2024 / VERIZON
CROSS CHANNEL CREATIVE TOOLKIT
Cross Channel is Verizon's Fios TV ad space for promoting offers and content across Mobile and Home.
This project creates a modular, mixed-media toolkit with interchangeable layouts, transitions, and design elements that bring humanity, dynamic storytelling, and flexibility.
By using this toolkit, swapping offers is easy while keeping a consistent yet endlessly adaptable style that stays fresh.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE
2024 / VERIZON
CROSS CHANNEL CREATIVE TOOLKIT
The current TV spots in Verizon Cross-Channel relied on three templates, three intros, and one outro, leading to rapid repetition and a lack of human connection. To address this, the refresh aims to develop a new templated, modular production approach that remains simple while enabling greater creative variation. This will help prevent wearout and establish long-term creative guidelines for all Cross-Channel spots.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
CDS - MATTY SMITH / THIAGO GRIPP
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR - CARO TURCIOS
PRODUCER - KENNEDI WOODS
ANIMATION COMPANY - 1ST AVE MACHINE
MY ROLE: ART DIRECTOR
My role in this project was to conceptualize and implement a visual style that aligned with the client's needs. I provided creative oversight to our vendor, guiding the development of the initial toolkit framework, defining its key components, and ensuring a polished, cohesive final product.
CURRENT TV SPOTS IN VERIZON CROSS-CHANNEL FOLLOWED A LIMITED TEMPLATE APPROACH, RESULTING IN RAPID REPETITION AND LACK OF HUMAN CONNECTION
PROBLEM
EMBRACE HUMAN MOMENTS BY INTRODUCING A DYNAMIC MIXED-MEDIA LOOK AND FEEL THAT LAYERS DIVERSE VISUALS WITHIN A SINGLE LAYOUT FOR RICHER STORYTELLING. IN ADDITION, DEVELOP AN EXTENSIVE LIBRARY OF INTERCHANGEABLE LAYOUTS, TRANSITIONS, BACKGROUNDS, AND DESIGN ELEMENTS, ESSENTIALLY UNLOCKING INFINITE MIX-AND-MATCH POSSIBILITIES.
SOLUTION
MY ROLE: ART DIRECTOR
My role in this project was to conceptualize and implement a visual style that aligned with the client's needs. I provided creative oversight to our vendor, guiding the development of the initial toolkit framework, defining its key components, and ensuring a polished, cohesive final product.
CDS - MATTY SMITH / THIAGO GRIPP
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR - CARO TURCIOS
PRODUCER - KENNEDI WOODS
ANIMATION COMPANY - 1ST AVE MACHINE
THE CREATIVE TEAM
WHAT YOU WILL SEE
MY ROLE: DESIGNER
I TOOK PART IN THE CONCEPTING OF THE OVERALL CAMPAIGN AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGNING, STORYBOARDING, AND DIRECTING THE TRIPTYCH ANIMATION, AS WELL AS THE DESIGN, STORYBOARD, AND ANIMATION OF THE SINGLE PANEL BOARD.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
1x ART DIRECTOR
2x COPYWRITERS
3x DESIGNERS
PROBLEM
THERE WERE 5 DIFFERENT GOALS WE WERE TRYING TO FIT INTO AN AD: INFORM PEOPLE WHO WE ARE, WHAT IS THE GAME, HOW YOU PLAY, AND DRIVE THEM TO PLAY SPELLING BEE, HIT THE PAYWALL AND GET A NEW YORK TIMES GAMES SUBSCRIPTION. ALL ON A 3-DAY TIMELINE!
SOLUTION
KEEPING IT SHORT AND HAVING CLARITY OVER CLEVERNESS WOULD ENABLE US TO HIT ALL THE GOALS WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. BECAUSE SUBWAY COMMUTES ARE THE PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY WHILE YOU WAIT, INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING WHAT THE GAME IS WE DECIDED TO SHOW IT BY HAVING GAMEPLAY VIDEOS AND DAILY GAMEBOARDS WHERE PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY PLAY ON SITE.
MY ROLE: DESIGNER
I TOOK PART IN THE CONCEPTING OF THE OVERALL CAMPAIGN AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGNING, STORYBOARDING, AND DIRECTING THE TRIPTYCH ANIMATION, AS WELL AS THE DESIGN, STORYBOARD, AND ANIMATION OF THE SINGLE PANEL BOARD.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
1 x ART DIRECTOR
2 x COPYWRITERS
3 x DESIGNERS
RESULTS
ENGAGED PLAYERS, WITH THE VAST MAJORITY PLAYING UP TO THE PAYWALL.
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN SUBSCRIPTION VOLUME
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN NEW AUDIENCES.
FINALIST DISTINCTION AND AUDIENCE DISTINCTION IN THE LOCAL CAMPAIGN CATEGORY OF THE 15TH ANNUAL SHORTY AWARDS.
WHAT IS CROSS CHANNEL?
A powerful base marketing advertising tool for Verizon across both the Mobile and Home LOBs.
It makes use of unsold TV ad space through the Fios box to promote Verizon messages like special offers, on-demand movies, premium channel subscriptions, and featured shows.
Since these spots run often and for long periods, they're typically animated to keep costs down and avoid the need for talent. As a result, most of the spots rely heavily on CGI and animation.
PREVIOUS CROSS CHANNEL EXAMPLE
At the heart of the system is a simple idea: bring authentic moments into spots that often feel sterile or overly templated.
To deliver on that, we created a mixed media system that layers textures, dynamic video, photography, animation, and bold text layouts. This style also naturally fits under the modular approach, as its easy to mix, match, use as a base, and keep things endlessly fresh.
WHAT IS THIS TOOLKIT?
What even is this toolkit?
Essentially, its an After Effects file preloaded with a variety of customizable templates with pre-animated elements and customizable content.
The toolkit serves as both a complete solution for building a full spot or as a flexible foundation to build upon, offering endless creative possibilities.
INSIDE THE TOOLKIT
Here are a few examples of what’s included in the toolkit.
HOW IT WORKS
Since the layouts are built directly into After Effects, using the toolkit is a simple plug-and-play process—no complex setup required.
Intros / Outros
Base Designs
Transition Wipes
Patterns
Stickers
1
Choose a base design
2
Fill the content boxes with images or videos
3
Apply custom filters
4
Choose from different backgrounds
5
Add copy and/or stickers
6
Choose a transition to the next frame
TV SPOTS WITH THE TOOLKIT
Here’s a couple TV spots made entirely with the toolkit, plus a few extra tweaks and elements to make them fit just right.
It’s a great example of how the toolkit works as a base, with plenty of room to customize and build on.
CROSS CHANNEL CREATIVE WITH THE VISUAL STYLE
The toolkit fits right into the larger brand guidelines and visual style, which has a cool textural, mixed-media vibe. While the toolkit layouts are a great foundation, the style itself gives us the freedom to get creative and build on it.
In these examples, you’ll see how the mixed-media style is taken even further with things like texture overlays and fun transitions.
TRAILER OUTROS :05
AD - CARO TURCIOS
PRODUCER - KENNEDI WOODS
ANIMATION COMPANY - 1ST AVE MACHINE / DIEGO BERAKHA
SOUND DESIGN & AUDIO MIX - SONIC UNION
MOVERS :30
ECD - DAVID CANAVAN
AD - CARO TURCIOS
CW - EDDIE TOMASELLI
PRODUCER - SAM MOROSS
ANIMATION COMPANY - 1ST AVE MACHINE / DIEGO BERAKHA
SOUND DESIGN & AUDIO MIX - SONIC UNION / DEAN METHERELL
CDS
MATTY SMITH
THIAGO GRIPP
AD
CARO TURCIOS
PRODUCER
KENNEDI WOODS
PRODUCTION COMPANY
1ST AVE MACHINE
