Versatile and strategic creative leader with a diverse 15 years immersed in advertising, content, copywriting, marketing, and sales. My work comes to life through creativity, empathy, and a sharp sense of perception.
Here are a few projects I either wrote or built the strategy for. My relevant experience is here.
Check the links in each section for details, and if you want to talk more email me here or find me on social media.
TikTok :: TikTok World 2023
The brief: Put on a product showcase and deliver TikTok’s product roadmap to an audience of industry peers and media clients. Create interest, buzz, and desire to advertise on TikTok.
The strategy: TikTok has a whole lotta products. Our challenge as a team was to figure out how to split them up, speak to them, and keep things interesting. Products can feel boring and tech-heavy, so we wanted to bring them to life IRL with real people. So we pulled of a very complicated event, of course.
The execution: We decided on a half day of classroom-sized, stand-and-deliver sessions, with TikTok video dropped in often to make a boring subject feel light and fun. And of course, to show the products and their impact. We paired this with a microsite and a bunch of scripted videos we filmed with our internal product experts, so the message can be spread far and wide. You can watch them here!
The result: Well, we pulled off the event without a snag. Lots of positive feedback from guests and surveys, and our product and sales teams were happy with the outcome. Our show was covered in TechCrunch and Insider Intelligence, among other industry pubs.
TikTok :: NewFronts 2023
The brief: Show our media partners and clients our vision for the future of TikTok, and gain support for our innovation in 2023 and beyond.
The strategy: We opted for a VIP feel for the invitees, and showed a very different side of TikTok. Every speaker meant business walking on stage, on a mission to drive our leaps in ad product and data safety & security.
The execution: Hundreds poured into Chelsea Pier in New York to dine, network, and hear TikTok’s take on the future. Our space was decked out with a classy vibe while immersing guests with music, food and drink. We had our executive leadership speak, and included key brand partners to share their experience finding success on TikTok. Our exclusive, invite-only event was the invite to chase at NewFronts 2023.
The result: While the event was closed door, the word got out that it was the hot ticket of the week. Our announcements were covered in AdWeek, Digiday, Insider Intelligence, among several other tech and ad industry publications.
TikTok :: TikTokMadeMePlayIt
The brief: Show the video game marketing world that TikTok amplifies games into culture and has created a new way to launch games into the world.
The problem: TikTok has upended a few industries recently — like music, books, the Creator economy — and our sights are set on gaming next. Specifically, we aim to be THE place for marketing and building gaming IP into culture through content and community.
The strategy: We had a lot to talk about, but we had to be sharp, focused and most of all entertaining. The heart of the brief is to get game developers, publishers, and potential clients to believe that TikTok can be a true game changer for their marketing. So we created a video game world our viewers would explore, along with short video keynotes, a couple sketches with Creators, and hard-hitting interviews with some of the industry’s top game companies. We also knew we had to walk the walk, so we leaned in heavily to the video game theme, crafting copy and visuals to match.
The execution: TikTokMadeMePlayIt is TikTok’s first big marketing push into the video game industry. The 23-minute video showcase highlighted our unique approach to the industry, touted our key differentiators in fun ways, and let our client partnerships speak for themselves. We included a few of TikTok’s popular video game Creators, and our clients from EA, 2K, Homa Games, HoYoVerse, and more. It’s very different from our competitive set’s approach to game marketing, and we stayed true to ourselves as an entertainment platform by creating something engaging and informative.
The result: Internal results aren’t shared publicly, but you might be able to catch a replay here on our blog. Our partners and internal stakeholders were excited with its performance and execution, and we’ll be coming back next year for round two.
Delta :: Conference Cabins
The brief: Prove to young professionals and entrepreneurs that Delta takes business comfort seriously.
The problem: Flights are often seen as Point A to Point B. Delta wanted to attract those who want more from an airline, and create lifelong customers. Also, there seems to be a lack of conference rooms literally everywhere!
The strategy: The power of proof led us to center on an IRL activation, as we were confident that the product would deliver on its promise. We chose spots in NYC where young professionals spend their time during work hours and put our efforts into figuring out how to create an upscale experience in the middle of a busy city.
The execution: Conference Cabins were created, utilizing Delta’s real lounge furniture and Comfort+ flight seats. Passers-by could hop into the cabins to take a conference call, have a quiet chat away from the city hustle, or just stop in to take a breather. Refreshments complimentary!
The result: The cabins were sleek, inviting and quiet, and we were able to keep them busy throughout the day, with over 1,000 guests served through the registration site and foot traffic. The cabins were named one of the “10 Best Ideas of the Week” by BizBash and NY Business Journal.
Yahoo! Mail :: Slay The Holidays
The brief: Put the overhauled Yahoo! Mail app into the hands of an audience of savvy Millennials and Gen Z’ers.
The problem: People are often deeply attached to their email addresses, and Yahoo! doesn’t have the clout its many competitors have.
The strategy: We focused on the Mail app being the ultimate email utility, as it also aggregates email accounts from anywhere. Showing our audience that they could quickly wrangle massive inboxes down to zero was key, because we found that inbox stress, while not incapacitating, was an annoyance that the Mail app could quickly address.
The execution: A two-pronged approach consisting of site-level posts and quizzes (a BuzzFeed staple) where we focused on fun ways to talk about email organization; and an IRL holiday event, where we gamified using the Yahoo! Mail app to win yourself some fun swag.
The result: Slay the Holidays was a major hit among participants and the client as well, drawing in tons of foot traffic and putting the app in front of people to see for themselves. Site-level content outperformed benchmarks, and we pushed a spike in app downloads.
NBA on TNT :: NBA All-Star Game
The brief: Reach a younger audience of NBA-adjacent fans, and pique their interest in basketball enough so they’d watch with their fanatic friends.
The problem: Like most pro sports right now, finding new fans can be difficult, but it’s especially true among younger Millennials and Gen Z.
The strategy: With legal red tape everywhere, we had a few avenues we could focus on. So to ensure we got the attention of our audience, we built content around the NBA’s contributions to pop culture instead of pure sports. The game itself became a backdrop to create content in front of, to pull viewers in for some light and approachable immersion.
The execution: It’s a game of emotions, so we went for cuddly and silly, with a hint of NBA star power. A mixture of two custom videos plus a couple unique site-level posts, topped off by display media. Surprisingly, a game of H.O.R.S.E. on horses stole the show, while dogs recreating big All-Star moments and the Shaq chat bot pulled their weight equally well.
The result: The Shaq-bot page alone brought in over 300k site content views, while H.O.R.S.E. on horses pulled in 2.3 million views (on Facebook alone). All combined, we beat our own expectations and delighted the client and the agency with the overall results. A big win!
State Farm :: Help Life Go Right
The brief: Reach millennials in various life stages and form light links with State Farm through their library of relevant and useful articles.
The problem: All insurance companies are basically homogenous, and it typically comes down to cost. So our challenge was to overcome this thought process by creating some goodwill with our audience so they’d made a positive connection with the brand.
The strategy: Research showed big sections of this audience had no grasp on how to handle certain tasks at key life stage tasks, so we selected highly useful tactics and spun fun, creative videos out of them. The key was to make each video short, digestible and informative all while being useful to the viewer.
The execution: Our short form video series capitalized on our quick-hit video editing style, similar to that of our Tasty franchise, and we adapted it to fit a few non-food areas. We taught useful skills to complete important tasks that can help you get through life a little easier.
The result: We netted over 2.5 million total views for the series on Facebook alone, beating client expectations and showing how our creative formats were able to pass the consumer barrier.
The Google Home + Tasty integration puts over 3,000 recipes just one “OK Google” away.
Google Home UK :: Tasty at Home
The brief: Increase market share of the Google Home assistant in a way that maintains and spotlights its technology.
The problem: Amazon Echo is the elephant in the room, and Google’s Home product wanted to gain an entry point into our audience through its technical advantages at the time, like the screen.
The strategy: Studies showed many in our audience used smart assistants specifically in the kitchen. We felt this was a clear way in, and created content around the fact that you could speak to Home and use your hands for the important part - cooking! Coupled with our food brand Tasty, this was a huge opportunity to create a real partnership. Our task was to proactively bring this to the UK market and capitalize on our successes at home in the states.
The execution: We successfully integrated the Tasty app into the Google Home interface, then created a video series to highlight the product. Users were shown the typical Tasty top-down video, but with Google Home integration throughout, including the “OK Google” prompt. We extended this vision into the UK market shortly after.
The result: The Tasty app was featured on various Android and Google blogs as one of the top must-have apps for the Home, and our combined video views across the Tasty + Google partnership is well into the millions, and still counting.
adidas | Parlay :: Parlay Ultraboost
The brief: Create awareness for the adidas + Parlay Ultraboost sneaker.
The problem: Category fatigue affects adidas particularly hard, because of their rival with the other huge global sports brand. Combine that with a cluttered industry where real innovation can often seem buried to those not in tune with the sneaker culture.
The strategy: Our audience is big on sustainability and helping the environment, so our clear way in was to lift up adidas as a retail leader in a major problem affecting everyone - plastic pollution. Our goal was to treat them almost like a tech company, putting a new polish on their reputation as leaders in reusable technology for their products.
The execution: We capitalized on a modest client budget by maximizing bang for the buck. We created a highly informational post to inform our users about plastic pollution, and shared simple ways our audience could do their part. Then we pivoted to a hype post about what adidas is doing with Parlay and their innovative work at spinning plastic into shoe threads. Finally, a layer of display media brought everything together across the site.
The result: As this was the third adidas + Parlay Ultraboost sneaker, clients were looking for newer ways to raise its awareness. And the partnership with BuzzFeed paid off, even being limited to site-level post content. Our articles drove increased referrals to the site page and sparked healthy commentary about plastic pollution.
Rachel Ray Nutrish :: For The Love Of Cats
The brief: Drive awareness of Rachel Ray Nutrish cat food, made with real ingredients your cat will love.
The problem: When looking at special diets, familiarity, and cost, switching pet food brands is not an easy task.
The strategy: BuzzFeed reaches plenty of cat owners, but the problem remains convincing them to switch. To make this possible, we focused on the relationship between them, to open up perspective and gain a way in to reach this audience. The tension between cat and owner can take many forms, but we leaned into the point at which their lives become entangled and created uplifting content made to hit big emotions.
The execution: This was a sprawling ask that took many forms, the most impactful being a custom video that resulted in someone who didn’t like cats actually adopting the cat she was paired with (!!). If that’s not a big enough “aww” moment, we also sent an illustrator to CatCon to draw mashup portraits of owners and their cats, further illustrating the loving relationship. Fun site-level content rounded out the executions.
The result: This campaign was a huge success, and cemented a years-long partnership between BuzzFeed and the client, giving us the opportunity to create more content for more Rachel Ray Nutrish products. Not to mention we successfully paired a foster cat with her new mom!
bareMinerals :: The Power of Good
The brief: Elevate the brand’s reputation by leaning into its message of clean beauty and putting good not just on your skin, but out into the world.
The problem: Beauty and skincare are enormous industries with countless competitors, but bareMinerals is one of the pioneers of clean, natural products that aren’t harmful to you or anything else.
The strategy: We reach a majority of female millennials, and a huge part of our audience are beauty enthusiasts, and we also know that our audience overall is very into products that are natural, organic, and not harmful to the environment. Our original strategy was to use this convergence as an opportunity and hype up the brand in this exact area.
The execution: With a brand pivot to focus on individual products instead of the overall message, our execution phase shifted to highlight specific products with a theme of self care. Each video, post or quiz was created with a particular self care problem to heal, and followed up with clickthrough links to purchase. We also worked with one of BuzzFeed’s in-house influencers, Freddie Ransome.
The result: Despite a pivot late in the project, we were able to turn around a big presence across the BuzzFeed ecosystem. The combo of YouTube and site-level content paired with Facebook seeding was able to crush benchmarks and push readers to the brand site for conversion.