According to Brand + Lever, the launch of Come To Life in 2012 shifted the industry paradigm, turning travel from a physical activity to an emotional and transformative experience.
Colorado is not just a state. It’s a symbol of what it means to get off your couch. To live your life. To believe that happiness is out there, waiting for you to find it. We set out to tell that story with a team of writers, designers, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, composers and recording artists. The campaign included an original score recorded by the Colorado Symphony. And footage and photos shot everywhere from Telluride to Fort Collins.
The spots were shared on YouTube more than a million times, but more importantly, it brought people to Colorado. The Denver Post wrote, “Research found that the Colorado Tourism Office's $4.5 million "Come to Life" television and print ad campaign, which ran in target markets in April, May and August, stirred $898 million in spending in the state. That doubles the return on investment from previous ad campaigns.”
Year over year, Come To Life has delivered a campaign-high ROI of $742/1 - a return that is unprecedented for the industry.
The Come To Life campaign has been ranked in the top 10% of all state tourism creative in the nation by SMARI for five years.
THE TEAM:
Client: Colorado Tourism Office
Director: Al White
Associate Director: John Ricks
Agency: Karsh / Hagan
VP Creative Services: Charlotte Isoline
ACD / Art Director: Jeff Strahl
ACD / Writer: Matt Ingwalson
Agency Producer: Nina Gramaglia
Dir. of Integrated Production: Bonnie Carheden
Account Supervisor: Carol Quinn
Production Company: Forge Motion Pictures / Camp 4 Collective
Director + Photographer, Stills: Tim Kemple
DP, AD: Anson Fogel
1st AC: Skip Armstrong
Producer: Beda Calhoun
Timelapse: David Clifford
Photo Asst: Matt Irving
Grip: Scott Folsom
Grip: Andy Reimenschneider
Steadicam: Alan Dague-Greene
DIT: Jacob Marty
Asst Producer: Whitney Clapper
Locations: Jeff Peterson
Stylist: Catherine Corona
Post: Forge Motion Pictures
Editor / Colorist: Anson Fogel
Editor: Skip Armstrong
Asst Editor: Thatcher Bean
Motion Graphics: Friends Of Mine
Music: Colorado Symphony Orchestra
Composer: Charles Denler
Conductor: Scott O'Neill
Final Sound: Rocky Mountain Recorders
VO: Rich Liccardo
Taking a handful of horse pills to get your daily dose of vitamins is not a good time. SmartyPants Vitamins realized this and created the first all-in-one Multivitamin + Omega3 + Vitamin D and packed it into a delicious gummy for kids and adults. Then they partnered with us to communicate that being healthy doesn't have to be a chore by launching a new national awareness campaign that illustrates that, with enough imagination, healthy routines can be fun.
This project was a blast for everyone, even Luba, our athlete, who ran the seven floors of stairs several dozen times. And caught the balloon every single time.
THE TEAM:
Client: SmartyPants Vitamins
Co-CEO/CoFounder: Courtney Nichols Gould
VP, Brand: Clay Nichols
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
Associate Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Designer: Josh Jevons
Copywriter: Ricky Lambert
Senior Broadcast Producer: Brooke Woodruff
Brand Strategy Director: Ainslie Fortune
Account Executive: Samantha Clements
Production Company: Storytellers Anonymous
Director: Cory Pampalone
DP: John Anderson Beavers
Production Manager: Loretta Polizzi
Production Supervisor: Denise Strong
Post: Idolum
Editor: Megan Bee
Colorist: Bob Maple
Audio Post: Coupe Studios
Engineer: Greg McCrae
Producer: Eric Singer
Musical Artist: Mariachi El Bronx
Song: Silver or Lead
Athlete: Luba Bocian
Sometimes we need reminders, wake up calls, that we are unique. And what makes us unique are our interests, our choices, the paths we take, and who we become along the journey. Gaia is a community of people unafraid to blaze their own trails and take the roads less traveled. They are exploring their own potential and realize that there’s more to us than we think. So we invited Rodney Yee, Linda Moulton Howe, Ashleigh Sergeant, and a few others who believe in the power of curiosity and transformation to share the roads they’ve traveled, and we invite all who see this to have the courage to follow their own path and stay curious.
Poet: Robert Frost
THE TEAM:
Client: GAIA
CMO: Jaymi Bauer
Creative Manager: Alexa Kuppers-Kantor
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Ricky Lambert
Senior Art Director: Silvina Guerreiro
Production Director: Brooke Woodruff
VP, Brand Director: Ainslie Fortune
Senior Account Manager: Rachel Plaster
Production Company: Lumenati
Director: Evan Swinehart
DP: Brad Conner
Producer: Gavin Anstey
Producer: Jessica Trimarco
Post: Lumenati
Editor: Evan Swinehart
Talent: Rodney Yee, Ashleigh Sergeant, Linda Moulton Howe, William Henry, Android Jones, Monticue Connally, Rachel Henry
Mental health issues affect more than 44 million adults in the U.S., and the vast majority of them go untreated. Whether it be the stigma, not knowing where to turn for help, or thinking that the problem will just go away on its own, many people are not seeking treatment. Lyra Health is tackling this problem with an online, confidential tool that helps identify the issue, provide treatment options, connect members with providers, and even follow up throughout treatment.
Lyra partnered with Cactus to launch their service within corporations, initially eBay, as part of the companies’ employee healthcare benefits package. Our solution, “Just as Harmful,” featured absurd physical issues to emphatically point out that not getting treatment for a mental health issue is as ridiculous as not getting treatment for a physical one.
THE TEAM:
Client: LYRA HEALTH
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Ricky Lambert
Designer: Shruthi Manjula Balakrishna
Senior Producer: Jamie Sharp
Brand Director: Amy Hume
Photographer: Tony D’Orio
Retoucher: Giannini Creative
When we launched this campaign it was a fresh approach to youth tobacco prevention and cessation. Rather than focus solely on the topic of tobacco, our “Own Your C” (Own Your Choices) campaign empowered teens to make the connection that their choices define who they are today and who they will become.
The campaign included television spots, limited edition artist series branded goods distributed from a customized ice cream truck, online quitting tools, social posts and a website. The materials were intentionally eclectic as we strove to have a variety of styles and tones within our campaign to cater to the diverse tastes and interests of teens.
THE TEAM:
Client: Colorado State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Creative Director: Norm Shearer
Art Director: Jeff Strahl
Writers: Jim Morrissey, Brian Watson
Producer: Danielle Bryan
Producer: Angelo Ferrugia
Account Director: John McCracken
GENIE //
Production Company: Untitled Films, Toronto
Director: Lena Beug
DP: Kip Bogdahn
Producer: Denny Kennedy
Post Production: Final Cut, New York
Senior Editor: Carlos Arias
Post Production Producer: Rana Martin
FX: Absolute, NY/London
C-TREE //
Production Company: Buck, New York & LA
Buck CD: Orion Tait
Buck AD: Ben Langsfeld
Production Coordinator: Claudia Ancalmo
Technical Director: Jordan Blit
3d Artists: Rie Ito, John Kalaigian, Aditi Kapoor, Stacie Plassche
2d Artist: Sohee Sohn
Producer: Kate Treacy
Musical Aritst: CocoRosie
Song: Sunshine
THE HAUNTING //
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks, LA
Director: Jim Hosking
Executive Producer: Shawn Lacy Tessaro
Producer: Caroline Pham
Editorial: Final Cut, LA
Senior Editor: Carlos Arias
Post Executive Producer: Saima Awan
Music: Amber, New York
Sound Design and Mix: Lime, Santa Monica
Telecine: Company 3
Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld
BOOMERANG //
Production Company: Spy Films, Toronto
Director & DP: George Vale
Offline Editor: George Vale
Executive Producer: Stephanie Hickman
Producer: Rosalynn Hegan
Music/ Sound Design: Syndicate
Animation: Labworks Animation, Toronto
OMNIPOTEEN //
Production Company: Superfad, New York
Music: Beacon Street Studios, Venice
Sound Design and Mix: Lime, Santa Monica
ARTISTS //
Aaron Horkey
Kai & Sunny
Adrian Johnson
ILOVEDUST
Julie West
Si Scott
Hydro74
Tina Mansuwan
Rebecca Hahn
Adam Rosenthal
Healthcare advertising that people won’t tune out in the first few seconds is the goal. And when you’re telling people about Primary Care docs you’re not able to lean into the dramatic moments of life or broach the frontiers of medicine. You’re talking about the everyday stuff, the high blood pressure, the aches and pains, the rashes. Will and Kay crafted these charming scenarios that incorporated those ailments into modern life with food trucks, mega grandes and podcast bingers. Scenarios that people can relate to and laugh with. Our clients were not at all comfortable with using humor as our approach and thought seriously about killing these concepts on three different occasions. We were able to work through their concerns and couldn’t be more appreciative of the trust that Sherri and her team put in us, our Director Vincent Peone and O’Connor casting. This campaign has been so fun to bring to life and we’re sure that it will resonate with our audience.
THE TEAM:
Client: Edward-Elmhurst Health
AVP, Marketing & Comms: Sheri Scott
Creative Director: Joan Wedge
Agency: Cactus
Founder, CEO: Joe Conrad
ECD: Brian Watson
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Senior Art Director: Kay Borleis
Senior Writer: Will Patterson
VP, Account Leadership: Ainslie Fortune
Senior Project Manager: Helen Shabinsky
Production Director: Brooke Woodruff
Senior Integrated Producer: Martha Douglas
Senior Creative Producer: Julie Mimmack
Production Company: Art Class
Director: Vincent Peone
DP: Justin Derry
EP: Rebecca Niles
Producer: Kevin Schroeder
Editorial & Color: 11 Dollar Bill
Editor: Wayde Samuel
Assistant Editor: Travis Mitchell
Colorist: Clark Jackson
Audio Post: Coupe Studios
Engineer: Greg McRea
Our challenge was to appeal to an affluent audience by presenting the town of Vail in a truly unique way.
We took a global approach to production by bringing together artists, actors and crew from from Russia, Sri Lanka, America, Australia, Columbia and Brazil to not only give the campaign a sophisticated feel, but to also reflect the guests who make Vail a truly International destination.
And lucky for us, Vail doesn’t look like any other mountain town in North America. It wasn’t built from a mining camp, railroad stop or cowboy hideout. It was purpose built as a high-end, European ski destination nestled in the Rocky’s. With that ethos comes a sense of style, romance, fashion, play, achievement and self-actualization. Our campaign unapologetically leans into this heritage and positions Vail as a singular destination in the U.S. that’s not afraid to push into the surreal, the fantastical, and dream-like space of romantic escapism.
This campaign changes the well-worn hiking, biking, smiling family-of-four visual narrative of the mountain travel and tourism category. It’s a shift that blends style and fashion with an iconic destination, with one very important purpose. It’s a reminder to enjoy life, and do it now.
THE TEAM:
Client: Vail Local Marketing District
Marketing Specialist: Liz Gladitsch
Economic Development Director: Mia Vlaar
VLMD Board
Agency: Cactus
CCO: Norm Shearer
ECD: Brian Watson
Senior Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
ACD / Art Director: Matt Chiabotti
Senior Art Director: Kay Borleis
Senior Art Director: Spencer Beurle
Copywriter: Kelley Bode
Junior Writer: Sam Herriges
VP, Account Leadership: Ainslie Fortune
Senior Account Manager: Heather Vazza
Account Manager: Lauren Scutt
Senior Project Manager: Helen Shabinsky
Project Manager: Jordan Leet
Production Director: Brooke Woodruff
Executive Producer: Martha Douglas
Executive Producer: Erin BonSalle
Senior Producer: Carol Williams
Print Producer: Raven Checkush
Production Design Manager: Stephen Hausrath
Editorial: Jackson Smith
Editorial / Colorist: Herman Nieuwoudt
Production Company: Naked City
Director: Brent Bonacorso
DP: Nic Restrepo
DP / Drone Pilot: Robert McEnaney
EP: Mark Sitley & David Schmidt
Line Producer: Danny Taff
Editorial: Jack Pyland
Flame Artist: Nic Seresin
FX Editorial: Christopher Broe
Color: Stuart Wheeler @ No.1 Color
Music: Q Department
Senior Producer: Jon Mackey
Creative Director: Zack Rice
Photographer: Nikolay Tikhomirov
Photographer: Caroline Miller
Photographer: Caitlin Fullam
Photographer: Jack Affleck
Digital Artist: Cream Studios
Parallax: Creyety
Having recently been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the best hospital in the state and one of the best in the nation, University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) had finally landed on the national map. To keep the momentum going, we set out to raise awareness of UCH's exceptional reputation for innovation and successful patient outcomes by impacting the perceptions of the doctors who contribute to the U.S. News and World Report ranking.
However, the time and attention of doctors is notoriously difficult to capture, so we played to their innate sense of curiosity. We turned measurable data from the human body and used it to produce a musical composition that sonically brought the beauty of brainwaves, heartbeats and DNA sequences to life in ways they'd never been represented before.
As a result, UCH was once again recognized by U.S. News and World Report as the #1 hospital in the state, was nationally ranked in 11 specialties, and was listed as the nation's #1 academic medical center.
THE TEAM:
Client: University of Colorado Hospital
Senior Director, Marketing: Brad Fixler
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Designer: Josh Jevons
Senior Copywriter: Jenna Capobianco
Copywriter: Ricky Lambert
Brand Director: Amy Hume
Project Manager: Caitlin Wilson
VP, Digital Production: Kate Schmitz
Executive Producer: Brooke Woodruff
Sr. Print Producer: Jamie Sharp
Digital Producer: Aisling O’Suilleabhain
Interactive Developer: Austin Lliteras
Engineering / Sound Design: Robot Repair
Vinyl Pressing: Sound Performance USA
Printing: Sprint Press Denver
Die-Cut: Michigan Laser
When given a Lung Cancer diagnosis it knocks you on your ass. You feel everything from denial to despair to grief. But what do you do when you come to grips with your new reality? This piece tells the story of the human spirit, courage and the will to live. You wanna fight?
THE TEAM:
Client: University of Colorado Hospital
Senior Director, Marketing: Brad Fixler
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
ACD / Art Director: Jeff Strahl
Senior Copywriter: Jenna Capobianco
Senior Broadcast Producer: Brooke Woodruff
Strategic Director: Gennifer Hobbs
Account Supervisor: Summer Hershey
Production Company: Fueld Films
Executive Producer: Brady Anderton
Director / DP: Doug Chamberlain
Producer: Erin Malloy
Post: Postmodern Company
Editor: Jason Sedmak
Colorist: Rick Gougler
Producer: Jamie Kirchoff
Audio Post: Coupe Studios
Engineer: Greg McCrae
Producer: Eric Singer
THE TEAM:
Client: Physicians Plus Insurance
Agency: Knupp & Watson & Wallman
Creative Director: Andy Wallman
Senior Art Director: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Elizabeth Jones
Editor: T. Duke Stuedell
VP, Dir. of Account Services: Jennifer Savino
Account Coordinator: Maria McGinty
Production Manager: Tim Christian
Production Company: The Artists Company
Director: Ramesch Iyer
DP: Morgan Susser
Audio Post: Haggar Audio
Engineer: Rob Haggar
Singer/Musician: Josh Ostrander
You don’t have to be a diehard skier to be aware of the radical changes that have disrupted the snow sports industry over the past decade – and not for the better. Consolidation has led to commodification, and sucked the soul out of our beautiful sport. But Arapahoe Basin is a place where the soul of skiing is still alive and well. It’s one of the few places left that encourages you to be yourself, push your boundaries, and get out of your comfort zone. It allows you to find that line where skiing becomes a transcendent experience. Those are the big moments we’re featuring – the moments when you question your life choices, when you earn your turns, when you drop in, when you put on the full yeti and point ‘em downhill – when you decide to become legendary.
CREDITS:
Client: Arapahoe Basin
Chief Operating Officer: Alan Henceroth
VP of Marketing & Skier Services: Jesse True
Senior Brand Manager: Whitney Henceroth
Photographer: Ian Zinner
Agency: Cactus
CCO / Partner: Norm Shearer
Senior Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Design Director: Sarah Berkheimer
Associate Creative Director: Andy Bartosch
Prod Design Manager: Stephen Hausrath
VP, Account Leadership: Ainslie Fortune
Sr. Account Manager: Heather Vazza
Project Manager: Jordan Leet
Production Company: Peyote Pictures x Triage Creative
Production Director: Brooke Woodruff
Producer: Sydney Grau
Director: Keith Ladzinski
Executive Producer: Martha Douglas
Line Producer: Danny Taff
Editor / Colorist: Herman Nieuwoudt
Audio Post: Coupe Studios
Music: My World by Waylon Jennings
ADDITIONAL AMBUSH CREDITS:
Client: Arapahoe Basin
Dir of Dev and Planning: Tony Cammarata
Dir of Mountain Ops: Louis Skowyra
Sr. Comms Manager: Katherine Fuller
Marketing Coordinator: Taylor Borst
Agency:
VP, Comms Strategy: Chris Shewmake
Assoc. Director of Strategy: Rob Troller
Sr. Project Manager: Torrie Eberhard
Sr. Producer: Annie Carney
Production Company: Lumenati Productions
Director: Evan Swinehart
DPs: Austin Hopkins, Joey Schusler, Ian Glass
EP: Gavin Anstey
Line Producer: Cyndi Ortiz
Experiential Producer: Jessica Trimarco
Post Producer: Allie O'Neill
AD: Tom Farnsworth
Editor: Matt Schmalz
Color: Jonnie Sirotek
Audio House: Post Haus
THE TEAM:
Client: Colorado Lottery
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner/CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director/Writer: Jim Morrissey
Creative Director/Art Director: Jeff Strahl
Production Director: Brooke Woodruff
Associate Brand Manager: Monica Hemmert
Account Manager: Ethan Nosky
Animation Company: Roger, LA
Creative Director: Terry Lee
Head of Production: Jake Hibler
Senior Producer: Anne Pendola
Original Music: ColorWheel Music
Musicologist: Musiodata / Sandy Wilbur Music
THE TEAM:
Client: Colorado Lottery
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Creative Director: Norm Shearer
ACD/Art Director: Jeff Strahl
Writer: Lee Perlman
Agency Producer: Danielle Bryan
Account Director: Ainslie Fortune
Account Executive: Monica Casillas
Production Company: A Common Thread, LA
Director: Ramesh Iyer
DP: Doug Chamberlain
Executive Producer: J.P. McMahon
Producer: Benito Mueller
Editorial: Post Modern, Denver
Editor: Jason Sedmak
Motion Graphics Designer: Eric Crowe
Music / Sound Design: Rocky Mountain Recorders
Gaia is a global video streaming service that's focused on conscious media. In the midst of a name change from GaiamTV, they realized the need for a larger-scale rebranding. They were beginning to solidify who they were, but needed help connect the dots in ways that would create meaningful connections and communicate a cohesive brand message across their unique channel offerings and wide range of complex audiences. It was crucial that they evolved their brand in a way that appealed to a new, much larger audience without losing their core members—the early adopters that had given the brand credibility.
On the surface, Gaia’s three main areas of content can seem disparate, and if we were to allow any one of those content areas take the lead in directing the brand's messaging, we'd risk alienating other key audiences. Our insight was to stop allowing the content define the brand's character; instead, we'd empower the brand's character to define the content.
We developed a refreshed persona, tone, messaging framework and visual vocabulary, all working in concert to create a unified yet flexible brand. This created the ability to effectively connect to Gaia's discerning core members, while also bringing new audiences into fold. And by providing Gaia with a comprehensive and brand book and detailed asset suite, they've been able to consistently articulate their brand through every touch point.
THE TEAM:
Client: GAIA
CMO: Jaymi Bauer
Creative Manager: Alexa Kuppers-Kantor
Agency: Cactus
Partner, CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Design Director: Sarah Berkheimer
Copywriter: Andy Bartosch
VP, Account Service: Ainslie Fortune
VP, Strategy: Mike Lee
Everyone has an aura, a luminous energy field that emanates from within their bodies. But most people find that energy hard to envision and understand. In an ongoing effort to build brand awareness and help people realize that there’s more to them than meets the eye, we built Aurafy to show people what their aura may look like, and offer a guide to help them interpret the colors to better understand themselves on a deeper level. Launched in early 2017, Aurafy has seen great engagement and plays a critical role in Gaia’s digital marketing ecosystem.
THE TEAM:
Client: GAIA
CMO: Jaymi Bauer
Creative Manager: Alexa Kuppers-Kantor
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Ricky Lambert
Senior Art Director: Silvina Guerreiro
Creative Technology Director: Andrew Baker
UI / UX Designer: Kevin Roysden
VP, Brand Director: Ainslie Fortune
Senior Account Manager: Rachel Plaster
Special Thanks: Brit Tucker
Last year, Greater Zion didn’t exist. We worked with the Washington County Tourism Office to turn a collection of communities near Zion National Park that lacked a cohesive identity into a unified brand. Beauty and wonder don’t end at Zion’s edge, and the name Greater Zion anchors us to the park and allows us to talk about the many other state parks, national conservation areas, communities and activities available within the county. Plus, Greater Zion is filled with breathtaking landscapes, rewarding adventure and far fewer crowds. The Greater Zion brand now gives context and language to the communities in Washington County and allows them to communicate where they are and what they have to offer. This place is greater than just one park. This place, is Greater Zion.
THE TEAM:
Client: Washington County Tourism Office
Director: Kevin Lewis
Marketing Manager: Sara Otto
Agency: Cactus
Partner, CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Design Director: Sarah Berkheimer
Copywriter: Andy Bartosch
VP, Account Service: Ainslie Fortune
VP, Strategy: Mike Lee
Account Manager: Thomas Vossler
Project Manager: Helen Shabinsky
Post Production and Color: Cactus
Editor / Colorist: Jeff Wilson
Audio: Coupe Studios
Sound Engineer: Alex Hawley
Music: Marmoset
Photographers: Jay Dash, Annie Jensen, Joey Schusler
THE TEAM:
Client: UCHealth
Senior Director, Marketing: Brad Fixler
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Ricky Lambert
Art Director: Hailey Simon
Production Director: Brooke Woodruff
Broadcast Producer: Martha Douglas
Brand Director: Amy Hume
Project Manager: Caitlin Wilson
Production Company: Fueld Films
Director / DP: Doug Chamberlain
Executive Producer: Brady Anderton
Producer: Valerie Thomas
Post: Postmodern Company
Editor: Jason Sedmak
Producer: Jamie Kirchoff
Audio Post: Coupe Studios
Engineer: Greg McCrae
Producer: Eric Singer
THE TEAM:
Client: Colorado Lottery
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Creative Director: Norm Shearer
ACD/Art Director: Jeff Strahl
ACD/Writer: Brian Watson
Agency Producer: Danielle Bryan
Account Director: Ainslie Fortune
Production Company: Backyard
Director: Don Rase
Executive Producer: Blair Stribley
Producer: Sharon Groh
Editorial: Post Modern, Denver
Editor: Eric Crowe
Sound Engineer: Chuck Biddlecom
When people are dealing with heart disease, they don’t want platitudes, they want honesty. It’s terrifying to face a health issue—especially one that threatens your mortality. Patients want to be leveled with and told the truth—even if it’s scary. We honor the patient and where they are emotionally by acknowledging the fear that comes with a heart-condition diagnosis. We feature our staff, but outside the hospital to illustrate that they take their work and problem-solving beyond its walls, and that their concern for patients crosses into their personal lives. This is how they do things at the Heart Hospital at Edward-Elmhurst Health. This is their culture. This is who they are, and because of it, more patients get to go home and live better. For us, this is personal.
THE TEAM:
Client: Edward-Elmhurst Health
AVP, Marketing & Comms: Sheri Scott
System Director, Integrated Marketing: Deanna Ellison
Creative Director: Joan Wedge
Marketing Strategy Manager: Kim Bowman
Agency: Cactus
Founder, CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner, CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Andy Bartosch
Senior Art Director: Hailey Simon
Senior Integrated Producer: Martha Douglas
VP, Account Service: Ainslie Fortune
Account Manager: Hannah Green
Project Management Coordinator: Alli Flory
Production Company: Niven Film
Director: Christian Schultz
Director of Photography: Paul Theodoroff
Executive Producer: Norry Niven
Line Producer: Diana Bland
Editorial & Color: Cactus
Editor / Colorist: Jeff Wilson
Audio Post: Rocky Mountain Recorders
Sound Engineer: Chris McNaughton
Custom Music: Butter Music & Sound
YEAR TWO / ADDITIONAL CREDITS:
Account Manager: Gracie Rouse
Director of Photography: Sean Porter
Producer: Mel Loncich
Audio Post: Coupe Studios
Engineer: Alex Hawley
THE TEAM:
Client: Mental Health Center of Denver
Director of Development: Ric Durity
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
Associate Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
ACD / Writer: Ryan Johnson
Designer: Brian Neumann
Producer: Erin Hudek
Account Supervisor: Chris Stirling
Assoc. Account Executive: Samantha Clements
CGI: Ars Thanea / Poland
Partner, ECD: Peter Jaworowksi
Production Director: Marcin Molski
To build in Boulder, you have to build the right way. Before you can put a shovel in the ground, you have to consider the resident, community and environment. Parc Mosaic has been years in the making, and it all began by taking design cues from the local ecology. It’s not just another apartment community, it’s a commitment to a lifestyle and a place where people thrive. Sustainably sourced and built to meet LEED certifications, this green community appeals to a specific type of resident. So we set out to create a mindful lifestyle brand that spoke to a long-term, thoughtful resident and connect them to this forward-thinking community. Our branded goods pay homage to the active Boulder lifestyle and combined with our local influencers, print, and website we encourage people to get outside and connect with the natural world. We ensure that everything about Parc Mosaic is built for Boulder.
THE TEAM:
Client: Aimco
Regional VP of Development: Brett Leonhardt
Director of Redevelopment: Caitlin Whitham
Agency: Cactus
Partner, CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Senior Designer: Josh Jevons
Senior Copywriter: Shea Tullos
Copywriter: Julie Winch
Design Director: Sarah Berkheimer
Senior Producer: Julie Mimmack
Senior Integrated Producer: Martha Douglas
Account Director: Jon Barnett
Project Manager: Helen Shabinsky
VP Strategy: Mike Lee
Media Coordinator: Lauren Hutchings
Director / DP: Shaun Boyte
Editor: Tyler Boyd
Animation: Frost Motion
Music: Marmoset
Audio: Rocky Mountain Recorders
Rebranding and breathing life into a complex, 160 yr. old, healthcare system in the heart of Denver.
Over the past 160 years, Denver Health has grown from one hospital to an entire system of care, including community and school-based health centers, a fund raising foundation, a medical plan, Denver’s 911 Paramedic responders, and the region’s top Level One Trauma Center. But as they’ve grown to meet the needs of our community and help people in crisis, they were struggling with a crisis of their own, an identity crisis. Not only were all of these entities seen as separate with their own distinct brands, the public’s perception of Denver Health was largely indifferent, and even somewhat negative. We were tasked with developing a fully integrated brand system from the ground up that would unite all of the entities, reclaim their place at the heart of the Rocky Mountains, be rooted in our community, and symbolize hope and compassion for those in need.
THE TEAM:
Client: Denver Health
CMO: Rob Borland
Agency: Cactus
Partner, CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Senior Designer: Josh Jevons
Designer: Shruthi Manjula Balakrishna
Copywriter: Julie Winch
Account Director: Amy Hume
Account Manager: Courtney Steele
Senior Producer: Julie Mimmack
We produced this spot, Untapped Potential, on a shoestring budget for less than $10k, and shot it in the middle of the night with some local high school kids. I did not design the logo.
GOLD ADDY // JUDGE’S CHOICE
“This 30-second television commercial very effectively uses humor to answer an important question. What really shapes our career decisions? In just half a minute, we see two teenagers learn valuable life lessons from an experimental shopping cart adventure. Instead of becoming road kill or a star on Jackass, a boy decides to become a safety engineer. With a bit of guilt and remorse, another teen’s experience makes him consider a medical career. Fortunately, a local college has professional programs to keep these guys off the streets and in the work force. Plus, it’s hilarious and makes technical college seem cool.”
-Kathy Hoskins, CD/Judge
THE TEAM:
Client: Wisconsin Technical College System
Agency: Knupp & Watson & Wallman
Creative Director: Andy Wallman
Senior Art Director / Producer: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Elizabeth Jones
Director of Motion Media / Editor: T. Duke Stuedell
Account Manager: Jessica Morrison
Account Coordinator: Lisa Maiers
Production Company: Drive Thru Productions
Director / Stunts: Mike Nelesen
Audio: Haggar Audio
Colorado HealthOP is no ordinary insurance provider. As Colorado’s only health-insurance co-op, their profits go to expanding coverage, lowering premiums and adding benefits for their members. And, the more we learned about Colorado HealthOP, the less we could believe. But everything we learned was true, so the inspiration and goal for the organization’s rebrand was to encourage others to “Believe It” as well.
THE TEAM:
Client: Colorado HealthOp
Agency: Cactus
Founder & CEO: Joe Conrad
CCO: Norm Shearer
Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Ricky Lambert
Senior Broadcast Producer: Carol Williams
Account Director: Ainslie Fortune
Account Supervisor: Jared Nyquist
Project Manager: Alycia Holland
Illustrator: Drew Melton
Production Company: Workhouse Creative
Director: Dan Brown
Producer: Peggy Case
Post Production & Color Correction: Idolum
Editor: Megan Bee
Color: Bob Maple
Audio Post: Coupe Studios
Engineer: Jason McDaniel
Music: DeVotchKa
THE TEAM:
Client: The Brown Palace
Agency: Karsh / Hagan
ACD: Matt Ingwalson
ACD: Jeff Strahl
Art Director: Kelsey Wittenberg
Copywriter: Dave Fymbo
Account Director: Lindsay Jacobson
Account Supervisor: Camille Heinrich Ziccardi
Producer: Shirley Richter
GOLD ADDY // JUDGE’S CHOICE
“My judge’s choice was the annual report for Park Bank. The presentation of this piece was truly unique, not just for an annual report, which so often is only a collection of charts and spreadsheets. The little yellow box of lemon drops illustrated the message, “when life gives you lemons....,” and I thought it was especially brave of a bank to own up to their role in the 2010 economy, which they presented well with thoughtful copy and sweet candy.”
-Chris Kelley / ADDYS Judge
THE TEAM:
Client: Park Bank
Agency: Knupp & Watson & Wallman
Creative Director: Andy Wallman
Senior Art Director: Jeff Strahl
Copywriter: Elizabeth Jones
Production Manager: Tim Christian
Production Designer: Kelly Davis
Account Supervisor: Shelley Beere
Account Manager: Lori Haines
Account Coordinator: Maria McGinty
Printer: Suttle Straus
Diecutter: MCD, Inc.
