Michael M. Phillips

-branding
-messaging and copywriting
-digital advertising
-marketing
-SEO
-email

Braintree powered payments for some of the early pioneers of the modern digital economy. Companies like Uber, Airbnb and Livingsocial. When we started working with them, they were valued somewhere in the $35M range. No doubt, lots of room to grow.

The key to that growth? Engage the most mercurial, egotistical and important audience of their future success. Developers. Notorious marketing haters.

Our approach? Be straightforward, clear and honest. Above all, useful. Responding enthusiastically to our “thoughtfully” campaign, developers engaged the brand across forums, social media and paid media.

As we built trust within the community, we pushed messaging even further. Staying true to the nature of the campaign, we began to include subtle nods to pop culture that were just obvious enough for our target audience, but not so much to invite the uninitiated.

By raising the collective profile of its most active audience, we made Braintree an essential, irresistible target for acquisition. Because of these successes, Braintree was able to acquire Venmo, a mobile peer-to-peer payment app that sweetened the deal for PayPal. To the tune of an $875 million acquisition.

-content and comms strategy
-integrated marketing
-copywriting

-brand strategy
-content and comms strategy
-integrated digital marketing
-creative direction
-copywriting

Delta Faucet Company (DFC) was searching for a way to extend their trade channel presence to the digital world. Then came 2020.

Suddenly, engaging with sales reps and their customers online was not a luxury but a necessity.

Engaging with trade channel partners online required DFC to establish an integrated digital experience while evolving its virtual engagement strategy. From this strategy, Pipeline was born: a trade channel digital platform where members can learn, engage, and build their network that marries with DFC’s designer influencer outreach strategy, all while supporting the DFC portfolio of brands.

-brand identity
-brand strategy (please ask to see)
-messaging strategy
-content strategy
-creative direction
-copywriting

The Spice House, a Midwestern brand with a storied 60 year history, sought to expand its reach nationally and share its expanded, direct-to-consumer platform and new branding.

First, a new brand position was established, including an overhauled brand narrative and key messaging structure positioned for varied audiences—home chefs, professionals and gift-givers included.

Then a content strategy was developed to deliver those messages across platforms (social media, advertising, email, press) in various ways, depending on the targeted audience at the time.

Next, creative assets were developed and deployed; including video, social media posts and editorial calendars, email newsletters, website copy and more. This was all then accelerated with a robust PR and influencer strategy.

As a result, The Spice House has enjoyed national recognition as a modern culinary go-to; seen increased sales; and increased their brand following by the thousands.

2Checkout was on the verge of becoming one of digital payments leading global innovators, and they needed to let the world know about it.

The goal was to appeal to business owners small and large, with the idea of offering the ability to scale across the globe, wherever opportunity might present itself.

First, a messaging strategy built to communicate a fast and easy way to grow a business anywhere in the world. Next, a series of campaigns to tell the story of passion, payments and profit. 

-copywriting
-events ideation
-brand consulting

Method is always looking for new ways to reach their audience and carry their quirky, fun voice forward. This comes through in product collaborations.

We helped raise visibility of the South Side Soapbox, Method's progressive factory on the south side of Chicago through some strategic outreach initiatives.

We also helped launch new product lines with interactive press events in NYC using a detailed narrative and script, live actors and vignettes with select product lines.

"For Life."

-branding
-website
-videos
-campaign
-tagline

While DRIFIRE is an industry leader in flame resistant apparel—their gear is arguably the most comfortable and technology advanced in the market.—they suffered from a visibility problem.

Communicating the brand and connecting with the target audience of electrical and gas workers, and military personnel was the primary challenge. This was achieved with a new campaign.

“For Life” is a flexible and powerful message used to connect with a tight-knit band of workers; to communicate durability and protection; and to build lasting brand loyalty. At the same time, a new tagline was introduced. “High performance FR” speaks to the technologically advanced nature of the product.

The DRIFIRE website was also redesigned to reflect the For Life feel, as well as showcase products and drive action. Videos were created to aid the sales team demonstrate product attributes and varieties.

"Delivered."
"Pairs well with"
"Release the Fox"

-campaign

Foxtrot is a service that delivers curated, handpicked and local goods--food, drink and sundries--to your door in under an hour. They were seeking a creative campaign to generate awareness and adoption of their app. We created three campaigns to run in succession.

Foxtrot's target audience is 50% male, 50% female, and about 30 years old, with enough disposable income to spend on conveniences and higher-level goods. So the strategy had to be sophisticated but approachable to a variety of interests.

The big idea started with the notion to love being home.

"Delivered" released first, to introduce the brand and it's main selling points (delivery of curated items that make your home life better).
"Pairs well with" follows, to reach the upper range of the target audience.
"Release the Fox" follows, to reach the younger range of the audience.

To date, one campaign is active, with the other two planned for activation.

-Brand strategy
-Content strategy
-Design and UX
-Information architecture
-Copy

FLIR products literally change one’s view of the world, making the unseen visible through thermal imaging and sensing technology. Their products—thousands of them, tech-forward and complex—save lives, and protect livelihoods.

That story was not being told. Nor were the designs reflective of an industry-leading technology.

New FLIR creative was designed to serve two important roles. First, we needed to create a design approach to help users visualize the impact FLIR can have on their lives. So, an emphasis was placed on utility, with elements to help users explore the products before buying them—such as before-and-after imagery, and interactive elements to draw users into the FLIR ecosystem. We also prioritized clarity with designs free of distraction to help users focus on what’s important to them.

Second, and equally important was to create an experience worthy of and complimentary to a industry leader and innovator. FLIR products open a whole new world of possibilities and offer insight that can change a person’s life and a company’s fortune. The design and communications system, therefore, must be forward, striking and confident.

We designed all new visual elements including layout, typography, photography style, product styling, and core brand elements including messaging that translate from packaging to product design and trade shows to website. All creative elements were built to be easy to use, allowing for all different types of digital delivery and flexibility as a brand, as product and service offerings grow and evolve.

-branding
-copywriting
-content
-press outreach

Grassroots is one of the nations largest end-to-end cannabis brands, leading this tremendous new industry.

Work is in progress.

-naming
-brand identity (verbal and visual)
-tag line
-copywriting

You don’t often get open space in a city, but in Chicago, we’re lucky—we have the lake. Its endless horizon unlocks your imagination.

Would you be surprised to know that thousands of Chicago’s children have never experienced the lake—even seen it—though they live just a few miles from it? That stunning fact helped launch an idea for two prominent Chicagoans, who decided that inner city children needed to experience all of the wonders and soul-enriching powers of nature.

Lake Affect is taking kids out of the city to a rural camp where they can experience open spaces, fresh air and cool lakes, and engage in team-building activities with mentors that will help build confidence and communication skills that serve them for years to come.

Lake Affect launched in the summer of 2019, in collaboration with the Wood Family Foundation and Camp Wandawega.

-brand positioning (please ask to see)
-storytelling
-copywriting

No Fine Print is a new wine brand focused on making wine approachable for a younger generation of drinkers, I worked with the brand founders to position the brand and write their story.

-brand positioning
-content strategy
-social media
-creative content production

Andrea Goldman is a fast rising star in the interior design world. She's looking to take the next step forward, with a little help from a creative content engine.

While Goldman's designs were a hit with audiences, it was time to showcase the woman behind it all. The first step was to create a trove of assets, including a full day video shoot to capture an intimate interview, and b-roll of two of her captivating projects.

The one video cache was then edited into multiple storylines to feature the philosophy, style and outcomes of Goldman's work. Dozens of videos and still images were created and published across channels to highlight one of the more interesting designers out there.

YMCA had a problem. They offered so much more than just a gym--including after school programs, child care, and continuing education--but people just didn't know about it.

Always a community builder, The Y needed to let people know that they have a powerful ally right down the street. 

They needed a strong campaign. This was our pitch, competing with agencies 10 times our size. We found YMCA alumni, and paired them with their local Y to show how this great organization helps people thrive.

Please watch the video on the left.

-copywriting
-creative direction
-UX consulting
-digital marketing

At Blue Buffalo, pets are family. As they continue to expand product lines and formulate new, nutritious blends for beloved dogs and cats, Blue Buffalo had a need for ongoing messaging, design and UX help.

A key component of Blue Buffalo's model is helping pet owners find the right, all-natural food for their companions. As such, a great deal of care was put into product finders, informative copy, and creative ways to help the consumer understand the value of caring for their friends as you would a family member.

During the course of our work together, Blue Buffalo became the first pet company to be acquired by General Mills, at a value of $8 billion.

"We are Zeros. You are the ones."

Zeros was a proposed name change for a major payments provider. They brought the name to us, and we were tasked with launching it to the public.

The primary audience was developers. So, building on the name, the idea of code and binary, we came up with "We are Zeros. You are the ones."

We teased the announcement with out of home placement, and a pre-launch website. Later we proposed a contest for developer-focused startups. We also proposed a microsite that helped developers work more efficiently by providing tools and inspiration.

"Keep Licking."

This was a proposed campaign for Tootsie Pop. They were looking to refresh the brand while maintaining a strong connection to what they had built so long ago.

The strategy was to rekindle brand affinity with the target audience--moms, thereby attracting kids--through a strong sense of nostalgia.

Included is a banner campaign, page takeover, and two Facebook promotions: a user-generated photo sharing app, and a game reminiscent of Simon--a very popular game during the childhoods of the target demographic.