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Don Stephenson

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

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Toyota Tacoma Print

​Series of print ads for Toyota suggesting that the outdoors was missing only one thing...the reader. And the Tacoma was going to get them there.

Bdubs Late Night

A $4 late night menu and a tasty selection of outdoor, posters, email and social.

Toyota 2011 Camry TV

​The idea is simple: Choose wisely and buy a Camry, or live with the shame and embarrassment of your inferior vehicle. Your call.

Lightning Social

TB Lightning "Seat Seeker" Twitter campaign

​Case study for the Tampa Bay Lightning "Seat Seeker" twitter promo. Watch the video, it's a pretty cool thing.

St. Elizabeth Healthcare

A new 2020 campaign for St. Elizabeth. Showcasing what the unique patient experience is like, first-hand.

BDubs OOH

As the Covid pandemic began to ease up, BWW needed an outdoor campaign to remind folks in LA that Happy Hour was waiting for them. The client liked it so much, they took the location-specific idea national. Cue the high-fives and the next round is on me.

American Standard TV

How do you create engaging TV when you're tasked with multiple unrelated selling points?​ Get a quirky, adorable kid to tell your story. And a subtle nod to doodie doesn't hurt, either.

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​In the second spot, we announced the "Flush For Good" campaign by American Standard. It's pretty cool... every time they sell a toilet, they donate life-saving plumbing to communities who need it. In response to Matt Damon's pledge to not go to the bathroom until everyone has access to clean sanitation, we suggested a somewhat more agreeable alternative. Enjoy.

BDubs Posters

As creative director, I oversaw the creation of this poster series which showcased some of the tasty sauce flavors to be had at your local Buffalo Wild Wings. Yum.

Toyotacare TV

When Toyota says they're always with you, they're not kidding. At all.​

Taylor Guitars Print

Taylor Guitars are known for the detail and craftsmanship of  their acoustic guitars. So the launch of their first electric model was no small task, considering the skepticism of die-hard fans of existing brands such as Fender and Gibson. The solution was to communicate the fact that while electric, this guitar possessed all the same innovation, attention to detail and quality of their acoustic models.

BDubs Digital

Watching sports at Buffalo Wild Wings is just like being there.

Newcastle OOH

National outdoor campaign for Newcastle Brown Ale. Visually bringing to life the tagline (smooth like no other), we depict the beer as being SO smooth, it's smoothness transfers to everything around it.

Lightning OOH

Outdoor boards created to introduce the new “Be The Thunder” campaign, which invites the fans to be a part of the team.

FC2

This outdoor & poster campaign for FC2 (the female condom) was created to embody and celebrate female sexual independence and control. By leveraging a unique pop-art style that leveraged graphic long-copy, we were able to tell stories of empowerment that resonated in a fun, relatable and memorable way.

Toyota Camry TV

This Camry was a total redesign from the ground-up. Our client wanted a spot that simply showcased the dramatic new lines and striking beauty of the car, without relying on comedy or dialogue. The result is a visually stunning presentation while maintaining the simplicity the client was looking for.

St. Elizabeth Healthcare

We've all had people in our lives that we turn to when we're in need. People who are always right there for us. This spot launches a campaign that celebrates the notion of being right here for those we love... and how that's what motivates the people of St. Elizabeth to be right there for their patients.

Yamaha TV

​2009 :30 spot for the new high-performance FZ Waverunner by Yamaha. Editing and visual FX by Rick Morris. Turn it up loud for best results.

Asics Print

Sound mind, sound body. That's the Asics tagline, and we brought this to life by depicting athletes literally breaking out of negative porcelain versions of themselves by engaging in sport.

Toyota Corolla TV

We've all made some bad decisions. But with the new Toyota Corolla, you can leave them behind. Literally.

Yamaha Watercraft Print

​Images of smiling people, splashing around on the water...it's what watercraft advertising had always showcased, and it all felt the same. To differentiate Yamaha, we decided to focus on the beauty of the design (which was arguably better than anything else available), and let the copy drive home the performance aspects of the product. We turned to Lexus' still photographer to ensure amazingly beautiful and disruptive images that hadn't been seen before in the category.

Lincoln Financial

​Brand campaign centered around the idea that the uncertainty and the promise of the future is something to celebrate and embrace. Ultimately the direction didn't survive, but the work was noteworthy enough to keep and show you here.

Toyota Tundra TV

​A pair of :30 CG spots for the Toyota Tundra. Animation created by Luma Pictures with some excellent sound design and original music by Machinehead.

GNC Print

Pitch work for GNC stores. We lost the pitch, but I think the work was worth sharing with you.

Kyocera TV

:30 spot developed for the Kyocera NEO phone. During the spot's initial run, Disney announced that they were developing a sequel to the original TRON film...and asked us very politely to discontinue running our spot. The original version is posted here, and then you can take a look at how we rapidly corrected the spot to make it Disney-friendly.

Yamaha Boats Print

1/2 page spread ​print campaign aimed at elevating the Yamaha Boat brand to a more premium level, while connecting directly with boating purists (a challenge at the time for a jet boat manufacturer).

Logos

A variety of logos and lockups. Always a pleasure to work on these.

Taylor Guitars print

More Taylor ads I helped provide creative direction for. The first tells the unlikely story of its founder, Bob Taylor. The second celebrates Taylor’s obsession with perfection. Both featured in Communication Arts’ Advertising Annuals.

Lightning Print

New brand work bringing to life the "Be The Thunder" tagline, which invites fans to become an essential part of the team.

Granby Ranch Print

​Mountain homes in the Rockies without the Rocky Mountain pricetag. A quirky campaign to appeal to the everyman's memories of childhood summer camp.

Marabou Brochure

Is it a real estate brochure or a high-end coffee table book?

Yes.

This brochure was created for an exclusive collection of homesites in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. 

Pharma 1 – Ask for password

A pitch idea for BMS Ozanimod that uses a modern take on Goldilocks as spokesperson for a disease state that’s missing a “just right” treatment.

Pharma 2 – Ask for password

As the parent of two Autistic children, this pitch was near and dear to me: a first-ever diagnostic tool for ASD. The first concept is unbranded market conditioning, the second is branded DTC & HCP.

Pharma 3 – Ask for password

Here's a selection of various ideas for the pharma category. Some were done in a pitch capacity, and some actually produced. But all are good examples of original thinking/writing/art directing in a challenging, highly regulated space. I hope you like what you see.

Toyota Tacoma Print

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Bdubs Late Night

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Toyota 2011 Camry TV

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Lightning Social

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St. Elizabeth Healthcare

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BDubs OOH

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Buffalo Wild Wings - LA Happy Hour OOH

American Standard TV

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BDubs Posters

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Toyotacare TV

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Taylor Guitars Print

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BDubs Digital

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Newcastle OOH

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Lightning OOH

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FC2

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Toyota Camry TV

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St. Elizabeth Healthcare

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Yamaha TV

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Asics Print

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Toyota Corolla TV

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Yamaha Watercraft Print

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Lincoln Financial

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Toyota Tundra TV

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GNC Print

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Kyocera TV

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Yamaha Boats Print

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Logos

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Taylor Guitars print

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Lightning Print

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Granby Ranch Print

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Marabou Brochure

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Pharma 1 – Ask for password

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Pharma 2 – Ask for password

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Pharma 3 – Ask for password

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