Subverting the War on Drugs to Save Art Education.
The Strategy: We hijacked the 1980s/90s "PSA Industrial Complex" to create a Trojan Horse for the brand. By parodying the "War on Drugs" tropes, we transformed parental anxiety into a shared cultural joke.
Production Authenticity: Subversion only works if the execution is indistinguishable from the source material. This wasn't just a "filter"; it was a technical obsession with 20th-century lo-fi aesthetics.
The Detail: We utilized period-accurate look and feel and directed "wooden" performances to recreate the specific stilted energy of 80s informercials.
The Result: A "Maker’s" approach to production that ensured the satire felt dangerous enough to be real.
The Result: We didn't buy a conversation; we engineered one.
Earned Media: The campaign became a cultural artifact, sparking organic parodies and reaching "cult status" online.
The Impact: Featured in Adweek and Buzzfeed, and awarded an Effie Gold for creative effectiveness and a One Show Finalist for cultural impact.
Gold Effie: This is the "Business Oscar." It proves your "mischief" didn't just get laughs—it drove record enrollment. It silences any critic who thinks "subversive" work doesn't sell.
Honors and Awards
The One Show (GOLD)
D-Show "Best in Show
Radio Mercury Finalist
"Turning a $5M PR Liability into a Global Cultural Asset."
The Problem: A live TV gaffe during the World Series MVP presentation turned the brand into a punchline.
The Insight: You can’t outrun the internet. You have to join it.
The Strategy: We didn't apologize. We leaned in. Within hours, we trademarked the mistake and turned a "bad" presenter into a brand hero. We hijacked the hashtag that was being used to mock us and turned it into our own flag.
The ROI: "$5 million in free media coverage. 67.6 million impressions. 0% media spend."
"I don't just spend budgets; I manufacture earned attention.”
Results:
That decision resulted in 5 million in free media coverage and a whopping 67.6 million impressions.
Press and Recognition
How the Chevy Guy Became a Hit and Stuff
• Cannes Lions / Gold / Rapid Response
• Cannes Lions / Silver / PR / Crisis
• Cannes Lions / Bronze / Media / Auto
• Clios / Gold / Integrated Campaign
• One Show Auto / Interactive
• One Show / Bronze / Integrated
• D&AD / Wood Pencil / PR Best Response
From "Social Activation" to "The Category Kill"
The Insight: Ford bet their entire brand on aluminum. We didn't argue with their data; we just gave people a pile of rocks and a video camera.
The Strategy: A high-stakes, unscripted "stress test." No CGI. No safety nets. Just raw physics designed to make the competition look fragile.
Architected a high-risk, unscripted demonstration platform that transformed a technical debate into a viral cultural moment. Engineered the transition from live experiential events to a high-frequency social content engine.
The Highlight: "Chevy Silverado became the top trending truck of 2015 on Google. Sales leapt 33.9% vs. 4.8% for Ford."
Impact
Shifted perception in a competitive market and reinforced Silverado’s strength story at scale.
Transformed a product claim into a highly visible, participatory brand experience.
Scaled into a national activation with significant experiential footprint.
Drove widespread social sharing and conversation, amplifying reach well beyond paid media.
During the three-day activation, video content was gathered and seeded across social media and television.
Chevy Silverado became the top trending truck of 2015 on google. Sales lept 33.9% vs 4.8% for Ford in the first month.
Press and Recognition
• Adweek
• CNN
• USA Today
• Sports Illustrated
• Cannes Lions / Bronze / Activation
• Cannes Lions / Shortlist (x4)
• Effie / Bronze / Auto
• LIA / Silver / Social Media
• LIA / Bronze / Brand Content
• New York Festivals / 2nd Place / Branded
• Creativity A-List / Shortlist
Directed By: Zach Merck
"Flipping the Script on an Overproduced Category."
Automotive advertising was stuck in a spec-driven loop. We killed the convention. By replacing actors with unscripted human reactions, we didn't just build trust—we architected a repeatable content system that dominated the airwaves for over six years.
Architected the content system and led the cross-functional production of a multi-year global platform. Directed the transition from a 'one-off campaign' to a scalable asset engine that fueled every touchpoint from broadcast to social.
Execution (System, Not Assets)
The Result: 38 straight months of YOY gains and an Effie Gold for Brand Renaissance. This wasn't just a campaign; it was a total capture of the market conversation.
Impact
Turned “real reactions” into a defining brand voice and one of Chevy’s most recognizable campaigns.
Significantly improved brand perception and trust
Delivered sustained sales and consideration lift over multiple years
Established a new creative benchmark for authenticity in the category
• 38 straight months of year-over-year sales gains.
• Car sales up 32%
• Truck sales up 24%
• Opinion up 16 points
• Consideration up 12 points
Honors and Awards
• One Show / Creative Effectiveness / 2020
• Effie / Bronze / Brand Renaissance / 2019
• Effie / Finalist / Brand Renaissance / 2018
• Effie / Bronze / Automotive / 2017
• Effie / Finalist / Automotive / 2016
Director: Zach Merck
Turning a Player Insight Into a Citywide Rallying Cry
When Saints QB Tyler Shough entered the spotlight, his name—pronounced “Shuck”—presented a rare cultural opportunity. In New Orleans, where rivalry with the Falcons runs deep and oyster culture is part of the city’s DNA, I saw a way to connect language, place, and fandom into a single, contagious idea.
I led the development of “Shough the Falcons”—a line that felt instantly native to the city. It wasn’t written like a campaign; it was designed to sound like something fans had always said. The goal was simple: create an idea people would adopt and spread on their own.
We moved quickly to seed it across social and into the streets leading up to game day, giving fans something they could wear, say, and rally around. By kickoff, the idea had taken on a life of its own—showing up across tailgates, signage, apparel, and conversations throughout the stadium and city.
What started as a small, instinct-driven idea scaled into a live, fan-powered moment, generating thousands of real-world impressions on game day and embedding itself directly into the culture of the rivalry.
It’s a reminder that the most effective ideas don’t feel like advertising—they feel like they’ve always belonged.
America’s Import: Redefining Grit with Bob Dylan.
Reintroducing an iconic American brand on the world’s biggest stage requires more than a commercial—it requires a manifesto. At a time when the category was obsessed with specs and "imported" luxury, we chose to redefine what luxury meant by tethering it to American grit, resilience, and soul.
The Insight: "Imported" had become synonymous with quality, leaving Detroit in the rearview. We decided to flip the script: if the world wanted the best, they had to import it from us.
The Strategy: A cinematic partnership with Bob Dylan. By aligning Chrysler with the ultimate voice of American rebellion, we transitioned the brand from a manufacturer to a cultural symbol of national perseverance.
The Reach: Generated massive brand lift and became one of the most discussed moments of the Super Bowl, earning coverage from Rolling Stone, ABC News, and Bleacher Report.
The Subversion: The "America’s Import" line became a linguistic tool that redefined the brand’s origin story, proving that strategic storytelling can shift global perception.
The Satire Proof: The campaign’s impact was so immediate it was parodied by Conan O’Brien, the ultimate metric for an idea that has officially broken into the general consciousness.
Impact
Extended the reach of an iconic voice without compromising what made it iconic in the first place.
The Impact
• National cultural relevance
• Significant brand lift and awareness
• Positioned Chrysler within a more emotional,
story-driven space
Press and Recognition
Conan O Brian Show
Honors and Awards
• Cannes / Finalist
• Archive Magazine / TV
• D Show / Best in Show
Directed By: Arnaud Uytennhove
Engineering a Cultural Hijack: The LEGO Batman Edition
The Insight: Batman is an ego-maniac. Chevy is a legacy brand. We didn't make a "car ad"; we let Batman "design" a truck and then critiqued it through his lens.
The Strategy: We leaned into the "Bat-ego." By mocking the tropes of both automotive launches and superhero movies, we created a campaign that people actually wanted to watch.
The Scale: This wasn't a one-off spot. It was a multi-channel ecosystem across film, digital, social, and experiential (the life-size LEGO Batmobile).
The Detail: We collaborated with Warner Bros. and LEGO to ensure the "Bat-voice" and "LEGO-logic" were pixel-perfect.
The Reach: "Contributed to a $300M+ global box office launch."
The Impact: "Featured in the film itself, embedding the brand directly into the story."
Fun Insight: Batman isn’t just a character—he’s a cultural icon. And historically, that icon has often been powered by Chevy—from the Batmobile (1966 TV series) built on a Lincoln Futura with Chevy components, to later interpretations like the Batmobile (1989 film) and Batmobile (1995 film), which incorporated Chevrolet engines and parts.
The Impact
Reached tens of millions of viewers worldwide across theatrical and streaming
Extended into social, driving sustained engagement and shareability
Reinforced Chevy’s connection to an iconic piece of cultural history
Honors and Awards
• Cannes Lions / Shortlist / Media
• Cannes Lions / Shortlist / Integrated
• Cannes Lions / Shortlist / Brand
• Cannes Lions / Shortlist / Promo
• One Show / Merit / Print & Outdoor
• One Show / Merit / Installations
• One Show / Merit / Brand Entertainment
• New York Festivals / Finalist (X4)
• AICP / Shortlist (X4)
• AICE / Best Visual Effects & Animation
• Creativity / Ad of the Day / Editor's Pick
• Epica / Gold / Product Integration
• Cresta / Silver / Promotions
After years of the highly successful "Real People. Not Actors" platform, the brand needed to evolve. We had built trust; now we needed to build emotional resonance. The goal was to take the core promise of "Find New Roads" and translate it into cinematic human stories.
The Insight: Authenticity doesn't just come from "real people"; it comes from real moments. We needed to shift from the demonstration of the product to the feeling of owning it.
The Strategy: We curated a portfolio of world-class directors—each a specialist in a specific emotional tone—to bring the new brand vision to life across the entire lineup.
The Execution (The Director’s Suite)
This was a masterclass in Creative Stewardship. I led the vision across multiple simultaneous productions, ensuring that while each spot had a unique directorial voice, they all felt like chapters of the same book.
"Mom, Video Game" (Dir. Brian Buckley): A study in understated, high-stakes human emotion. We leaned into Buckley’s legendary ability to find the "soul" in the everyday.
"Safe Place" (Dir. Rachel McDonald): Focused on the intimate, protective nature of the vehicle, using McDonald’s poetic visual style to redefine what "safety" looks like.
"Flex" (Dir. Jim Jenkins): Jenkins brought his signature comedic timing and visual wit to show the more dynamic, spirited side of the brand.
"Future Flashes" (Dir. Lloyd Lee Choi): A forward-looking, high-energy piece that bridged the heritage of the brand with its tech-driven future.
The Cultural Ripple (The Results)
Brand Cohesion: Successfully transitioned one of the world's most recognizable campaigns into a more elevated, cinematic space without losing market share or brand equity.
Production Excellence: The campaign served as a new benchmark for the "Find New Roads" platform, proving that high-craft storytelling is the ultimate tool for long-term brand health.
Market Impact: The work resonated across demographics, sustaining Chevy’s momentum as a leader in both the truck and SUV categories through a period of intense category competition.
To launch the all-new Silverado, we didn't want to just be in the conversation; we wanted to be the conversation. In a world of fragmented media, we chose to consolidate our power through a synchronized visual takeover of America's most iconic publishers.
The Insight: People don't look at ads, they look at what interests them. Sometimes, that’s the newsstand.
The Strategy: We partnered with nine of the country's leading magazines to execute a simultaneous cover takeover. By tailoring the creative to the specific audience of each title—from lifestyle to tech to automotive—we ensured the Silverado felt like it belonged in every corner of culture.
The Execution (The Tactical Flex)
This was a massive logistical and creative undertaking that required high-level Strategic Coordination. We had to ensure that the Silverado's "Dependability" narrative translated across nine different editorial voices without losing its core identity.
The Coverage: We didn't just place ads; we engineered "Editorially-Native" moments. Whether it was a high-tech breakdown for a science magazine or a rugged lifestyle spread for an outdoors title, the vehicle was framed as the essential tool for that specific reader.
The Synchronized Strike: The launch was timed to hit newsstands all at once, creating a "wall of Silverado" that made the brand feel inescapable.
The Digital Extension (HQ Trivia): We amplified the print reach by partnering with HQ Trivia for a live, high-stakes game where we gave away a Silverado High Country to a massive global audience in real-time.
The Results
Industry Accolades: Awarded the 2019 Communication Arts Award of Excellence and D-Show Best of Print.
Market Domination: The takeover resulted in a massive spike in brand awareness and consideration, proving that traditional media still has "stunt-level" power when used with modern architectural thinking.
Operational Success: Successfully managed a complex, multi-stakeholder campaign across nine different publishing houses, ensuring a unified brand voice at every touchpoint.
Honors and Awards
• 2019 Communication Arts Award of Excellence
• 2019 D-Show Best of Print
The Problem: Fiber internet brands are clinical, cold, and obsessed with speed tests.
The Insight: People don't care about "symmetrical speeds"; they care about the "cat daddies" and "WFH baddies" who use it.
The Strategy: We built a "Love Song to the User." By using chunky typography, loud purple, and emojis, we created a brand that felt like an internet-native meme, not a utility company.
The Craft: This wasn't just a TV spot.
It was a 360-degrees of content.
The Detail: Engineered a repeatable design system across film, social, digital, and print that allowed for high-frequency deployment without losing the 'Yay' energy.
The Impact
The Speed: "3.1M impressions in the first three days."
The Efficiency: "5Xed existing KPIs by replacing product specs with cultural relevance."
The Peer Review: "A creative leap never before seen in the telco space." — Roastbrief
Best of Show: Overall // Yay to You, Quantum Fiber
Best Copywriting // Yay to You, Quantum Fiber
Gold: Film, Video & Sound—Audio/Radio Advertising
Gold: Film, Video & Sound—Television Advertising
Gold: Cross Platform: Integrated Ad Campaigns
Gold: Elements of Advertsing—Art Direction
Gold: Elements of Advertsiing—Film & Video: Video Editing
Warrior wasn't just a gear company; it was the "Bad Boy" of the sport. We needed a brand platform that mirrored that edge—something that spoke to the gritty, unapologetic nature of the athlete.
The Insight: In nearly every field sport, you have to cross the line to score. But to win, a Warrior has to be willing to cross the legal line of effort, intensity, and intimidation.
The Strategy: I authored the global brand tagline: "Cross The Line." It served as both a literal objective and a psychological provocation.
The Execution
I led the creative vision, acting as both the lead writer of the manifesto and the designer of the original visual identity.
The Voice: We traded corporate polish for a raw, defiant tone. The copy didn't ask for permission; it demanded a reaction.
The Visuals: I designed a high-contrast, aggressive poster series and brand system built to live in locker rooms and on the streets not just on a shelf.
Unprecedented Longevity: Over a decade later, "Cross The Line" remains the active global tagline for Warrior, proving the enduring power of a singular, sharp strategic insight.
Category Dominance: The rebrand solidified Warrior’s position as the premier, high-performance brand with an edge, creating a legacy that continues to define the sport's culture.
100 Years of Grit: How to Weaponize a Century of Brand Heritage.
Celebrating a centennial isn't just a look back—it’s a way to validate the future. In a category where "new" is everything, we chose to weaponize "old." We wanted to prove that the grit required to build a truck in 1918 is the exact same grit required today.
The Insight: Innovation changes, but dependability is timeless. To celebrate 100 years, we didn't need a history lesson; we needed a reminder that Chevy has been the backbone of the American road for a century.
The Strategy: A multi-channel narrative that bridged 100 years of visual history. We created a series of cinematic executions that brought the "then and now" into a single, seamless brand story.
This project was a masterclass in Visual Transition and Editing Craft. We treated the 100-year legacy as a living document, using high-end production values to ensure the heritage felt as modern as the latest model.
The Creative Direction: Led the vision for a suite of spots that blended archival-style footage with modern, high-definition cinematography. The focus was on "Moving Craft"—ensuring that every frame felt purposeful and earned.
The Scale: This was a high-frequency, cross-platform rollout designed to hit TV, Cinema, and Digital simultaneously, creating a unified "wall of heritage" for the brand.
The work didn't just celebrate a birthday; it swept the industry’s most prestigious craft awards.
The Craft Recognition: Awarded One Show Merit for Moving Craft and ADC Bronze for Television. It also took home multiple awards for Editing and Cinema across the Clios, Cresta, and LIA.
The Impact: Reinforced Chevy's position as the most dependable truck on the road, turning a milestone anniversary into a sustained lift in brand trust and consideration.
The "Best in Show": Recognized as Best in Show at the D Show, cementing its status as the definitive creative benchmark for the brand's centennial.
• One Show / Merit / Moving Craft
• Art Director’s Club / Bronze / Television
• Art Director’s Club / Merit / Editing
• Clios / Shortlist / Video
• Cresta / Bronze / Cinema
• LIA / Bronze / Editing
• New York Festivals / 2nd Place / Craft
The Challenge
Create meaningful brand engagement in environments where audiences are overwhelmed with sponsorship messaging.
The Insight
Fans don’t want advertising in these spaces—they want participation and belonging.
The Idea
We designed immersive brand experiences that turned passive audiences into active participants blurring the line between brand and environment.
My Role
Directed the experiential vision and collaborated across teams (production, strategy, partnerships) to ensure the work was not only engaging but operationally executable at scale.
The Impact
Increased fan engagement and brand interaction
Strengthened emotional connection between brand and audience
Delivered measurable on-site and social amplification
By shifting the focus from branding to participation, we created a program that resonated with fans and reinforced the bank’s role in the region. The work combined live experiences, content, and storytelling to build a more authentic connection with the audience.
"Engineering an Always-On Content Engine with Rupert Sanders."
he Problem: The brand needed to transition from a long-running "Real People" platform to a more cinematic, product-focused narrative without losing authenticity.
The Execution: "We built a 90-day production system, collaborating with Rupert Sanders to capture a modular asset library. This allowed us to maintain a consistent high-craft 'vibe' across TV, social, and digital simultaneously."
The Result: A unified brand voice that was "Just Better" because it was more efficient and more cinematic than anything in the category.
Launching an EV isn't just about a new engine; it’s about a new aesthetic. In a category filled with cold, CGI-heavy "future" tropes, we chose to go the opposite direction. We wanted to introduce the Blazer EV as a piece of modern design that you could touch, feel, and experience in the real world.
The Insight: Digital futures feel distant. Practical ones feel inevitable.
The Strategy: We moved away from traditional car-on-a-track filming and treated the pre-launch as a high-art gallery opening. We built a series of massive, modern sculptures to showcase the vehicle's design language in a way that felt permanent and deliberate.
The Execution (The Practical Flex): This was a masterclass in Practical Production. We partnered with director Ben Tricklebank to create an environment where the car didn't just sit in a scene—it occupied a work of art.
The Builds: Instead of using green screens, we designed and constructed large-scale, physical sets that used geometric shapes, light, and shadow to accentuate the Blazer’s lines.
The "Stage" Philosophy: To prove the Equinox EV's versatility, we transported it across various American landscapes—all without ever leaving the practical stage. We used physical textures and modular set design to create an immersive "world" that felt more authentic than any digital rendering.
The Cultural Ripple
The Aesthetic Shift: Successfully positioned Chevy’s EV lineup as a premium, design-forward choice, moving the brand narrative beyond just "utility" and into "innovation."
Engagement at Scale: The visual-first approach drove massive engagement across digital and social, providing a high-craft "teaser" that built significant anticipation for the global rollout.
The "Maker" Narrative: By choosing practical builds over CGI, we created a behind-the-scenes story that resonated with design-conscious audiences and industry craft-watchers alike.
Hijacking the Pink Carpet: The Barbie Dream EV Global Integration.
The Insight: Barbie didn't just start driving EVs; she’s been driving electric Corvettes since the 70s. She was the first "Early Adopter."
The Strategy: We didn't create an ad; we created a Life-Size Toy. By placing a 1:1 scale Blazer EV in a classic Mattel toy box on the pink carpet, we turned a car launch into a viral photo-op that felt native to the Barbie universe.
The Reach: Embedded the Blazer EV into a billion-dollar
global phenomenon.
The Exposure: 100M+ viewers worldwide.
The Efficiency: Positioned the brand at the epicenter of the year's biggest cultural moment without it feeling like a 'car commercial.
Auditory Hijacking: From Motown Soul to The Art of the Prank.
The Strategy: High-concept audio is the ultimate test of a writer's "voice." Whether it's the high-craft storytelling of the Motown Museum or the disruptive, unscripted energy of a Prank Call, these projects prove you can capture an audience without a $10M visual budget.
The High-Craft (Motown Museum)
The Narrative: How do you make a museum feel like a living, breathing concert? You build a soundscape that doesn't just tell history—it lets you hear it.
The Subversion (The Prank Campaign)
The Narrative: We used the prank format to break through the 'commercial break' clutter. It’s unpolished, authentic, and impossible to ignore.
Motown
2019 Radio Mercury Award Finalist x4
• ”Born” - (Radio Commercial)
• ”Motown Museum” - (Radio Campaign)
• ”Play Motown” - (Radio Commercial)
• ”Play Motown” - (Creative Use of Sound/Music)
D-Show Awards
• 2019 D-Show — Radio — “Born”
• 2019 D-Show — Radio “Play Motown”
Prank Calls
• CLIO / Bronze / Radio Campaign
• Radio Mercury Award Winner
Instead of talking about giving back, we made it something people could actually do.
Day It Forward turned a simple idea into a participatory movement—encouraging people to take action and pass it on.
It was built to spread, not just sit in media—growing through participation and shared momentum.
Impact
Created a scalable idea that encouraged real-world action and extended reach through participation.
Launching a vehicle in a category defined by static broadcast thinking required a complete structural pivot. At a time when brands talked at people through 30-second commercials, we chose to talk with them in real-time.
The Insight: Car buyers don’t want polished marketing; they want unscripted answers. Before "always-on" was an industry standard, we realized that the fastest way to build trust was to open up the conversation.
The Strategy: We turned a national car launch into a live, unscripted content engine. We invited the world to ask anything and responded with custom video content in real-time.
This was a massive operational undertaking that predated the modern social media landscape. We built a system to create, produce, and deploy high-craft content at the speed of the internet.
The System: We launched 150+ real-time videos in six months. Each video was a direct response to a live consumer question, distributed across emerging social platforms.
The Pioneer Factor: We were building the "Always-On" model before there was an agency blueprint for it. We managed a complex workflow of strategy, production, and distribution that allowed us to respond to culture as it happened.
Created and launched 150+ real-time videos in six months, each driven by live consumer questions and distributed across emerging social platforms.
What brands now do every day, we were doing before there was even a playbook.
By breaking the broadcast mold, we achieved engagement levels that were unprecedented for the category.
The Reach: 34M+ impressions driven entirely by real-time, organic engagement.
The Impact: Incremental reach increased by 240%, and brand loyalty doubled over the course of the campaign.
The Bottom Line: The launch resulted in a 14% lift in sales, proving that a participatory brand model outperforms a passive one.
The Recognition: Awarded the D-Show Social Media Award for pioneering a new way of working.
