At my independent design and chainstitch embroidery endeavor, Chainsmoke NYC, I work with a wide variety of brands to offer unique, tactile ways to connect with new and existing audiences. This work includes intentional one-off artist gifts, volume of unique merchandise, popup customization experiences in retail locations, and fostering brand collaborations.
Via Chainsmoke, I have done work for brands like Google, Canva, Strava, Everlane, Filson, Audible, and Sony Music UK.
More examples are available on my Instagram page. Inquiries specific to this line of work can be sent to chainsmoke.nyc@gmail.com.
When NBC Universal sought to bring the karaoke segment of Kelly Clarkson’s talk show to fans around the U.S., they worked with my team to generate the production design, script the Kellyoke videos fans would receive, build out the tour bus on which the experience would live, and run the tech in four major cities.
To kick off the tour and celebrate the new season of Kelly’s show, the activation was featured on the TODAY show, with Kelly performing inside the space, and inviting fans to participate.
For this project, I generated the scope and contract, and executive produced the build and initial NYC market activation.
View the behind-the-scenes video here.
Opportunity: Pitch and budget production, build, and digital creative for three premium fan video experiences at the first-ever BravoCon, which sold out in under a minute.
Delivery: Propelled by the fan-favorite Project Runway experience we created for Bravo at SXSW, the network reached out to me early in festival planning to draft concepts for three of their properties. We crafted an interactive, multi-fan Real Housewives Taglines moment, an optimized reprisal of the smash-success Project Runway moment, and a sleeper hit slow motion Vanderpump Rules intro that maximized activation throughput. All experieces were supported with line management softwares and smart entry tools that would make it easier for guests to pick up their media in successive sessions.
Opportunity: Offer an elevated, editorial-level social moment for talent walking the red carpet at the 2019 TIDAL X Rock the Vote concert benefit.
Delivery: We developed a crisp, versatile black and white portraiture theme backed by a muted seamless, with stylized, show-the-work digital frames. My team included a pop-up alcove ensuring talent privacy before walking the carpet. Guests shot 5-10 unique portraits each, which were available for pickup 60-90 seconds after shooting, and could be previewed on a large flat screen TV wall for dramatic effect.
Opportunity: Three weeks before showtime, develop three static photo moments for the Foo Fighters fan experience at Super Saturday Night, which would include 5,000 guests.
Delivery: We developed the creative and branding elements for three separate photo moments within the Foo Fighters’ fictional high-school-football-team world. Aside from the on-theme, high-energy moments, we streamlined the fan experience and increased throughput by QR coding info to guests’ wristbands, allowing for contactless, fast engagement. As a bonus, users’ content automatically uploaded to a personalized digital yearbook of their FF experience, with blank “pages” for them to upload their own shots of the concert.
Opportunity: Build themed, interactive photo and video moments for YouTube influencers to commemorate and highlight their time at periodic meetups.
Delivery: We created a series of strong, super-postable videos and images at summits from 2018-2019, that made creative use of the client’s budget. For example, for multi-day experiences where the video concept changed over, we created versatile, modular set pieces that could be reimagined on the fly.
Opportunity: Riffing off the Dark Ages medieval theme, pitch, budget, and execute an impactful photo moment for cast members, press, and influencer attendees to the season launch.
Delivery: We blended thoughtful set and prop elements and a digital design strategy that incorporated a slight antique painting crackle, paying homage to the show’s key art. Images were then transferred and processed to a gallery wall of screens encased in antiqued frames to look like a portrait wall in a medieval castle.
View a sample video here.
Opportunity: Deepen client’s trust by pivoting away from product-based services toward fully custom video moments tailored on the fly to newly-drafted NFL players. Factor in Panini America’s role as a leading officially-licensed trading card maker.
Delivery: We storyboarded dynamic player intro videos with customizable options such as RGB lights synced to jersey colors. As a nod to Panini, the final frame of the social short shows the player “signing” the camera lens before a branded end card. Many players posted their videos while still on site at the Rookie Premiere facility.
View a video sample here.
Opportunity: Encourage the clients to weigh the benefits of budget flexibility in order to impart a more immersive, surreal experience at the TIME 100 Gala.
Delivery: We created virtual TIME 100 “covers” shooting talent and honorees in an upgraded set piece we constructed and wired from 20 Cadillac Escalade taillights. Videos were instantly available for talent to download and post to social.
View a video sample here.
Opportunity: Offer a list of budget-friendly ways to bring awareness to DVF’s philanthropic initiatives around propping up and highlighting the stories of women from a wide range of demographics and industries.
Delivery: We created two multi-day activations. First, a lightly customizable video recording platform letting guests pick their frame/font color, and offer their take on what it means to be a woman #incharge. The second was a versatile photo portrait providing a modern take on the famous 1970s cube portrait of Diane.
Opportunity: In June 2018, the COVERGIRL brand management team reached out to OM Digital as a contender to design, pitch, and budget a unique permanent capture experience at their new flagship store in Times Square.
Delivery: We generated several rounds of designs for COVERGIRL and competitively priced a range of hardware, software, digital creative, and fabrication services, exceeding value expectations. We included thoughtful, user-focused touches like lights that brighten when users engage a session, and universally flattering RGB tones. Formally launched over the 2018 holiday season, as of spring 2020 the video booth is still enjoyed by thousands of international and domestic visitors each month.
View a video sample here.
Opportunity: In January 2019, one of our agency partners asked my team to draft exciting capture experiences for Project Runway at SXSW. In addition to announcing a new season, it was intended to celebrate Project Runway’s return to Bravo.
Delivery: After several creative rounds that explored modern runway themes, our winning design for this experience centered on a heritage Project Runway look, inspired by the moment in the show where models exhibit designers’ work. We implemented an innovative, 3-shot storyboard with programmed RGB lights and effects, for a dynamic, instant two-minute experience that looked like it took a day to shoot in a studio. The success of this activation led to Bravo tapping OM Digital for elevated video captures at its first BravoCon in November 2019.
