Ma Duece
Hooten Young's Ma Deuce cigar was inspired by the legendary M2 Browning machine gun, a symbol deeply rooted in military history and familiar to the brand's audience.
The objective was to create a launch campaign that felt authentic to that heritage while differentiating the product from traditional luxury cigar marketing. Rather than focusing solely on craftsmanship and lifestyle imagery, the campaign sought to tell a story that connected the product directly to the inspiration behind its name.
The central idea was simple: the cigar becomes the ammunition. I created a series of custom 3D compositions featuring ammunition belts, military-inspired packaging, and hero product arrangements, which were then used as the foundation for an AI-assisted image generation workflow. This approach enabled the rapid creation of photorealistic campaign imagery while maintaining control over composition, product accuracy, and brand storytelling. The resulting assets were used across social media, sales materials, retailer communications, and product launches.