William Reed

Creative Lead for Nike x JD Sports’ Air Max Mode campaign

Agency: Media.Monks

In 2022, Air Max celebrated its 35th birthday… feeling old yet?

Research shows that Gen A and Z don’t have a strong connection to Air Max that previous generations do. For them, it’s just a shoe. A really comfortable shoe that their parents buy for them, mind you. But, as they grow up and start making their own choices, they switch away from Air Max.

We were briefed to (re)ignite the love for Air Max amongst Next Gen:Hustle (the target audience of Nike Kids who shop at JD Sports) with the launch of the Air Max Motif – a unique Air Max designed just for kids.

We created a platform for Next Gen:Hustle to push the boundaries of creativity and boost their self-confidence by using Air Max Motif to unlock their creative power: AIR MAX MODE

Our campaign culminated with a TikTok #hashtag challenge and accompanying filter encouraging fans to show off their #AirMaxMode, achieving over 5.5+ billion views

Creative Lead for Nike’s Move To Zero Community Challenge

Agency: Media.Monks

We challenged all Nike Members to Race For The Future Of Sport in the Move To Zero Community Challenge.

Spearheaded by Eliud Kipchoge and powered by the Nike Run Club app, we invited all athletes to join the challenge during the month of April in the lead up to Earth Day. It didn’t matter if you ran or walked, all that mattered is that you moved. Together with their partners, WeForest, Nike planted a tree for every 1km completed within the Nike Run Club app.

We developed the concept Racing For The Future Of Sport and created a design system to build a campaign that worked across all Nike touchpoints:
online editorial
Nike App
Nike Run Club
Nike Training Club
social media
retail

The Results:
1.2 million new Members acquired
133,000+ Members participated in the challenge
5.2 million kilometres ran (130x around the planet)
150,000+ trees planted

Creative Director for Nike’s Power Up campaign with Rekkles

Agency: Media.Monks

Briefed by Nike’s Member Innovation Team to engage with their gaming affinity audience, inspiring movement and sport.

Our approach started with a strategy rooted in our key insight: better athletes make better gamers. Studies show that even 15-minutes of exercise can improve gaming performance

We developed the creative platform, Power Up, building on gaming language to inform our creative narrative, and delivered a campaign across Nike’s Member ecosystem: Nike App, Nike Running Club and Nike Training Club, in addition to leveraging our hero talent, Rekkles’, owned social channels.

Creative Director for Nike x WeForest’s Forest Frequencies

Agency: Media.Monks

Briefed by Nike’s Member Innovation Team to showcase their partnership with WeForest, we created Forest Frequencies, a three-part audio/visual series that highlights their combined reforestation efforts in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil.

Our Starting Point:
Supported by Nike, WeForest’s reforestation efforts have contributed to the revival of the Atlantic Forest – a longtime victim of systemic deforestation – with over 2,413,241 trees planted and 1,141 hectares restored.

The ongoing Atlantic Forest revival has resulted in the repopulation of many native species, many of which have been recorded by audio devices funded by Nike research.

Key Insight:
Research shows that sounds of nature have positive effects on mental wellbeing.

Our Idea:
Use the sights and sounds of the Atlantic Forest to help improve Nike Members’ mental wellbeing by reconnecting them with nature through an audio/visual exploration that represents a layer of the forest in each episode.

The series was delivered across the entire Nike digital ecosystem including online editorial, social media and the Nike App.

Creative Director for Converse x JD Sports’ Create Next with A1xJ1 campaign

Agency: Media.Monks

Research shows that Gen:Hustle (the JD consumer) are disillusioned with society’s take on success and confidence. And, the same research also shows that they are inspired by come up stories, the full story – it creates a blueprint for their future selves.

So, we used Converse’s mantra, “confidence is a mind game, the more you own it, the more you hone it”, to inspire Gen:Hustle with the come up story of one of their own: A1xJ1.

We developed a creative narrative that championed alternative paths to success using creative expression as a vehicle towards building confidence.

Our Three-Act Story:

Act 1: Taking The First Step

We throw it back to the beginning of A1xJ1’s path as we hear them recount their journey, emphasising the confidence it took to take the first step.

Act 2: The Hustle

Our story continues with A1xJ1 giving us an intimate look into their hustle along their journey – honing their skill and refining their craft.

Act 3: Changing The Game

Our story culminates in the present as we celebrate A1xJ1’s successful rise to the top by seeing them live in action.

The crescendo of our campaign was an open verse challenge on TikTok where A1xJ1 invited fans to duet them by either finishing the verse of their song ‘Latest Trends’ or rapping back a verse of their own, resulting in over 12 million views.

Creative Lead for Nike Kids’ Back To School Campaign: Get School-Ready

Agency: Media.Monks

Back-to-school season brings kids a laundry list of anxieties and questions.

“What do I wear?”, “how should I feel?”, “how should I act?”—these questions are quick to come up when school season kicks off.

We set out to help parents, coaches and caregivers Get School-Ready with a pack of useful, fun-filled tools and services to prepare for the school season with their kids — through play.

We created an interactive mix-and-match tool made to assemble the perfect back-to-class outfit, accessible sustainability recommendations to help inform buying decisions, and a quiz made to to help families tailor play around their kids' preferences and personalities — developed together with professional playfulness expert Emma Worrollo.

Through purpose-built articles, quizzes and games, we tackled topics like play, sports, mental health and sustainability—giving millions the tools to stay ahead of anything school might throw at them.

Creative Director for Jordan x JD Sports’ Greatness Has No Limits campaign

Agency: Media.Monks

Jordan briefed us to shift the conversation around UK’s Black History Month away from focusing on historical trauma, instead creating a platform to celebrate leaders in the community who are building a foundation for future generation to succeeed.

Our concept, Greatness Has No Limits, redefines preconceived notions of greatness towards a future-driven mindset that aims to create a better tomorrow.

Creative Director for Crocs x Vladimir Cauchemar collab drop campaign.

Agency: Hey Honey

Best Use Of Social Media – Drapers Awards 2021

Best Integrated Marketing Campaign – The Drum Awards 2021

Best in Fashion – Shorty Awards 2021

Fashion Campaign of the Year – European Content Awards 2021

Integrated Campaign of the Year – European Content Awards 2021

We developed an omnichannel campaign to launch Crocs x Vladimiar Cauchemar – the brand’s first ever European collaboration.

The campaign was built around a retro-style infomercial featuring Vladimiar Cauchemar, with a script that leaned heavily on Cauchemar’s TOV. We developed the concept, wrote the script and shot the infomercial, delivering campaign assets for social, digital media, PR and e-comm, including a telephone hotline that was teased on Vladimir Cauchemar’s social channels.

We also created a custom e-comm web experience, encouraging fans to sign up to enter a ballot to purchase the limited edition drop.

Creative Lead for citizenM’s Independent Business Traveller campaign.

Agency: SUITCASE Creative Studio

Briefed to develop a campaign to promote citizenM hotels to business travellers of all kinds – not just corporate 9-5 types.

The concept of Work, All Play breaks down the label of travelling for work or for play. In citizenM’s world, there is no difference.

To execute, we created a three-part video series, with accompanying on-site editorial, showcasing three global changemakers from different walks of life who challenged the archaic mindset that separates work and play.

Creative Director for Hennessy’s Masters of Potential campaign.

Agency: Mission Media

A creative partnership between Hennessy, Abbey Road Studios and Universal Music designed to cement Hennessy's role in music and culture.

Historically, Hennessy has always had a strong connection to music. But, with the rise of other cognacs and their ambitions to draw connections to music, Hennessy wanted to provide a distinct point of difference.

Masters Of Potential took Hennessy back to its grassroots by placing two artists together to create a unique track, recorded live-to-vinyl in Abbey Road Studios. One artist played the role of the Master – well-known with an established career. The other, the Potential – up-and-coming and looking to break through into their genre.

Masters of Potential is the embodiment of Hennessy’s eux-de-vie, the combination of sounds to create the perfect blend.

PRESS:
The Drum
The Independant
Noisey / VICE
mixmag
NTS
GRM Daily
Line Of Best Fit

Creative Lead on Jack Daniel’s Honey Hours campaign.

Agency: Communicator London

Jack Daniel's Honey was previously promoted to be served as a shot. But, over time, feedback showed that there was slow uptake as consumers found the liquid hard to consume straight.

To solve this problem, we changed the way the drink was promoted by focusing on pouring it as a long drink.

Enter: the #JackHoneyHours – a slow paced mindset that encouraged consumers to live life in the slow lane all summer long.

The campaign in four parts:

1. OOH placements with billboards and underground ads

2. A summer-long activation at London street food markets (StreetFeast’s Dinerama and Giant Robot), promoted with geo-target social ads inviting consumers to pick up a free Jack Daniel’s Honey drink during Honey Hours.

3. Paid and organic social content showing mouth-watering ways to enjoy Jack Honey, and how it fit into their life.

4. A national influencer campaign encouraging our audience to think differently about whiskey.

Creative Director for Harman Kardon x Volkswagen’s Owning My Moment campaign.

Agency: Hey Honey

Pan-European Campaign of the Year – European Content Awards 2021

Best Use of Branded Content, Finalist – Shorty Awards 2021

During the summer of 2020, Volkswagen released three new car models, each fitted with a bespoke Harman Kardon sound system. The partnership was launched under the existing overarching platform:
Owning My Moment
More than just a sound system: it’s a pairing that creates a sanctuary where you can find refuge

Our brief was to create a content series that extended ‘Owning My Moment’, highlighting the USPs of the sound system in line with the each car’s communication pillar:
Arteon – Design
Golf – Family
Tiguan – Sport

We explored the emotional benefit of sound and travel while highlighting specific features of each car model in a three-part video series in collaboration with local influencers.

The content was seeded across paid and organic social channels using a variety of formats to four EU markets: Germany, UK, Netherlands and France, achieving 3.8 million views and driving a 40% VTR.

Creative Director for Crocs’ Pride 2021 Campaign

Agency: Hey Honey

A celebration of all identities and the fluidity of gender, encouraging everyone to live comfortably in their own shoes.

Produced in close collaboration with The Diversity Standards Collective in support of ILGA Europe – a not-for-profit organisation campaigning for international lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex rights.

Creative Director for JBL’s Unlock Your Sound campaign.

Agency: Hey Honey

Briefed to develop a campaign that connected JBL’s newly released products to their young target audience’s lifestyle.

Unlock You Sound explored each of the four key product’s USPs, positioning them as complementary to an active lifestyle.

To execute, we leaned on the viral ‘Choose Your Character’ social media trend, showcasing a variety of different characters that were unlocked by JBL.

Supporting imagery used insightful and dynamic art direction to create a vibrant look and feel that tapped into youth culture.

The campaign ran for the duration of summer 2020 on social media, paid media, website and display across 9 European markets: UK, FR, DE, NL, BE, ESP, NO, SWE, NO.

Creative Director for the Crocs x Foot Locker partnership launch

Agency: Hey Honey

Briefed to create in-store key artwork to launch the partnership between Crocs and Foot Locker, aligning with both brand values – ‘Come As Your Are’ for Crocs, and ‘Shoes Don’t Change The World. You Do’ for Foot Locker.

#HereToChange taps into the world of changemakers – those pushing the boundaries of their chosen field to make the world a better, more equal place for future generations.

Our three hero talent:

David Fadd
A plus-size model championing body positivity in fashion and beyond.

Kristina Suvorova
An artist whose work explores the intersection of femininity and expression.

Dramane Diawara
A community leader who’s devoted his life to improving the lives of at-risk French youths.

All in-store displays contained a QR code that led to an Instagram Guide on Foot Locker Europe’s channel that provided a further deep dive into each influencer and their changemaker attitude.

Creative Lead for #OurTimeIsNow, announcing the renaming of Chelsea FC Women.

Agency: Mission Media

The renaming was a reflection of Chelsea’s position as a leading club within the sport. It represented a modern view on language and equality, and in keeping with the way governing bodies, supporters, squad and management regard the women’s game.

The change saw Chelsea move away from the archaic, 'Chelsea Ladies FC', consistently referring to the men’s team as the ‘first’ team, and acknowledging the ever-growing status of women’s football.

#OurTimeIsNow was a nod to:

1. Chealsea FC Women's rebrand from Chelsea Ladies FC

2. Celebrating Chelsea FC Women being the first womens team to win the double: the FA Cup and the WSL title

3. Giving Chelsea FC Women their overdue share of the limelight after years of living in the shadow of the men's team.

The campaign drew attention to the challenges faced by female athletes, not experienced by their male counterparts – from career sacrifices, to motherhood, and the perpetual gap in recognition in the women’s game.

PRESS:
Dazed
The Telegraph
The Independant
BBC
Talk Sport

Creative Director for Waterbear Network’s launch.

Agency: Hey Honey

Waterbear is the first streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet.

We developed communication and content strategies for launch and beyond, including a new brand platform: This Is Our World.

Creative Director for Nike x AW Lab’s Huarache Craft Campaign: Comfort Takes You Higher

Agency: Media.Monks

Launching the Nike Huarache Craft with AW Lab and HERE in EMEA.

Our concept, Comfort Takes You Higher, showcases the elevating qualities of the Huarache Craft providing not only physical comfort, but also the confidence to be your true self, presented through our levitating visual language.

Creative Director for Virtual EXPO 2020 Dubai

Agency: Media.Monks

For 170 years, World Expos have provided a platform to showcase the greatest innovations that have shaped the world we live in today. EXPO 2020 Dubai was the first Expo held in the Middle East, and is considered one of the most important in exhibition history.

With COVID restricting travel to Dubai, the Virtual Expo was created providing an interactive experience from anywhere in the world.

We created a campaign around, Join The Making of a New World, From Anywhere in the World, to drive awareness and engagement with Virtual Expo, with a launch film, an interactive Google Arts & Culture platform and several augmented reality experiences.