Teva – Live Better Stories

Isn’t that what we all want? To have lived a life rich with experiences. And to have plenty of stories to tell our friends, our kids, our grandkids, and maybe some they’ll pass on to other generations. Stories are our evidence of life. Stories are how we live forever. And the things we pick up along the way, no matter how seemingly meaningless, become the physical embodiment of those stories. Isn’t it funny how going through an old box of old “junk” can remind you how worthwhile it’s all been?

We had access to Teva sponsored World Champion Kayaker, Brad Ludden. Brad is a fascinating guy, a collector of rocks, and collector of stories.

Lucas Martinez from Teva contacted me with the “Stories are proof of life” concept and a few thousand bucks. Since the project was primarily in-studio print and video, I immediately thought of my good friend and local photographer Dwight Eschliman to help bring it to life. His style would lend itself perfectly to this project.

We put a bid together, wrote a treatment and secured the project. As a result of a very small budget, we both wore many hats. Mine included Director, Art Director, Creative Director, Writer, Designer and Producer to name a few. This was a great learning experience for me, and it was a blast teaming up with Dwight.

In this print ad, the QR code links to the Brad video above. See the entire print campaign here.

Dwight and Brooke Rogers retouched print. Roger Lima from White Noise Lab created original music, sound design and did final mix for both videos. Brian Lagerhausen edited. Eric Pascua did VFX, cleanup and color. One Union hooked us up with a deal on our VO record.

X Commerce

While at Publicis Modem in SF toward the end of last year, I was asked to create a video for the PayPal X-Commerce developer conference. The video would kick off John Donahoe’s speech launching the event. With only a few weeks for production and a fraction of the appropriate budget, here’s what we made…

If it seems a bit “inside”, it’s because it is. The target was developers that create commerce-related solutions, and the merchants who hire them. It was meant to help both see the potential profits when PayPal’s tools are utilized, and needed to incorporate accurate code connected to specific results of that code. We didn’t want developers to call BS.

The video starts with a developer waking up and heading to his computer to start writing code. Merchant painpoints are visualized and as our developer works, we see the problems solved by the code he writes, which results in profits for him, and his merchant client.

Big thanks to Beast SF for their tireless effort on this. And to White Noise Lab for high quality, low budget original music and sound. Editorial: Beast / Brian Lagerhausen, VFX: Beast SF, Music: Roger Lima from White Noise Lab, AD: Dustin Smith, CW: Michael Curran, CD: Paige Grossman, Agency Producer: DP Odishoo, Production Company: Rehab, Director: Sean Leman.

ESPN – Planting seeds

Almost four years ago, we earned the chance to work on a brief for an ESPN International project. It was a great opportunity and an internal competition erupted. Ultimately the client liked two campaigns, and the race was on to find a production company to produce the work for very little or nothing. Jim Bosiljevac and I had one of those campaigns.

We created a quirky treatment, complete with my quirky storyboard illustrations, and began talking to directors. Most all were interested, but not many could fund the production themselves.

During the process, for one reason or another, the other campaign was produced. But there was still much interest in getting ours made as well. We continued to talk to directors and ultimately things stalled out once again. Shortly thereafter, I left the agency and went on to other things assuming the work would never see the light of day.

Recently I was made aware that Digital Domain had taken an interest in taking on the project. Very excited, I stayed at arms length as Jim and another Art Director produced the ideas we had nurtured for so long. Over a few months, once again things stalled and the idea fell off my radar. And yet again, I was surprised when I found out that something had gotten produced.

Our idea grew to be very different than what I saw in my mind. But even so, the produced spots are pretty darn cool. But the coolest thing to me, is that the idea was good enough that others stepped in, nurtured it, and kept it alive.

Many would say it’s the people, but for me it’s the sprouting ideas that make it hardest to leave an agency. Ideas with amazing potential, to be great. To be terrible. Here’s where one could easily digress into a parenting analogy, but lets keep it light for the moment. I guess the fear is leaving an idea with potential for greatness and having it go afoul under others supervision, or having it turn out brilliant without you.

As a full-time creative, dividing my first 14 years in the business at just two agencies, this fear was hard to kick. As a freelancer, spending much of the last four years going from one agency to the next, it’s become addictive. I love seeing ideas out in the world, all grown up, embraced and nurtured by others.

Intellectual Property – Drawing The Line

I started writing this post yesterday, and interestingly enough this popped up on Agency Spy. Can you tell which one is Goodby Silverstein and Partner’s logo developed earlier this year, and which one is designed by Albert Angus Turbayne at the turn of the 20th century for a company called S & Co?

Chevy Volt Newspaper

An idea I threw out in a meeting, and saw it produced on someone’s desk about three weeks later. It was part of the Chevy Runs Deep campaign from Goodby that launched in late 2010. Copy reads: The future has always been exciting. Now it’s electric. The all-new Chevrolet Volt.

Chevy Volt Launch

My first project at Goodby Silverstein and Partners in August of last year was to help launch the new electric Chevy Volt. Upon my arrival, the campaign idea was close to being sold, and the Agency was looking at Malcolm Venville to direct, so it seemed to be an exciting first project. And a great time to jump in.

I worked with a great team of creatives who had only done a few commercials, so much of the project was helping them navigate the production process, and liaising between them, the ECD’s and the clients to make sure everyone was happy with the work. As we moved toward the shoot, it became necessary to rewrite a few spots as they died in production due to logistical and legal reasons. Scouting locations, casting and prepping for a shoot is always fun while simultaneously writing the spots you’re producing. In spite of it all, it was juggled rather well by all involved and ultimately the shoot and post went off without a hitch.

 

 

Angus Wall from Rock Paper Scissors edited, A52 did all the flame work and cleanup. Elastic created the titles. CD: Dustin Smith, CW: Brian Perkins, AD: John Whitmore, Agency Producer: Rob Sondik.

2010 Rad Massaker Alley Cat 071110

The illustration I did for last year’s race turned out so well, I figured I’d do it again this year, but instead of just creating a one-off piece, I wanted to create a “campaign” of sorts. With the theme of RAD MASSAKER or “Bike Massacre”, I chose to build on last year’s concept: Bike as weapon and the severed body part motif. The first piece that had to be created was the handbill.

 

Visual pun coincidentally intended…

American Express OPEN for CPB

While at Crispin the last quarter of 2009, I worked on American Express OPEN, their small business division. I touched virtually every aspect of the business and ended up producing two TV spots and a banner campaign.

All media drove to openforum.com, a place where small business owners come together to compare ideas and help one another. Hence, the two REAL small business owners in this spot, directed by James Brown from Skunk US.

San Francisco’s first bike park

I’ve been working with SF Urban Riders for quite some time on building and maintaining multi-use trails in SF, as well as laying the groundwork for a bike park in San Francisco’s McLaren Park. Last month, The SF Rec and Park Department  held one of three planning sessions to identify new projects for McLaren and to involve the community in the decision as to which ones will move forward. We figured this would be the ideal time to demonstrate community support for the bike park through a social media campaign driving to an online petition. The ultimate goal of the petition: to quantify the need,  as well as gather letters of support for the project.

Should Worldwide CCO’s join Facebook?

Apparently not this late in the game. If you’re not in the club now, you’re not welcome.