The brief
An owned brand, documented field to shelf.
1971 Hook is the one project where WERZ was the client, the studio, and the marketing team at once. Everything on this page — the farm, the film, the stills, the shelf — is first-party production media, presented as documentation rather than a client endorsement.
- 1971 Hook was founded by WERZ founder Sebastian Werz. This is an owned-brand case study, not an independent client testimonial.
- Brand positioning and identity, documentary film, editorial photography, chef content, campaign spots, and retail-presentation assets.
- Hudson Valley farm and kitchen production beginning in 2024, followed by an ongoing content program.
- 1971 Hook was listed in 45 Whole Foods stores in May 2026; the linked store page documents the locations.
- The case study does not claim that the film or creative work alone caused retail placement.
- Original production media, the public store list, and the founder relationship are disclosed on this page.
01 / Farm — Hudson Valley, NY
He didn’t produce content for a hot sauce brand. He started one.
The search took months and crossed state lines before it ended in Hudson Valley, New York — in the fields of families who have grown peppers on this land for decades. Not contract growers. Craftsmen. People who understand that what goes into the ground determines everything that comes out of it.
The name
A hook isn’t just a punch. It’s the one you throw after you get knocked down.
That’s the philosophy behind the brand: not just resilience, but returning harder. It’s why the MMA community found it before anyone ran an ad, and why the chefs who cook with it aren’t paid — they just believe in it.
Every creative decision came from that same place. The brand doesn’t look like a typical hot sauce because it isn’t competing with one.
02 / Film
It doesn’t feel like an ad because it isn’t one.
We went to Hudson Valley with a camera and followed what was actually happening — the fields at dawn, the farmers at work, the process from pepper to bottle. The director’s cut traces the full arc.
Campaign spot
Built for buyers, made for everyone else.
Alongside the documentary, a thirty-second spot for retail pitches and paid social — who 1971 Hook is, in under half a minute.
The content engine
One brand system, clip by clip.
A product promo, a chef series shot in real kitchens, and two concept spots — the recurring vertical bank a consumer brand actually runs on. Every clip is a native 9:16 encode.
03 / Stills
The product deserved a campaign, not a product shot.
We photographed the brand with the seriousness we’d apply to fashion — a visual language built to carry into retail, press, and shelf without looking out of place.
04 / Shelf
45 Whole Foods stores. Northern California, Boise, and Reno.
In May 2026, 1971 Hook was listed across 45 Whole Foods locations. The store page records every address. This case study documents the brand and content work alongside that rollout without attributing the placement to any single creative asset.
What we delivered
One system, six deliverables.
- Brand strategy & identity
- Director's cut brand film
- Photography
- Chef series
- Campaign spots
- Social content library
Disclosure
Sebastian Werz founded 1971 Hook and WERZ produced its creative system. This page is first-party documentation of an owned brand, so it is presented as a case study rather than a client endorsement.
Plan your production
A clear scope before the shoot.
Based in Fresno, California. Available for productions across the US and for projects in Germany.
Send your project, location, intended use, budget range and deadline. We can review a brief before you choose a call time.
Projekt auf Deutsch anfragenCan you produce photography and video together?
Yes. We plan a shared brief, locations, crew and lighting, with dedicated time for still photography and motion. The shot list identifies the hero film, demonstrations, portraits, product details and campaign images you need. Photographs are planned as photographs, rather than relying on frames pulled from video.
What determines the project estimate?
Shoot days, locations, crew, equipment, travel, access requirements, editing, retouching and usage all affect the estimate. Send your budget range, intended audience, launch date and required deliverables. We can propose a focused scope or a broader production, with inclusions and optional items defined before work begins.
How long does production take?
We schedule backward from your delivery or launch date. Planning, location access, filming, edit and photo selection, your feedback, and final exports each need time. We confirm a realistic schedule after reviewing the brief; urgent requests depend on crew availability and how quickly decisions can be approved.
How do travel and international productions work?
Based in Fresno, California. Available for productions across the US and for projects in Germany. Travel days, transport, accommodation and any local crew are agreed in the estimate. For industrial sites, we coordinate access, safety requirements and on-site contacts before filming. Project coordination can be in English or German; subtitles, voiceover and language versions are scoped separately.
What files and usage rights are included?
The proposal specifies finished video formats, aspect ratios, the number of edited photographs, delivery method and intended usage. Raw footage, RAW photographs and editable project files are agreed separately. Music, talent, stock and other third-party rights follow their licenses; tell us your channels, territories and campaign duration before production.
How are revisions and approvals handled?
We agree on review stages and included revision rounds in the proposal. One consolidated set of feedback from your decision-maker helps keep the schedule clear. Changes to the agreed brief, additional edits or new shoot requirements are estimated before proceeding.
Can you include drone footage and photographs?
Yes, where the location and operation permit it. WERZ holds FAA Part 107 certification for US commercial drone operations and an EU A1/A3 competency certificate. These are different credentials, not blanket permission for every flight. Airspace, site permission, aircraft, insurance and any additional authorizations are checked for the proposed shoot.