We all risked our jobs for a Tiktok post. And got better because of it.

The brief was to show how Alexa transformed the world around you. We partnered with Zach King and many other creators to create a social-first campaign that demonstrates the power of voice.

How do you amplify a celebrity spot on social when the celebrity doesn’t have a social media following? You start beef with a someone who does.

Rather than hype our Superbowl spot on social for more views, we had Kevin tear it down.

The beginning of school is like New Years for kids. We changed “Back to School” into an optimistic, forward-looking movement.

AGENCY: Amazon Internal
CD: Mike Houston / Austin Hilde
CW: Regina Aletto / Mike Merrit
AD: Joshua Batchelder
GCD: Hans Weiss
PRODUCER: Sarah Crowe / Lauren Hutchinson

Gerber wanted a campaign that appealed to more than just hunters and members of the military. So we spoke to the idea of being prepared for anything and greeting trouble with open arms and sharpened knives.

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Adam Long (TV)
AD: Tim O'Brien (Print) 
PHOTO: Shaun Mendiola
CD: Scott Cromer, Steve Luker, Mike McCommon

We created over 30 videos in multiple countries highlighting the hundreds of thousands of small businesses that make up Amazon. In each video, the company is “boxed up” and shipped out with their logo on our box.

Our aim was to make videos with an “indie” feel for these indie businesses. We scripted on site. Shot in a day. Friends and coworkers performed voiceover.

We also named and created a special section of Amazon called “Amazon Storefronts” where customers can shop items from small businesses only.

If you’re like Gary Busey then you know how frustrating products are when you can’t talk to them, or plug seashells into them. These surprisingly scripted commercials launched FireTV and led it to becoming the world’s #1 streaming media player.

AGENCY: WONGDOODY
CW: Mike Houston
AD: Mishy Cass / Austin Hilde
CD: Matt McCain
DIGITAL AD: Matt Ballew

Tillamook is an Oregon dairy co-op that's pretty big in the northwest. Our goal was to make an icon of their orange rectangular "Baby Loaf" a two-pound block of medium cheddar cheese and let that be a beacon for their brand. Many puns followed.

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Andrew Reed / Brian Dixon / Austin Hilde
CD: Jerry Ketel / Andrew Reed

We shot 36 scenes in 2 days with 3 paid talent and 1 location fee (a rented house). For all the other shots we disguised different amazon HQ rooms/hallways/coffee shops /etc. You can spot me as an extra in like 6 different scenes.

We created some videos to encourage people to break up their daily loops with time outside.

Freelance Creative Directors - Mike Houston, Matt McCain
Senior Copywriter - Greg Dyer
ACD - Quinn Ianniciello
Group Creative Director - Mishy Cass
Chief Creative Officer - Ben Steele

When the elements were at their worst, we inspired athletes to be at their best. We got thousands of athletes across the country to gear up and get out.

Agency: AKQA
CW: Mike Houston
AD: Austin Hilde, Bjorn Kusa
ACD: Brett Reese, Jonathan Lee
CD: Whitney Jenkins, Ginny Golden

I worked on the Oregon Coast Aquarium account for six years with a variety of different partners. For a long time the aquarium tried to highlight its educational aspects, but we just focused on making it seem fun.

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Austin Hilde / Brian Dixon / Andrew Reed
CD: Jerry Ketel

I've worked on a number of Nike.com and Nike social projects with AKQA, Instrument, and AnalogFolk. My favorite was the one where we created fake robots to talk about waste conservation. If you have a project I can add robots to, please contact me.

Nike Better World
Agency: AKQA
CW: Mike Houston
AD: Austin Hilde
ACD: Carenne O'Keefe
CD: Ginny Golden

Nike Free Run (#RUNVIKING)
Agency: Instrument
CW: Mike Houston
AD: Drew Cone

Nike Run Guides
Agency: AKQA
CW: Mike Houston
AD: Austin Hilde
CD: Ginny Golden

Nike N7
Agency: AKQA
CW: Mike Houston
AD: Austin Hilde
CD: Ginny Golden

Coca-Cola is a company that sells happiness in a bottle. Here are some things that have made it through their happiness hierarchy of approvals.

Agency: Wieden+Kennedy

Ahh.com
Creatives: Mike Houston, Brooke Barker, Becca Wadlinger, Brad Trost, Ben Carter, Jess Price, Evan Cordes, Matt McCarron, Guy Overfelt, and probably more
CDs: Jeff Gillette, Kevin Jones, Hal Curtis, Antony Goldstein

For the third installment of Oregon Humane Society's End Petlessness campaign we wanted to show that no matter what kind of quirky human you are, OHS has a quirky pet for you.

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Austin Hilde
CD: Andrew Reed

Nike is a local footwear company based out of Beaverton, Oregon. They needed a film for the launch of their Lunar Hyperdunk to run in stores and online. We got our concept from the product name itself and sent an athlete to the moon for an epic dunk.

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Adam Long
CD: Scott Cromer, Steve Luker, Mike McCommon

I can easily say I was the most excited person on my team to enter the world of mattress store advertising. We went from brief to shoot in a matter of weeks and made each spot for under $15k—casting friends and strangers from craigslist.  

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Austin Hilde
CD: Andrew Reed / Jed Alger
DIRECTOR: Rob Tyler

I was working on a radio campaign for Target's 4-day sale when I was asked to throw in a few scripts for Target's 2-day campaign. Three of my scripts got produced while my radio campaign became my favorite radio that never was.

Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
CW: Mike Houston / Jason Kreher / Darcie Burrell
AD: Rob Kendall / Drew Daubery
CD: Don Shelford / Rob Thompson / Matt O'Rourke
DIRECTOR: Jason Kreher

We named and created the ULLR brand in honor of the viking god of skiing. Each bottle includes a snow-summoning prayer that really works.

CW: Mike Houston
DESIGNER/AD: Andrew Reed
CD: Jerry Ketel

Austin Hilde and I created the trailers, posters, and collateral for the Northwest Film Festival for half a decade until we ran out of production favors to pull. Many great Portlanders donated their time, skills, and babies for the cause.

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Austin Hilde
PHOTO: David Emmite
DIRECTOR: Rob Tyler

Adidas wanted to communicate that their new football cleat was only 6.9oz. After many scripts with one or two mentions of 6.9oz weight, we ended up with a spot that had nearly a dozen.

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Allison Duncan Kerst
CD: Mike McCommon, Steve Luker, Scott Cromer

The NFL Network wanted to increase the ratings of four different post-season collegiate football events The Senior Bowl, Shrine Game, Combine, and NFL Draft. Since the purpose of all four events is to decide which collegiate athletes become professional football players, our solution was to bundle all of the events into one grueling 4-part job interview.

The campaign broke viewership records for each event and was so successful they ran it again the following year. 

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Mishy Cass
CD: Scott Cromer, Steve Luker, Mike McCommon

My Art Director and I came up with the strategy "The heath insurance that people negotiate for" which the client liked so much they didn't even care that our commercials were wacky. Also, casting for an old people makeout scene is super awkward.

CW: Mike Houston
AD: Brian Dixon
CD: Jerry Ketel