For this year’s FEED holiday campaign they partnered with Adobe for an open call to the creative communities to come up with a unique concept over a seven-day challenge. The winning design would be chosen as the new campaign — talk about pressure!
The Challenge
There where three creative teams brought to the challenge. First they were briefed, then they got to work building their concepts, presented to a panel of judges (this is where I come in!) and a winner was chosen… but that was only the first half of the week! The winning team then had to produce the shoot and execute the final copy, layout design and retouched selects which ultimately make up the campaign you will begin to see online and in print magazines this December. All of this happened in a single week and all of it was captured on camera in a mini web series showing the true nature of the creative world and how teamwork, concepts, talent, branding and vision all to come life as ads and images we are surrounded with on a daily basis.
I had the amazing experience to participate as one of the judges in choosing which creative team had the best vision and message which in the end was Follow my Lead with a social media activation: #LeadFEED.
Each creative team presented between two and three concepts which were completely flushed out, from what the message was to how that would look digitally, in print and through social media activation. As a photographer, I found it fascinating to see the amount of thought and options that go into putting together a campaign. One team’s idea was visually more engaging to a photographer’s eye, but another team’s concept hit a stronger emotional note. It was also interesting to see how each of the different judges reacted based on their own industry expertise.
In the end, we put it to a vote and a winner was chosen. You can see the entire process here! Below are some stills from the pitch episode with my fellow judges: Lauren Bush Lauren, Jean Batthany, Ariel Foxman, and Joel Giullian.
The Campaign
After the winning concept was chosen I thought my job was done… then Lauren asked me to actually be in the campaign which, as you might guess, is a really weird feeling for someone who is used to being behind the lens (aside from informal snapshots of my life I share here with you guys). I’ll admit I was a bit nervous. You never know what a photographer is going to do to you or if they see you differently than you see yourself. Luckily for me, FEED is all about authenticity and captured me in my city with the thing that is most important to my being- my camera.
I carried the FEED Daily bag which provides 50 school meals for children around the world which you can see below in the resulting campaign photo photographed by Gus & Lo in New York City’s west village. Also wearing shoes by Ralph Lauren (similar), boyfriend jeans by Polo Ralph Lauren, organic cotton sweater purchased on a recent trip to Amsterdam from Marc O’Polo, scarf by Mulberry, hat by Satya Twena, Portofino watch by IWC, and my trusty Canon 5D Mark III, 50mm lens and leather hand strap.
See all four final campaign shots here and perhaps you will recognize Caroline who makes frequent appearances here on the blog as she is not only one of my favorite New Yorkers but also personal muses.
