Concepts
I haven't worked at "conceptual" ad agencies. Nobody told my concepts that. They went on to win us 8 new biz pitches and be credited by senior clients as transforming our creative reputation.
Zero to Hero
Logitech new business pitch - Global AOR
Word around the pitch group chat was that one of the clients, a streamer himself, began to tear up while we were presenting this idea (good tears).
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Keurig Gen Z social RFP
POV: My Keurig
Gen Z has ushered in a new era of honesty across social — and as a brand Keurig's ads always showed what happened after you got your morning coffee: smiling faces and perfect people. But what if we explored, and celebrated, us ... before we've had our coffee?
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GOOGLE GLOBAL PIXEL 6 LAUNCH
The Pixel Chip
Google's latest flagship phone, the Pixel 6, is going to have a chip designed by Google, for the very first time. So, how do we get people talking about the Google chip? By getting it in their mouths.
INSIGHT
You can’t get your hands on the new Google-chip-powered Pixel until October.
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IDEA
But you can get a taste of it early with The Pixel Doritos Chips.
HOW IT WORKS:​
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Shortly after the reveal of the new Pixel chip, we’ll announce that it's already on store shelves … in the snack aisle.
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We’ll create limited-edition Pixel flavored Chips in partnership with Doritos that will be rolled out in stores, at venues and through influencer seeding kits. Each pack is designed to be more than just a tasty snack and teaches you about the latest innovation coming from Google.
Amplification
1,000,000 tasty billboards
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Each of the 5 flavors of the Google chip are inspired by features made better by the real Google chip. Bags can be found anywhere you can buy Doritos—like millions of tasty little billboards.
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Seeding the snacking
During a tease phase, our chips will be found at exclusive vending machines that also come with a chance to win the Pixel 6 during its embargo period. Influencers are invited to the locations through a Google Map we publish on @MadeByGoogle.
YouTube unBAGGINGs
As a rally cry against typical phone unboxings—we seed bags to tech outlets, tech reviewers, and foodie influencers for YouTube unBAGGINGs of the new phones.
At the time, I was a Jr. Copywriter on Wunderman's Minecraft CRM account. I was tasked with creating an event invite email. The concept I created for said email caught the attention of our CCO and was built into a functioning AI-powered prototype. We then pitched it to Minecraft's executive marketing team as a proactive idea for their entire 100 million+ playerbase. But all I really care about is that I made nerdy high school Matei proud.
INSIGHT
Being a square means being a nerd. But In Minecraft, being a square isn't a bad thing.
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IDEA
Create the #BeSquare movement. Show the player-base of the world's biggest video game that being a square is something to be proud of by allowing them to create a square version of their real self.
HOW IT WORKS:​
We develop a custom character creator that allows for as many unique facial combinations as there are Minecraft players. We send out the character creator to our Minecraft audience allowing them to recreate and share their IRL face in Minecraft for the first time ever and make it their profile picture on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Snapchat.
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Minecraft big idea
Be Square
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NOT ONE-OFFS
One of my advertising philosophies is that a concept should be just as big as it should be. Just because these ideas fit on a single slide doesn’t mean they’re not “big.”
The Pixel $1 Mansion
(Google Pay concept)
INSIGHT:
Local staycations are the form of travel Americans are most comfortable with.
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IDEA:
To launch their latest digital wallet, Google Pixel is hosting $1 mansions on AirBnB, that you can snag with Google Pay.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
Through a cultural activation, we host surprise $1 mansions on AirBnB anyone can rent out, but only with Google Pay. We’ll have one of these mansions go live in each state at an undisclosed time which can be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.
The Google Pay BK Whopper Wrapper
(Google Pay concept)
INSIGHT:
Financial education is hardly present at the places we spend the most time or money at.
IDEA:
Now when you purchase a Burger King Whopper, you unwrap thousands of dollars in financial advice from Pixel 5’s new digital wallet: Google Pay 3.0.
IMPLEMENTATION:
Through an existing comarketing partnership with BK (or Dunkin’, UberEats etc.) we make it so that when you buy a Whopper with Google Pay you get one of a series of special wrappers that include financial literacy tips and can save you thousands based on Google Pay’s smart money management lessons.*
The Nest Traveling Trick or Treat Door
(Google Nest concept)
INSIGHT:
People can’t go door-to-door this year.
IDEA:
Let’s bring door, to doors. Google brought a traveling door to a neighborhood in Salem, MA to help families go trick or treating without leaving their doorstep.
IMPLEMENTATION:​
We’ll TRICK out a motorized door that drives around Salem and goes from door to door surprising homes with the most helpful, and spooky, doorbell ever. All they need to do is step outside their front door and yell “Hey Google, Trick or Treat” as we drop off candy, Prince plays spooky music. Nest cuts the light off the machine. Google Nest Doorbell meows. Salem, shudders.
The Thermostat Soulmate
(Google Nest concept)
INSIGHT:
“Green singles” are a thing (eco-conscious singles on the market looking for plant-loving counterparts), and nearly half of Americans wouldn’t date someone who didn’t have the same thermetiquette as them.
IDEA:
Let’s co-market with a dating app such as Hinge, and create an in-app questionnaire people can fill out on all things thermostat: like temp, how price savvy they are and eco-friendliness. Upon completion, people can discover their Thermostat Soulmate and even swipe through “Green Leaf” matches: those with eco-friendly thermostat habits.
We’ll encourage matches to post about the experience on social through a giveaway and we’ll follow up with the pairs over the next few months for a cute, hearthwarming, social series.
#TeamPixel small business reviews
INSIGHT:
41% of Black owned businesses are going under in the wake of Covid-19, support and amplification has never been more important as a result.
IDEA:
#TeamPixel members channel their unique skills and platform to review Black-owned small businesses, driving real impact and support for the business they choose.
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IMPLEMENTATION:​
We help identify 10 Black-owned small businesses in each major market our influencers are from, then prompt the community to purchase products from the business and share about it on their platforms during Black History month — the content can be anything from a full video product review to a quick caption including the product and brand. We provide the #teampixel community with a $100 voucher they can use to make their purchase, but more impactfully, they each use their unique photography skills and audience they’ve earned to raise awareness and support for the business over the course of the month and beyond.