I think it’s fairly common knowledge that play is more than just play. When kids are building and creating, they aren’t just killing time before lunch; they’re deepening their mastery of the natural world, of physics, of creativity, engineering, and design.

Inside these simple blocks, it’s not plastic - it’s potential. Potential for any child to explore the world, their creativity, and their sense of possibility. To take chances, try new things, and feel a sense of wonder and accomplishment.

The insight I developed was that playing with LEGO bricks was a great way for children to develop a variety of core skills that would serve them as adults and contribute to overall happiness and fulfillment. Put more simply, kids aren’t just playing with LEGO bricks; they’re learning how to be confident and curious. How to solve problems. How to create. How to become happy adults.

With this as our creative strategy, we built our campaign around an anthemic TV spot that played out like an ode to the universally shared desire of all parents: for their kids to just be happy.

To support the TVC, I partnered with a Developmental Psychologist to identify a series of LEGO-based games and activities targeted at specific attributes like Confidence and Planning. The games were designed in accordance with the specific developmental stages and milestones for a selection of ages. These came to life as Pinterest content parents could pin, share, and try out at home.

Social chatter lit up once the TV spot went live, with parents around the country reaching out to share stories of how LEGO helped their child develop and grow.

Turns out, even in these divided times, parents can still agree on one thing: they just want their kids to be happy.

When the brief came through, Microsoft had a very sensitive issue they wanted to address but they weren’t exactly sure how to do it.

Briefly, coders need to account for the fact that web traffic comes in from often times outdated browsers. Their past versions were notoriously difficult in this respect, and the bad PR was generating.

I helped them just own it with a little old fashion self depreciation as this spot showed coders venting their frustrations in a safe, healthy way — mostly anyway.

The spot and the social GIF campaign I developed to accompany it helped Microsoft turn the conversation around and show a little humanity and humor when it was needed most.

Taiwanese tech giant ASUS had a problem. They had products they knew Americans would want, but their current strategy of leading with flashy product showcases and feature callouts, devoid of a real brand personality, was failing to connect with American consumers.

Their current brand was built around the quality of its products, but in a foreign market where consumer trust wasn’t established yet, they needed something different. They needed to give people a way to feel about their brand, something that went beyond tech specs and gadget allure.

After meeting with the brand stakeholders and diving into the heart of the brand, I found a real appreciation for humor and a client who was willing to try not taking themselves so seriously for once.

Before I could pitch them a new tonal direction, especially one that was such a departure from their current strategy, I had to build trust and help them understand some of the subtle cultural nuances that help brands impact American culture and build affinity.

Once I’d helped the team see the value in finding their funny bone, in laughing at themselves and reveling in self-deprecation as a means of building connection, it was game on.

The next challenge came with the specific product they wanted to bring to the American market: The ASUS PadPhone X, an all-in-one tablet/phone/charging station. A great product to be sure, but one with more features than you could possibly cram into the traditionally thirty-second ad buy.

Solution? Lean into the wordiness. Typically, as a copywriter, I like to keep my scripts mean and lean, but I believed an intentional pivot here, one that leaned into maximum verbosity, would make the spot different, sticky, and funny as we watched our poor talent power through a wall-to-wall script to show off the incredible diversity of the PadPhone while wearing himself out trying to communicate all that it is and can do.

The spot solidified ASUS's presence in the American market, driving record PadPhone X sales and even helping them to boost their social following as they shared cut-downs across their owned channels.

I worked with the client to support the launch of several products into the American market over the next year, helping them fully cement their presence and their unique, quirky tone.

When your heart aligns with your client's mission, great things can happen. I had the pleasure of collaborating with Wondros in Los Angeles and Stand Up To Cancer on several awareness campaigns that spanned video, radio, and print.

Your Body, Your Hope Video

Jimmy Smits lent his signature gravitas to an awareness campaign that highlighted the incredible promise of immunotherapy—a groundbreaking new treatment giving many cancer patients renewed hope.

Immunotherapy leverages the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. Stand Up To Cancer wanted to spread the word and encourage more people to consult their doctors about this innovative approach.

Strategically, I focused the campaign on the beauty and intricacies of the human body. The concept placed Mr. Smits in an art gallery, surrounded by stunning imagery of the body and its internal processes. The script wove a compelling narrative about how, thanks to immunotherapy, our own bodies might just be our greatest hope.

The campaign generated record inquiries into the treatment and significantly raised awareness about this potentially life-saving option for cancer patients everywhere.

Clinical Trials Video + Print

Clinical trials often carry a certain stigma. Many people envision a mad scientist conducting eerie experiments on human subjects in a dimly lit basement. In reality, clinical trials are a vital tool that brings us closer to a future where all cancer patients can become survivors.

Stand Up To Cancer aimed to create a compelling awareness campaign to destigmatize clinical trials, particularly those focused on bringing innovative treatments to cancer patients worldwide.

Rather than relying on stock footage or celebrity endorsements, I chose emotionally resonant elements: a powerful visual metaphor and uplifting messages of hope, possibility, and eventual triumph over specific types of cancer.

The video received extensive promotion through both owned and paid media channels. It not only generated interest in clinical trials but also ignited meaningful conversations about the new treatment options Stand Up To Cancer is developing to bring hope to patients.

INTRODUCING A TABLET SO POWERFUL YOU CAN FEEL IT

Ubisoft wanted a massive idea to launch their hottest upcoming title Rainbow 6 Siege. They needed an awareness push that would drive pre-orders, and they needed the broadest reach possible. Core gamers were already likely hip to the title, but casual gamers were less likely to a) know about the game and b) find it accessible.

Solution?

After realizing how cinematic the game was, how fun it was just to watch and how beautiful the art was, I realized we needed to forget about the usual means of game marketing — we needed to market this thing like a summer blockbuster.

I concepted a live event for Ubisoft that was half Hollywood, red-carpet premier and half eSports tourney as celebs and press showed up to hype the game while the best gamers around went head to head in live matches that were broadcast to the world.

My first major campaign for LEGO centered around their unique System of Play. Every LEGO brick, from Duplo for 1-2 year olds to more sophisticated, mechanized models for young adults and hobbyists, is part of the system.

The point is, you never have to stop playing with LEGO, and perhaps more importantly, the System of Play means that every single brick LEGO creates is meant to function with every other brick and product. So the Duplo you played with as a two-year-old could one day form the foundation for the working Dutch windmill you create as a 16-year-old or, let’s be honest, a 42-year-old. It’s still fun, after all!

To bring this unique value proposition to life, one few parents understood, required telling a larger story, one that encompassed an entire childhood. I wanted to show how LEGO is there every step of the way, inspiring us to build, dream, and create.

Sure, we could have focused on the financial efficiency of all the toys you buy your kid working together, so there’s nothing to throw out and the collection only grows. But, as we all know, value-based messaging does little to stir the heart.

Instead, I developed a campaign meant to wrap itself around the hearts of parents of children of all ages, thinking about the various ages and stages of growth, wishing they could just stop time, and loving that the one consistent thing in their child’s bedroom is LEGO. The posters above their bed will change. Their clothes, style, and music will change. LEGO will always be there, and isn’t that a comfort.

Things have gotten a bit complicated over at Ticketmaster, with the introduction of Ticketmaster Plus and the growth of the secondary market.

I concepted and scripted these two videos to help explain some of the most important features and functions of their products, bringing a friendly tone and intuitive language that made them easy to follow and understand.

We had a blast helping brand Robert Rodriguez' new TV network. My involvement ranged from writing a biography of the network "a white-knuckled suicide leap into a chum bucket filled with all the sex, violence, and gore that will have you screaming fuck yeah!" to naming its channels and giving them descriptions. It was a bloody good time. 

HTC ENTERED THE AMERICAN MARKET WITH A SINGLE QUESTION - WHAT IF?

NETFLIX CELEBRATES PERHAPS MY GREATEST COPY ACHIEVEMENT WITH BILLBOARDS AND BUS ADS ALL OVER LA

I was fortunate enough to link up with the small, dedicated team at Olivers right as they were coming off a successful Kickstarter campaign and about to embark on bringing their brand to life. 

I worked with the team to understand their vision for the brand, then helped bring that vision to life through messaging.

As the world climbed its way out of the recession, Cunard wanted to shift its brand to a slightly more financially attainable tone. It was a subtle distinction, and a true test of a writer's facility with voice. 

In the end, Cunard was incredibly pleased with their new voice, one that still embodied luxury and class, but in a way that felt more within one's reach.