bobby boland #portfolio
About Me Resume Perspective Work
Best Western Hotels Ear Candy Music Charity The Body Shop LA Clippers Other Works
About Me
Mothers often send their kids out the door with the same old plea, “remember who you are!” My mom left no room for ambiguity. As I left the house each day, she’d yell from behind me, “Remember who we are!” That one word -”we”- made all the difference to me as a young man. Suddenly I wasn’t on my own. I wasn’t left to my own divination as to who I was or how I ought to act. If I ever wondered, all I had to do was think of my family. “We’re kind,” I’d think. “We’re compassionate,” “we’re hard working,” “we’re funny.” Thanks to mom’s thoughtful advice I now know who I am, and I know my role as I fit into an organization. “We” holds a special importance with me because now I pertain to more than just one family. I’m a member of the family for each of the clients I represent. As a member of the agency family, I embrace the strengths and weaknesses in my coworkers and work diligently to fulfill my role while upholding the reputation built by those who went before me. As I leave my house each morning I think about all the “we’s” I am because who I am is only a part of the equation.
Resume
381 E 500 N Provo, Ut. robertwboland@gmail 503.840.9932
Bobby Boland education Brigham Young University
Graduated 2012
Major: Communications, Emphasis: Advertising; Minor: Spanish
professional experience Ideas Collide Marketing Communications
Project Management Intern
May 2012 – Present
•Administrate over and assist in the management of several comprehensive social media campaigns and the creation of a powerful mobile site •Manage the creation of elaborate and day-to-day creative executions; controlling the budget, timeline and strength of creative pieces •Collaborate with a team in rebranding, pitching new business, establishment of project direction and other tasks relating to the creative process and strategic brand development •Author and co-editor of press releases, editorials, ad text, website copy, etc.
The Quarry Indoor Climbing Center
Wall Manager/Head Route Setter
October 2008 – Present
•Manage a team of workers in the regular design and construction of over 300 climbing routes throughout the gym •Work with owner in the advertising of large-scale events and design of creative •Utilize 15+ years of climbing experience in the design of fun, challenging climbing routes
BYU Ad Lab
May 2010 – Present
•Involved in every aspect of the creation of campaigns for diverse brands such as The LA Clippers, L’Oreal Body Shop, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals •Primary and secondary research, including polls, interviews and focus group collection and analysis •Product line extension proposals •Development and implementation of branding strategy •Creation of full-bodied creative campaigns, including traditional and non-traditional media •Specialty in the development and extended use of social media and digital platforms •Creation of a rich media plan including budgets and timelines •Strong ability to present work and interact with the client, resolving questions and concerns
special skills •Fluent in Spanish •Microsoft Office Suite •Experienced leader and manager •Talented creative and technical writer
Perspective
Living life on the edge doesn’t mean being fearless. This is a lesson I learned 600 feet off the ground, hanging by fingernail sized edges in the cold cliffs of Delta, Utah. Hot blood rushed through my veins as frigid wind pushed between me and the wall. My muscles shook and my fingertips screamed. My belayer hung from the wall 150 feet below me. Even though we couldn’t see or hear each other we both knew what the other was thinking. “If Bobby doesn’t finish this route flawlessly, we’re both dead.” We hadn’t brought the right gear and the anchors in the rock were old and unreliable, I knew that if I fell, the gear wouldn’t be strong enough to hold us. I gritted my teeth, made a few desperate promises skyward and pressed on. Falling was not an option. As we hiked down the backside of the cliff I realized that it’s not the fear of falling down that drives me most, but the fear of falling short. I failed to equip myself for the risks ahead, and in the end I had no thrill at all. Now I don’t climb for the danger or for the dizzying altitudes, but because I know it’s the only way to the top.
Work
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Combining PR & social media to avert a disaster
work > Best Western > summer 2012
The Task When a crippled veteran was forced to drag himself and his luggage down the hotel stairs after a local power outage this summer, the response was less than friendly. Thousands of hostile and threatening Facebook posts flooded Best Western’s front page and spread to every social media outlet within a matter of hours. An official boycott was proposed by several veterans’ organizations drawing a very supportive response.
The Solution Faced with an onslaught of criticsim, ignoring the feedback was no longer an option. Instead of responding in a defensive tone, The World’s Largest Hotel Chain chose to apologize, take full blame for the veteran’s discomfort and do their best to right the wrong. A press release was rushed to every possible source and published to Facebook, bringing the conversation to the audience. Social media was tirelessly monitored day and night and measured to track feedback. Negative feedback was not removed from Best Western’s official Facebook accounts, only personal information and direct threats to individuals’ safety were filtered. The payoff didn’t come immediately; however, with time and patience, the conversation between Best Western and the public bore positive fruit. The concerns were diffused as Best Western showed its compassion for the veteran and demonstrated its disappointment with the way the situation was handled by hotel employees. Mutual respect grew between both parties and in the end, the potential boycott was subdued and the public response became overwhelmingly positive.
“As a military family, thank you BW for addressing this issue promptly and for vowing to help educate those in your industry.”
-Marla Banks Wilits
Best Western Facebook Follower
work > Best Western > summer 2012
The Takeaway
Other contributions to the brand
This proved to be a powerful learning experience for me and showed me the power of patience and compassion to spin a potentially devastating situation into an opportunity to build trust. I was also shown the power of social media to build positive PR with the public. I learned that press releases must be genuine as well as professional in order to generate a positive public response.
-Monitor for social media and other digital brand locations -Author of numerous articles for the You Must Be Trippin’ travel blog. -The creation and managment of briefs and the printing/distribution for dozens of collateral pieces such as: -Flyers -Brochures -Posters -Employee Reference guides -Mass customer email templates -Cards from corporate -Powerpoint presentations
Transforming a local non-profit into a national charity organization
work > Ear Candy Music Charity > winter 2012
The Task Ear Candy is a non-profit organization based in Arizona, collecting musical instruments for elementary to high school programs in need. For several years they had enjoyed steady growth in their home state and were ready to expand. This would require a substantial increase in capital - a challenge for a company that receives all their funds and resources from donors.
The Solution Teamed with Ear Candy, we began to construct a unique fundraising campaign that gained Ear Candy notoriety as well as providing a personal experience for each donor. Collateral pieces included branded stickers, t-shirts, poster art, and a striking financial report Prezi to excite current and potential donors. An IndieGoGo campaign was launched which distributed gift cards among all donors and allow them to allocate that money to whichever Ear Candy program they saw fit. This provided them with a personal interaction with the brand and drove them to the website. Also included in the campaign was a Weekend Warrior Concert Series held at the Hard Rock CafĂŠ in Phoenix where popular local bands comprised of “9-to-5ersâ€? were able to perform and ask for a donation as cover.
work > Ear Candy Music Charity > winter 2012
What I learned Working on a pro bono account taught me a lot about how to make money with limited funding. Brainstorms and agency collaborations were conducted quickly and efficiently; work was consolidated to two designers and myself. Constant client communication kept everyone in the know with new projects flowing. Aside from the experience I gained handling the entire account, I was reminded of the importance of cultivating long-term brand advocates by facilitating personal interaction with the brand. My role was all-inclusive. I handled client interaction, creative direction and campaign strategy.
“This [annual report] is KILLER! I can’t wait to get it out!” -Nate Anderson, Founder of Ear Candy Charity
Other contributions to the brand Projects I directed include: -The design and construction of a fully functioning mobile site www.earcandycharity.org -The design and production of collateral including: t-shirts, stickers, and gift cards -The design and distribution of an elaborate annual report done on Prezi prezi.com/vwzrfyvuaz-d/ear-candy-annual-report-2012/ -Held weekly meetings and handled day-to-day communication -Created and edited business expansion pitch presentations -Planned and budgeted billable hours and deliverables -Oversaw and directed the creation of a logo for the Weekend Warrior Series -Contributed in strategy construction for the fundraising and expansion
Using the brand philosophy to create a new product
work > L’Oreal the Body Shop > winter 2011
The Opportunity
The Research
L’Oreal wanted to introduce a new product into the already saturated skin care market.
After carefully assessing the strengths and weaknesses within the market and The Body Shop, we found that there was an opportunity in face cream. The Body Shop’s Body Butter was a long-standing pillar in sales for the brand. Coupling a face cream with Body Butter gave life to the new product line - Native.
The Insight Anita Roddick, the founder of The Body Shop, sees beauty and healthy skin in the most unexpected places like jungle villages and shanty towns. To Roddick, beauty is in the faces of people who live simply, whose lives are at one with nature.
The Face - A Window to the Soul Keeping in mind The Body Shop’s core values, a mantra emerged. We say mantra because it’s more than a product; maybe more accurately described as the perfect blend of the carefully engineered product and the ideals that represent The Body Shop. Anita understood “nature’s beauty” to be the way people see the world – the beautiful (and almost latent) characteristics of the earth. Mother Nature has a face too; it’s rooted deep in her soil, and springs forth on her surface as lush gardens and forests. In a very similar way, women are perceived in the same existential space. The core of a woman’s world is found deep within her. Her soul’s profound beauty is perceived in her face.
work > L’Oreal the Body Shop > winter 2011
The Takeaway
My Role
The evolution of this campaign showed me how a product line founded on profit margins and marketplace opportunity could still be meaningful and even exemplify the values of the brand itself. It would not have been enough to simply create a product that would be packaged with Body Butter and sold at a discount. I learned to pair brand and consumer insight to create a worthwhile product that communicated and strengthened the brand message.
-Project Manager -Primary research specialist -Head strategist and creative copywriter -Liason between client and team -Editor for all other copy
“The core of a woman’s world is found deep within her. Her soul’s profound beauty is percieved in her face.”
Making a name for the team living in Kobe’s shadow
work > LA Clippers > fall 2012
The Task
The Solution
The LA Clippers and their fans have never played in a National Championship and have had only three winning seasons since they arrived in LA over thirty years ago. Meanwhile, the Lakers have won 10 national titles since the mid-seventies with only three losing seasons. Clippers fans have put up with a lot. But they finally have a team full of all-stars, capable of beating any NBA team. The only challenge is dispelling the old image and getting the team noticed.
The Lakers’ monopoly on LA has left little room for the Clippers. This means that the fans who have stuck with the Clippers are special. We researched their ideals and perspecitive on the team and their personal dedication the Clippers. There was something deeper about their fanship, it didn’t matter if the team won or if they even lost respectably. They chose the Clippers because it was a team that could be theirs. Without the Clippers, LA wouldn’t have a true hometeam. We were to create a digital campaign that would create buzz around the Clippers and eventually increase ticket sales. We decided to connect the Clippers to the population in a way that the Lakers never could. Through publicized service acts, cleanups and construction projects, the Clippers would get their hands dirty making LA a better place. Social media interaction would unlock information regarding the bi-monthly service event and which athlete would be in attendance. For example, after 500 people tag #ClipNation to an instagram of themselves in their Clippers gear, they might find out that next Tuesday Chris Paul would be helping to construct a basketball court in Compton.
“Without the Clippers, LA wouldn’t have a home team.” -In-depth Interviewee
work > LA Clippers > fall 2012
What I learned In this campaign I learned the importance of identifying with my audience. Starting with benefits, we were able to discover values with which Clippers’ fans could relate. We learned that they were very community focused and that our campiagn would have to show that the Clippers held similar values. The Clippers became a team for the people. This taught me the importance of integrity. It wasn’t enough for the team to be seen serving. The campaign had to embody a dedication to improving the lives of fans on and off the court.
My Role -Elected to be account director over a team of 10 -Led discussions and brainstorms related to research, branding, and creative applications -Assured the consistency of the creative with the strategy -Author and editor for the project book -Presented ideas to teachers and Clippers marketing board
Other Works
-Director of entire social media campaign -Responsible for daily posts and updates for Facebook and Twitter -Monitor for all social media outlets -Manage the timely creation and insertion of updated graphics -Pitch new business; Pinterest
-Author of a soon-to-be-published article on social media for an e-book being constructed by PRNewswire.com -Author of numerous press releases regarding agency awards and recent hires
-Editor for numerous fliers regarding new technology and soft sell stories
-Co-author of a comprehensive survey -Analyzed and gathered data -Compiled relevant data, creating charts, graphs and an elaborate powerpoint presentation -Presented information to the client
-Author and co-editor of a press releases -Built a system of social media with personalized design -Wrote the script for a commercial youtube.com/watch?v=xqVyElPZ_mA&feature=pl cp -Performed data gathering, editing, entry and quality assurance for a brand new website using wordpress
-Chief strategist -Created a presentation compiling research findings and suggested directions -Presented new branding and marketing plan to the client(chosen as top campiagn proposal)
bobby boland #thankyou