AUS X Deus Ex Machina: Partnering with Cleo to Elevate Brand Recognition

Project Overview:

Deus Ex Machina – AUS In-house Production Team x Cleo Vietnam

For two consecutive years, Deus Ex Machina, the in-house production team of AUS, had the opportunity to collaborate closely with Cleo — one of the most recognizable personal care brands in the Vietnamese market.

From the initial brief to final delivery, AUS worked hand-in-hand with the Deus in-house team to produce advertising videos that were on-trend, visually refined, brand-consistent, and cost-efficient, perfectly aligning with Cleo’s youthful and modern brand identity.

Phase 1: Three Products – One Minimal Concept – One Smart Production Strategy

The Challenge

Cleo needed to launch three promotional videos, each highlighting a different product line.

The key constraints:

• Limited production budget

• High expectations for visual quality

• Strong requirement to maintain brand tone and consistency

The Solution by Deus Ex Machina – AUS In-house Team

As the strategic lead, Deus Ex Machina proposed a unified minimalism-based concept, allowing the brand to:

• Reduce production time

• Optimize budget allocation

• Ensure visual consistency across all three videos

Execution by the Deus production team included:

• Pre-production:
  Carefully designed shooting layouts with dynamic camera movements to avoid static or monotonous visuals.

• Post-production:
  Clean yet engaging visual effects were applied to maintain a premium minimal aesthetic while keeping the videos visually captivating.

Thanks to the seamless combination of AUS’s strategic direction and Deus’s flexible TVC production capabilities, Cleo successfully launched three high-quality videos:

• Delivered on time

• Met brand standards

• Achieved significant cost optimization beyond initial expectations

Phase 2: A Trend-Driven iTVC – A Strategic Branding Move

Building on the success of the first phase, Cleo continued its partnership with Deus Ex Machina for a new iTVC branding campaign, aiming to:

• Strengthen brand image

• Update product communication in line with current market trends

The Challenge

At the time of production, several visual trends were dominating the market, including:

• Robotic arm movements

• Multicolor gradient backgrounds

Cleo wanted to incorporate these elements to enhance brand recall, while still keeping production costs under control.

How Deus Ex Machina Handled It

• AUS defined the visual framework, color palette, and lighting direction to ensure the brand identity was not overshadowed by trends.

• Deus handled production, integrating trendy visual effects in a controlled and refined manner — trendy but tasteful.

• The final iTVC delivered a modern, premium look while effectively supporting Cleo’s branding objectives.

Results & Client Feedback

All video assets — from the initial product videos to the branding iTVC — were:

• Completed on schedule

• Delivered with high production quality

• Well-received by both audiences and online communities

Cleo highly appreciated Deus Ex Machina for:

• Strong and structured communication strategy

• Creative solutions aligned with budget constraints

• A reliable in-house production team ensuring output quality

The long-term collaboration stands as clear proof of the trust and tangible results delivered by Deus Ex Machina – AUS’s in-house team.

Effective Strategy Powered by an Integrated In-house Production Ecosystem

As an integrated marketing agency, AUS not only leads campaign strategy but also operates its own in-house production team — Deus Ex Machina — specializing in high-quality video advertising and TVC production.

By controlling the entire process from creative concept to video production, AUS is able to:

• Stay flexible with timelines

• Optimize client budgets

• Maintain consistent quality across all deliverables

The Cleo case study is a strong example of how Deus Ex Machina – AUS In-house Team delivers creative, trend-driven, and cost-effective advertising solutions.
Even with limited budgets, strategic alignment and internal collaboration ensure that each TVC is on-trend, brand-aligned, and impactful.