1AmongMany

agency: POKE NY

POKE was brought in as a partner-agency by Droga 5 to create a website and comprehensive strategic outlook that would demonstrate the background, objectives, and future goals of the Million, an extraordinary new public school program.

We utilized the notion of “the Million” – a title meant to reflect the one million students who are part of the New York City public school system –  in conjunction with the existing logo, to create a motion design piece which now lives as the entry to the millionnyc.com homepage. This short, narrated story explains in concise terms exactly what the Million project seeks to accomplish: the creation of a merit-based reward system that will encourage and entice public school students to gain a greater appreciation for their school work.

To date, the program has been wildly successful. Teachers and parents from all of the schools involved in the initial launch of the Million program have reported notable changes in students’ demeanor and academic achievements. Students from these schools have become fully immersed in the program; most will gladly attribute their new-found academic interests to the Million. As the program continues, it offers the potential to redefine the learning process throughout schools both in New York and around the world.

agency: POKE NY

How can a brand tell you what “sexy” should mean? Is it the perfect bedroom, with the curtains drawn just so? Can you narrow it down to a hair color or a specific body type? No. “Sexy” is personal—and something that only you can define.

Keep Life Sexy gives everyone a chance to stand up and shout to the world: “SEXY IS _____!” This site marks a new beginning for K-Y. An effort to reach out to the world and to redefine what “sexy is” on everyone’s terms. This is what it looks like when a brand stops shouting and starts listening.

As part of an interview process, I was given the following homework assignment:

Please take a look at the Bourbon category and imagine that one of the brands (pick any you like) is your client and that they are looking to create a major new product.

*Where do you think the opportunity is? (Describe how you uncovered this opportunity and why you think it’s a big opportunity for your client.)

*Write a short one-page product concept that brings the idea to life (be sure to include the consumer insight, the key benefits, and the reasons-to-believe in the concept).

My recommendation was the creation of Angel’s Share, a new bourbon from Maker’s Mark targeting women. Feel free to view my response below or download a copy here.

Launched in June of 2006, the Nike+ system has been called one of the most successful social experience sites on the internet. Chad Stoller, director of emerging platforms at Organic, recently told AdWeek, “[Nike solves] a problem, and because they solve a problem, a community forms.” The Nike+ website offers users a method to track their personal running progress, but more important, it creates an outlet for people to connect around their passion.

In July 2007, I participated in the Nike+ Summit at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. I and eleven other runners from across the US were selected because we were early adopters of the Nike+ system. We met with product developers and designers from Nike, Apple, and R/GA to share our insights about the positive elements and the flaws in the system. Based on my background, and my familiarity with the Nike+ system, I was uniquely positioned within the group to speak for Nike+ users in general, and the under 30 market in particular.

During the summit, the Nike+ team expressed an interest in becoming more relevant in the digital space, especially among the youth market. With those interests in mind, I put together the following presentation outlining nine strategies based on my experience with Nike+. You can also download a (1.2MB) copy of the presentation in .pdf format here.

agency: Undercurrent

Strategic stronghold Undercurrent tasked me with a concise challenge for their client, Start Mobile: increase sales. Start Mobile is a small, web based company that specializes in wallpapers for mobile devices. They have cultivated a remarkable group of popular artists such as Shepard Fairey, Tara McPherson, and David Cho, and have created a library of these artists’ works available to mobile users at the manageable price of $1.99 each.

After analyzing their strengths and shortcomings, I outlined a series of strategic opportunities for Start Mobile that combines both online and offline executions and partnerships. Tactics that allow them to capitalize on their associations with today’s brightest artists and help Start Mobile reach audiences who are both technically inclined and design-savvy.