Hutson Kovanda

Wüsthof had an image problem. Long known as a premier brand, they were seen by younger chefs and home cooking enthusiasts as the knives their parents used—old and stodgy. To counter this, we launched a campaign called “Defining the Edge,” teaming up with three rising stars in the culinary world who were redefining their craft. Each chef received a unique moniker reflecting his or her philosophical approach to their craft. We created a microsite to house videos, recipes, and information about the brand. The campaign has been so successful that it has continued to run for several years, featuring three new stars each time. As the Creative Director, I worked directly with the copywriter and art director to ideate and exeute this campaign.

The in-house team at NC State approached us for assistance in conceptualizing and producing their annual television commercial. My production team and I collaborated with them on every aspect, from scripting and storyboarding to shooting and editing the final spot

To celebrate Black History Month, we created a series of social posts featuring T-Mobile team members recommending what to stream on Netflix for those interested in diving deeper into the culture and history. We also produced a series of knowledge drops celebrating African Americans who were trailblazers in both Black History and American History. I wrote and designed the posts, collaborating with our internal production team to bring them to life.

Core Power, the official drink of “Everyday Awesome,” was looking to make a splash during the 2016 Olympics. So, they signed a certain World Champion gymnast looking to make a splash of her own in her Olympic debut. We all know how that turned out. As the Group Creative Director, I worked directly with my team from concept through production.

Hermes Awards | Platinum

Marcum Awards | Platinum

Communication Award | Platinum

Telly Award | Bronze

Today’s retirees aren’t sitting back and easing into their golden years. They’re out doing everything they put off doing while working and taking care of kids. In this campaign, we said to hell with timesheets. to link out, and encouraged our audience to make every day paid time off. Long Live Retirement! I wrote the scripts and partnered with another creative director to create these spots in-house using stock footage and music.

For our “Mexican Meals Made Easy” campaign, we teamed up with Ortega spokesperson Aaron Sanchez to stroll through a local grocery store, where he dropped some culinary knowledge bombs on us. We shot and edited this content in-house and shared it across Ortega’s social channels.

It was time to launch a new round of on-premise work for our client, Yuengling. While popular among older beer drinkers, we knew we had to go beyond the usual tactics like posters, coasters, table tents, and urinal signage to get Millennial beer drinkers to try the brand. We needed to meet them where they lived. Tweets on Tap is a mash-up of social, digital, and on-premise promotion. The idea was born from a conversation with one of my creative directors, which my lead developer overheard and said, “I can make that for you.” And just like that, we had the world’s (to the best of our knowledge) first twitter-activated tap handle.

Awards

Philadelphia Addy Awards, “Best-of-Show-Digital” and Gold

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation aimed to encourage motorcycle enthusiasts to ride more safely. The challenge was to reach a group that often resists authority. The solution? Let riders tell their own stories—rider to rider.

Live Free. Ride Alive is a digital-first campaign promoting safety with the goal of achieving one less accident, one less fatality. The centerpiece of the website is a powerful documentary that explores the love of riding, the reality of accidents, and the impact of fatalities. This documentary was shown in movie theaters and at rallies. Rider stories were collected through traditional media, integrated banner ads, and postcards placed in bars across the state.

Awards

National Addy Awards | Gold

Philadelphia Addy Awards | Best of Show- Public Service

Philadelphia Addy Awards | Gold

We were asked to pitch the legendary Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami. Famous for people like Elvis and Sinatra, who stayed and played here, we knew we needed to create a campaign that homaged the hotel’s iconic status. Inspired by the photography of Slim Aarons, who photographed “beautiful people doing beautiful things,” we developed the campaign—Famously Fontainebleau, which won the business and then ran.

Research revealed that many people believe problem gamblers are merely making poor life choices and should be able to stop easily. However, the reality is that problem gambling is a disorder, not a decision, and it requires proper treatment. To convey this message effectively, we used humor to illustrate that problem gambling is not a choice. Our campaign also directed those seeking help for themselves or a loved one to our website for more information. I was the Creative Director/Art Director half of the team that conceptualized and produced the campaign

Awards

One Show Awards | Short Listed

Rosewood Hotel Group is a luxury brand known for its unique properties that reflect the distinct character of its locations, offering global travelers “a sense of place.” This insight inspired our campaign, which not only captured the essence of the brand but also helped us successfully retain the account during a review.

Finlandia Butter and cheese taste so damn good that we had to discover their secret. So, we traveled to Finland with our spokesperson, Sam the Cooking Guy, to find out. It turns out the secret is simple: happy cows living on small farms in the cleanest country in the world. I was freelancing as a creative director with Sawtooth Group, where I conceptualized the idea and wrote the scripts

To reward our loyal customers, we launched a “5-days of Magenta” social promotion on Twitter. We gave away amazing prizes four times a day, ranging from a home gym to a home theater to hotel stays and more. All T-Mobile customers had to do was follow us and share why they love T-Mobile using the hashtag #ILoveTMobile. As a contracted creative director with T-Mobile’s in-house studio, I collaborated with the team to ideate, pitch, and ultimately bring this campaign to life with the help of our in-house animator.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of hospital-acquired infections (HAI). To capture attention, we introduced Germy, a monster made of various germ-carrying items found in hospitals, and brought him to life in “Attack of the Killer Germs.” The accompanying website provided a detailed look at Germy's components and offered extensive information on HAI. As the agency ECD, I worked directly with my junior art director to mentor him on television production while ensuring nothing was overlooked.

As the Creative Lead for McDonald’s Corporate Global People Group, my team and I communicated new initiatives and menu item builds to crew members and franchisees. We conceptualized and pitched ideas to the internal team, then collaborated with McDonald’s production arm to shoot and edit the training videos.

Western & Southern is a rock-solid financial planning company based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They sought a new campaign featuring their long-time spokesperson, former Bengals great Chris Collinsworth. To create a stronger connection, we launched the campaign during Sunday Night Football, where Chris serves as the color commentator. As the Creative Director/Art Director, I was part of the team that ideated, pitched, and produced the work.

An opportunity to rebrand “the Love Boat,” take a 7-day cruise, and create a visually striking campaign. This is the kind of assignment an art director dreams about.