For over 3 years I worked on Keep it Wild. On this campaign we managed to beat out Subaru for the number one spot in share at 18.8%! In this region, beating out both Subaru and Jeep is a big win.
Since 2016 I’ve been directing and managing the creative for the Keep It Wild campaign in Colorado. The objective, to showcase the capable 4Runner in the rugged terrains of the Denver region. Authenticity is a key element in all Colorado work, so we had to do our own research and rely on intuition when conveying our target in addition to the insights provided on the brief. The nature of these projects were very hands on. Often times I’d be scouting and physically directing every aspect along with my team. I’ve scaled cliffsides, hiked in two feet of snow in well below freezing temperatures and hung out from the back of pickups directing the camera operator. I loved every moment of it. I have a huge appreciation of the outdoors.
The challenge for this work has always been pushing the limits of the vehicle without over promising. So, although most drivers may not want to smash through a snow drift or grab some air in the mud course, their aspirations and confidence in the engineering of a machine capable of doing so will get them to purchase.
We were able to maintain authenticity and avoided a “salesy” tone with the spot. This work truly inspires and draws people in without spoon feeding the features and claims. We wanted to make people want to jump in a new 4Runner and take part in the Colorado outdoors that weekend.
We also had the opportunity to use Nash Kato for the voice over. If you don’t know who he is, he’s the guy who sings “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” on Kill Bill. His voice was just perfect for the Colorado outdoorsman. Again, authenticity. Kato was the “guy” without much acting. We just needed to guide him and dial his voice over in to set the stage for Keep It Wild.
In addition to broadcast we spent time collecting as much b-footage for digital and print applications during this one-day shoot. Prior to shooting we’d concept potential tactics, so we had an idea what to look for. Some tactics were set but due to the freedom to capture the footage first hand and the great relationships with the vendor and client we were able to really push the potential of the shoot on the limited budget and time.
We've all experienced it ... the enormous, embarrassing sneeze that left you feeling grossly unprepared and awkward.
This ad utilized "booger" glue to simulate the uncomfortable experience, stretching across the spread to reveal the line that they should've used Vicks.
The story behind the booger ad... I saw an opportunity after reviewing another team’s brief pinned to the wall and just had to participate. The objective was to create an amazing Vicks print ad that would resonate with College students during flu season. Because of the target I could really have some fun. Since it was pretty much due that day I had to jump on Getty and download a great snotty nosed profile headshot and find some booger glue. I managed to do so and had some time to typeset the footer claim to blow off the page. This was well received and while I don’t have the actual stats to reflect its impact in sales the client, journalists and many respectable fellow Creatives have given it props. It managed to win a few awards, one of them being a national Addy.
We were given the opportunity to work with the New York Giant’s quarterback, Eli Manning. Being such a high-profile assignment, every Creative was given the opportunity to work on bringing this campaign to life.
The brief was to promote features of Toyota or a Toyota vehicle via the “How to with Eli Manning” campaign. Due to the high volume of scripts for broadcast and social we had to concept ideas within the parameters of a “white-world” set and avoid complex story lines. This would help maintain efficiencies in cost and be easier to execute. We were all given a list of core messages to focus on and delivered several 15 second spots. Our ECD and client would be the deciding factor on whether the work ever made it to full fruition.
Eli was great to work with and a really nice guy on set. He even signed a football for my dear mom who now roots for the Giants.
Working on Meritage really gave our team the opportunity to leverage and combine expertise across several disciplines. We were tasked with creating the full experience on-site during a home tour.
We first aligned on a look that could resonate with our audience, we chose an illustration style to help keep things nimble and scalable across all communication materials. We were also tasked with figuring out ways to convey key build differentiators and benefits in a fun memorable way that also included a live demonstration captured on video. I got a chuckle watching colleagues squirm while handling the roaches on set.
Most if not all assets came from the initial request of creating an on-site video. The video covers a few key differentiators and our intent was that it can be appreciated at any given point playing in the background during a home tour. It gave us a lot to work with as we created the rest of the tour experience. Edits and cut-downs also allowed us to play in the digital and social space more deliberately and holistically outside of the on-site expereince.
Signage was placed in key places around the home. We wanted to be sure they were seen but not over cluttering the space. This required some tour policy recommendations to limit the amount of communication and signs to ensure the best experience. Since equity can often appear the same in this category, we decided to include more of our illustrations to help create a visual thread in pre and post of our targets tour journey.
We resurrected the QR code due to potentially new technology behavior after seeing how much easier the experience is now as a native function. NFC was on the table, but it required too many steps for Users and we wanted to be sure we were providing access to tools that would support the onsite tour.
As a bonus, we thought that we could create dioramas to help make our build differentiators even more memorable.
Finally, we needed to create additional Bill Nye style videos to really hit hard on the science behind Meritage’s build technology. This content was initially intended to be primarily for this on-site experience but we made sure to incorporate and recommend all of this work across channels. Cut downs and edits were made to reflect placement and purpose.
This microsite was the destination for a code redemption program to launch Madden 11. Users could unlock special stadiums and characters by purchasing participating P&G men's grooming brands.
The core mission of this assignment was to promote scale within the roster of P&G male grooming products. This was one of those assignments that had a few objectives and we managed to address all of them by creating this fun campaign centered around this idea “Smack Talk.” The second objective was to sell a bunch of Gillette razors. Since the product already had an existing football theme it really synced into the Madden launch. Getting men to purchase a razor means ongoing repeat purchases and P&G makes a lot of money on those cartridges. I wish I could remember the specific number of razors the client set for us to measure success, but what I do remember is that we sold out of razors and that number ended up not mattering.
My favorite part of this project encouraged users to "Talk Smack" through a customizable Facebook app that generated sharable insults. Social was not a major part of the brief. By this I mean we were asked to include a “share” link due to best user practices, nothing more. At this time, I was seeking out ways to truly engage with an audience online. Why would someone want to share anything driven by a product unless it was sincerely cool enough? Sure, maybe the code redemption program might be worthy, but I wanted it to be more fun and relevant to an even broader audience. So, the idea of “Smack Talk” was born and ended up setting the tone for the entire campaign. Reverse engineering at its finest. Sometimes it just works out that way.
This hero tactic was part of a much larger platform of executions that brought “Smack Talk” to life however the microsite was at the core of the entire campaign. This campaign’s success ended up leading to a few more Creative’s picking up the work for future Madden launches down the road after my time with the account.
The objective of this assignment was to leverage the power of Mommy Bloggers to sell new products within a P&G laundry regimen. Although a simple execution of samples in a branded package was all our client really expected, we wanted to create something that would really get the Mom’s more to vlog about. So, we created the “Mess Kit.”
This blogger kit targeting Moms was promoting the launch of Tide Stain Release, a revolutionary laundry additive that helped remove stains the first time as well as the Bounce dry bar, which allowed shoppers to never forget the fabric softener again.
We designed a kit to make getting “messy” part of the fun. We then challenged moms to share in the fun with kids, family or friends. To create excitement, and something worth blogging/vlogging about, the kit includes condiments, t-shirts, goggles and ketchup bottles. Giving moms the license to stain was all too tempting and giving them the freedom to clean was as easy as 1,2,3!
Turn up the sound to experience the ASMR videos.
One of the most unusual assignments I’ve had the pleasure to be a part of. After this one, I was well informed on ASMR and discovered that there is a huge ASMR fanbase that we leveraged to get the word out on Meritage Homes, the new HVAC system and Spray Foam.
We set out to disrupt with Youtube, Pre-roll and Facebook. Budget didn’t allow for Spotify, we really wanted to see how the ASMR community would respond to these product centric sounds on a platform all about its audio.
Environmental Design/Activation
This karaoke event launched Gillette's new 2-in-1 shower product line encouraging users to sing in the shower, record their own version of their favorite tune and create a memorable music video via the shower cam.
Every detail was considered, from the microphone integrated body wash bottle to the simulated steam from the fog machine and big-screen television which gave spectators and those too shy to sing, the chance to enjoy the show from the shower head angle.
Hundreds of people participated at the event and had a ton of fun. Seeing the joy on their faces has been one of the most rewarding memories in my career.
For 3 years I’ve been managing and directing the Colorado regions 4Runner Keep It Wild campaign and occasionally they want to promote other capable vehicles in the Toyota line up targeting a similar yet different consumer.
In this case we were asked to focus our efforts on Tundra. I’m actually a Tundra driver myself and could really leverage my experiences as an outdoorsman and worker. Although I fell within the target, we still wanted to bring in what makes it relevant to Colorado and in this rugged landscape we have real-life cowboys.
For this campaign we had to start from the ground up, so we came up with “Get to Work.” After all, this is a work truck and capable enough to handle whatever you throw at it. I loved the simplicity, this tagline has “legs” and can really be expressed well across mediums and future executions. Keep in mind, Tundra’s biggest competitors are the well-known trusted American truck brands like Ford, Dodge and Chevy. For many, a big barrier to overcome is the lack of an American brand and for some, one that will never be overcome due to its nature of origin. We could have approached it in less of a rugged way but decided to go all in on authenticity. We wanted to change the perception of the brand and challenge the stigmas associated with it head-on. What we did was romanticize the American cowboy alongside his Tundra caring and nurturing for his livestock on the open plains of the Denver countryside.
The Prilosec client asked for an ad to promote their product during the season all about over indulging and holiday festivities. I like creating work that gets people to think and quickly connect the dots. I came up with this sweater ad along with a few others to pitch to campaign it out. We ended up just producing one and it turned out well.
The process for this ad was a little tricky. I was double booked on another work trip and had to direct this ad remotely for the shoot and production. Although I would never recommend doing this it turned out to be a memorable experience and the work turned out well. A lot of back and forth took place and trying to find a signal to receive comps was sometimes a challenge.
Just another time Prilosec reminded me to enjoy everything the holidays dish out.
Although I haven’t worked on Gain a lot, it was one of the more fun brands at P&G. “To smell it is to love it.” and “Love and first sniff.” were the existing campaign lines and our task was to convey that message. Any time a product tells you you’ll love it, you can’t help but have doubts and disregard any credibility unless of course you keep the communication fun, light-hearted and playful.
What are the scents you love, iconically and unrelated to laundry? This question led me to a bunch of answers but the one that stood out was an air freshener hanging from the rearview. So why not interchange that with a smelly sock, the kind washed in the lovely scent of Gain?
We took this idea a step further and created actual car fresheners for people to demo or stick on products in-store.
Everywhere you need "CLEAN" to be.
When working on P&G, a lot of the work is about communicating scale. How do you get the consumer to consider expanding their regimen? For Mr. Clean, it was no different. Instead of saying there is a full line of cleaning products we chose to show it. With the iconic Mr. Clean reflection, what better way to leverage a trusted brand icon to convey product benefits in an extreme application across every surface in the house.
This idea was reiterated for Digital and In-store due to this print-ad being so well received with the consumer and client.
The New Express Checkout brand launch and product design.
This was a full multimedia launch campaign. The branding, site, and communication structure was all part of making CurrentC tangible. This responsive scroll site was set up to address a press release for the new mobile payment application, the objective was primarily to collect leads.
We were able to define a brand voice and tone through iconography, illustration and copy. We wanted CurrentC to convey a sense of trust since the biggest barrier was security. In today’s age with identity theft and hackers, what online information is ever truly safe? None of it is.We still took on the challenge by creating a voice that was conversational and approachable to communicate all the benefits and tech to the average consumer. Although this product would typically skew younger, our target was intended to be older based on the brands and products associated with CurrentC. Our product point of difference was that it was backed by retailers, so we wanted to incentivize users to adopt CurrentC with brand and retailer perks.
Another aspect to the site that helped articulate the voice of CurrentC was its illustrations. We had this idea that the brands and retailers that made up CurrentC was much like a friendly neighborhood. Again, to convey an approachable trustworthy brand. This was further expressed through the line quality and color pallet. We had to be careful to find the balance between playful and serious messaging to not incite too much fear or paranoia but also inspire and delight with this new way to pay. The biggest advantage of leveraging illustration as part of the brand was that it’s much nimbler and less costly than photography. Particularly this style. Due to our fast-paced world and the need to address instant demands working online, Illustration can be delivered much faster than setting up and dealing with the production of photoshoots.
We also developed icons since in this space we’ve all have grown accustomed to them and they efficiently communicate simple actions, services or ideas. In addition to utilizing them in typical applications we also wanted to leverage them collectively as supporting graphics to a headline or image.
In additional to being tasked with launching CurrentC we also dabbled in some product design. We partnered with a company who primarily handled the application development and design. As the brand agency we wanted to influence the experience more, so by utilizing their existing wireframes and prototypes we also provided client with ideas for their product. A seamless brand experience across all channels including the product is the ultimate goal.
Fight phony baloney deals with the Toyota Go Squad!
Portland Toyota came to us with an idea they wanted developed. The idea positioned Toyota as the “hero” and the common challenges and hardships of owning a vehicle were the “villains.” Silly and fun characters came to mind and the opportunity to create something out of the ordinary presented itself. The Toyota GoSqaud was born!
We needed a name for our superheroes that somehow tied into our brand, so we played off the Toyota tag, Let’s Go Places. Each of the villains were inspired by the cheap tactics you’ve seen at used car lots often associated with scammers. The gorilla suit spinning a sign, Uncle Scam and those inflatable tube dancers came to mind. A pink gorilla suit was just my preference. After the characters were sketched out and signed off on by the client, the concepts were sent out to a comic illustrator who really fleshed them out.
Working with illustrations had its benefits for social and digital. Because of all the layered parts we had a lot of freedom to design per spec and need. Playing with copy that had a comic book tone visually and textually was also implemented. We even pitched a free comic for kids who happen to be at the dealership with their parents shopping for a new Toyota.
The Toyota RAV4 has really been in high demand due to its capabilities and roomy cabin.
It seems to fit a lot of lifestyles and has just the right amount of abilities without compromising too much on gas efficiency and overall size. Our objective was to show all the cool things you can do in a RAV4 in the Rockies. Our target on this particular execution was the college to post college grad and we chose to show a couple’s adventurous camping trip. The challenge was to fit a ton of activities into a short spot and we really didn’t want to do a montage of short clips to convey the story. In order to convey a full day of excitement we sped up the footage and carefully choregraphed the placement of objects entering and exiting the set to build the perfect camp scene.
With all the eco and reliability benefits of a Toyota Prius, why wouldn’t you want one? Toyota has led the category for hybrids and has the largest fleet of models to choose from. We were asked to showcase the full line up and communicate all the benefits of having one. Instead of listing the benefits out we decided to go with a humorous approach where actors would portray ridiculous reasons NOT to have a Prius.
We drove traffic to a microsite that helped users narrow down the Prius that was right for them through a range of traffic drivers via social and digital banners. I managed to save our wireframe on this assignment but have delivered several throughout my career on projects that range in scale, scope and purpose from ecommerce, mobile apps, and touch screen kiosks. This particular wireframe is pretty basic but allowed me to guide and teach a team new to the medium user best practices for design and copy.
The Colorado region decided they wanted to focus their efforts on Tacoma. Although a similar brief to 4Runner as a rugged capable vehicle that can maneuver the regions rough terrains, we needed to play up the fun. The trucks tag is “Play Now” after all and also appeals to a younger demographic of thrill seekers.
On this particular shoot I was able to bring along a Junior Art Director and show him the ropes on his first shoot. He did a great job and we were able to put our minds together to blow this campaign out with boomerang posts, funky graphics and a wicked track inspired by Greta Van Fleet. The band was playing on the radio during the shoot day, and I asked what Zeppelin song was playing. So maybe Zeppelin was the true inspiration. Because of the youthful wild sound of the band it fit the spot well.
When I started working on this account, the most exciting thing I looked forward to was getting to work with the Rolling Stones. BUT THEN, Covid happened. There was a lot of fear as we navigated our new normal but we needed to respond. Branded masks were just emerging and we managed to get ahead of the wave of options we now have today. We ended up creating a radio tour to appease fans in the short term as they awaited the new TBD tour date. I helped direct my first video remotely in quarantine using a web cam and we had fun designing with the Rolling Stones Lips and assets.
