Behind the Scenes in Guyana: One Comm’s Rebrand & Cultural Immersion
For the One Comm Guyana rebrand, our team at Burnt House Productions set out on a project that was as much about cultural immersion as it was about visual storytelling. Alongside the creative team at Just Ordinary Folk, we traveled to Guyana to help shape a brand identity grounded in authenticity, community, and connection.
At Burnt House, we believe the most compelling stories come from the in-between—unscripted moments, honest emotion, and visuals that reflect life as it’s lived. This project gave us the chance to do just that: to help a brand reconnect with its audience through imagery that resonates on a human level.
Crafting the Vision: A People-Centered Rebranding Strategy
This wasn’t about tweaking a tagline or refreshing a logo. The One Comm Guyana rebrand aimed to reflect the emotional landscape of a company deeply intertwined with its people. The goal? To make the brand feel less like a corporation, and more like a familiar voice in the community.
Working with Just Ordinary Folk, we took a human-first approach to the creative direction. Their deep understanding of Guyanese culture shaped the campaign’s tone and texture, while our visual strategy focused on authenticity, relatability, and warmth.
To bring the brand’s values to life, we highlighted:
- Real stories from real people
- Everyday moments captured across city streets and quiet villages
- Local talent that brought authenticity to each shot
Rather than orchestrate scenes, we created space for unscripted moments to unfold. This is the heart of documentary-style branding: visuals that feel lived-in and true, not overly polished or posed.
Immersing Ourselves in Guyanese Culture
To create authentic marketing visuals, you need to first understand the culture you’re trying to represent. And in Guyana, that understanding starts in the markets—the lifeblood of the community.
The scent of ripe fruit. The clang of fish being sorted. The quick, friendly banter of vendors. It’s a place teeming with life, but also with stories—if you earn the space to tell them.
“You don’t just show up with a camera. You show up with curiosity, with respect, and with a willingness to connect.“
We started with conversation. Joked about cassava prices. Fumbled some Creole. And slowly, the camera became a passport—allowing us to blend in and capture the raw, unscripted beauty of daily life.
This kind of cultural immersion photography is where we find the soul of a place. Not in the picture-perfect moments, but in the unscripted ones—in between the frames. In these brief, beautiful intersections, a brand begins to feel like it belongs.
Navigating Challenges and Discovering Insights
Filming in real environments—markets, villages, busy streets—always presents challenges. Timing is unpredictable. Light changes quickly. You rely on intuition as much as planning.
But that’s where the richest moments come from. When you’re not chasing a shot, but waiting for it. When a real connection sparks a scene you could never script.
In Guyana, we learned that sometimes the best direction is no direction at all. Letting people be themselves allowed the story to speak louder than any storyboard ever could.
These are lessons we carry into every project: trust the process, respect the people, and don’t force the frame.
A Visual Story Rooted in Connection
As we wrapped the shoot, one thing became clear: this rebrand was about more than visual aesthetics. It was a celebration of community—of shared identity, cultural pride, and emotional resonance.
By focusing on documentary-style branding and immersing ourselves in Guyana’s heartbeat, we helped One Comm Guyana build a visual identity that’s not only bold and beautiful but deeply real. The people, the markets, the everyday interactions—they didn’t just inform the work. They became the work.
We walked away not only with footage, but with a deeper understanding of what makes a brand truly resonate: people, connection, and place.
Grateful for the Journey
We’re incredibly thankful to the people of Guyana who welcomed us with open arms, shared their stories, and allowed us to be part of their world—if only for a moment.
This project reminded us why we do what we do: to tell stories that feel real, reflect human experience, and forge deeper connections between brands and the people they serve.
We’re proud to have contributed to One Comm Guyana’s rebrand—and grateful for the chance to walk away changed by the experience.
👣 Explore More
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