When I started with Bakery, the agency was a fantastic group of groundbreaking creatives who needed more structure and efficiency to take the next step in the agency’s growth. Starting as GCD and shifting into the newly created role of Head of Creative Operations, I transitioned from leading creative from within to refining how the agency functioned as a whole in relation to the work. Working with all disciplines across the agency, I guided transformations in our approach to the work and created successes that were more sustainable, repeatable, and impactful for the agency and our clients.

In the process, I wore many hats. Depending on agency need, I functioned as GCD, new business lead, Account Director, 1st AD, and general fixer. I also spearheaded priority agency projects, mentored creatives, led and transformed project management, planned, executed and emceed Bakery’s epic SXSW party, and created and ran our variable workforce model. In the process, I overhauled Bakery’s operational systems-- helping Bakery to grow from about 30 to over 70 employees, pitch and onboard seven new clients, produce its first Super Bowl spot and win new levels of recognition including Small Agency of the Year Gold, Clios, and New York Festival.

At its core, Bakery has always been a mad scientist’s laboratory, with the good and bad that come with thinking big and free experimentation.  As Head of Creative Operations and GCD, my guiding principle was to absorb the unhelpful chaos so many agencies deal with day-to-day and insulate creatives from distraction while teaching them tactics to concept sharper work, faster. The goal we shared was to make the agency much more scalable while protecting the independent spirit that made Bakery and its work so special.

Attached you’ll find some of my favorite work Bakery produced while I was Head of Creative Operations, along with some new business videos I created while leading pitches. All creative work and executions came from the great team at Bakery.

MoneyGram is a company that largely works with immigrant populations, helping them send money home. When we got the business, they had mostly relied on stock imagery and in-house production. They had also just begun a major F1 sponsorship. We helped them create a new brand, making the most of their hight dollar sponsorship while staying true to their purpose. The result was a celebration human mobility with a healthy dose of F1 rat-race thrown in for good measure.

As ECD, I collaborated with our planning department to bring the two very different worlds of underserved immigrant labor and Formula One into cohesion. I also led all creative and production and functioned as the primary client liaison, acting as both head of creative and accounts on multiple international shoots.

El Pollo Loco is an LA institution. Started by one guy who happened to cook amazing chicken in a sketchy part of town, they're a brand that has grown up organically over the course of the last 3 decades. When we first took on their business, they were nearly entirely focused on :15 TV and limited time offers. The work we created together has helped them reclaim their LA roots, own their heritage and elevate their food. We gave people a reason to be passionate about the brand beyond just chicken. Over the course of our collaboration we executed their television, social, digital media and even packaging. And it led to 3 months of record sales right after launch. Broadcast, ambient work and social video are included here, as well as a print series we completed in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

As ECD, I helped lead the pitch team that won the business for Vitro. I oversaw the creation of a new brand tone, elevated television production and social executions and helped launch the mural program that would become a staple of the brand’s social media presence for several years. And we grew the business for the agency from an account that required a team of team of 4, to an account that had a very busy cross-functional team of over 20. I even got to put on an apron and play chef, working with the food innovation team.

Recognition: Comm Arts.

Barbasol is a 100 year old brand that has been gracing American men's faces since American men were more... uh, men. But for a brand that had been around a long time, they hadn’t said a whole lot. So we started by asking ourselves: If our forefathers could see us today, what would they think? Then we just kinda went with it. Featured: Broadcast, P.O.P., Merchandise, Press Kit.

As CD at the time, I led the winning pitch team, created the brand voice and brought in a very talented design team to reinvigorate the brand. And I did it without ever shaving.

Recognition: One Show, Graphis

If men have done it, Barbasol's been there for it. And they had a little know-how to pass down to the youngbloods. I wrote this book in 3 weeks on my back porch, waiting for my son to be born. It was created on literally zero budget, using nothing but royalty-free stock art, great designers and a good bit of timeless man-knowledge. All in all, it was about 100 pages. Here are a few key spreads. If you decide you really like it, it’s still for sale on Amazon and the proceeds benefit the VFW.

Recognition: Best-in-Show Austin Addys, One Show Showcase

Taylor has been famous for decades of great print work created by Vitro. They have also always had a slightly different way of making guitars-- a way that has led to some of the best instruments in the world. We highlighted the intersection old world craft and new-fangled tech geekery that makes them so unique.

I was the copywriter for all headlines and worked with an incredibly talented art director who literally hand-set all of them using antique letterpress blocks at Hatch Show Print in Nashville.

Recognition: Kelly Gold, Communication Arts

When Facebook launched its new food ordering capabilities, we worked with them to find a delightfully lo-fi way to show that anybody, anywhere can get any food they want delivered to their door.

As ECD, I brought the business into the agency and oversaw creation and production of creative assets.

Chipotle's brand work had to strike the right between being informational about factory farming, organic sourcing, the relentless industrialization of the food chain and other high minded topics while also being short and pithy enough to appeal to stoned college students. Print and OOH are included here.

As CD at the time, I helped lead the winning pitch team, oversaw all copy and brand tone. I also grew a client relationship that originally tasked the agency with only top-of-mind print/OOH/radio, into creating the brands first social campaigns and getting the agency a shot a producing some of the brands most famous work.

When I was working with Chipotle, they had an impassioned on-line fanbase but as a brand they were just beginning to dip their toe into greater interactivity. So we created a laser-shooting burrito and a whole lot of really stupid burrito-themed names to help ease them into it.

As CD, I led the creative, grew the client relationship that created the social opportunity and helped oversee digital production.

Newcastle is a dark beer with a balanced, lighter taste. We brought that fact to life with some light touch dark humor.

Recognition: Cannes Short List

I helped run creative on Walgreens for a couple years. And the Christmas ads were always my favorite part of it. Because sometimes you just have to run to Walgreens. Like on Christmas Eve, or when you’re a dog who wants to buy a gift.

As a CD, I helped lead a creative team of over 20 across broadcast, social and digital needs.

Recognition: One Show Showcase

When I first started working with L.L.Bean, they were one of those great companies who had so many stories to tell, you just had to shine a light on them. From employees to field testers to real customers, we used real stories to show the brands enduring commitments to quality and life in the outdoors. Additionally, our traffic driving retail work made the mall a much cooler place to walk around.

As CD, I led a creative team of 10 on the account, oversaw brand tone and execution of all concepts and was the main point of creative contact with the brand.

Recognition: Best-in-Show OBIE Awards

Goodyear is the Official Tire of NASCAR. Which means they make tires that can withstand a lot of torture.

Recognition: One Show Showcase

Say what you want, I still think well-crafted print is the purest form of art in advertising. I love a good headline. I love great art direction. Put them both together and what’s not to like? These are several ads that I wrote or CD’d at different times in my career that still stand out as some of my favorites.

Lone Star Roller Girls: Gold Addy

Children’s Hospital of Orange County: Comm Arts

ASICS: Kelly Finalist

As much as I dig a good smart execution or a thoughtful perspective, I’ve always loved writing and executing comedy. That and blowing stuff up. Attached are some of my favorite laughs and action-packed spots from throughout my career as a writer and creative director.

During the COVID lockdown, I started writing a headline a day on my driveway in south Austin. Mostly as a way to pass some time, but also to cheer up the neighborhood as well as myself. They’re listed in chronological order covering about 150 days, it’s a bit of a time capsule of stupid jokes reflecting on the lock-down, social upheaval and presidential election of 2020. Please forgive my chalk-on-cement kerning and leading.