michaels
where traditions are born
When I walk around through life, I see the human truths behind great advertising everywhere. Whether it’s a tattered, grimey pair of checkered Vans that have skated and walked a thousand miles or a gardneing shovel with a few dents in it from years of cultivating a cherry tomato garden; it’s impossible for me to miss the underlying stories behind objects and moments. In March of 2026, I got to watch my older brother, Dennis Jr, get married. A few years before then, my parents, Patty & Dennis Sr, got married, they were given a needle-point pattern that’s hung in our house for 30 some odd years. It’s not the most beautiful piece of artwork that would stop you in your tracks, but it is a staple of our household that we’d miss if it was gone. When my mom went shopping at Michaels to find a needle-point pattern to make as one of my brother’s wedding gifts, she stumbled across one that felt familiar so she bought it. Turns out that she had accidentally bought the exact same pattern her and my father had been given on their wedding day 39 years prior. It seems like I’m making this up or that the scenario is just too perfect, but that’s genuinely how the story unfolded. When she finally gave it to him, Dennis immediately recognized it while his wife, Chelsey, began to study it for the first time. It was such a beautiful culmination of our life that truly showcases how a craft store like Micheals can sell seemingly unimportant things that last and resonate for decades in someone’s home. The spot, edited by me, features real photos of my family growing up with the original needle-point scattered throughout the background telling the story of how Michaels can build traditions.
art direction: andrew flynn
copy: robert mcintosh
commercial
talent featured
Dennis P. Flynn Sr.as Boy, Dad, and Groom #1
Patricia B. Flynn
as Girl, Mom, and Bride #1
Erin F. Flynn Prinzo
as Kid #1
Dennis P. Flynn Jr.
as Kid #2 and Groom #2
Thomas J. Flynn
as Kid #3
Andrew J. Flynn
as Kid #4
Anthony Prinzo
as Brother In Law #1
Chelsey Tango Flynn
as Sister In Law #1 and Bride #2