During the summer of 2016, I built and led [and rolled up my sleeves with] a highly talented creative team to respond to BMW Canada’s RFP for Tier 1/Tier 2 Canadian motor shows and brand experiences. The following selects illustrate how my team and I developed a singular design language that was leveraged across all of BMW and MINI’s brand activations, including the global stand at the Toronto International Auto Show.

At its core, an auto show stand is a gathering point that is both public (exploring the space) and private, for instance, when you are sitting in a car or participating in an engagement. Two forms echo this public/private dynamic: the pavilion and the home. The concepts were based on large cantilevered planes that would translate across both levels of kit, as both stands utilized a shared footprint. For Tier 2 shows, the architecture was simplified using an extrusion skeleton that was clad with Alucobond panels.

The overall aesthetics were well mapped to the brands and created multiple opportunities for unique and targeted product messaging and points of deep consumer engagement.

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Agency: Impact XM

Creative Team: Sarah Bair Kloepfer, Tim Holmes (Red Door LA), Mark Chernack, Dave Muraca

Graphics/book build: Red Door LA

All rights reserved.

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Client: Tesla Motors

Agency: MC², Expomobilia

Photography: InsideEVs

Atlassian culture and products are built to support teams. From medicine and space travel, to disaster response and pizza deliveries, Atlassian helps teams all over the planet advance humanity through the power of software. And for Summit US, teams were the defining element that made the experience go. My role on the program as Creative Director, Brand Experience touched all facets of the strategic consumer journey, integrated messaging and experiences on-site and off. From registration and environmental graphics to walk-in moments and unique audience experiences, the second Summit of 2017 built on the momentum of Summit Europe earlier in the year. During the long development phase for this conference, the creative and production team leveraged Atlassian tools such as Trello and Confluence to integrate all aspects of the delivery. It took a village.

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Client: Atlassian

Agency: FreemanXP, InVision Communications

Executive Producers: JP Stephenson, Tyler Pimentel, Richard Toscano

Photography: O'Donnell Photography (shinyredphoto.com)

One of many concept designs created for Tesla Global Motor Shows utilized a vertical stainless rod veil to create the space without fully obstructing sightlines at NAIAS. Technology stories were told via engaged digital multitouch surfaces. Ultra clean modernism allows focus to remain on the vehicles while complimenting the purposeful design.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Design Team: Sandamal Silva, Joel McCall, Chris Lambert

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The Hyundai Media Provider RFP was a unified digital media solution for North American motor shows submitted to Hyundai Motor America and their advertising agency, Innocean Worldwide during the summer of 2015. The proposal not only included a thoughtful, cinematic approach to large format media but also one of informed consumer connections at every touch point via an inspired visual design language that elevated the brand to new levels. The small screen experiences were integrated with the large format content to create a cohesive narrative that existed harmoniously with the architecture and brand promise of New Thinking. New Possibilities.

While the design and communication challenge was focused in the digital realm, my teams connection to experiential – and not just to content – provided a massive end user benefit. For every touch point, we looked beyond the 2D aspect of digital, toward the 4D world of experiential where content and media become one of the many channels used to motivate audiences to action.

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Lead Agency: NCompass International

Media & Content: Arsenal Creative

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The following concept was a comprehensive and integrated experiential solution for Kia Motors America consisting of architectural design and experiential programming across multiple communication channels for their North American auto show. The experience design included multiple platforms for audience engagement that began with social check-in to the physical stand and tracked the consumer experience across all brand touchpoints at the show and beyond. The design was modular, to translate from major to tier shows, with a unified visual aesthetic, tone, and brand message.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative Team: Art Cole, Geoff Mye, Andrew Robinson, Natalie Jamison

Design and development of the Toyota stand and attendee experience at the 2013 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Detroit Michigan.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Design Team: Art Cole, Chris Fredericksen, Lagi Apostolou

Photography: Kathryn Rapier (www.kathrynrapier.net)

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The Hyundai Motor Show program for North America began with an inspired global architectural concept that required enhancement and activation for a very connected US audience. The challenge of this program was two-fold: one; how to create a unified brand experience across more than 70 annual deployments from major motor shows to secondaries and tier events and, two; how to attract a sophisticated and discerning audience in ways that will dynamically engage and immerse them with a holistic brand experience across platforms and drive consideration.

The result was the convergence of intelligent architecture and a stunning media experience that leveraged multiple modes of engagement from large overhead LED media clouds to personalized curated content that guided participants throughout their experience via "digital halos;" individual aggregated personas based on social profiles and select personal details.

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Client: Hyundai Motor America / Innocean Worldwide Americas

Agency: George P. Johnson

Design Team: Art Cole, Joel McCall, Andrew Robinson, Spinifex Group (digital content), Brett Doar (tactile engagements)

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The Infiniti Q50 Major Media Preview series was a curated drive program to showcase the all-new 2014 Infiniti Q50 for the worldwide automotive press. As premium destination experience, the program spanned the experiential spectrum including exclusive locations and premium touch points from invitations, exclusive hotel accommodations, special guests, and bespoke food & beverage that was indelibly Infiniti.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative/Strategy/Account Team: Natalie Jamison, Cherise Clifton (EP)

Graphic Design/Photography: Red Door LA (reddoorla.com)

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The brief was one line. Create a socially shareable experience at the New York International Auto Show for the public reveal of the MY16 New Generation Lexus RX. We weren't given much; the go-to-market strategy was still in development and everything had to hang on the working concept of "Dare to RX" as the motivating principle. Oh, and it needs to execute in the next three weeks under a somewhat restrictive budget. Sometimes the best creative work is cultivated by seemingly insurmountable barriers. And that drives motivation to be brilliant in the box.

What resulted from the brainstorm was a new conceptual idea based on "daring" premium experiences and the unique faceted, stealth-like design of the sheet metal - Sophistication with a Modern Edge.

Based on that concept, visual explorations began to lead down the path of optical illusion art - something that can be a mechanism to create user generated content. And that gave the experience the authenticity to become uniquely shareable.

The concept resulted in a unique, low-fidelity social media photo activation that engages participant senses and curates shareable behavior. And in the end, Lexus ended up with a very similar tagline for the vehicle - Sophistication. Sharpened.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative Team: Tanja Richter (art)

Infinity Boxes: Matt Elson (www.theinfinityboxes.com)

Vehicle Photography: Lexus USA

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Conceptual design and RFP response for the launch of one of Infiniti's most important models - the all-new 2014 Q50 sedan. The tour was to leverage an integrated campaign, including advance PR push, to drive target attendance for the ride & drives as well as premium evening programming at each deployment called "The Infiniti Sessions." Unique digital engagements and small screen content was designed to immerse guests in the brand and allow them to experience the thrill of the Q50 in a completely new way.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative Team: Art Cole, Sandamal Silva, Andrew Robinson, Natalie Jamison

Toyota experiential marketing, under the stewardship of Jim Farley, from 2007 - 2009 was awash in opportunities to immerse audiences in complex stories told through tactile and digital mediums. Hands-on engagement became an activation driver for the brand and, for audiences, a source of entertainment and education. Dwell time went through the roof and exit surveys revealed stronger brand affinity and overall satisfaction with the experience, rating it far above other competitors at the major motor shows. As a designer, collaborator, and leader across many high touch engagement projects, I fully understand how to fuse thoughtfully crafted physical elements with a meaningful user experience.

Credits |

Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative Team: Sandamal Silva, Adam Sweet, Larissa Carpenter, Garrett Clum, Geoff Mye, Sebastian Bettencourt

Interactive + Media Production: Mindfield USA (mindfieldusa.com)

Technology Integration and Development - Prius Experience: Coolux

Photography: Kathryn Rapier (www.kathrynrapier.net)

All Rights Reserved.

My team and I conceptualized an integrated experiential launch program for Care Connectivity Consortium, a collective heathcare initiative for portability among digitized patient files. The campaign leveraged physical, digital, social, and mobile channels across the live experience continuum to educate audiences, build consensus, and convey a complex initiative in a restrictive healthcare symposium environment.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative Team: Art Cole, Andrew Robinson, Spinifex Group

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In 2012 my client, Life Technologies, was named the ninth most innovative company in the world by Fast Company magazine. While 9th isn't 1st, the brand was in good company; Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Square made up the top five slots. The halo effect was too good to pass up. The result was a 360 campaign that executed on multiple channels to create a B2C presence and celebrate the award during one of Life Technologies most important annual meetings.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative Team: Art Cole, Andrew Robinson

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Back in 2016, I was fortunate to be asked to design the ceremonial ship christening of France’s CMA CGM SA Benjamin Franklin - the largest container ship in the Western Hemisphere - at the Port of Long Beach on February 19, 2016. Over a period of six weeks, I worked in close coordination with the talented producers at Event Marketing Partners to bring the event design, show flow, and christening moment to life. Everything from creating the stacking pattern of the nearly 18,000 containers aboard the ship, ship tour boarding configuration, and free-span structures to the flow of VIP motorcades to the event site, this “reveal moment” was truly larger than life.

In addition to hundreds of industry, media, and local officials, including Long Beach mayor Robert Garcia, members of the Saadé family - the founders and primary owners of the closely-held CMA CGM - were in attendance for the inauguration. Mrs. Shelley McMillon, the wife of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Chief Executive Doug McMillon, was named “Godmother” of the vessel. As the vessel was too large to climb aboard in a timely manner, my team and I developed a sequenced ship’s telegraph to smash the ceremonial bottle of champagne against the hull. It was a magnum bottle. And a career first.

Credits |

Client: CMA CGM

Agency: Event Marketing Partners

Executive Producer: Audrey Kerr

Structures: Choura

Photography: Port of LA

Video: CMA CGM, The Wall Street Journal

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Life's Good in the Big Easy, especially while experiencing the integrated campaign surrounding LG Mobile Comm's presence at CTIA in 2012. Building on the success of the 2011 CTIA show in Orlando, an even more robust multi-channel experience concept was developed that included local OOH, large-scale LED media, an all new trade show exhibit, unique digital & social touchpoints, live scripted activations, hospitality & entertainment, and a unique cause-based marketing campaign that challenged local film schools to a battle royale for a 10K scholarship and chance for their user generated IP to be featured across both on-live and online channels.

The short films were shot on LG Spectrum HD phones, sent out to the schools about 4 weeks in advance of CTIA. The results were emotionally stunning and profile New Orleans glorious return to life following the devastation of Katrina.

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Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative Team: Andrew Robinson

Media Production: Spinifex Group

Photography: Michael Pisarri (michaelpisarri.com)

Short Film: Dawn Spatz

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Toyota Canada asked for a proposal for Canadian motor shows and engagements. The following images outline examples of the response and the designed elements within. Borrowing key learnings from US and global shows, my team and I developed a cost effective modular kit system that was scalable and simple to deploy. Digital and experiential engagements drove audience participation within the stand using RFID technology - powered by social check-in - for a custom and curated experience.

Credits |

Agency: George P. Johnson

Creative Team: Mark Lawrence, Ed Schowalter, Natalie Jamison, Andrew Robinson

My work and that of my extended team at George P Johnson won the global AOR account for bioscience giant, Life Technologies. As part of the development of that client, I sought to centralize their experiential assets to present a more holistic visual approach to their live engagements and messaging hierarchy between their nine owned marquee brands. The result of Life Technologies rebranding in 2010, the style guide was distributed to business units in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific. We made continual version updates until Life Technologies went through another round of rebranding in mid-2012.

The following pages are selected examples of each section illustrating my methodical approach to design communication, developed with branding agency Red Door LA.

Credits |

Agency: George P. Johnson

Branding: Red Door LA

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