What happens when you put the kids in the driver’s seat and let them ask the tough financial questions? For our latest project, “Reverse Roles,” we teamed up with FP7McCann to create a highly engaging, unconventional campaign for Qatar Islamic Bank’s (QIB) Junior product. We built a classic podcast-style studio environment, but flipped the script: instead of parents imparting wisdom, the kids took over as the interviewers, grilling their parents on their spending habits and childhood financial management.
The Agency Brief & Cross-Border Collaboration
A great production always starts with a solid foundation, and FP7McCann delivered exactly that. They came to us with a comprehensive and creative brief for a social media film designed to capture a gently comedic conversation about money and growing up.
Working closely with both the local FP7McCann team here in Doha and their extended team in Beirut, we collaborated to translate their vision into a final script. The goal was to ensure the pacing would land perfectly on social feeds while naturally introducing the QIB Junior app.
Pre-Production: Bringing the Vision to Life
While the agency provided a fantastic creative runway, it takes a lot of groundwork to make a set feel effortless. We developed a full production and treatment document to give both FP7McCann and QIB a clear, visual understanding of how the podcast aesthetic would look on screen.
A major part of our pre-production process at Dow Studios involves meticulous set design and talent scouting. We tested multiple visual setups, right down to selecting the perfect chairs that would look great on camera while keeping our talent comfortable.
Pre-Production: Bringing the Vision to Life
While the agency provided a fantastic creative runway, it takes a lot of groundwork to make a set feel effortless. We developed a full production and treatment document to give both FP7McCann and QIB a clear, visual understanding of how the podcast aesthetic would look on screen.
A major part of our pre-production process at Dow Studios involves meticulous set design and talent scouting. We tested multiple visual setups, right down to selecting the perfect chairs that would look great on camera while keeping our talent comfortable.
Equally important was the casting. The agency provided an initial list of potential talents, and our team stepped in to finalize the parent-child duos to ensure the on-screen chemistry was just right. We also managed the wardrobe selection, ensuring every detail reflected authentic Qatari style—like the perfect cut of the thobe—to resonate genuinely with the local audience.
Production: The Setup & Finding the Magic
To capture the intimate, modern feel of a podcast while optimizing for social media, we utilized a three-camera setup, with all cameras rigged natively in a 9:16 aspect ratio specifically for Reels and Shorts:
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Camera 1: A wide shot capturing the dynamic between the parent and child.
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Camera 2: A dedicated close-up on the child.
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Camera 3: A close-up on the parent for those split-second reactions.
Because our agency partners were split between Doha and Beirut, we wanted to ensure everyone felt like they were in the room. We built a dedicated live-stream setup directly from our cameras. This allowed the overseas team in Beirut to tune in virtually, watch the interviews happen in real-time, and provide immediate, on-the-spot feedback. This level of cross-border collaboration bridges the geographic gap and ensures perfect creative alignment.
When it came to the interviews, we struck a deliberate balance. While we had a structural outline and some staged questions to ensure we hit the core messaging, we purposefully wove in unscripted, spontaneous questions to capture the real magic. Throwing parents a curveball they hadn’t prepared for resulted in some incredibly genuine, gold-mine reactions and gave the whole set a fantastic, relaxed vibe.
Pre-Production: Bringing the Vision to Life
While the agency provided a fantastic creative runway, it takes a lot of groundwork to make a set feel effortless. We developed a full production and treatment document to give both FP7McCann and QIB a clear, visual understanding of how the podcast aesthetic would look on screen.
A major part of our pre-production process at Dow Studios involves meticulous set design and talent scouting. We tested multiple visual setups, right down to selecting the perfect chairs that would look great on camera while keeping our talent comfortable.
The Final Video
The final product is a lighthearted, funny, and highly relatable piece of content. By blending structured beats with genuine spontaneity, we captured an incredible amount of authentic interactions.
During post-production, we decided to lean into the charm of the shoot by including some of the bloopers and miscuts. Seeing a parent stumble over an unexpected question or a child break character adds a layer of human connection that highly increases viewer engagement. Paired with a comic-style background track, “Reverse Roles” successfully delivers QIB’s message with a lot of laughs and a whole lot of heart.