I lead a team that creates social media and video content for The Real Cost, the FDA’s youth-oriented tobacco prevention campaign. If you think it’s hard to talk to teens, try telling them not to smoke from a government-sponsored social handle. Each post must communicate hard science about the harmful effects of smoking in a way teens might actually share with their friends. To make all that clinical information sound a lot less clinical, we got weird.
Credits: Creative Director, Seth Kelly; Design, Damian Wilkinson; Senior Editor, Josh Robertson; Design, Herbert Lacsina; Senior Animator, Diana Chao; Animator, Alex Krokus; Animator, Dan McCool
The success of our antismoking creative led The Real Cost to assign us their smokeless tobacco prevention campaign. Where the antismoking campaign was directed at a wide demographic, including males and females at risk for experimenting with cigarettes, the smokeless work is hyperfocused on young males in predominately rural designated market areas. We had to change our thinking and creative approach to connect with a brand-new audience.
Credits: Creative Director, Seth Kelly; Design, Damian Wilkinson; Senior Editor, Josh Robertson; Design, Herbert Lacsina; Senior Animator, Diana Chao; Animator, Alex Krokus; Animator, Dan McCool
Nope, I’m High
Marijuana use has begun to enter mainstream culture thanks to some state lawmakers loosening up legislation around cannabis consumption. But, the rules of the road remain as rigidly defined as your favorite state trooper’s mustache. It’s illegal in all 50 states to drive high. The problem is, your average cannabis enthusiast believes they can self-diagnose their level of impairment and that they actually drive better when a little high.
In April 2019, we launched “Nope, I’m High,” a national campaign for the National Highway Transportation Authority that employs humor, rather than scare tactics, to get our audience of male marijuana smokers 18-35, to think twice before getting behind the wheel. The pro bono campaign, developed in partnership with The Ad Council, ran on TV, social, digital, radio, OOH, and OTT.
Producer, Mike Menlo
Senior Art Director, Brooks Hess
Art Director, Kristen Cleghorn
Designer, Caroline Mortensen
Senior Copywriter, Courtney Harris
Copywriter, Travis Pelto
Fiat wanted to promote its updated 124 Spider roadster around the 2016 Summer Olympics. But without an official sponsorship we couldn’t mention the Olympics, call out specific athletes, or even mention the names of events. To solve that minor problem, we made up our own.
Our take on synchronized swimming showcased the Fiat 124 Spider’s power and precision (and gave us the opportunity to get a pair of Formula Drift pro drivers to wear swim goggles and caps). While our version of golf, returning to the Olympic Games for the first time in more than 100 years, gave Fiat a chance to answer a burning question about its updated roadster. The answer was yes, you can get a full-size set of clubs in the trunk.
Credits: Executive Creative Director, Josh Greenspan; Creative Director, Seth Kelly; Executive Producer, Jeremy Mack; Assistant Creative Director, Sarah Betts; Art Director, Brooks Hess; Copywriter, Courtney Harris
Fiat wanted to promote its newest vehicle, the Fiat 124 Spider, around the 2016 Summer Olympics. But without an official sponsorship we couldn’t mention the Olympics, the athletes, or any of the events. The pulsing cloud of white-hot emotion and national pride surrounding that beloved quadrennial event? That’s totally up for grabs.
To tap into the conversation around the games we had Sharpie artist “Pinstripe” Chris Dunlop adorn a vinyl-wrapped 124 Spider with the flag of every country competing in the Olympics. It only took a mere 28 hours. We created video shorts using hyperlapse footage of Dunlop creating individual flags to reply to followers who posted a cheer for their country’s team on Fiat’s Facebook page.
Credits: Executive Creative Director, Josh Greenspan; Creative Director, Seth Kelly; Executive Producer, Jeremy Mack; Assistant Creative Director, Sarah Betts; Art Director, Brooks Hess; Copywriter, Courtney Harris
Charles Schwab Own Monday
When Charles Schwab wanted to inspire its audience on social, we developed Own Monday, a content series focusing on successful individuals who embody Schwab’s brand positioning of asking the right questions and following their passions.
We recruited and interviewed 21 individuals from diverse backgrounds and interests (yes, we had at least one former Navy SEAL) and posted their stories on Schwab’s social feeds based on strategic channel insights.
Credits: Creative Director, Seth Kelly; Assistant Creative Director, Sarah Betts; Design Director, Damian Wilkinson; Illustrator, Michelle Mruk
Universal Technical Institute
As one of the leading technical schools in the nation, Universal Technical Institute wanted to recruit prospective students and showcase the talents of its graduates on social media. We had to get smart to communicate with gearheads. Instead of hyping tuition deals and job-placement rates, we just talked car culture and grew our client’s Instagram audience by more than 150 percent.
Credits: CD, Seth Kelly; Design Director, Damian Wilkinson; Senior Animator, Diana Chao; Illustrator, Michelle Mruk; Designer, Ryan Hamsher, Designer, Herbert Lacsina
In 2009 I developed and pitched a magazine prototype to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The title, in print from 2009 to 2015, gained worldwide distribution and licensed international editions in the Philippines and Brazil. I transitioned the title through three different publishing houses, built our app and social presence, and even sold a few ads.
I built the editorial focus of the magazine around lifestyle rather than the sport. We wanted fans to relate to the athletes as people rather than fighters. Pro tip: Never say “good luck” to fighters, and always make sure there is something they can eat at the shoot if they’re cutting weight.
Credits: Editor-in-Chief, Seth Kelly; Design Director, Randy Laybourne; Design Director, Brant Lock; Design Director, Wilbert Gutierrez
In late 2010 I took the role of editorial director of Men’s Fitness, managing a staff of more than 20. I worked with our West Coast editor to secure such cover talent as Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr., and Vin Diesel, while continuing to manage Muscle & Fitness.
Credits: Editorial Director, Seth Kelly; Design Director, Andy Turnbull
In 2010 I, very improbably, fell into my role as editor-in-chief of Muscle & Fitness. I transitioned the title from Woodland Hills, California, to New York, rebuilding the staff and redesigning the editorial for the magazine’s relaunch in 2011. Confession: I have not lifted a weight since 2008.
Credits: Editorial Director, Seth Kelly; Design, Andy Turnbull; Design, Warren Mason
