The team at Walmart Creative Studio set out to reimagine shopping for Gen Z. Our research revealed this tech-savvy generation craves inspiration, not just click-to-shop simplicity. They're increasingly drawn to virtual experiences, immersive commerce, and gamification.

We crafted a social/mobile-first experience brimming with inspiration, discovery, and engagement. Unlike competitors' cookie-cutter virtual stores, we built a vibrant digital world from the ground up: Walmart Realm.

The heart of Walmart Realm lies in our trend-driven virtual shops. We first launched with:

So Jelly: Dive into an underwater wonderland awash in playful, ocean-inspired hues

Y'allternative: Experience vintage Americana reimagined with a moody, mystical twist

Go Chromatic: Step into a sleek, futuristic realm where everything shimmers in chrome

Each world is a visual feast, designed to spark imagination and encourage exploration. We partnered with influencers who authentically inhabit these spaces, driving engagement through creative discovery and gamification.

This project showcases the power of innovative design in transforming retail. It's a testament to how bold visuals and immersive experiences can create a shopping platform that truly resonates with the next generation.

And the icing on the cake? Walmart Realm won the XR Marketing Campaign of the Year (2024). GO TEAM!

Explore WalmartRealm.com to see how we're painting the future of retail, one virtual shop at a time.

At the end of each year, the Culture & Trends team at YouTube publishes an annual report for the popular trends. In 2023, YouTube went a step further and hosted a 2 day event in November, turning the annual Trends Report into a real-life experience at Google’s event space in NYC, just a week before the report release.

The goal of YouTube Try a Trend 2023 was not just to invite people to try the trends out, but to host an ecosystem-wide event for multiple XFN YouTube teams to participate and contribute to.

I was brought in to help some fine folks concept, ideate, and design for the builds that would bring each of the top trends to life - a Nail Art wall with glory holes for manis on the spot, a 2-sided 10 foot vertically scrolling Barbie milky way galaxy and hot air balloon ride, silent disco popular music rooms, a Lofi lounge speakeasy, a retrogaming arcade and prize wall, the chance to VTube yourself, a giant LED screen Wes Anderson-esque backdrop, and not to mention a Skibidi Toilet flash mob. Needless to say, the event was a huge hit among everyone who attended, especially the YouTube Creators.

The event also won an Ex Award for Best Influencer Event 2023 so that made my heart even more full.

Scroll down to check out photos and some of the content the Creators posted on their channels.

Walmart Discovered, a Roblox community with real world shopping capabilities, was launched only last September (2023) and has already grown to 22M visitors today (July 2024).

Walmart has continued to identify new, innovative ways to deepen the relationship with Roblox. This Summer I was brought on to help introduce the Walmart Discovered AR Experience, the first-ever immersive AR experience that allows customers to step inside Walmart Discovered in the real-world.

AR-exclusive elements include monthly quests and free virtual items. Customers can also shop trending UGC and discover indie experiences (made and sourced by Roblox creators).

WeWork’s first global campaign launched in the Fall of 2020 just as people working from home were beginning to get restless and seek alternate options. No longer was it mandatory to go into an office every single day but folks were also needing a little break and space from being home all the time.

We set out to remind people of how many WeWork offices there are and all the amenities they have to offer. We also wanted to let them know that unlike pre Covid times, we now have a choice when it comes to working.

So how does tomorrow work? Well, the concept of hybrid working became the new norm as well as flexibility when it comes to your workplace and space. Whether you want to work from home, at an office or split your time between the two, WeWork is here (and there, and everywhere).

American Express Canada was launching their first card targeted at millennials - the Cobalt Card. The creative team came up with a fresh, colorful, fashion-forward integrated campaign featuring social influencers and well-known Canadian athletes.

Direct mail and a new landing page introduced new card members to a world where they can continue living their life and get rewarded for it.

Copywriter: Steve Muzzin
Client: AMEX Canada
Agency: Ogilvy Toronto

How do you show that Five9’s cloud software is the best solution for your company’s contact center? The idea was simple. Compare and contrast an agent using Five9 with one that unfortunately does not.

Client: Five9
Agency: MediaOne
Creative Director: Alex Furrer
Copywriter: Liz MacKenzie-Barrett

Unlike general insurers, Hiscox had been specializing in business for over 100 years and unlike generalist insurers, Hiscox knows no two businesses are alike. Which is why they customize each policy to fit each business’s unique needs.

We equated each business to be like a barcode - they may look the same from afar but on closer inspection, all are quite different. We created a campaign that could work on TV, video, print and social media and highly targeted to small business owners.

The campaign increased brand awareness by 29% and ad recall by a whopping 59%. Surprisingly, although the campaign was more tactical than emotional, brand affinity increased by 53% and consideration by 17%.

In the end, the barcode campaign helped build perceptions that Hiscox is a trustworthy small business insurance expert. It also gave us an excuse to make wine labels announcing the campaign at the National Sales Meeting.

Research showed that people feel like they’re on their own when it comes to health care. Government, insurance companies, and hospitals are putting profit first. Health insurance companies overpromise and gloss over the realities their customers face.

We were asked to show that EmblemHealth is different. That they are experienced and committed to improving health care, and that the company and employees not only believe it’s possible but are acting on the responsibility they feel to make it happen.

We created EmblemHealth’s new “Health care for all of us” brand campaign that takes an approach that is real and inspiring and that most importantly features authentic New Yorkers.

In collaboration with the Chicago Cubs, Hefty Ultimate Cups hosted "Hefty Flips for Charity" - the largest game of flip cup ever played.

A group of 200 fans - led by Cubs players as team captains - set the world record for the largest game of flip cup, taking place on iconic Wrigley Field. In addition to making flipping history, Hefty donated a total of $40,000 to two charities of the Cubs players' choice.

My role was to brand the event. We went through several fun logo design explorations until finally landing on this one.

Client: Hefty
Agency: Havas Chicago
Creative Director: Ecole Weinstein
Copywriter: Matt Bush

2017 marked Canada Day's 150th celebration and the extremely talented folks at Nordest Studio were asked to co produce the momentus event in the country’s capital.

Leading up to the event, we designed these inspiring digital billboards featuring breathtaking scenes of all things Canadiana. On actual Canada Day, July 1st, real-time tweets of people using the hashtag #Canada150 populated the boards, reaching millions of Canadians across the country. 

These are just a handful of my faves.

Client: Government of Canada
Agency: Nordest Studio

Attention Kmart Shoppers! Shopping is FUN again and whenever possible it should include monkeys, rooms covered in faux fur and salsa dancing. 

My partner* and I created a series of fun online videos that focused on weekly product specials for the retailer. Each video was briefed, concepted and produced within 1 week. 

*That’s my copywriting partner dressed in a monkey suit. Because advertising. 

Copywriter: Emma Myers
Client: Kmart
Agency: Havas Chicago

While at Cineplex Digital Media, McDonald's Canada entrusted us with the rollout of a fully managed digital menu board solution in all of their restaurants. CDM was the first digital merchandising vendor to be selected to participate in a full country rollout.

The creative included full menu board takeovers (see McFlurry/M&M) as well as short promo videos like this McCafé one we created during the Toronto International Film Festival.

I worked closely with the animators and dev team to concept, design, and optimize the digital menu boards which have been deployed to over 1,000 McDonald’s Restaurants across North America.

Copywriter: Me
Client: McDonald’s Canada
Agency: Cineplex Digital Media

Did you know that Minneapolis is one of the most fit cities in the US? Neither did we. So when Propel came out with a new look, we decided to spread the word, beginning in good ol’ Minnesota.

The 360º campaign included a competitive brand ambassador program. These real men and women jumped/ran/cycled/yoga’d at the opportunity to experience Propel's new flavors and packaging and for the chance to star in a national ad campaign.

In addition to the new packaging, the integrated campaign included print, OOH, sampling events, online videos and a splashy website redesign.

Copywriter: Lee Piper
Client: Pepsico Propel
Agency: Fathom Communications

It’s not really Christmas unless you’re wearing an ugly holiday sweater. And it’s not really a Merry Craftsmas unless you’re wearing one of these bad boys.

I designed a series of holiday sweaters to gift to our Sears client featuring some of their more beloved SKUs.

Client: Sears
Agency: Havas Chicago

Our creative and UX teams partnered up with the client in order to redesign an entire responsive site using Adobe's CMS platform (AEM).

The result was Cox.com - a seamless desktop, tablet and mobile experience with a new look, newer products and faster service. 

Client: Cox Communications
Agency: FCB Chicago

CMMB is an international organization that provides long-term, co-operative, medical and development aid to communities affected by poverty and unequal access to healthcare. They aim to deliver the best possible health solutions to women and children in need all over the world. 

For their 2016 Annual Report, CMMB asked the Briteweb team to bring their global families' stories to the forefront while showcasing their beautiful photography. I concepted and designed this 40 page booklet complete with a poster foldout insert.

After only a few months into working on Optimum Cablevisions' Direct Mail business, we were invited to come up with a concept for some new video tutorials. We were met with a a few challenges:

1) Create 25 tutorials in 2 months time

2) Somehow make topics like "How to Connect your Smart Router" and "Creating Your Optimum ID" educational yet entertaining

3) And do it in both English and Spanish

We couldn't do it alone so we partnered up with the talented folks at Brand New School NYC and we did it (and well under budget).

Copywriter: Calvin Lai
Client: Optimum
Agency: Fathom Communications

In the Summer of 2011, the Governor of California and the state legislature decided to close 70 state parks due to budget cuts.

We hooked up with the California State Parks Foundation and put together a few spots to ask CA residents to defend what's theirs. 

While these PSAs ran, the legislature changed their minds and ended up only closing a handful of parks. I’d call that a win.

Copywriter: Jannie Gerds
Client: San Francisco Parks Trust
Agency: Nice & Company

In order to promote and excite customers about the new Minions movie, we created an All Family in-store event called Minion Mania at participating McDonald's. Families could come to McD’s and enjoy great food and enter to win amazing prizes.

We concepted and designed all in-store Minion Mania creative - from register toppers, menu screens, window posters to even a Minion drive-thru experience. We leveraged current Minion assets and also worked with Universal Studios to create new ones.

Copywriter: Marjorie Novotney
Client: McDonald’s
Agency: Arc Worldwide Chicago

Kmart asked us to create disruptive and exciting creative for their billboard in Times Square - something that would shift eyes to the retailer and announce to consumers that Bluelight Specials are back.

We developed this billboard concept along with a social activation idea all centered around the thrill of finding the next ridiculously good deal:

1) The billboard asks users to @FindTheBlueLight on Instagram. 

2) Once there, users find a grid of videos of Kmart blue light sirens under a link in the Kmart bio. They must try to find the winning Bluelight special and activate it but only one of the videos is the actual special.

3) Once found, the siren goes off flashing and playing exciting celebratory music (think Selena's Bidi Bidi Bom Bom) 

4) The Bluelight Special of the day is revealed and the user must hurry and go claim that ridiculously great deal at a Kmart location near them!

Copywriter: Emma Myers
Client: Kmart
Agency: Havas Chicago

Saul Bass inspired holiday cards.

How can a cupcake be worth $10,000? In this TV spot, we asked people to decorate their cupcakes with Jelly Belly jelly beans to find out. With over 50 true-to-life flavors to choose from, the decorating possibilities were endless and so was the fun.

We also designed individual Jelly Belly jelly bean posters to hang up on the walls of Jelly Belly headquarters in Fairfield, CA.

The West Coast sandwich chain was a bit late in the game announcing their new toasted sandwiches. So we decided to embrace the delayed response and have a little fun with it.