AULANI VILLAS
Walt Disney Imagineers worked hand in hand with local artisans and cultural experts to create Aulani, the first resort in Hawaii created as an authentic Hawaiian resort for families. Inspired by the natural wonders and rich traditions of Hawai‘i, it is the ultimate Hawaiian getaway, celebrating the beauty, history and welcoming spirit of the island. But not unlike their brand cousin Adventures by Disney, they launched with a campaign of animated characters reinforcing a consumer barrier for families: they did not want to go to an exotic, tropical getaway with Mickey and Minnie. Especially when they can get that right in their own backyard at Disneyland. So we decided to lean into the authenticity of Aulani, and the rich lore of both Hawaiian and Disney storytelling by telling some Hawaiian legends and inviting families to come and create their own family legend at Aulani. With our new campaign we saw a 34% increase in bookings over the prior two years representing over $40 million in revenue. And during Hawaii’s low season Aulani was at an astounding 96% room capacity.
AULANI VILLAS
Walt Disney Imagineers worked hand in hand with local artisans and cultural experts to create Aulani, the first resort in Hawaii created as an authentic Hawaiian resort for families. Inspired by the natural wonders and rich traditions of Hawai‘i, it is the ultimate Hawaiian getaway, celebrating the beauty, history and welcoming spirit of the island. But not unlike their brand cousin Adventures by Disney, they launched with a campaign of animated characters reinforcing a consumer barrier for families: they did not want to go to an exotic, tropical getaway with Mickey and Minnie. Especially when they can get that right in their own backyard at Disneyland. So we decided to lean into the authenticity of Aulani, and the rich lore of both Hawaiian and Disney storytelling by telling some Hawaiian legends and inviting families to come and create their own family legend at Aulani. With our new campaign we saw a 34% increase in bookings over the prior two years representing over $40 million in revenue. And during Hawaii’s low season Aulani was at an astounding 96% room capacity.
eHARMONY
eHarmony had been the leader in their category since their launch in 2000, laying claim to 236 marriages a day and 2% of marriages in the United States. But over time they were rapidly losing market share to increased competition from brands like Match.com who were expressing themselves with more contemporary voices. eHarmony brought me in to re-energize their brand. I proposed they walk away from advertising their science and matching algorithm, often pitched by their founder. It felt to me that as a company responsible for 2% of marriages in the U.S. they should take ownership of something far more compelling: love. They should plant a flag in the ground and own love. I wrote the campaign line “Love Begins Here” and we built the campaign with real eHarmony spouses and couples, and singles looking for relationships. We shot with Academy Award winner Errol Morris and worked to get to the truth of dating, relationships, marriage and the life altering impact eHarmony had on many of their lives.
eHARMONY
eHarmony had been the leader in their category since their launch in 2000, laying claim to 236 marriages a day and 2% of marriages in the United States. But over time they were rapidly losing market share to increased competition from brands like Match.com who were expressing themselves with more contemporary voices. eHarmony brought me in to re-energize their brand. I proposed they walk away from advertising their science and matching algorithm, often pitched by their founder. It felt to me that as a company responsible for 2% of marriages in the U.S. they should take ownership of something far more compelling: love. They should plant a flag in the ground and own love. I wrote the campaign line “Love Begins Here” and we built the campaign with real eHarmony spouses and couples, and singles looking for relationships. We shot with Academy Award winner Errol Morris and worked to get to the truth of dating, relationships, marriage and the life altering impact eHarmony had on many of their lives.
AULANI, A DISNEY RESORT & SPA
Walt Disney Imagineers worked hand in hand with local artisans and cultural experts to create Aulani, the first resort in Hawaii created as an authentic Hawaiian resort for families. Inspired by the natural wonders and rich traditions of Hawai‘i, it is the ultimate Hawaiian getaway, celebrating the beauty, history and welcoming spirit of the island. But not unlike their brand cousin Adventures by Disney, they launched with a campaign of animated characters reinforcing a consumer barrier for families: they did not want to go to an exotic, tropical getaway with Mickey and Minnie. Especially when they can get that right in their own backyard at Disneyland. So we decided to lean into the authenticity of Aulani, and the rich lore of both Hawaiian and Disney storytelling by telling some Hawaiian legends and inviting families to come and create their own family legend at Aulani. With our new campaign we saw a 34% increase in bookings over the prior two years representing over $40 million in revenue. And during Hawaii’s low season Aulani was at an astounding 96% room capacity.
ABOUT MARC
My creative dna and spirit comes from the long line of fine artists, illustrators, designers, directors and architects in my family, and also from being raised in the highly creative and diverse atmospheres of Woodstock, NY and NYC. I've always thought of myself as part country-mouse and part city-mouse. I was informed by my early experiences of building our family home designed by my grandfather in the Catskill mountains alongside my mother and father, hunting, fishing with my dad; to the theater, museums and culture of NYC with my mom.
I was drawing and painting from the age of two, and this love of drawing led me to my first career start at the age of sixteen, as an apprentice illustrator at Marvel Comics, story-boarding and illustrating under the tutelage of Marvel Comics legend Jim Starlin, the creator of the Marvel studios galatactic stories of Thanos and Captain Marvell. You can see my background work in the very first graphic novel "The Death of Captain Marvel." I then earned my BFA in Graphic Design from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, which launched me into a career that has spanned over many disciplines and categories in the design and advertising fields. I have worked as an identity and packaging designer in London, as an art director in the fashion industry in New York, and as an advertising leader in Los Angeles and New York. The brands I have led and created work for include: Disney Parks & Resorts, T-Mobile, eHarmony, Mitsubishi Motors, Burger King, Bank of America, General Motors, Chevy Motors, Tanqueray, IKEA, BMW, Honda, Suzuki, Nestlé (Nespresso), Ray-Ban, Paul Stuart Men's Fashions, Tommy Hilfiger, EMI-Capitol Records, Prudential Securities, Publisher’s Clearing House, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Alcatel Telecommunications.
In 2011, I took the leap to work client side at Disney Parks & Resorts where I was brought in to help start their first in-house advertising group. Through the success of my tenure, that in-house team has grown from two advertising creatives to a department of advertising professionals including creative, production and account management.
I live in the beautiful countryside outside of Nashville, TN with my wife and adoptive daughter and son from Kyrgyzstan. And my greatest creative passion is making meals for my family. And I make one hell of an Osso Buco.