Getting wide-receivers and penguins to deliver the message.
I've taken my experience in traditional broadcast and applied it to web-only videos for clients in the digital space. For all videos, I wrote scripts, worked on the storyboards, and attended the shoots--working with production teams, talent and clients.
My goal is always to make the script to suit the experience level of the talent. When working with talent who were not professional actors or did not have a lot of experience with working from scripts, I researched the tone and personality of the person I wrote for to help them feel at ease, while capturing their personality on camera. In some cases, on location rewrites were necessary to improve the flow or to fix phrases the talent had trouble with. Below and to the right are some examples from various projects.
Pep Talks with Gronk: As part of the Great DD Gronk Off promotion, a series of fun video pep talks from Gronk were created that could be shared with friends. Each week, two new videos were posted to the Facebook app. It was another way of extending the personality of Gronk, as well as providing another reason for fans return each week. I wrote the scripts at a variety of lengths and worked to incorporate themes that would be relevant to the audience. See the whole series of GRONK PEP TALK videos here. Learn more about the Gronk promo here.
Better For You with Rachel Ray: Dunkin' Donuts had a partnership with Rachel Ray. The concept included short videos of Ray explaining the DDSMART beverage and sandwich lineup in rich media banners. I prepped for writing the scripts by watching many of her shows, making sure the tone was just right for her in the script. See the whole series of BETTER FOR YOU videos here.
Penguin Suit Guy: Penguin Suit Guy is the embodiment of the high-energy boost that Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee provides. He is never found without his iced coffee, and wants to share the source of the "pep in his step" with everyone. The web video series showcase the Penguin Suit Guy and his antics at the ski mountain, on a college campus, at the gym, and even at a Dunkin' Donuts store. Each scenario was very loosely constructed leaving much up to improv and the brave DD customers/participants. The videos were featured on the Dunkin' Donuts YouTube brand channel, and have been promoted primarily through the DD's social channels, including Twitter and Facebook. See the whole series of PENGUIN SUIT GUY videos here. See more about the Penguin Suit program here.
Mix It Up With Pauly D:
When we presented the idea of Mix It Up being a music creation app tied to the mix-ins for the 31 Below, Baskin-Robbins thought Pauly D, a DJ from the show "Jersey Shore" was the perfect face for the promo. We integrated video of Pauly into the app which lived in RM banners and also on the brand's Facebook page. Research included close observation of Pauly D's Jersey accent and personality on "The Jersey Shore". It was critical for him to be comfortable with the script so the result felt real and natural.
Bacon Lovers With Chris Berman:
One of the first scripts I wrote for Dunkin' Donuts in 2007 was for a promotion featuring sportscaster, Chris Berman. Video was used in RM banners to get the word out for the promotion.
DDSMART with Chef Stan: As part of a program to promote the DDSMART line up, we created a series of videos featuring Dunkin' Donuts Executive Chef, Stan Frankenthaler. Writing for a non-actor, I crafted the language to be simple and easy for Chef Stan. See the whole series of DDSMART WITH CHEF STAN videos here.
Bases Loaded with Joba Chamberlain and Jonathan Papelbon:
In 2008, Dunkin' Donuts had a partnership with 2K8 MLB and we launched a campaign that tied into the release of their "Bases Loaded" game. A national summer promotion based on codes on cold cups in-store featured top pitchers Jonathon Papelbon of the Boston Red Sox and Joba Chamberlain of the NY Yankees. Codes on cold cups drove customers to the Bases Loaded microsite we created. From there, they participated in an instant win game where they could select the pitcher they wanted to play against (Papelbon or Chamberlain). Our challenge was to give people a reason to return, and plus up the overall experience. We incorporated video throughout with customized messages based on play. Additionally, we came up with a virtual locker room that provided engagements beyond the instant win and encouraged repeat plays for virtual awards and prizing which included video baseball cards giving pointers on pitching, puzzles, Dunkin' Donuts mouse cursors, virtual bobbleheads, wallpapers, and more. We achieved our goal of bringing out the personalities of our stars, as well as giving fans access to exciting and exclusive content. This program was deemed a success by the clients and set the bar for many other projects. See the whole series of BASES LOADED videos here.