Roosevelt University is named in honor of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, one of America's greatest champions for social justice. The "Speak Your Mind" campaign raised hot-button topics and identified specific RU classes in which those topics would be discussed in an open, inclusive, academic environment. The campaign microsite enabled visitors to weigh in on the topics presented in the ads.
Don Nelson, Copwriter/Co-Creative Director
The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) is a financial ministry of the largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S. MIF extends building loans to congregations, which use the funds to renovate their sanctuaries or other church facilities, or otherwise increase their capacity to better serve their communities. We tell some of their stories in long-form videos on the MIF website and every year, on the pages of the organization’s annual report.
Don Nelson, Copywriter/Co-Creative Director
When Turtle Wax reformulated its ICE line with polymers that actually repel dirt from a car's surface, we reformulated the brand's advertising as well. The nightmare with a happy ending depicted in the tv spot was the centerpiece of the creative campaign. In addition, we built an extensive microsite and mobile site to explain the virtues and uses of the entire Turtle Wax ICE product line.
Don Nelson, Creative Director (Copywriter on rich media ad)
My first day on the Johnson account was also my first day at J. Walter Thompson, but I didn't go into the office. Instead, I flew down to Stuart, Florida, to tool around in boats powered by the various Johnson outboards. No first day on the job has ever topped that.
Don Nelson, Copywriter
Founded as part of the Hyatt Hotel Corporation, Vi (pronounced “vee”) operates ten luxury senior living properties from Palo Alto to Hilton Head. Vi residents include former captains of industry, cabinet secretaries and academics, and the communities offer gourmet cuisine, five-star amenities and something even the most accomplished of seniors often fail to consider: a plan for care, should the need arise.
Don Nelson, Co-Creative Director
The Komodo dragon featured in our Shedd Aquarium ads sat around a lot. Except when it got close to feeding time. Then the dragon would move...fast... in lockstep with any child who happened to be crossing in front of his enclosure. This was a client we didn't want to disappoint. Our campaign made extensive use of CTA station domination and showed the Komodo in his full, nine-foot-long glory. Panels from several of the three-piece postings are shown here, along with a taxi wrap displayed at a press event. (Thus the lizard in the back seat.) In all, the campaign helped Shedd exceed attendance goals by more than 150,000 visitors and for the year, Shedd was the nation's second most visited aquarium, trailing only the new Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
Don Nelson, Creative Director
This was a rare opportunity. Chervon, a China-based manufacturer of power tools, hired our agency to create a brand around a lithium-ion battery technology they had pioneered. The EGO line–our name–includes the most powerful, battery-powered lawn mower on the market, plus complementary lawn and garden gear that uses the same power source. Our campaign and all of the other branding elements were pivotal in helping secure distribution for EGO at The Home Depot, no small feat for a new brand.
Don Nelson, Creative Director (Copywriter on website and Facebook posts)
The finest put-it-together-yourself furniture on earth is made about 50 miles outside of Toledo in Archbold, Ohio. The family-owned Sauder Woodworking Company, begun in Erie Sauder's barn in the '30s, takes equal pride in the place they still call home and the furniture they make with as much attention to detail as considerably more expensive pieces. Both the tone and design of this campaign reflect that.
Don Nelson, Creative Director
We helped Bob Evans turn around the troubled Dayton, Ohio, market by recommending sponsorship of the town's Class-A minor league team, and then executing a sponsorship campaign the right way, by immersing our brand in the consumer's experience. In addition to posting baseball-themed ads throughout the park and at concession stands, we created a video to be shared online and on the stadium scoreboard. The campaign was a rousing success, with the restaurants seeing increased customer counts and higher average checks.
Don Nelson, Creative Director
To help the AIDS Foundation of Chicago address the alarming, ongoing rate of infection in the African American community, we created a campaign to convey a sense of self-empowerment and hope. The centerpiece of the effort was a website that allowed individuals to offer their own methods for helping their community slow or stop the spread of AIDS, i.e., find a "cure." These contributions became living parts of the site. Complementary elements were handed out at community events, including t-shirts with a blank where the wearer could write his/her own idea; condom cases; "With Me Comes A Cure" compact mirrors; and custom-printed fans, which were distributed to large African American churches.
Don Nelson, Creative Director
The WNBA's Chicago Sky endured losing seasons in each of their first three years of existence. The campaign shown here contributed to a 12% attendance increase, especially noteworthy given the state of the economy at the time. Ads were supplemented by a YouTube video (at bottom) that drew attention to three of the team's star players. We shot it at the Sky's downtown offices, and I still marvel that none of us on the production team got punched in the mouth as a result of the stunt.
Don Nelson, Creative Director
Here are ads for a baseball team, a natural gas reseller, a weather-resistant paint, chocolate mints, an outboard favored by bass fishermen, and a brand of car wax. They have nothing in common except I like them very much. And I wrote them.
Don Nelson, Copywriter
