CHALLENGE

Coming off a successful conversion-driven digital campaign for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), the client was so impressed with our work that Camp Playa was awarded to develop and execute its 2016 digital brand campaign. Objectives for this campaign were to educate parents with sick children about some of CHLA’s unique benefits and have parents take action to move their child’s care to CHLA or one of its outpatient centers. The challenge became how to take the priority areas of messaging (core services, featured services, locations and insurance) and translate them into a consumer-facing idea while still being wrapped up in a bigger brand campaign. 

SOLUTION

We began by tackling each business objective one by one—for Core Services, we used iconography to highlight the specific services the client wanted us to focus on, and once we interpreted the brand, we expanded it by creating a system that could be scaled and used across their site. Storytelling guided the concepts for Featured Services where we created positive, informative and aspirational similes to explain distinctive aspects of those individual services in a compelling and unexpected way. With 5 outpatient centers around Los Angeles, location ads showcased access to CHLA at a convenient location while insurance ads addressed parents’ concern of insurance plans accepted at CHLA and gave information on how to check. I oversaw the development of this digital campaign to ensure it supported both the above-the-line brand campaign and specific business objectives.   

RESULTS

The 2016 digital brand campaign for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles recently went live therefore; performance metrics have yet to be determined. It was quite a feat to deliver 4 hyper-targeted communication initiatives under a broader brand campaign but I’m happy to say we did it successfully. Our spot-on messaging always paid off CHLA’s bigger brand promise while nodding to expertise in childcare, technically and emotionally. Reinforcing its tag, “A grown-up hospital is no place for a kid”, our campaign unequivocally showed why CHLA should be the pediatric hospital of choice.   

CHALLENGE

I had a unique opportunity to provide consultation and creative services to Avanade in the development of a revolutionary in-flight application for Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE), a worldwide provider of aircraft solutions. Called Airtime, the app allows passengers to connect to Wi-Fi using GEE’s proprietary technology and download entertainment content onto their devices. Once connected, passengers can enjoy a wide range of movies, TV shows and more during their flight. Both Avanade and GEE looked to me to extend my product design skills and help set this app in motion.

SOLUTION

I found myself in a “unicorn” situation playing the role of Creative Director, Art Design & Product Artist on top of Consultant for this project. I thrived on rolling up my sleeves and getting into the thick of it. User interface, navigation, consistent design and fully responsive for all mobile devices—everything was thoughtfully planned out to be functional and attractive. Part of the challenge and fun included catering to the idea of partners who may want to white label and skin the app with their own brand. In fact, Canadian airline, Air Transat did just that. From structure to flow to UX, all aspects of Airtime’s objectives informed the design of the app.     

RESULTS

Airtime launched in February of this year with Air Transat being among the first to offer its passengers a customized version of the mobile app. Part of GEE’s award-winning Airtime platform, the app elevates passenger’s entertainment experience onboard and fills a void where many airlines may not have seat-back IFE. Since its release, GEE has received a great deal of PR coverage for the app as a promising solution to better connectivity and media content. Airtime was my time to shine and share my love and expertise of technology and design to help this breakthrough app take flight and soar. 

CHALLENGE

Once two distinct entities that complemented each other’s services, Midnight Oil Creative and LAgraphico merged to become Midnight Oil. Prior to joining forces, LAgraphico offered printing and manufacturing solutions while Midnight Oil Creative was its marketing counterpart providing a full range of conceptual and creative services. With a new rebrand and identity, we needed to reflect both sets of offerings in a sophisticated, clean and modern way. Originally, the rebranding strategy was being implemented piecemeal but with an impending deadline, I decided to take the reins and urged the CEO to approach this as a project. Upon approval, we had six months to execute a complete rebrand and brand launch to be revealed, in person, to 500+ employees.

SOLUTION

Rebranding was more than just a name change; it was a huge undertaking to ensure that every aspect of the agency represented the new brand. That also meant organizing and activating every department of the company: brand experience, creative, print, digital and promotions. I led the effort overseeing everything from logo redesign, business cards, stationery and letterheads to indoor and outdoor signage, style guide, brand bible and the agency website. We even created a brand video for the site that visually personified the merge and showcased its strength as one agency but unfortunately we ended up not using it as we neared the deadline. For a bite of personality, I came up with Midnight Moments, the idea that “magic” happens at midnight—a metaphor for all the creative ideas and magic we conceived throughout the day at the agency. We coordinated the brand launch event off-site and while I made the grand reveal to the company, a few team members stayed behind to work their magic to put up new signage and prep swag bags containing branded t-shirts, sketchbooks and more so when employees returned, the office was fully transformed.   

RESULTS

Creating a more cohesive brand has allowed Midnight Oil to move forward with greater efficiency and share their combined expertise and offerings with their clients as well as attract new opportunities. I was ecstatic to help create the magic behind the merge, plus it also demonstrated my depth of creative experiences and abilities. While digital is my wheelhouse, I can apply my creative skills and approach to any medium and platform at any point along the marketing funnel. 

CHALLENGE

After joining Midnight Oil as VP, Executive Creative Director, my first project for the agency came from Walt Disney Pictures Studios. Tasked to generate buzz and excitement for its animated feature Wreck-It Ralph, we created a unique, fun and interactive social media solution that tracked and rewarded fan engagement. The success of the Wreck-It Ralph Play & Win Social Sweepstakes was the key that unlocked a new world of social media campaigns for Midnight Oil and solidified a significant and respectful partnership with Disney. As our title roster increased, so did expectations and the benchmark for success. Inspired by this grand opportunity, my team and I turned up the creativity and got working on campaigns that delivered magic and then some. 

SOLUTION

With every Disney project that came our way, I played a critical role in pitch, presentation and oversight to ensure that objectives were met and high-quality work was provided. From a responsive microsite featuring a railroad map where users answer trivia questions to unlock behind-the-scenes footage of The Lone Ranger to Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. Hydra sweepstakes created in anticipation for Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s home video release to an interactive magical memories carousel that housed exclusive Saving Mr. Banks content—our social campaigns spanned a spectrum of creative concepts. Additionally, digital and social activations were tailored to each title’s needs and several of them implemented a rewards component to increase fan engagement and overall reach of the Disney Studios brand. 

RESULTS

The success of our first few social campaigns resulted in Midnight Oil being the agency on retainer for titles across the Disney/Marvel franchise. I was also privileged to lead the creative vision, process and strategy for campaigns from theatrical title launch all the way through to Home Entertainment. Those titles included Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy. Our work received media exposure on sites like Hollywood Reporter and Variety. We’ve also racked up hundreds of thousands of social media impressions, likes, followers and comments across social channels for Disney branded films.

CHALLENGE

As the ultimate retail destination for all things Disney, the Disney Store wanted a simple, updatable general spot video that features key properties to drive additional awareness and conversion during peak demand periods. The client executives and Midnight Oil identified the creative objectives and how best to represent the magical shopping experience guests discover when stepping into a Disney Store.    

SOLUTION

Since magic is at the very core of the Disney brand, we designed our video concept around the captivating elements within every Disney Store. From the winding pixie-dust sprinkled pathway and enchanted trees to featuring popular Disney properties around every bend, the familiar décor played a significant role in the video. The general spot appears internationally across multiple platforms including in stores, online at disneystore.com, partner sites and even soars 68 feet above Times Square on the Disney Store Times Square Spectacular jumbo screen. 

The success of the Disney Store general spot paved the way for additional work—this time for the brick and mortar counterpart: disneystore.com. Working closely with the account team and client, we determined the message should convey that all the magic and wonder of the Disney Store is right in the palm of your hand. This insight was shared with my creative team, which led to the creation and execution of seven 15-second video vignettes. Each video focused on a different feature or benefit of the mobile shopping experience at disneystore.com while the use of Disney icons reinforced the magical theme.   

RESULTS

We successfully delivered videos that not only were on brand but also effectively promoted Disney merchandise and store exclusives around the globe. The video vignettes became the first ever online advertising for disneystore.com. Agency-wise, I helped achieve an internal business development goal by growing the Midnight Oil Disney portfolio beyond theatrical print work to include content creation for Disney Store. Plus, the concept of magic fell right into Midnight Oil’s sweet spot as it represented the agency’s brand idea of “midnight moments”, magical moments that happen throughout the day. 

CHALLENGE

To kick off the 2014 Radio Disney Music Awards, Radio Disney created “On The Road To The RDMAs” a seven-city live-event tour for kids and families leading up to the ceremony. Along with artist performances, games and activities, Radio Disney wanted to do something extra special for fans whose votes made the award show possible. Midnight Oil stepped in and I led the pitch for a concept that became the ultimate Radio Disney fan experience.   

SOLUTION

The RDMAs “Biggest Fan” campaign employed the innovative use of experiential technology that helped bring the video green screen experience to life. This interactive activation gave fans a magical moment in the spotlight as they created a custom, shareable video of themselves receiving the Ardy award for biggest fan at the Radio Disney Music Awards. Digital features aside, the physical stage on which fans received their Ardy awards doubled as a living 3D billboard to promote the RDMAs for fans passing by. Custom videos were emailed to fans soon after the experience ended to allow for sharing with family and friends on their own social channels. The experience was also optimized for different devices making it fully responsive.

RESULTS

The experiential campaign reached over 200,000 attendees and 2,600 award-winners across the seven-city national tour. Fan-shared videos from the experience amplified awareness to vote and brought Radio Disney’s biggest fans closer to the Ardy than imaginable. It was also a magical moment to see Midnight Oil’s strategic marketing side and graphic solutions side come together through the use innovative technology and solid hardware to deliver an unparalleled fan experience.  

CHALLENGE

As the 2012 holiday season neared, new business development client, adidas Factory Outlet, tapped Midnight Oil to deliver a holistic campaign that supported the brand with retail messaging and lived in stores and out of home. With my team assembled, I led the strategy and creative development that would help adidas reach its target consumer (high school kids) and target customer (moms) during the competitive retail season. 

SOLUTION

Before the campaign development began, it was imperative that we truly understood the retail space inside and out. With 75 stores that required visual merchandising, my team and I studied the structural differences, fixtures, planograms and elevations for each store in order to fully optimize the creative executions being implemented. Together, we developed the “It’s On” campaign that used Instagram-like photography, recurring visual elements and bright copywriting to stir up feelings of passion and energy to the retail environment. Under this umbrella campaign, “It’s On” supported three phases: Cold Weather Running, Black Friday and Holiday through various promotions and retail messaging that supported each distinct phase. 

RESULTS

Within the bigger picture, “It’s On” played well with adidas’ broader campaign, “All In”. Separately, the winter campaign brought a fresh look to stores that drove sales and engaged customers. Black Friday sales alone, exceeded adidas’ goals by a whopping 25%. “It’s On” not only revitalized the retail space through innovative window displays and relevant messaging, but it also challenged me to ensure our own performance and execution on this campaign was the best it could be. 

CHALLENGE

For its release of Think Like A Man, Sony Pictures approached mOcean to develop a mobile app that integrated themes from both the movie and Steve Harvey’s book “Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man”—but without actual mention or content from the book itself. As Group Creative Director, I took the lead to pitch, execute and develop a choose-your-own-adventure style virtual dating experience that perfectly complemented the book.  

SOLUTION

This light-hearted and playful app required creating a rather complex decision matrix. Once figured out, our in-house team brought the app to life with video content, audio from Kevin Hart and copy written topics, scenarios and outcomes that matched the movie’s sassy and fun tone. To stay within project budget, my team and I slipped on a few hats while filming, me playing director as a coworker played cinematographer.

Our efforts culminated into the Think Like A Man Virtual Date App that engaged players to go on a virtual date and test their social skills. Players answered a series of questions through three rounds of game play. Along the way, they could seek help from Cedric (Kevin Hart) who either lent a hand or left players with not-so-helpful yet funny hints throughout the game. Players quickly discovered if they thought like a man or just acted like one. 

RESULTS

The launch of the Think Like A Man app was met with great enthusiasm from fans and our client. Dwight Caines, President Worldwide Digital Marketing, Sony Pictures commented, "Our audiences are actively managing their entertainment experience on devices. This app taps into that behavior and allows moviegoers to sample the themes and humor they'll find in the movie and share it with their friends and family while they are out and about." Our small but mighty team successfully delivered an app that not only paid homage to Steve Harvey’s national best-selling book but also connected with fans and would-be consumers of the film.

CHALLENGE

When MRM / McCann Erickson approached me with an opportunity to spearhead the creative direction and growth of technology brand, Intel—I accepted in a heartbeat. I knew my love for storytelling and design paired with a fascination for all things technology was the perfect recipe to propel Intel forward. And while it may be an ingredient brand, under my watch, I wanted to ensure Intel maintained a strong, clear and resonant identity. 

SOLUTION

More than a microprocessor, Intel has been making quantum leaps with its products and its campaigns needed to show this move-the-world-forward thinking. As the Interactive Creative Director, I led all digital and mobile initiatives, filtering everything through a future-focused lens. From pitching and winning new business to redesigning its global home page platform to overseeing global site maintenance and optimization that brought user engagement into the mobile space. Through campaigns that addressed new product launches, partnerships, consumer participation events and cross-agency initiatives, I helped reimagine the way businesses and consumers alike viewed Intel’s technology offerings.

RESULTS

Among the standout work my team and I created for the brand, our digital efforts on the Intel Developer Forum Conference garnered the Intel Creative Innovations Award. We also won multiple incremental digital projects that increased revenue by 50%. To top it off, when I came aboard, Intel was ranked #23 in Forbes’ World’s Most Valuable Brands. By the time I left, Intel had secured the #9 spot on the list. Just like its tag “Sponsors of Tomorrow”, I take on that very role in my own professional career as I strive to help improve brands while fostering growth within the teams I lead.

CHALLENGE

Asus in partnership with Intel was gearing up to launch its latest high-performance Republic of Gamers (ROG) laptops, models G73JW and G53JW. Together, they turned to MRM to create a spirit video and online presence for brand. With this type of project, we had to manage two sets of clients, budgets, objectives and feedback—all while adhering to a super tight deadline. What more could we say but game on! 

SOLUTION

When it comes to gaming, an immersive story is everything. Rather than create a video that “called out” or highlighted product features, we put our storytelling chops to the test with a concept around a female gamer. Girl power ruled this storyline as research informed us that women gamers were growing in scale. We capitalized on that insight for wider appeal and to generate online chatter. Leveraging the shoot, we created unique and shared assets used across both the video and online for an experience that was seamless, aesthetically and functionally. On the product page, the experience animated key features and details, like the laptop transforming and showcasing the Intel Core i7 at its heart, while the surrounding setting made it feel like users were in the same room as the video. We even created a ROG game with a retro, 8-bit feel that engaged gamers and further supported the campaign launch.

RESULTS

In four-weeks time and a 150k budget, we successfully produced a compelling, story-driven video that spoke directly to the ROG audience. It was hardly game over either; soon after the product launched, Asus tapped us to create an online experience for its Lamborghini-inspired laptop, the VX7. We did just that, helping to elevate their product line and deliver incredible—a brand promise Asus continually aspires to provide.   

CHALLENGE

At the time, Apple dominated the smartphone scene with its iPhone iOS. So when Palm developed the Palm Pre, the software that accompanied it had to blow away the competition. As Senior Human Interface Designer, I was tasked to lead the experiences/apps that comprised the media suite.  

SOLUTION

The new operating system known as webOS included an innovative feature called Synergy that integrated information from numerous sources and was regarded by many as a highlight of the smartphone’s OS. Playing off the tag “Go with the Flow”, the Palm Pre was meant to give a feeling of ease that allowed users to literally go with the flow.

To complement this novel and intuitive software, I designed nearly half of the 21 total applications including the media suite (Photos, Music, Videos, YouTube and Amazon Music Store), Out-of-the-box Tutorial, Contacts, Help and App Store. During the second part of the launch, I became a member of the roadmap team where I participated in research studies with individuals across all of SF in an effort to extend the initiative onto multiple devices. 

RESULTS

Prelaunch reception was extremely positive and it garnered top honors winning CNET’s Best in Show, Best in Category: Cell Phones & Smartphones and People's Voice for CES 2009. The Palm Pre debuted June of that year and became the fastest selling phone in Sprint’s history. It was met with praise and adulation from the likes of Forbes, Gizmodo, PC World and Paste Magazine among others. Ross Rubin of Engadget lauded, “…in many ways, webOS feels like what the iPhone OS wants to be when it grows up." Who knew that a simple adage of going with the flow could push boundaries and completely turn the smartphone status quo on its head.  

CHALLENGE

I have always had a special connection with Nissan/Datsun, long before working on Nissan’s account. Growing up, much of my early storytelling skills were attributed to the imaginative tales I would create around my favorite Transformer, a silver 280ZX named Blue Streak. He was my hero and that impression stayed with me well into college when I purchased my very first car that turned out to be, you guessed it—a silver and blue Nissan 280zx.

When I joined The Designory as a Senior Art Director, I had the opportunity to rekindle this special relationship with Blue Streak. Having recently been awarded Nissan’s Digital Agency of Record, The Designory put pedal to the metal with innovative ways on how to strengthen the Nissan family of brands.     

SOLUTION

As a brand renowned for its performance, design and technology, I forged ahead developing compelling concepts and executing high fidelity site designs that encompassed those qualities. The success of the Altima Pre-Launch campaign was the catalyst that led to an opportunity to head the full redesign and maintenance of the Nissan brand site featuring a Z model as our hero car.

Have you ever looked out a car window while it was moving? Notice the foreground, middle ground and background elements moving at different speeds? This is known as parallaxes and serves as the concept to which the Nissan redesign site was designed. Elegantly executed, the experience created multidimensional movement while serving up rich content and beautiful designs. Today, parallaxes is used everywhere you look including operating systems such as iOS.

Suffice to say, it was as if the planets had aligned and I was involved in every aspect of the site, from concept and direction to execution and production.

RESULTS

Fifteen model sections, 10+ home page brand stories, and an expansive shopping tool later, we launched Nissanusa.com and transformed how users were engaging with the brand online. The site quickly jumped toward the top-ranked automobile websites by J.D. Power and Associates. The Designory even took home its first Webby Award for the Nissan Altima microsite. Similar to its “Shift” global message, my team and I experienced a functional “_shift” while working on the brand site redesign. By integrating the use of parallax, which at the time was a feature new to the digital scene, we introduced vehicles and content in a way that was fresh and unexpected.