Tag: Writing

Penn & Teller

The bad boys of magic reached out to Caesars’ in-house ad agency for their post-pandemic brand campaign. In their tradition of relying on conceptual imagery centered on macabre humor, we brainstormed a number of scenarios. About a 100, actually. Tacked them all on a wall. We culled these ideas down and offered two dozen concepts. Penn & Teller were thrilled with the breadth of ideas. The hardest part was whittling those down to a lucky four for executing. We shot and retouched these with our in-house photography team.

Naughty Patty’s

A new smash burger joint with a saucy name deserves a cheeky voice and mischievous visuals. We were happy to deliver with playful lines and a mash-up of retro pin-up images wrapped in modern art direction. The campaign unfolded with a phase one teaser that embodied a modern take on vintage movie theater concession films. During phase two, we introduced Patty herself in all her innuendo glory. I invented the brand voice, collaborated on art direction and oversaw all shoots, creating assets that ran on on property, on marquees and across social channels. The launch of this eatery at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas was a huge success.

Creative Direction Ideation Writing

MGM Grand National Harbor

National Harbor’s ask: create assets for broadcast, CTV and paid social with their positioning: It hits different. Be cinematic and sophisticated they said. And speak to these targets: The Night Movers, The Power Players and The Gamers. We presented three Big Ideas doing their 360 thing. Each anchored in strategy and oozing with stylized leisure. All social-forward. All demo-savvy. They chose Main Character Energy.

After vetting directors and photographers, we selected Supermutt and Mathieu Young to bring our vision to life. It was a weeklong production with a number of highly talented folks collaborating on this $500k project. We delivered a 30-second mini-movie for each guest profile. The :15s and :06s too. And a 30-second master story. Print, digital, paid and organic followed. All giving fresh retro. Breaking the fourth wall. Bringing viewers into the story. And, best of all, daring everyone to Make a Scene.

Creative Direction Writing

University of Nevada

During a stint at B&P Advertising in Las Vegas, I worked on the UNLV account. Ads, radio, you name it. Center the student. Emphasize the value of an education. Get alumni to donate money. These ads tell the story of how deeply you can change a student’s life with a simple donation.

Ideation Writing

Virgin Hotel Las Vegas

OH Partners called needing help with their pitch for Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. How could I say no? I worked with their team to develop two conceptual directions for Virgin’s new Las Vegas venture. My ideas and writing, including a record player we sent featuring a branded message recorded on a custom record, helped OH win the business, and I got called back to help with the teaser campaign.

For the latter, I suggested a website: whileyouwaitlv.com, to create anticipation for the grand opening. The website showcased construction development and venue announcements alongside random content purely sourced for its entertainment value.

Unfortunately, just as the teaser campaign hit the streets, the pandemic put an end to the launch campaign before it could be developed. This is the manifesto video and concepts we put together for the pitch. When Virgin finally opened, their launch campaign had revised messaging to better align with the consumer mindset post-Covid, but the art direction was very much modeled after the campaign I developed with my partner.

Art Direction Creative Direction Ideation Writing

AquaValue Retail Stores

United Aqua Group’s retail brand, AquaValue, was in deep need of an overhaul. Since each shop is individually owned, consumers were unaware that they were part of a larger collective, able to negotiate supplier contracts together to achieve better pricing while still retaining their mom & pop feel. My challenge was to carve a unique brand space within the already crowded pool store market. We wanted to position the brand as the local experts, a store you could count on for advice and repairs as well as products. And that’s how I created our affable, but clueless pool guy.

I wrote the scripts, cast, art directed and produced the spots—negotiating with those same suppliers to pay for the production in exchange for highlighting their brands. Then I built a website to help consumers find their local AquaValue store. The shops, who received the finished spots at no cost, aired them in their respective regions across local TV channels and even jumbo screens at minor league baseball games.

Art Direction Creative Direction Ideation Writing

Montage Hotels & Resorts

With resorts in Laguna Beach and Beverly Hills, and plans for more, the company needed a corporate campaign that embodied the casual elegance and intimate nature of its properties. I’d been part of the launch branding team for both properties. Creating a voice and aesthetic for the corporate entity that was separate than, but also encompassed both proved an intriguing challenge. Ultimately we chose a minimalist, highly evocative approach that relied on simple copy and classic images to convey the essence of the Montage brand.

Art Direction Ideation Writing

Crystals

The shops at City Center in Las Vegas are some of the most exclusive flagships in the world. Think Prada, Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton and the like. The uber nature of these boutiques can be a little intimidating. You won’t find a Gap here. The least expensive item at the time was a $9 pickle at Wolfgang Puck’s. So I created a campaign that lent some whimsy to the art of luxury consumerism. We shot the models, snake and products, individually, then old-school composited all the elements to create the images below.

Creative Direction Ideation Writing

Five 50 Pizza

The infamous Five50 pizza joint hired my agency to develop a campaign as hot as its ovens. We launched the following print, outdoor and email campaign to rally Vegas to drop in for a slice. Needless to say, it worked.

Creative Direction Ideation Writing

Vdara

In a city with four spas per block, differentiating oneself from the competition isn’t easy. Fortunately, the Vdara Hotel has a key advantage: it’s serene ambiance. It’s the only Strip destination without a casino, and where the spa is the highlight amenity. The strategy positioned Vdara as the place to escape Vegas while still close enough to enjoy it. The photography and copy capture this serenity, delivering a sense of authentic bliss that’s absent from most spa advertising.

Creative Direction Ideation Writing