I've been in a lot of rooms. And I'm still learning something new in each one.
Agency life. Freelance hustle. In-house grind. I've approached creative from every angle. Big budgets, no budgets, pro-bono, for trade. Every situation teaches you something different about how to solve a problem. Case in point, I was part of a team that convinced a client to put a Hells Angel in a Blue Cross Blue Shield tv spot when our actor backed out on set. The authenticity it brought to that piece was unlike anything a casting call could have pulled off. Find the unexpected angle. That’s where the gold usually lies.
Advertising today is louder and more crowded than ever. Attention is the new currency, and the brands winning right now aren't necessarily the biggest. They’re the most honest. The most human. The ones that make you feel something. That's always been the job. It just matters more now.
My most clarifying gig was working in-house at BJ's Wholesale Club. Keeping ambitious creative alive inside a retail environment teaches you a lot about restraint, resourcefulness, and what actually moves people. Anyone can make something great with an unlimited budget and zero guardrails. Try doing it when you're selling bulk toilet paper and rotisserie chickens to six million people. You figure out pretty quickly what works and what's just noise.
When I joined BJ's in 2009, they had 180 clubs, 4 million members, and a net income of $132 million. By the time I left in 2022 there were 230+ clubs, 150 gas stations, 6.5 million members, a 90% retention rate, and a net income of $421 million. A lot of smart people made that happen. I'd like to think the creative contributed.
The goal, regardless of client or category, has always been the same: Grow the brand and make it more likable every single day. Simple in theory. Humbling in practice.
Along the way, the work has been recognized by the Clios, Hatch, New York Festivals, US AD REVIEW, Print Regional Design Annual, and the One Show Creative Showcase. It also landed in Design Humor / The Art of Graphic Wit by Steven Heller — which remains the most niche-yet-perfect thing I've ever been proud of.