Crown Royal whisky wanted to elevate everyday moments into reasons to celebrate. The #reignon campaign showcased the liquid in heroic visuals along with some pretty dang snappy headlines, if I do say so myself.
Arby’s wanted to entertain and enlighten customers in places that can be a little boring: waiting in line, in the drive-thru or motoring past the store. Taking a cue from the “We have the meats” campaign, I had some fun helping them talk the talk and connect with consumers.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a renowned powerhouse. Add a 4x4 version and it becomes unstoppable. The first commercial 4x4 van available in the USA called for a launch campaign designed to create awareness and drive sales. Showcasing extreme examples of its everywhere ability, the Sprinter 4x4 campaign eventually led to bidding wars for the available vehicles. Was it the machine…or the marketing? Yes.
FirstNet (Built by AT&T) is the dedicated broadband network created exclusively for first responders. A rare (and sometimes) tricky private-public partnership, the FirstNet’s advanced reliability and connectivity give law enforcement, fire and EMS a better tool to help save even more lives. Various ads targeted public safety professionals to drive awareness and support the overarching “Here For Life” campaign. In good news for first responder and communities nationwide, states as well as public safety agencies signed up for FirstNet at rates that eclipsed even the most ambitious goals.
Parlee builds the most coveted carbon-fiber bicycle frames in the USA. When road bicycles began offering disc brakes (as opposed to rim brakes), Parlee wanted cyclists to know they were years ahead of the pack. I created the “Become a disciple” (accent on “disc”) campaign to inform consumers of Parlee’s long-term expertise in designing and building disc-brake road bikes. Ironically, sales were unstoppable.
Public safety across communities throughout the USA have a big problem: technology isn’t keeping pace to help protect lives. When Uber can find you faster than your local law enforcement agency, that’s a deadly problem. I created and supported AT&T’s “Smarter is Safer” campaign to help the company convince others that the investment in Next-Generation 9-1-1 technology will save lives with the first name in emergency communications.
The launch of the “Simply Perfect” campaign helped re-establish Patron from challenger tequila names. Solidifying its position as the preeminent brand in the segment. Extending the campaign to off-premise locations showcased Patron as a premium idea for the holiday season—or any season. Duty-free retail locations offered collectible packaging featuring commissioned designs that highlighted both the liquid’s artistry and mixability.
Cannondale is a “mature” brand in the American cycling market. Needing to stand out from the ever-growing peloton of brands, they agreed to embrace a more conversational tone that showcased a deep understanding of their consumers. Having ridden my road bike nearly 30,000 miles in the last few years, I combined my marketing insights with my passion for cycling to connect with my fellow cyclists in a common language. Ongoing work for Cannondale includes ads, web content, naming (Slate, Touring) and more.
The fledgling satellite radio company (just prior to merging with then-rival Sirius) needed to attract loyal fans across a spectrum of musical genres. Featuring Miles Davis, a no-doubt fixture on the Mt. Rushmore of jazz, helped attract aficionados by highlighting his celestial talent.
The Global Access to Cancer Care Foundation trains doctors who treat cancer where it’s needed most. In low- and middle-income countries, they have the power to make the difference of a lifetime. They offer training, technology, access—and hope—where there was none before. In creating the “Someday” campaign to build greater reach and awareness, I connected the Foundation’s life-saving mission with powerful emotions of the families of those who triumphed over cancer.
The Winchendon School in northern Massachusetts is in a highly competitive battle for private school students. After meeting with key school personnel, we decided to transform their viewbook into a “you book” that shared the school’s many benefits from a student’s point of view. We included first-person stories, schedules, diaries and more to make the prospective student feel like they were speaking with a peer as opposed to being spoken to from an authority figure. The Winchendon School YouBook won several school marketing awards including the Gold Medal from the School Marketing Association.
eBay is in an ongoing competition—not for consumers looking to buy and sell their wares—but for talent. Specifically, high-tech talent. The challenge is to persuade graduating students to consider working for eBay and its subsidiary companies that include PayPal, Skype and StubHub. At job fairs, on digital professional boards and in banner ads, we appealed to prospects and their immense brain power. In doing so, we were able to stand apart from the Apples, Googles and other high-tech titans. T-shirts emblazoned with, “Hey, Nice Brain!” were hot items at events across the country.
Jameson Irish whiskey is as Irish as it gets. In an effort to get consumers to consider Jameson as the perfect drink for any occasion, I created a line that appeared in print, transit, online and in travel retail. Personally, I think it should be the brand’s tagline, but I don’t have much to do with those things. Yet.
Smart (owned by Daimler, parent of Mercedes-Benz) had a mouth-watering deal for Domino’s franchisees: a super-low lease offer complete with customized graphics and gas mileage that made delivery even more profitable. But, was the Smart car large enough for big orders? Sure is. Take-rate for the Domino’s Smart car was double the pre-campaign estimate. That’s large with everything.
How did Josh become one of America’s favorite wine brands? By deflating pretension with a sharp approach. By employing a campaign that reflected a wine free from frills yet still full of thrills. Josh (the man) enjoyed simple pleasures. Inspired by his life and actions, ads showcased his no-nonsense approach in a lighthearted way. Today, Josh annual sales approach $200 million. To quote Forbes: “While Josh’s staggering success has many wine industry insiders scratching their heads, it makes a lot of sense when one takes into account recent research showing that wine lovers crave an authentic story and connection with the wines that they drink.”
