It was a simple ask: how do you contemporize a network dedicated to old movies? The answer: remind everyone that while some films come and go, classic lasts forever. Then get Ted Lasso director Declan Lowney involved, along with a great TCM client, Dexter Fedor. And while I can’t say I “wrote” these (the late, great Nora Ephron might curse me from the afterlife), I can say they were a blast to concept and make.

If you ski, sooner or later you will ski Aspen. One run, one ride, one breathtaking descent and you'll know why it's just plain different here.  I'm not sure the agency ever made any money on this account but I sure had fun working on it.

Chobani means shepherd in Turkish. In fact, the founder of the company is the son of a shepherd. The shepherd's creed says you are to provide for your flock. So one year the shepherd's son asked me to share this story from his childhood. Who knew snowflakes never touch? 

It began as an Obama initiative; became a Congressional Act and resulted in the first international tourism campaign ever undertaken by the United States. Working with JWT and partner John Doyle, we created a multimedia global campaign that invited travelers to 'Discover This Land Like Never Before'. Travel intent went up 20% in advertised markets, resulting in an increase of $3.4 billion in visitor spending, along with the creation of thousands of new jobs here at home. And then another President came along and killed it.

It didn’t take the talented Eric Rindal of Rindal & Co or myself but a day trip to discover few places have all the elements for growing and producing wine come together as perfectly as they do in Lodi, CA. Here is a community made up of literally dozens of remarkable facts—stories about the people, the multi-generational farming history, the unique geography and climate—and that for a new generation of wine drinkers looking for “discovery”, our task was to simply create a branding campaign that put Lodi on the map, knowing full well that surprise and delight would come. Just as it had for us.

The Guy. Every company has one. Trouble with the network? Call The Guy. Printer's down? Get The Guy. Devices need provisioning? Find The Guy. But here's the thing, if everyone is calling the IT guy, who does the IT guy call? CDW that's who, and this won the pitch.  

Cisco is a relatively unknown company in Japan. Yet, here they were, selected to create the infrastructure for providing the world with the first truly digital Olympic experience in 2021. This same infrastructure, now left in place, will be the foundation upon which Japan builds its digital future.

Working with art director Andrew Reed and film director Alex Schiller pre Covid, we discovered the Japanese concept of shokunin and thought it a perfect and relevant metaphor for introducing the company to a nation.

I particularly enjoy the satisfaction that comes from doing work for a cause I believe in. And it doesn’t take huge budgets to achieve results either. Just a great idea and in one instance, a dog.

Before Tesla, before Prius and the Volt, before the myriad of electric cars on the world’s roads today, there was this: the EV1 from the not-so General Motors Corporation. And just as the acclaimed documentary asked, “Who Killed the Electric Car?”, so too might you be wondering. So here’s the thing, I know but I’m not saying. Unless you book me.  And then, maybe over drinks.

Several years back, Walt Disney Pictures produced an animated short entitled, John Henry. The film was featured in Disney theme parks around the world. One year, in acknowledgement and celebration of Black History Month a prologue was commissioned. I was fortunate enough to be asked to write it and Academy Award® winner Forest Whitaker graciously agreed to direct it.   

As I’ve said, I like telling stories. And for me, brands are just stories waiting to be shared. Here then, in no particular order, are some of the most memorable, to me anyway, back when I worked at Chiat/Day, Goodby Silverstein, and Hal Riney & Partners.  

Forty years in advertising is a long time. That’s 280 years if I was a dog. So a book, my first, about a dog makes perfect sense. And while I wrote it for kids it’s really for anyone who has ever had their heart stolen by a dog. You can find it at Itasca Books, Amazon, and at the bookstore here on the small island in the middle of the Salish Sea.

UPDATE: Turns out our little book made it all the way to the finals for an international book children's award and has been loved by so many that we did a second book, Quigley Lopez, Saving Perseverance.

Check out QuigleyLopez.com