Digital Da Vincis Enters Runway's Big Ad Contest with AI-Generated Family Story

Digital Da Vincis submitted an AI-generated short film to Runway's Big Ad Contest on April 3, 2026. The Los Angeles-based independent agency created a family-focused narrative for CINCH, a fictitious paperclip brand.

The spot uses Runway's generative AI video tools to tell a human story about family bonds. The campaign demonstrates how independent shops are experimenting with AI production workflows in real client-facing formats: even when the client is invented for a contest.

Runway's Big Ad Contest invites agencies and creators to produce advertising using the platform's AI capabilities. Digital Da Vincis' entry positions AI as a production tool rather than a creative replacement. The family narrative and brand strategy came from the agency, while Runway handled video generation.

The choice of a mundane product category (paper clips) for an emotionally driven story follows a familiar advertising playbook: elevate the ordinary through narrative. Whether AI-generated footage can carry that emotional weight is what contests like Runway's are designed to test.

Digital Da Vincis announced the submission via LinkedIn, sharing behind-the-scenes details of their production process. The agency has not disclosed production timelines or cost comparisons to traditional video shoots.

The contest results have not been announced. For independent agencies, competitions like this offer a low-risk environment to build AI fluency while potentially earning industry visibility. The work gets made regardless of client budget constraints or risk tolerance.