Client: Hunter Panels

Why run a trade ad that’s boring and invisible when you can be known for marketing that is fun and traffic-stopping? Hunter Panels trusted me and Andy Candelaria, a wonderfully gifted Art Director, to create something completely out of the norm for this category (B2B, manufacturing, commercial). Then, they were brave enough to actually run the thing. The feedback was huge. Years later, they still get comments at trade shows about this ad.

Client: Costco/Kirkland Signature

Kirkland Signature is the house label for retail giant, Costco. But you knew that. Over the course of many years, I wrote a series of B2C ads that ran in the “Costco Connection” magazine to promote various Kirkland-branded vitamins and supplements. This particular ad was a concept and execution (art direction by Richard Nanaumi) that moved a jungle's worth of chewables off their pallets and into customer carts. Oh, my!

Client: Colonial Williamsburg

I had the privilege of writing the majority of marketing materials (collateral, print ads, online banners, DM, radio promos, etc.) for many years. (All marketing was taken in-house eventually to ‘save costs’. Oh, those silly bean counters.) This particular concept generated exceptional response and was executed in magazine ads, rack brochures, online banners and many other places and media.

Client: Mag Industries

Back before mobile phones were also flashlights, an inventive machinist named Anthony “Tony” Maglica was making aluminum flashlights for the US Military. In time, Tony designed a better flashlight. Much better. Of course, the military said 'no thanks' along with, 'just stick to they way we've always done things.' Sigh. So not content with the status quo, Tony created the Mag Lite. But how do you convince high-end consumers to spend way more than they ever have on something most people already have (but probably won’t work when they need it) in their kitchen junk drawers? With smart advertising, that’s how.

Oh, and as for results; within six months after this ad began running, the Mag factory in Ontario, California was running three shifts round-the-clock to keep up with orders. Southern Calif art director, Robert Prins, was my partner on this account.

Client: Hunter Panels

One of the campaign directions art director, Andy Candelaria, and I developed for Hunter Panels expanded on the tag line, “Whatever It Takes.” As in, this is a manufacturer who routinely goes above and beyond to make the highest quality, innovative products backed by equally impressive customer service. Sure it’s hard work, but it’s what they do. How to best show this to both B2B and commercial builder audiences? Ask Kevin.

Client: Convoy Supply

I don’t understand why so many creative folks don’t like, and often refuse to do, so-called ‘menial’ work like POP, collateral or promotional items (aka: chotzkies). What you see here was a quick request from a great B2B client in Canada to do labels for hockey pucks to hand out at their upcoming sales meeting. They asked art director, Andy Candelaria and me for simple design highlighting their corporate logo. We gave them something much more memorable which became instant collectors items.