Avram Klein
ACD / Writer
Avram Klein
ACD / Writer
I'm a writer. Mostly ads (though I do a pretty mean birthday card as well).
Prior to writing ads, I wrote a lot of sketch comedy. I studied at Groundlings, UCB, iO, I even interned at Second City. Prior to that, I attended the University of Chicago where I studied religious history and learned about humankind's greatest marketers.
Prior to that, I was a kid and lived at home and shouldn't be judged for my uneven conduct.
Here's some of my recent work. Take a look.
email: avramklein@gmail.com
phone: 310 948 0464
Disney
I Freed My Imagination
Disney
I Freed My Imagination
I Freed My Imagination
On my first day back from paternity leave, we walked into Disney headquarters for a pitch briefing on a top-secret new project. Their first foray into the world of high-tech toys had no less ambitious a goal than to return imagination to the forefront of play. All they had was a logo and a name: Playmation.
Their request: help us launch this new toy platform that will ultimately span multiple Disney properties, while simultaneously launching the first iteration of that platform featuring Marvel’s Avengers.
First things first. Launch the brand. A year and a half later we did.
ANTHEM FILM I Freed My Imagination
To tease the launch, we created a film telling the story of the magic that can happen when you step into the world of your imagination. Incidentally, this is the first film ever to feature the worlds of both Marvel and Star Wars. Approvals were A TRAP!!!
PRINT
Every child imagines having the powers of their favorite characters. For the print campaign, we visualized a child's imagination coming to life in their reflection.
WEBSITE
Plus, a sweet, sweet website.
Playmation
The Avengers Need You
Playmation
The Avengers Need You
The Avengers Need You
To launch Disney's Playmation line of Avengers toys, we came to them with a simple proposition: what if it was real? What if the Avengers Lab really had developed gear that gave kids the powers of the Avengers? What if the Avengers really were recruiting kids to help them in the battle against Ultron?
Every touchpoint —from POS, to posters, to online videos— would be in-narrative. Every marketing communication would be an extension of the play experience.
ONLINE VIDEO SERIES
Using the fiction that Avengers Labs is real, we created an eight-episode series of training videos that would brief kids on the background story and introduce them to the gear — all driving toward pre-order and an October product launch.
Watch all eight and make my mother proud!
PRINT & OOH
Seeing the print in a Marvel comic was nice.
FILM The Avengers Need You
Y'know. For kids.
Plus, I got to direct Stan Lee in the voiceover session. Achievement unlocked.
WEBSITE
Using the latest in information superhighway technology, we made a "Web-site", complete with character bios, mission dossiers, and training videos.
Toyota C-HR
Born for Mischief
Toyota C-HR
Born for Mischief
Born for Mischief
Typically known for making practical cars, Toyota’s first-ever C-HR was a big departure for the brand in style and attitude. We created “Born for Mischief” to position the C-HR as a fun car for rebels-at-heart.
FILM “Cinderella” :60
For our film campaign, we looked to the mischief makers from folklore and fairy tale and reimagined their stories with Toyota C-HR as their faithful companion/mischief enabler.
FILM “Gingerbread Man” :60
ONLINE FILM “Trojan Horse” :60
60+ PAGE PRINT
We turned Fader Magazine into a flipbook.
VIDEO: How We Made It
Tag
Tag
VIDEO “Tag” :60
Just a fun Toyota ad.
NISSAN
#WithDad
NISSAN
#WithDad
#WithDad
To support Nissan's Super Bowl spot, we created #withdad, a campaign designed to inspire America to share their stories about how life is better with dad.
As a little extra reward, we even turned social participation into physical mementos.
THE #
Our goal was to drive engagement. So, we wanted a tag that would actually be used. That felt natural. That lended itself to the vernacular of Twitter and Instagram while still communicating our central campaign belief that life is better with dad. Hence:
PRE-GAME TEASERS
For Super Bowl advertising, your pre-game strategy is almost as important as your game day strategy. We wanted to create a pre-game campaign that reflected the way people are currently using the internets. So we partnered with YouTube creators that in some way embodied the idea that life is better with dad. Creators like Roman Atwood, Dude Perfect, Action Movie Kid, and others. Seth Meyers even got in on the action.
DURING THE GAME
To dominate a moment of conversation, right after the spot aired, we had social influencers (including Snoop Dogg, Adam Levine, and Carmelo Anthony) share photos of their dad or about being a dad, tagged #withdad. Inspiring others to share their own.
AFTER THE COMMERCIAL
Over 38k #withdad photos and mentions during the game.
REAL-TIME CONVERSATIONS
Had some interesting convos. Who knew Doritos had dads?
SURPRISE FRAMED PHOTOS
After the big game, we surprised fans and mailed them framed prints of their #withdad photos.
We received this video in response.
RESULTS
Over 30 million teaser content views on YouTube.
17k #withdad photos shared.
Drove views and sentiment for the Super Bowl TV spot, which lead to it winning #1 in the YouTube AdBlitz.
PRESS
CREATIVITY: Nissan Follows Up Super Bowl Ad By Framing People's #WithDad Photo Posts
ADAGE: How Brands And YouTube Stars Are Hooking Up To Reach Millions Of Millenials
Infiniti Q50
Follow No One
Infiniti Q50
Follow No One
Follow No One
Infiniti was launching a completely new vehicle, the Q50, to replace their best-selling Infiniti G. They wanted to make a splash and reinforce their image as a challenger brand.
ANTHEM FILM Factory Of Life
Just your run-of-the-mill, dystopian people factory. Or in the German: Die Menschenfabrik. It's where Mercedes & BMW drivers come from.
DIGITAL EXPERIENCE
From the TV spot, users are directed to findthekey.com, where they can find the answer to a question sure to be on their mind: How did the key get in our hero's pocket? Users interact with surveillance video from within the factory to uncover clues that lead to the answer. At the end of the journey, they are entered for a chance to win an Infiniti Q50.
OUT OF HOME
It's a billboard.
FILM Follow No One
Infiniti was having trouble articulating their beliefs about the nature of luxury. So we wrote them a manifesto. They liked it so much, we decided to make it a spot.
GRAMMYS
We Are Music
GRAMMYS
We Are Music
We Are Music
Okay, so this campaign is pretty old, especially as digital work is concerned (i.e. thirty seconds after you’ve released it), but I still have a lot of affection for it.
The concept behind the GRAMMYs campaign was that not only does music shape our lives, but it forms the foundation of our being. That, in some sense, we are music.
So, we thought a pretty cool digital campaign would let you see this for yourself.
We won an FWA 'Site of the Day' award as well as a 'Mobile of the Day' for the app.
WEB EXPERIENCE
Users create a playlist using RDIO's (Ha! See what I mean about old?) extensive library. Then, they select photos from their desktop or favorite social platform and watch as their life becomes music. They can also create custom album covers and share their mix with friends.
A little video demonstration.
MOBILE APP
Users simply select a song and snap a pic. The app then particalizes the photo and moves it to the music. Users can even connect with friends for a more social experience. This was one of the first mobile applications to enable real-time audio synchronization.
Infiniti
Possibilities
Infiniti
Possibilities
Possibilities
Infiniti is often perceived as just a performance luxury brand. So we created a series of family-oriented TV spots to highlight their SUV lineup.
FILM The Couple
This was a spot we did to advertise the entire range of Infiniti luxury utility vehicles. Oh, and we had to deliver it less than a week after shooting wrapped.
Many Cheez-Its died to make this commercial.
FILM Lights
Event spot featuring their top-selling family SUV. Shot in August. Forest fires just out of frame. Even so, I snuck a Chanukah theme into the spot. Can you find it?