We created the Let's Talk Cost campaign for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina to help North Carolinians better understand – and thus have a better chance of solving – the problem of exploding medical costs and insurance premiums. 

The goal of Phase 1 was to move beyond scapegoating to have an open, honest discussion about the cost problem's multiple causes – and it worked. Our humorous approach helped people grasp the complexity of the issue, and the number of North Carolinians who held health insurers most responsible for skyrocketing medical costs was cut in half – from 38% to 19%.

We set out to clearly distinguish the individualist Triumph brand from Harley-Davidson's herd mentality.

UNC-Rex hospital wanted to promote their weight-loss surgery specialists without insulting or patronizing the target audience. We emphasized the emotional benefits of the procedure with a twist on the classic "Before/After" visuals seen in cheesy diet ads.

When Mother Earth Brewing approached us to brand their new company, all they had was a name, an empty brick warehouse in downtown Kinston, NC, and an assortment of inspirational touchpoints for what they hoped their venture might become. We combined their input with research and creative exploration to arrive at a brand that struck a balance between the spirit of eastern North Carolina, the aesthetic of '70s album art and the natural purity of Mother Earth herself.

A couple of shorts creative director Adam Cohen conceived, directed, drew and animated. They weren't for a client...but they (or something like them) could be! To see more of this stuff, go here. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina wanted to reaffirm their position as the state's oldest, most stable and most reliable health insurer. We produced commercials reminding viewers that BCBSNC is there for all of life's health moments, big and small. This campaign elevated the company's favorability overall, and was particularly effective with young adults aged 25-34, increasing their favorability by 8%.

We used a boxing metaphor to illustrate the Tundra's unmatched combination of strength and speed.

We created a logo and ad campaign to launch Alien Skin's new film-simulation software.

(Fun fact: This ad caught the eye of Apple Computer, who contacted Alien Skin to ask who had created it.)

For Phase 3 of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina's "Let's Talk Cost" campaign, the company wanted to "take off the gloves" and get very specific about the true forces driving up medical costs (and thus health insurance premiums). We took a graphically arresting approach that was built on alarming – and highly-shareable – statistics and infographics. By the end of this campaign, the percentage of North Carolinians who blamed health insurers for exploding medical costs had been reduced by almost two-thirds.

We were asked to extend the existing “Food Thoughts” campaign, with headlines that simultaneously highlight menu items and make you laugh and/or think.

M.Modal's revolutionary approach to medical "speech understanding" software was replacing technology that dated back to the 1970s. We brought this fact to life with a box mailer that doubled as an 8-track tape player. Custom music recorded in the style of that era played when the box was opened, complete with song lyrics poking fun at the competitor's limitations. (Listen via video below.)

Ads in the timber harvesting category typically focus on machinery and specs. We took a more emotional approach, tapping into the family-owned, multi-generational nature of these businesses, and their deep pride as stewards of the land on which they work. Soon after this campaign launched, Blount's sales force started spotting the ads pinned on customers' office walls.

To dramatize Pacific Bell's free mobile roaming, we showed people roaming to the most unlikely places in California, just because they could.

If someone's going to poke around inside your mouth, it matters what kind of person they are. Since Dr. Jodi Foy is so truly nice (and hilarious), we made sure her potential patients knew it.

Jetcraft is the world's largest and most experienced private jet broker. Making close, customized connections – with their employees, their customers, and the international markets they serve – is what the brand is all about.

We created this full-page newspaper ad to help UNC Health Care and Rex announce the 10th anniversary of their partnership.

AAA wanted the world to know they do a lot more than just tow cars. 

Created to run during the Oscars, this commercial celebrated moviemaking and Bank of America's central role in the industry's history. 

This tongue-in-cheek public service campaign was targeted to local cable operators who weren't offering Cartoon Network in their markets. "Do it for the children." 

We created this campaign to announce all the baby animals recently born at The Oakland Zoo.

We came up with this visual concept to remind the state's business community that North Carolina's ports play a vital role in the health of every city across the state, not just Wilmington.

Newspaper readers were surprised to stumble across this bold ad on local obituary pages.