The Foundation
Note: this portfolio project was originally published in 2017 but I still cite much of my career and confidence to Drake Cooper. I got to explore a lot of my interests in a professional setting and many of my peers remain close friends.
Drake Cooper is a marketing and advertising agency based in Boise, ID. I was a part of their Backstage Pass program, where interns team up to create real work for real clients. I was fortunate to be selected as one of the youngest interns from 100’s of applicants during the summers of 2015 and 2016. I learned a lot about marketing in the digital age, the importance of “old school” marketing techniques, how to manage time under pressure, how to work with a team, how to present in front of a client, how not to present in front of a client, and how to order a beer for your boss with a fake ID.
Internal Marketing + Social Media
2016
During my second summer in the backstage pass program, a partner and I were commissioned to create a video about the backstage pass program to share with prospective recruits and community members. I was the principal photographer, co-producer, writer and editor.
2015
The Backstage pass team also took over Drake Cooper social media in 2015. My favorite aspect of the project was the Instagram #TotOfTheDay. We took pictures of tater tots (it’s an Idaho thing) all over the office and posted them with inspiring, insightful and silly captions.
Idaho Beef Council
2016
The backstage pass team created two separate campaigns for the Idaho Beef Council. One focused on our favorite giant hamburger, Herbie and the other targeted health-conscious moms. The Herbie campaign was timed around the Olympics. We focused on an sports theme, enticing people to think about beef while watching Olympic events. The videos and GIFs we created were shared across all of the Beef Council’s social media pages.
2015
I was also involved in writing, photography direction and editing of a full production television commercial for the Idaho Beef Council and an accompanying social media campaign called “Mad Herbie”.
Jacksons
Jacksons is a regional convenience store serving many towns west of the Rocky Mountains. The Backstage Pass team created and pitched a YouTube, Internet radio and Facebook campaign to Jackson executives. They loved the campaign but it was not approved for final publishing. I think it was some of the best work we produced. I was involved in all aspects of the campaign including ideating, researching, copywriting and producing many of the storyboards and sample content (shown here). The tagline: “Real food. Made of food.” We were targeting no-bull consumers that shopped at c-stores and consumers who wanted something healthy and convenient.
Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation
The Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation is a wildness conservation organization based in Montana and Idaho. They are stewards of wilderness management of the Frank Church and Selway-Bitterroot wilderness areas. They were the 2015 recipient of the Drake Cooper’s Dream Big project – an opportunity for nonprofits to receive free professional marketing, in this case, a website renovation. The site build was managed by the Backstage Pass team. My role was asset management, page building and graphic design for elements on the site.
2022 update: I ended up doing some light UI work for SBFCF this past year. It was pure coincidence as they were unaware I was part of the team who worked on the original website.
