Ok I’ll admit that I’m an internationally recognized Creative Director with over 15 years experience. And yes, I’ve worked for brands like Ford, Sony Playstation, Nike, General Motors, and Lego at agencies like DDB, TBWA, MacLaren McCann, and Blast Radius. But as my Dad always says; “That, and $4.50 will buy you a latté.”
I’ve always tried to be humble. Blathering on all day long about having won over 70 international awards, or having judged Cannes Lions, London International, Applied Arts, or the Digital Marketing Awards - honestly I’m just not that sort of person.
I’m just a simple Canadian kid who grew up riding a bicycle and drawing (although not at the same time). The fact that I now turn those drawings into great advertising, and build bicycles and customize motorcycles... Well, it doesn’t impress my daughter, so why would it impress you?
You can view some of my work below, but please don’t get the impression that the purpose of this site is just to stroke my ego. As I said before, that’s just not my style.
Creative Direction + Art Direction + Animation + Photography
If you don't have time to look at all of the case studies below, take a look at this reel and you'll get a feeling for my work. Keep in mind that all the clips were pulled from digital and television, even though some of these campaigns had print, radio, and other elements too. Most of the work included in this reel is also featured below if you wish to get more information about an individual campaign.
The Social Order
Concept + Art Direction
The Social Order is a Vancouver based group that organizes unique events and provides conceige services for its members.
I helped with the launch of the brand by providing strategic direction and art directing the identity.
Custom Triumph Bonneville
Customization + Exhaust Fabrication + Photography + Personal Project
This Custom Triumph Bonneville has been a work in progress for many years, but the latest addition to it has sparked a little extra attention and now led to a small business venture.
The new pipes are called Blunts. This photo was taken to highlight the new product which has subsequently been featured many times online, including an article at Bike EXIF.
Elbow Wars
Concept + Art Direction + Animation
Elbow Wars was created in 2008 for The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF). This ad was placed in the film guide and as wild postings. In theatre, a sticker was appropriately placed on the armrests with nothing more than the url (elbowwars.com).
Everything led to an online game that was based on a very basic insight that all theatres goers have experienced at one time or another...
elbowwars.com
TBWA\Vancouver
Concept + Art Direction
Launched at the beginning of 2009, TBWA\Vancouver's new site is a simple and honest expression of who they are. The site itself is basically a blog that pulls all forms of content into a flash interface. What's interesting is that the CMS that drives this site is free social media. As they update their blog, flickr, or other sources, the new text, imagery and video is fed directly to the site.
Poverty Banner
Direction + Art Direction
Created for Vancity in 2008 - one of Vancouver's biggest and friendliest banks.
This expandable banner is an interactive demonstration of the concept of their new savings account; for every dollar you save, you'll do your part to chip away at poverty.
Go ahead, grab a coin and do some good...
Jingle iPhone Application
Concept + Art Direction
Jingle is a simple iPhone application created during the 2008 holiday season for TBWA\Vancouver and their clients. It basically replicates holding jingle bells in your hand. The animation and sound respond to the direction and strength of your movement.
The next phase of Jingle will involve a charitible component as the original idea was inspired by the Salvation Army.
Jingle
Pure. Whistler.
Concept + Art Direction
In 2008 a radio campaign was released for Whistler Beer that was entirely composed with sounds from the product itself.
This microsite was the destination of those ads, and on the site a user could download or mix a new version for themselves.
The radio spots can be heard by selecting one of the three tracks at the beginning, or you can go into remix mode by twisting the bottle cap to create your own music.
whistlerbeer.com/pure
Burnkit
Concept + Art Direction
In 2006 Sinclair Industries partnered with Burnkit. This website was one of the first projects released after that partnership was made, and it's a product of the whole company working together under a new strategic and creative process.
The design took inspiration from the studio itself, creating an identity for Burnkit out of the iconic shipping containers and red tool bins.
burnkit.com
The Welder
Concept + Art Direction
Everyone that was part of the team at Burnkit had two jobs; their real job and an imaginary role of their own creation. It was part of the character of the brand, and a source of fun and expression for everyone. The back of your business card was a key place to express this alternate identity.
I was the welder, and this was my card.
Built on a ratfink frame that's been cut, sandblasted and shaped into raw goodness, this cruiser was a part-time passion/obsession of mine for many months in 2005/06 and now remains an invaluable part of my creative process. I usually ride it around the office until an idea hits me, or a filing cabinet.
The only wire leads to seven gears in the rear hub and a custom fabricated suicide shift mounted on the base of the seat post. Both wheels were hand-built with unique spoke patterns, and there's two extra beefy chains (strung together) to handle the added strain of the travel. Surprisingly though, it's easier to get up hills than you would think because of its aluminum frame.
Bensen
Concept + Art Direction
Created in 2007 for Bensen, a design and manufacturing company in Vancouver's Gastown that has an incredible reputation for quality. They call it machine crafted.
The website concept extends from the simplicity, and the modular design of the products Bensen creates. Also, becuase people looking for high end design like this often are intrigued by the esthetic first, the entire product line is presented in a visual navigation.
bensen.ca
The Filmgroup
Concept + Art Direction
Never the same twice. Go ahead and check it out, then click the reload button on your browser a few times and you'll see.
filmgroup.tv
Redefine Wealth
Concept + Art Direction
Created for Stenner Investment Partners in 2007, this print ad was part of an awareness campaign focused on getting people thinking about their relationship with their money. It was seen in NUVO magazine, Macleans, and the Globe.
The campaign led to a custom interactive experience that guided potential clients through a discovery of what wealth really means to them.
Rewarding Interactivity
Concept + Art Direction
This ad served as a call for entries for Marketing Magazine's 2007 Digital Marketing Awards. We were basically asking the digital community to submit their best work, however only the very best interactivity would be awarded, or rewarding.
Meet The Fund Managers
Concept + Art Direction + Photography + Animation
Sometimes clients come to you last minute, and at the beginning of 2008 that client was Steadyhand Investment Funds. They needed to get the word out fast about an event, so within a couple days we provided them with an idea, a theme, and this rich media ad.
The ad introduced the event, and yes, that's me in the windsor knot.
Paper Is Evil
Concept + Art Direction + Animation
Created in 2005 for Intuit, this campaign was designed to inform young adults of a better way of doing their taxes.
The concept was simple: Paper is evil, do your taxes online. There were several different executions for print and one stop-motion billboard seen in the toronto subway system.
Exhale
Concept + Art Direction + Interviews + Photography
Created in 2004 for Fraser Health and the BC smokers' helpline, exhale.ca was a place that invited you to listen.
Over 50 young smokers (men and women ages 19-24), participated in the project, offering their own uncensored thoughts on smoking. They weren't pushed towards any specific conclusions. What they said - positive or negative - was up to them.
The success of this fresh approach to anti-smoking led to a national rollout the folowing year.
exhale.ca
DDB Canada
Concept + Direction
In 2003 the DDB fat guys were born out of the minds of James Lee and Dean Lee (no relation). This image served as 'proof of concept' for the original website idea. It basically proved that we didn't have enough budget to do claymation, but hey, 3D turned out to be a nice alternative...
ddbcanada.com
PS2 Engine (Theatre Spot)
Concept + Art Direction
Created in 2000 for the launch of the PS2 in Canada (which was kind of a big deal), the above image is a still from the cinema spot that played in theatres across Canada.
We were mandated to show the hardware, cover many features, and show lots of different game footage, but somehow we were able to come up with an idea that held it all together. We called the spot PS2 Engine, and eventually the oversized screen was filled with so many different clips of game footage that your eye didn't know where to look anymore.
View Cinema Spot
Games, Movies, Music.
Concept + Art Direction
This tranist poster is an example of the print and outdoor support that intergrated with the above Cinema and TV work for the launch of PS2 in Canada.
Games, Movies, Music (together with the Playstation icons) was a Canadian led idea that was later picked up Internationally. It was simple and worked hard to educate consumers on the versitility and power of the system.
Owning blue was also key to the campaign which glowed at night and completely dominated all other messaging.
ATV Offroad
Concept + Art Direction
In 2000 the PS2 was bundled with a new game called ATV Offroad Fury. It was a great package but there was no media bought to drive awareness. Then at the last minute a deal was made. Sometimes a last minute media opportunity can put the pressure on. In this case we also had no production money.
So, we hooked a PS2 up to a Betacam SP and recorded footage of us playing the game, called in some favours for music, and then cut together a 30 second spot that was responsible for more sales than Sony had ever seen before. They sold out of all the bundles they had before the spot was even finished running.
The client said we did our jobs too well.
View TV Spot
