THE

WORLD

ISFULL

OF

HUMAN

LOBSTERS

“...

MEN STRANDED ON THE ROCKS OF

INDECISION

WHO, INSTEAD OF PUTTING

FORTH THEIR OWN ENERGIES,

ARE WAITING FOR SOME

GRAND BILLOW

OF GOOD FORTUNE TO SET THEM

A FLOAT.”

PORTFOLIO/CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION/ THE ORIGINS OF DANIEL

THOUGHTS ON FLOATING BUOYANCY & BRANDS

001 IDEAS THAT FLOAT/ ONE MCDONALD’S

002 IDEAS THAT FLOAT/ TWO SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA

003 IDEAS THAT FLOAT/ THREE THE STATE OF BAHIA, BRAZIL

004 IDEAS THAT FLOATING/ FOUR PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

005 IDEAS THAT FLOAT/ FIVE PENNSYLVANIA TOURISM

000 MORE IDEAS THAT FLOAT / MISCELLANEOUS

FINAL THOUGHTS

SERVING TWO TOUR IN WORLD WAR II he believed wholly in the regimentation, discipline and wonderment of the service, and became a better fighter because of it. “Conscription gives you con-scious,” he would often say. The ultimate working-class hero in our eyes, he became a worldly gentleman in the throws of early global imperialism. He gained humble wisdom in a time where fighting the good fight was a true measure of manly worth and grit. My grandfather credits gaining his truest qualities in these formative years, and often spoke of how the many ideals of the service had helped shaped his outlook on life:

“NEVER LET YOUR MEN DOWN; KEEP A CLEAN, POLISHED AGENDA; AND ALWAYS HOLD YOUR HEAD, AND HEART, ABOVE WATER. DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO KEEP AFLOAT, AND HOLD TRUE TO THE BELIEF THAT WHEN YOU SLIP, YOU MUST PULL YOURSELF UP, BY WHAT-EVER MEANS NECESSARY.”

These words meant something. They meant that, in the mirage of duty, country and love, we can find value. It mirrors the simplicity of a message that will be storied. Recalled. Remembered. Retold.

This is crux of communication to me. It’s the fact, that, as beings in the world, there are moments between forces, between winds and waters, that guide us in our pursuits of a greater want. Not because we can, but because we should. It’s the foundation of strategic thinking. It’s the essence of insight. Big, grandiose ideas, once reduced and simplified, create conscious. Creativity.

And that’s why I love what I do. Let’s sail on.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS A NAVYMAN;IN FACT, HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST.

Thereissomethingabout

buoyancy.Inphysics,itistheupward

forcethatkeepsthingsabove

water.Itgoesthat,

anetupwardforceisequal

to the magnitude of the

weightoffluid

displaced by the body, and

thisforceenablesthe

objecttoseemlighter.

Thereissomethingabout

brands.Intheworld,theyarethe

marksthatgiveusmeaning.

Atthepointswhere

happinessorcalamity

defineus,theypresentthe

solutionstodriftus

alongtheeveryday.

andtheseengagementsmake

thedaybrighter.

A product of the 80’s new wave, I surfed the smooth tides and consumer surge of the Clinton-era in New Jersey, in the expansive United States of America. Today, I find myself washed up on the

shores of the 2000’s saying, “Excuse me, sir, how did I get here?” What an age we live in, boy. No matter how much time passes, I still get my kicks from the good old days: Spike Lee in Nike ads, catchy jingles on the radio and the power of PSA’s that never made me look at eggs in a frying pan the same way again.

Why? Because someone needs to, and I wake up every morning loving the art of communication. So much. Why else? Issues still need to be ad-dressed. Movements can still be instigated by a radical voice. Everybody deserves to have a good jingle stored in their subconscious to give them some-thing to hum while stuck on the subway. You know, so the iPod rays don’t destroy their brains.

BUOYANCY, BRANDINGAND A BOY FROM JERSEY.

I know that this may seem like rubbish. Hogwash, even. But I believe in creating real value for people and for the world. I believe in building experiences that outlast and outlive the everyday, becoming part of a bigger history. Stories often revolve around good conversation and context. And conversation, frankly, represents the currency of all that we do in the name of this thing called “communication.” It all flows back to doing well

what we’ve always done: understanding the human nature of want, desire and happiness.

I believe in ideas that float, anchored in my past,

and seek to inject all the goodness I remember from those days into the future. I hope that the following vignettes of my most meaningful works highlight my thinking, creativity and writing in a way that captures the essence and drive for new waters.

ONE

When one walks into McDonald’s, the last thing they might expect to be served with is a message of change—they’re looking for a product that is predictable and trustworthy. The essence of the McDonald’s mark embodies so much: it’s an assurance of affordability, convenience and taste. Imag-ine, then, involving a civic message of empowerment, inter-twined with those golden arches and a side of fries. Sounded like a stretch but, hey, I was like, “I’m lovin’ it.”

Considering the historic nature of the upcoming election, and for the first time in company history, McDonald’s embarked on a “get out the vote” campaign to help deflect the disillusionment and dissatisfaction of the voting process. Targeted in urban neighborhoods and locales throughout the United States, the campaign’s strategic salvo would be to empower (not dictate) the individuals’ need to vote.

Through careful planning and research, it was uncovered that marginalized voting communities needed not to be told of the duties and decisions to make, but rather the freedoms and declarations that would come as a result of their engagement.

McDONALD’SBUILDING MOVEMENTS FROM MILKSHAKES

THE SITUATION

ANY REASON, EVERY REASON was born. The message was simple, direct and had nothing to do with a specific candidate or party affiliation. Its mission was to engage consumers to get involved in the process—and to do so their way.

The campaign featured bold print and outdoor advertise-ments that prompted potential actors to really think about the meaning of voting. This motivational message was supported by a radio campaign that celebrated the proud, declarative process of having your voice heard.

The award-winning work was noted in industry magazines and articles identifying not only the compelling initiative of a company to endorse a free, civic action, but to do so in a manner that empowered its audience to act on their best judgement and character.

THE RESULT

PRINT & BILLBOARD ADVERTISEMENTCONTRIBUTIONS: CREATIVE DIRECTION & COPYWRITING

“There are those of us who question its power...what reason do I have to vote, we ask. We say, ‘It won’t count;’ we say, ‘It doesn’t change things.’ We feel it doesn’t matter.’ Truth is, your vote means every thing...’We vote to erase all doubt. We vote to count. We vote to make our voices heard. We vote to be part of the process, our way. We vote because, we are democracy. It’s a decision and it’s a declaration. For many of us, we are the reason. What reason do you have to vote? Any reason is every reason, because democracy starts with you...”

“There are those of us who question its power...what reason do I have to vote, we ask. We say, ‘It won’t count;’ we say, ‘It doesn’t change things.’ We feel it doesn’t matter.’ Truth is, your vote means every thing...’We vote to erase all doubt. We vote to count. We vote to make our voices heard. We vote to be part of the process, our way. We vote because, we are democracy. It’s a decision and it’s a declaration. For many of us, we are the reason. What reason do you have to vote? Any reason is every reason, because democracy starts with you...”

RADIO SPOT EXCERPT CONTRIBUTIONS: CREATIVE DIRECTION & COPYWRITING

TWO

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIAFORTIFYING A NEW FLEET OF EDUCATORS

The School District of Philadelphia is one of the largest urban school districts in the United States. The District educates over 160,000 children, with many coming from poverty-striken families (the City of Philadelphia is, according to Census data, currently the poorest American city with more than a quarter of its residents living below the poverty line). The District’s biggest challenges has continually been to recruit and retain qualified, diverse teachers.

Where there is a sprawling, urban area, diversity thrives. Children of color represent 85% of the current student body of the School District, and central to a culturally and psychologically relevant learning process, teachers of color should be prominent. In Philadelphia, they are not.

Obtaining qualified, passionate teacher-leaders that embrace and positively influence the mosaic of young students filling the City’s classrooms was the order of tomorrow, and the School District wanted to answer the bell yesterday.

THE SITUATION

In launching LIVE, LEARN AND TEACH IN PHILADELPHIA, the District was able to attract the kind of teachers needed in the classroom. The messaging directives were in the tagline, and targeted a diverse group of college graduates and seasoned professionals from the private sector looking for a more gratifying job experience. The first step in renewing the identity of the School District was to refine and authenticate its mission and vision as follows:

The Vision: Our goal is to recruit and organize a diverse teaching staff to serve The School District of Philadelphia (SDP). We seek to provide the best and brightest teachers with tools, resources and opportunities to live, learn and teach in Philadelphia.

The Mission: Our mission is to endow our district with dedicated faculty and staff that will continually share, promote and influence positive change toward the future of

Philadelphia. SDP’s Human Resources department is committed to employing such individuals with a passion for leading the urban classroom in critical-need areas of our city. Our teachers and staff embody a true reflection of Philadelphia: A mosaic of minds and

cultures that thrive with the advancement of our environment and communities. In equipping educators with the means to engage our urban youth, we facilitate new directions and concep-tions of learning. In building a better district, you must begin with a firm foundation - we

believe that very foundation lies within the strength and diversity of our workforce.

The execution also included the development of a new brand identity, color palette and standards to visually represent the District. The work was amplified by a viral recruitment video sent to potential teachers, friends in the community and at job fairs. The cause was significant, and the results even more so: the campaign resulted in a 75% increase in applications and earned accolades from the Harvard Business Review for the most innovative campaign to recruit new teachers.

THE RESULT

BRAND STANDARDS AND IDENTITYCONTRIBUTIONS: CREATIVE DIRECTION & COPYWRITING

STILLS FROM VIRAL/RECRUITMENT FILM CONTRIBUTIONS: CREATIVE DIRECTION & COPYWRITING

THREE

Oh, Brazil. Eu te amo!

I am sure that it is every creative person’s dream to be flown away to a tropical locale to solve big challenges among beautiful people and bright minds. Global exchange is a precious commodity, combining the powers of communication with the noble complexities of culture.

The State of Bahia, in southeastern Brazil, includes the largest population of African descendants outside of the continent of Africa—a message the Office of Tourism wished to introduce to people of color in the States. Taking on the model of “Back-To-Africa” trips that have long been popular among African American tourists, the Office’s objective was to position itself as a central destination for heritage travel.

Leading a creative team of planners and developers to ex-plore the region and uncover tourism treasures for an adver-tising campaign, my role was to investigate reasons why and how tourists of color would seek to explore Bahia’s cultural and environmental attractions. Essentially, it was a fact-finding mission to play the role of “tourist” and experience a nearly untouched culture extended to Americans.

THE STATE OF BAHIAAN ANCHOR FOR AFRICAN HERITAGE...IN BRAZIL

THE SITUATION

After a life-changing trip to the regions of Salvador, the small towns along the Paraguaçu River to the birthplace of Tropicália, the campaign was inevitably put on hold.

But the experience served as a powerful lesson in the art of proper listening and planning. The disconnect between what Bahians wanted tourists to see, and what the Office of Tourism wanted them to see, was vast. And unlike other tourism accounts I had worked on, there was an enormous social stake at risk; the exploitation of Bahian culture would greatly diminish the regular way of life and threaten long-untouched community practices. The people I spoke with put higher value on the authentic experience, rather than a profitable one. A working solution was found in collaboration with city, state and national partners, community leaders and local nonprofits, to craft a campaign that would highlight the region’s beauty, incorporating a variety of perspectives, and equally respecting the residents’ right to self-representation and shared ownership through all creative executions.

Although no campaign was finalized, I served as principle photographer to document ideas, people and places that I felt communicated my experience in an honest manner. These photographs offer a glimpse into how an experience can shape the way simple, everyday connections impact our lives.

THE RESULT

FOUR

The well-being of the greater communities we live in can be more detrimental to our health than our own individual status. With grander motives, as a whole, we are better off with access to and information about such communal knowledge being essential to the development of a stronger populations.

At any age this can be a difficult pill to swallow ( no pun in-tended). But at twenty-one, I set out to write my first television commercial addressing the issue of health dispari-ties among African American, Asian and Latino communi-ties across Pennsylvania. After that, I continued to work on dedicated public health campaigns on issues like HIV/AIDS prevention and diabetes to smoking cessation.

When the Department of Health came calling to help develop a state-wide television campaign to aid African Americans in their attempts to quit smoking, I was their man.

PENNSYLVANIA DEPT. OF HEALTHTHROWING A LIFE VEST TO THOSE IN NEEDTHE SITUATION

The “Take It From Me” campaign came about as a result to outthink the quitting messaging of past cessation advertising. Rather than using the same old, tired “stop smoking” message, the concept was elevated to a very human level. My (and my consumer’s) thinking was: I know it’s difficult to quit, and you very well may fail, but try again.

According to national research, it takes smokers an average of seven attempts to quit for good. I figured, let’s give them another shot. Digging deep to understand that the road to living smoke-free is, at times, a long one, we were able to encourage “quitting behavior” through the simplest truth: A healthier life is always worth one more try. This helped to create a story that enabled the campaign to go from “multicultural markets” to the mainstream as a message of hope. It was a message that resonated with people from every walk of life—people who were fighting a common battle.

The spots were later linked to DeterminedToQuit.com, the online destination for Pennsylvanians seeking the tools to quit smoking. The campaign became among the most successful of its kind in Pennsylvania to quit smoking, and was altered to be used in other states across the country to tackle the same objective.

THE RESULT

“TAKE IT FROM ME. A HEALTHIER LIFE IS ALWAYS WORTH ONE MORE TRY...”

STILLS FROM “TAKE IT FROM ME” TV SPOTS CONTRIBUTIONS: CREATIVE DIRECTION & COPYWRITING

“MOREIMPORTANTTHAN HOW MANY TIMES I TRIED TO QUIT, WAS THE FACT THAT I KEPT TRYING...”

FIVE

From putting heads in beds to changing the perceptions of simple monuments to open enthusiasm, scaling the roads less traveled is no easy task, even if they are rather scenic.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is known for many things: the countryside, the history and the vast mountains and rural towns in between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The challenge was to make old Pennsylvania new again, offering real advice from locals and legends to reach new audiences in the State of Independence.

The Pennsylvania Tourism Office offered a vehicle in the name and spirit of “roadtrips,” which served as the platform for creative projects to roam free.

PENNSYLVANIA TOURISMEXPLORING UNEXPLORED TERRITORIES THE SITUATION

In introducing and reinvigorating the Pennsylvania Tourism experience for various local and national audiences, the work included many creative pieces and approaches including a bumper sticker campaign to spread mobile messaging on the roadways, printed maps that told stories of little-known tourism destinations, as well as a contest entitled, “Trading PA Places,” that allowed residents of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to “switch” and report their travel diaries through an interactive website and corresponding print ads.

This project reflects the process of filling consumer gaps—introducing little of unexplored consumer territory—to new audiences. In this case, through research, we learned that travelers of color were unlikely to explore many places in Pennsylvania, but were more willing to visit other urban areas. The contests, and supporting media, allowed the “authentic” experience to come through and push for greater awareness among diverse communities.

THE RESULT

LIVE & LEARN WEEKENDS DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS: COPYWRITING & PLANNING

TRADING PA PLACES WEB BANNER & ITINERARY CONTRIBUTIONS: COPYWRITING

PA PASSIONS DESTINATION PAGECONTRIBUTIONS: COPYWRITING, PLANNING & TESTIMONIALS

BUMPER STICKER TOURISM CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS: COPYWRITING

MISC.

GOOD WITCH? BAD WITCH?THEY BOTH TASTE THE SAME TO HIM.

Somewhere... over the river, there’s a land that you heard of, once in an aqua tale.At the Adventure Aquarium on the Camden Waterfront, you’ll be surrounded

by hungry sharks and hippos and barracudas. Oh my!There’s no place like our home.

YOU’RE IN THEIR WORLD NOWwww.AdventureAquarium.com856.365.3300

I hope that this small sampling of my skills, interests and planning experiences has been served deliciously. I encourage you to have seconds (and thirds!). With salsa. And ice cream. Curry and tom-yum soup. Enchiladas and a side of salted edamame. Or, you could just call or e-mail, and we could work something else out.

Love,

Daniel Timothy Edmundson

THANK YOU FOR READING.

DANIEL

TIMOTHY

EDMUNDSON

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