Smoky, spicy and supply-chain-aged. Optimist Serum is a craft cocktail created to give our clients and partners a glimmer of hope. And a strong drink. This bottle is a step beyond the Dark Times of 2020. And while 2021 didn’t get us quite out of the woods, we’re looking forward, not backward. With a ready-to-drink mezcal craft cocktail in custom-textured, letter-pressed and laser-engraved bottles. The second entry in what we hope will become a long, boozy series. Look to the future. Drink in the now.

In collaboration with Lamora Design.

Odell Brewing in Ft. Collins, CO, was adding Texas as the 11th state in their distribution footprint. With a small budget and just weeks until the beer would hit shelves and taps, we needed to get the buzz going. (Note: Beer pun entirely intended.) We created this "love song" to the good people of Texas and geo-targeted beer lovers on social. Like a good ol' beer bust, word spread quickly. Results: Within six months of launch, Texas became Odell's second-largest state for sales. 

I really enjoy writing fast-paced scripts that are challenging to deliver and fun to direct. The cast and crew on this spot for the Colorado Lottery nailed it. The spot won Bronze: Craft/Writing at The One Club for Creativity.

Agency: Cactus
Director: Ryan Ebner
My Role: Writer

In an industry long-focused on dollars, Transamerica was launching a powerful new brand platform which showed the connection of both wealth AND health in planning for retirement. At the same time, Transamerica had initiated a nationwide agency review. My creative collaborator, Matt Chiabotti, and I partnered with the company to act as a small, interim-agency to launch the campaign while the search was in progress. Working with the in-house brand and strategy team, we acted as creative leads to concept, develop and manage production on the campaign. Videos included are the campaign case study, broadcast spots, and branded content.

In times of darkness, look for the light. At least enough to drink by. No surprise, 2020 left us in a dark mood. Rather than wallowing in the darkness—which we did plenty of—we bottled it. Well, first we spent a number of evenings testing and perfecting the recipe. Then we laser engraved the hand-painted, matte-black bottles and added custom letterpress labels. And then we bottled it. Aptly named Dark Times, this ready-to-drink craft cocktail was bottled in a small batch and delivered to clients and partners (with proper distancing, of course) as a final adieu to a year that just wouldn’t end.

In collaboration with Lamora Design.

Great Divide was launching a new and tasty modern IPA. The beer comes with the great hoppy profile traditionally found in IPAs, but with a lighter finish and a lower ABV. Named Heyday Modern IPA, the beer is ideally suited for whatever the day holds. In launching the new beer, we wanted to define what “Having a Heyday” meant and get people to remember the name. The video was part of a microsite and social campaign created in collaboration with GRIT Denver.

As the name implies, the burgers at Smashburger are smashed on a hot grill. It's a technique for locking in the flavor and it was a key differentiator for the brand. To educate consumers, we created the Smashburger Burger Smasher character and let him tell the story through radio, print, social and POS. Then we built a digital kitchen and let people challenge the Burger Smasher.

We went looking for a lovable spokesperson for the family-friendly Boba company from Boulder. We found this Mom. I always enjoy writing scripts for animation and seeing the characters come to life through the process.

Agency/Production: Futuristic Films
Role: Copywriter/Creative Director

Smashburger was an early entrant into the exploding “better burger” category of fast-casual eateries. While the burgers were incredibly tasty, the brand hadn’t quite found its way yet. We helped establish an identity, a personality and an experience that matched the boldness of their food. 

Our objective was to make the Colorado Lottery more relevant to more people. We wanted to reach a new, younger audience and remind them that Lottery games, like life, come with the thrill of the unknown. It’s not just about the promise of mansions or private islands, it’s the promise of possibilities. 

Odell's flagship 90 Shilling is an approachable, well-balanced, easy-to-drink craft beer. After talking to consumers, we deemed it the "always appropriate amber ale" and decided anytime was a good time to have one. We came up with a million good reasons, but since 90 was in the name we started there. 

The Colorado Lottery partnered with ATARI to launch a series of Scratch tickets. With a neon nod to the most ridiculously radical decade, we paid homage to all things 80s. The TV spot is a spiritual step-sister to an actual ATARI commercial circa 1984. We created a Tumblr page for content that related to the Lottery, ATARI and the 80s. 

When a little one gets lice, it’s a stressful situation for both parent and child. In addition to the gross factor, there’s often a feeling of failure and embarrassment for the mother. The Lice Clinics of America offers a discreet and easy-to-use home solution that alleviates the embarrassment. With this mom-targeted campaign, we wanted to create a compelling and humorous story that seamlessly demonstrated the product to drive sales. Project with Molio and Fueld Films.

University of Colorado Hospital is a national leader in academic medicine. To maintain awareness among referring physicians and specialists across the country, we developed a targeted direct mail campaign. In the first year, we worked with scratchboard artist Steven Noble to create a series of maps highlighting discoveries in key services lines, with outcomes and advancements highlighted on the backside. The following year, we created a limited-edition letterpress poster featuring the Hippocratic oath. 

Denver Zoo ranks as one of the top zoos in the nation and it's a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. But for all of the natural wonder found at the zoo, the brand was failing to communicate the lively energy of a trip to the zoo. So we created a vibrant palette, developed a library of animal illustrations and textures, and designed a new digital experience to help kids learn and parents plan visits. 

A collection of food and drink projects I helped brand. 

The Mental Health Center of Denver is a national leader in behavioral healthcare. With a diverse network of community partners, MHCD successfully serves tens of thousands of individuals and families annually. Our goal was to educate a broader audience on the prevalence of mental health issues, demonstrate how MHCD is making a difference, and engage potential supporters. 

A sample of spots I worked on as creative director, copywriter or both.