I love brands. I love helping them stay true to themself, rediscover themselves in modern contexts, and evolve to meet the values and attitudes of their fans.


TEXAS RANGERS #STRAIGHTUPTEXAS

   
The Texas Rangers had to delay the opening of their new stadium due to the COVID pandemic, and then suffered a humiliating season in the interim. Looking to bounce back in a big way, they came to my studio looking for a new identity to drum up excitement and guide their 2021 campaign, as well as the opening of their new stadium.

Our solution: lean into the fact that they’re the only MLB team with the name of a State across the front of their jersey and use the attributes of the great state of Texas to define the character of their team: grit, grace, bullheadedness, and that classic southern swagger. Things you aren’t born with, but inherit when you embrace the Texas spirit. We named the campaign “Straight Up Texas”

To bring #straightuptexas to life, we designed a series of rituals, defined a style of tall tale telling, and concepted tons of in-stadium activations for fans to embrace, from the old die-hards to the locals just looking to check out the new stadium. All of this with the ultimate goal of making a day at the ballpark a can’t-miss #straightuptexas experience.

The team, players, and fans have all rallied around the campaign which continues to run. It’s become their official podcast’s namesake, influenced their actual uniforms, and even helped them win the championship. 



Role: Creative Director
Partner: Andrew Allen
Partner: Cole Keeton



DANDELION: NAMING, BRAND VOICE

One of my favorite creative pick-up lines is “We have a name, but we think you can do better.” In this instance, it was for the launch of the world’s largest cross-border payment platform. The working name was “Golden Spike,” which had something to do with trains. A good enough name? Maybe if you’re looking for a cheap domain, but not if you want a name that registers with any sort of emotional relevancy. 

So I explored the human story behind transactions and came to a simple thought: people spend money to fulfill their needs and dreams. That’s it. It’s the same as when people wish on a star, or a flower. What this new platfrom does is simply make sure those wishes are delivered.



Role: Creative Director
Head of Creative: Buck Choate
Designer: Kevin Craft