpful, and quiet.

The stories come from real prompts. Each moment treats ChatGPT like another tool in the room-there when you need it, invisible when you don't. OpenAI calls it "everyday magic," where you learn something new, reach a milestone or ship an idea with less friction.

The craft signals a new tone for tech

Director Miles Jay brings warmth and texture with 35mm film. Samuel Bradley's photography gives the out-of-home work a documentary feel, from London's Old Street Roundabout to Los Angeles. Styling by Heidi Bivens adds a subtle editorial edge without pulling focus from the people on screen.

OpenAI's in-house team led creative and production with the agency Isle of Any. Global media partner PHD is placing the work across primetime TV, streaming and landmark outdoor sites, including Piccadilly Lights, Manchester Arndale and central Dublin. Even the soundtrack-Perfume Genius's "Fool" and Simple Minds' "Someone, Somewhere (In Summertime)"-leans timeless over futuristic.

Meta touch: ChatGPT helped organise shot lists and schedules. The tool isn't the hero; the outcome is.

Why this matters for creatives

• Normalization beats spectacle. The work shows AI as a calm utility, not a flashy feature.
• Craft creates trust. 35mm and documentary-style stills make tech feel human and lived-in.
• Outcome-first storytelling. Focus on meals, milestones and small victories instead of capabilities.
• Proof of utility. If ChatGPT can structure a shoot, it can support pre-pro, research and client deliverables.
• Smart media context. From prime TV to iconic OOH, placement signals mainstream adoption.

Timing you can't ignore

ChatGPT's UK audience has quadrupled in the past year, and most UK users under 45 say AI helps them succeed. After a Super Bowl ad earlier this year, this campaign goes intimate to build familiarity.

OpenAI also unveiled Pulse, a feature that gives ChatGPT a live, always-on sense of what's happening, keeping conversations current without extra searching. That nudges the product deeper into daily habits-exactly what this brand push reflects.

How to apply this to your work

• Treat AI as an invisible collaborator: briefs, research sprints, shot lists, schedules and first-pass edits.
• Write from outcomes: what someone cooks, learns or finishes-then layer in the tool.
• Choose timeless over techy: tactile formats, natural light, authentic casting, restrained color.
• Prototype tiny wins: a menu plan, a location list, a moodboard-ship in hours, refine later.
• Build prompt libraries from real use, not hypotheticals. Document what actually worked on your last project.
• Measure quiet wins: time saved, fewer revisions, faster approvals-metrics clients feel.
• Use live context (like Pulse) to keep content up to date for news-driven or seasonal work.

Credits and placements

• Director: Miles Jay
• Photography: Samuel Bradley
• Styling: Heidi Bivens
• Creative/Production: OpenAI in-house with Isle of Any
• Media: PHD
• Regions: US, UK, Ireland
• OOH: Piccadilly Lights, Manchester Arndale, central Dublin
• Soundtrack: Perfume Genius "Fool"; Simple Minds "Someone, Somewhere (In Summertime)"
• Assist: ChatGPT for shot lists and schedules

Go further

Explore ChatGPT and product updates on OpenAI's site: openai.com/chatgpt.

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