Kristi Lira

Moms can party hard too, bruh.

We juxtaposed moms’ inner party animals with their everyday moments and demeanor to launch Hefty's new crack-resistant cup. Yup, this cup can stand up to even the most experienced party people. They make beer pong look like child’s play.

The spots were featured on Hefty's Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest pages—gaining more than a million views in just a week. They've racked up more than 200 million views since.

The idea was born from a GCD calling on my raised hand and me writing some initial scripts at 1 a.m. after I finished my main client’s work (thank you, Ecole Weinstein, for seeing me and investing in me).

The campaign won Digiday's Best Product Launch award for 2015 and various other awards as well.

But mostly, I’m really proud of all the tagging that was happening in the comments—this new “word of mouth” resulted in tons of conversation and impressions.

Featured in publications like Adweek, HuffPost, AdAge, The Drum, FastCompany and more.

Awards: Mashies, Webbys, Shortys, IAC, FAB, Digiday

"The writing is solid..." - Adweek

"It's a funny and unexpected way to market party cups, and I think Hefty's ad game is straight fire, for real." - Adweek

"The writing and juxtapositions here are pretty flawless, and a perfect way for the brand to illustrate its cups can be used for more than a few rounds of beer pong." - Fast Company

"Havas Worldwide Chicago and Hefty give a trio of wholesome moms a totally on fleek upgrade in this sharp advertising campaign." - The Drum

"...amazingly well done videos are filled with every last slang idiom of the moment..." - Marketing Land

Role: Jr. Copywriter
Art Director: Katie Rogers
Add’l Jr. Copywriter: Matt Bush
Group Creative Director: Ecole Weinstein
Chief Creative Officer: Jason Peterson
 

It’s the 21st century and 64% of menstruators have had trouble affording period products. So absurd. If people want to act like we’re living in the old ages, let’s lean into that.

Even as entertaining, and thankfully more diverse, as new and new-to-streaming period pieces are (“Bridgerton,” “Hamilton,” “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” “Harlots,” “The Great”) menstrual equity hasn’t progressed much from the times they’re set in.

So we partnered with PERIOD.org—a youth-fueled nonprofit striving to end period poverty—on the Period Piece PSAs fundraising campaign. We used the popular genre as inspo for parody videos—satirical commentaries on society’s archaic beliefs and behaviors that still exist today (hence why period poverty does too).

This all began with a $0 tampon string budget, so we got crafty with it. Apart from helping lead the team and cranking out scripts, I may have written a hip-hop-musical banger and co-directed our launch film.

#PeriodPiecePSA doubled PERIOD.’s State of the Period Fundraising, received 28M+ total impressions and was covered in AdAge, Adweek, The Drum, Shots, Shoot, y MarketingDirecto tambien.

Awards: 4 One Show shortlists.

Role: ACD Copywriter
Creative Director: Tescia Deák
Add’l ACD Copywriter: Emma Green
Sr. Art Director: Irene Li
Jr. Copywriters: Yashashree Samant + Nebraska White
Jr. Art Director: Riri Tamura

THE BACKGROUND

A Vacation Pollfish Survey from 2019 revealed 79% of parents said they leave a vacation more in need of one than when they started out. Woof.

Meanwhile, a quirky Central Florida city continues to be overshadowed by busy Orlando.

As fate would have it, Kissimmee, FL is the only place my family ever went on a real vacation. We’re from Chicago (one of their biggest markets) and we were basically the target (just 13 years earlier). The Strategists on the account were highly collaborative and brought me in early. One of my insights and creative territories helped win the business and we got to launch a campaign that evolved from it.

THE IDEA

Kissimmee, FL needed a distinctly unique brand refresh that set it apart from Orlando.

So we introduced (and okay, admittedly invented) “Whelmed”—a feeling of elevated contentment that can only be experienced in Kissimmee due to the city’s perfect combination of relaxing and exciting activities.

We launched the original emotion in a half-scripted, half-improvised film (holler if you can spot the improv actors). Rather than just telling our audience about the intriguing benefits of this vacation, the film takes them around the city, and they get to see the sights and even experience a bit of “Whelmed” themselves. It premiered on Prime and online.

Featured in Campaign and Shots.

Awards: IAC 2020—Best of Show, Best Advertising Online Video, Best Travel Online Video, Best Government Online Video.

Role: Sr. Copywriter
Sr. Art Director: Stacie Larsen
Sr. Art Director: Julie Soluri
Sr. Art Director: Goran Krstic
Sr. Designer: Ting Teng
Creative Director: Matt Sherman
Chief Creative Officer: Gavin Lester

CLEAN OUT CORONAVIRUS (NOT SHELVES)

The spread of coronavirus led to a spread of misinformation, panic and stockpiling too. Empty shelves filled shoppers with even more anxiety.

We wanted to curb panic buying and stress by providing shoppers with helpful (and factual) information via friendly, reassuring signage.

We approached local grocery stores and markets to launch Clean Out Coronavirus (Not Shelves) in support of the CDC. And we hustled to get it done before LA’s stay-at-home order went into effect.

USING OUT-OF-HOME TO GET PEOPLE TO #STAYHOME

OOH media specialist, Project X noticed our empty shelves work and teamed up with us to use out-of-home to get people to stay home.

Role: Sr. Copywriter
Sr. Art Director: Julie Soluri
Sr. Art Director: Tracey Chan
Creative Director: Matt Sherman
Creative Director: Jeff Siegel
Chief Creative Officer: Gavin Lester

Ah, 2020, we’ll remember it well…for all the wrong reasons.

Like many others, our tourism client was hit hard by the pandemic. Kissimmee, FL happens to be the Vacation Home Capital of the World® though, and the area has tons of outdoor activities. Households and bubbles could airboat, zipline and visit wildlife preserves (with masks and safety guidelines), or they could kick it at their own vacation home with a pool and theater.

For these self-aware and slightly sarcastic videos, we teleported a couple of “kids” 72 years into the future (Spoiler Alert: The fashion is flawless and we age flawlessly too). When asked about 2020, they both casually share their favorite memories from this nightmare of a year—their family trips to Kissimmee, FL. And they mention some newly relatable moments like intense handwashing and video calls.

P.S. If Blaire’s jacket looks familiar it’s because our Wardrobe Stylist dresses Lady Gaga as well.

Role: Sr. Copywriter
Sr. Art Director: Julie Soluri
Creative Director: Matt Sherman
Chief Creative Officer: Gavin Lester

Kids see their moms as giants.

So, this Mother's Day, we wanted to share a video that shows the everyday ways moms are strong and resilient.

We strapped Snapchat’s Spectacles on some toddlers and off we went!

True story, I played a child for part of the day—I even destroyed my nails, covered my childlike hands in dirt and played with worms. At the time, I was sad I didn't make the cut, but now I'm glad because there are only actual children in our spot, ha. 

This was an experimental project that paid off big time. I was a proud Spectacles wearer/early adopter at the time (still have them). We even beat Burger King to a Spectacles-shot spot by a few months.

Enjoy this video and please keep me in mind for any child hand modeling gigs in the future.

*Bonus Rated R for language and violence version below as well…

Role: Copywriter
Art Director: Rebecca Schefkind
Associate Creative Director: Aaron Sanchez
Chief Creative Officer: Chuck McBride

THE BACKGROUND

The only real vacation my family ever took was to Kissimmee, FL. So Experience Kissimmee entering our agency’s building for a brand refresh and memorable campaign seemed kismet. When we explored thought-starters, I stuck close to the Strategists and one championed my sentiment that it felt like a “vacation within a vacation.”

That evolved with social listening and they found “I need a vacation from my vacation,” was far too common of a thought (and tweet). Bummer.

Luckily, Kissimmee provides just the right amount of vacation (not overwhelming stress or underwhelming disappointment).

THE IDEA

We didn’t just launch a brand refresh to promote this perfectly balanced destination—we launched an emotion.

“Whelmed” is the feeling of elevated contentment that can only be experienced in Kissimmee due to the city’s perfect combination of relaxing and exciting activities.

We kicked everything off with a film—Finding Whelmed—and then followed with a super Whelming refresh—a balanced palette, quirky voice/visual/vibe and assets for days (okay, years).

This campaign also survived Hurricane Dorian and a rigorous shooting schedule during prime Florida heat and humidity.

Role: Sr. Copywriter
Art Director: Stacie Larsen
Sr. Art Director: Julie Soluri
Sr. Art Director: Goran Krstic
Creative Director: Matt Sherman
Chief Creative Officer: Gavin Lester

BURN, 2020, BURN

2020 was a real dumpsterfire of a year. Absolute trash. And we wanted to send it off properly.

So we began with a yule log dumpster fireplace (Yule Mode on desktop) and added an interactive and cathartic experience on both desktop and mobile (Burn Mode).

Users could burn murder hornets, Trump flags, sourdough starter kits and anything they’d had enough of in 2020 using GIPHY.

This was born from me not being onboarded to projects quickly enough (I’m one of those proactive idea people).

Role: ACD Copywriter
Creative Director: Mike Cushman
Creative Director: Spencer Berstrand

Introducing fake menstrual products (addressing very real period problems)!

Some menstruators are forced to use everyday items when they can’t afford menstrual products. This comes at the cost of their dignity and health as well.

On Menstrual Hygiene Day, we highlighted these costs while poking fun at cliche menstrual product ads. Then, we got real and asked people to donate to PERIOD.—so menstruators in need don’t have to pay the real price.

We also created packaging, along with one-star review videos and static posts (still, too generous of a rating for these useless, dangerous, alternative products).

We even sold one of those products—Toepons (for your feet only). At $25/pair, they directly supported a menstruator for 5 menstrual cycles with products and direct delivery.

Not bad for a social campaign that came together in two weeks.

Role: ACD Copywriter
Jr. Copywriter: Nebraska White
ACD Art Director: Gwendolyne Echenagucia
Executive Creative Director: Kirsten Rutherford

We didn't want anyone to miss out on McDonald's new All Day Breakfast goodness, so we spoke to people in the style of the YouTube video they were about to watch.

Google helped us pinpoint which YouTube categories were the most popular among our demographic so we could use pre-roll ads to pair the food people love with the kinds of videos they love.  

We had fun on Twitter and Instagram as well by playing with elements of their respective newsfeeds.

Role: Copywriter
Art Director: Emily Walton
Creative Director: Shelby Georgis

#StrengthHasNoGender

Not all heroes are a “he.”

Brawny believes there’s no shortage of sheroes—only a shortage of their stories. It’s time we shared more.

So for Women’s History Month, we asked people to share their shero stories on social (say that seven times super fast). Badass NBA Coach Becky Hammon’s story was among them.

We transformed some posts into custom comics with more than a dozen talented female comic book artists and animators.

Not a bad way to spend The Koch family’s money.

Featured in multiple publications including and Editor’s Pick for AdAge.

Role: Copywriter

Art Director: Silky Szeto

Creative Director: Toby Petersen

Chief Creative Officer: Chuck McBride

Almond Breeze wanted to connect with a wider audience on TikTok—all while showcasing its full line of beverages.

If you scroll for a while on TikTok, you’re bound to hit some astrology content. There are 23B+ views of #astrology and 37B+ views of #zodiac, so we saw customized coffee recipes in their forecast.

First, we drew from our astrological knowledge (and researched further) to pair drinks with each sign.

Then, we worked with Coffee Influencer @cc.campbell to perfect recipes. We created separate videos and invited people to try their sun, rising and moon drinks (triple the views, baby).

We even encouraged participation with a free live birth chart reading for lucky Stitchers/Dueters. Randomly selected winners were rewarded with readings from Astrology Influencer @maylikethemonthh.

#Coffeestrology received 2M views and we gained 700+ new followers in the week we posted (the highest organic engagement rate yet for the brand).

Which #Coffeestrology recipe resonates most with you? Lmk. 🤙🏽✨

Role: ACD Copywriter
Jr. Copywriter: Jessica. Nugent
Jr. Art Director: Rachel Findlay
Designer: Sydney Tomer
Creative Director: Jeff O’Keefe
Creative Director: Bert Marissen

40% of male GOP voters think menstrual cycles sync up at the beginning of each month. WHAT?! No wonder 22 states and their mostly male governors still tax period products.

As ridiculous as that is, it gave us an idea—what if menstrual equity activists showed them how folks could sync up to demand payback. Menstruators are owed justice—which includes being owed back taxes for all they’ve overpaid.

On October 8th, Period Action Day, we trolled the worst offenders— the governors of TX, GA, AR and KS. Each has yet to do something proactive about repealing their state’s tampon tax.

We bombarded them with simultaneous Venmo and CashApp payment/payback requests—all in amounts relative to the tampon tax— demanding they pay up or axe the tax.

Not all women have periods and not all people who have periods are women, but the Women’s March was also hosting Bans Off Our Bodies marches and rallies nationwide in October 2022. And because we support reproductive rights (and menstrual rights are intertwined with them) PERIOD. made their demands and presence known there too.

Role: ACD Copywriter
ACD Art Director: Gwen Echenagucia
Copywriter: Nebraska White
Designer: Sydney Tomer
Group Creative Director: Kindra Meyer
Executive Creative Director: Kirsten Rutherford

Loans are often looked at as a step back instead of a step forward. Discover Personal Loans needed to break this stigma. But, we didn’t want to overpromise (something the competition does well).

Instead, we validated our audience’s feelings of frustration, hesitation and stress around costly life situations. And we helped folks see loans not as a personal failure, but as a promising future.

We placed loans in a positive light by introducing “the bright side” of financial help. Because a loan isn’t a magic wand, but it is a helpful tool many don’t realize they have access to.

Role: ACD Copywriter
ACD Art Director: Gwen Echenagucia
Copywriter: Alex Escalera
Art Director: Sarah Ko
Executive Creative Director: Kirsten Rutherford
Chief Creative Officer: Renato Fernandez