Apr 22, 2024

DALLAS STARS’ GOALIE JAKE OETTINGER BECOMES PHENOMENOTTER.

In 2023, Launch Agency teamed up with Baylor Scott & White Health and the Dallas Stars to bring you Motivotter––the inner voice of Dallas Stars’ goalie, Jake Oettinger. This season, a new character has emerged and he’s got his own heavy-metal theme song. Meet Phenomenotter, the animated flying otter who comes to life every time Jake Oettinger unleashes his power on the ice.

The animated film featuring Phenomenotter was created by Psyop’s award-winning animator Gary Levesque with Wizz. Both agency and client collaborated on the catchy lyrics that will undoubtedly get stuck in your head. And composer, Damon Criswell did the arrangement with local 80s-crooner, Travis Willis hitting all the high notes. If the :30 leaves you wanting more, you can listen to the full minute-long song here.

The multi-channel campaign drives to Phenomenotter.com and an AR filter on Instagram and TikTok created in partnership with Subvrsive. The filter allows fans to unleash their inner superhero by transforming into Phenomenotter just like Jake. After all, “he’s a metaphor for the power inside you and me.”

To further inspire fans to use the AR filter, a social video is making the rounds featuring local sports personalities like “Gen X Davey” Lane and Bob Sturm from The Hardline on the The Ticket, Dallas Stars announcer, Daryl “Razor” Reaugh and Hilary Asher of the Dallas Stars Ice Girls.

Since the debut of the campaign, Stars fans can’t stop singing the Phenomenotter song. Many are filling social media with their own memes, GIFs and even a custom Phenomenotter jersey. If the goal was fan engagement, Baylor Scott & White Health is already scoring big.

Baylor Scott & White Health is proud to be the official healthcare partner of the Dallas Stars.

CREDITS:

Client: Baylor Scott & White Health

Animation Company: Wizz with Psyop

Lead Animator: Gary Levesque, Psyop

Producer: Melissa Stephano

Production Company: Charlie Uniform Tango

AR Company: Subvrsive

Digital Producer: Alicia Conner, See Pictures

Principal/Creative Director: David Wilgus, Launch Agency

Principal/Creative Director: Diane Seimetz Duncan, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Art Director: Brian Dedering, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Copywriter: April Steinbach, Launch Agency

Copywriter/Songwriter: Isaac Swedlow, Launch Agency

Composer: Damon Criswell

Singer: Travis Willis

Producer: Jaime Roderer, Dogtails Media Lab

Account Director/Principal: Jason Giles, Launch Agency

Account Director: Cortney Fly, Launch Agency

Account Executive: Lucy Galloway, Launch Agency

Director, Creative and Brand Management: Ben Day, Baylor Scott & White Health

Brand Manager/Sports Sponsorships/Digital: Tyson Stuart, Baylor Scott & White Health

Marketing Producer Creative & Brand Management: Megan Doss, Baylor Scott & White Health

Apr 5, 2024

Launching the Backyard Nectar Agave Story

Artificial is for AI.
Not agave.

In a world where artificial ingredients, dupes, fakes and faux everything are nothing new, it’s refreshing to find a brand embracing real, authentic, pure ingredients. Our newest client, Backyard Nectar doesn’t have to fake sweet. It’s naturally made that way with 100% organic blue agave. Founded by Ryan Huntley, a past bartender and spirit salesman, Backyard Nectar is sourced from a local farm in Mexico, which its owners lovingly refer to as: Ryan’s backyard. Once we embraced the story behind Backyard Nectar Agave, we began creating the first brand chapter: The website.

“Getting a new product off the ground and out in the world isn’t easy. Launch has been an incredible partner in helping us develop our brand strategy, design and voice. This is just the beginning for Backyard Nectar.”
—Ryan Huntley, Founder of Backyard Nectar

Like many startups out there, Ryan is in the beginning stages of launching his product and doesn’t have the big brand production budget. Yet. Not a problem for our Launch Agency studio. We have the talent needed to bring his product to life using our in-house capabilities. All food styling, propping, photography and video work was done at the office of Launch by Launchers. The result is an authentic, appetizing and informative site that leaves visitors wanting to learn more.

Ryan’s current goal is to get Backyard Nectar into more bars and restaurants and ultimately, get it on the shelves at local liquor stores. Cheers to entrepreneurs like Ryan! And cheers to a beautiful future working together!

Site development by Dustin Lawrence

Mar 7, 2024

AAF ADDYS HIGHLIGHTS

BRAVO TO OUR AMAZING CLIENTS AND PARTNERS

It was big night for Launch Agency and our clients at the 2024 AAF Addy Awards. From AR activations to cinema advertising to sports sponsorships, we received honors in 10 categories, including Judge’s Choice Award. Hats off to Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s, Baylor Scott & White Health, Evergreen Power Solutions and Tulipalooza for trusting us with your beloved brands. Here’s to making work that makes a difference.

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MCLANE’S

CINEMATOGRAPHY — JUDGE’S CHOICE & GOLD
CONSUMER CAMPAIGN — GOLD
IN-THEATRE COMMERCIAL — GOLD

DIRECTOR: HENRY MASON, PRODUCTION COMPANY: CHARLIE UNIFORM TANGO, PHOTOGRAPHER: CATHLIN MCCULLOUGH

TULIPALOOZA

SOCIAL CAUSE — SILVER

ILLUSTRATOR: KELLY BEGLEY

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE HEALTH
AND DAK PRESCOTT

BRANDED CONTENT — SILVER

DIRECTORS: ANDY X ASHTION, PRODUCTION COMPANY: CHARLIE UNIFORM TANGO

EVERGREEN POWER SOLUTIONS

ILLUSTRATION — SILVER

ILLUSTRATOR: KEITH BROWNING

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE HEALTH
AND JAKE OETTINGER

CONSUMER CAMPAIGN — SILVER
AUGMENTED REALITY — HONORABLE MENTION

PHOTOGRAPHER: ANDY MAHR, AR: GROOVE JONES, DIRECTOR: JOHN SUITS, NATURAL SELECTION

LAUNCH AGENCY WEBSITE

SELF PROMO — SILVER

Feb 21, 2024

Unleashing the power for Baylor Scott & White Health.

The power to live better™

Repositioning the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in the state takes a Texas-sized effort. To introduce Baylor Scott & White Health’s new mission to empower its patients, Launch Agency was proud to team up with agency partners, Monigle, Camelot Media and Door No. 3. Our combined efforts created a campaign that’s already seeing powerful results with a 12% increase in brand equity.*

The new customer-first positioning led to the creation of a new tagline from Launch, “The Power To Live Better” and a new brand identity from brand experience agency, Monigle. “The real power in healthcare lies within our customers, they allow us to do what we love. Our role is to inspire them to live better every day. This refreshing and joyful campaign repositions us as the support our patients need to improve every aspect of the care they receive,” said Ben Day, Director of Creative & Brand Management at Baylor Scott & White Health.

Launch Spot

By partnering with award-winning directing trio, The Fold, we created a series of spots taking viewers on an energetic and empowering journey showing what healthcare looks like from the POV of the consumer. The soundtrack for all spots includes vintage gospel song “Power” by Mattie Wigley that was rearranged by local musician Damon Criswell. And photography by Callie Lipkin beautifully celebrates our new visual expression across print, OOH, social and digital.

*Among key healthcare systems in our markets, Baylor Scott & White Health was the only brand to see significant movement in brand equity measures, with BERA scores showing a 12% increase from Q3 to Q4. The next closest brand saw only a 6.4% difference.

Client: Baylor Scott & White Health

Directors: The Fold

Production Company: Bunker Films

Editor: Adam Henderson, Charlie Uniform Tango

Sound Mix: Jake Kluge, Charlie Uniform Tango

Color: Charlie Uniform Tango

VFX: Charlie Uniform Tango

Music: Damon Criswell

Photographer: Callie Lipkin

Principal/Creative Director: David Wilgus, Launch Agency

Principal/Creative Director: DianeSeimetz, Launch Agency

Group Creative Director/Copywriter: April Steinbach, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Art Director: Brian Dedering, Launch Agency

Associate Creative Director: Caleb Alba, Launch Agency

Account Director: Jason Giles, Launch Agency

Account Supervisor: Bailey Trout, Launch Agency

Account Executive: Lucy Galloway, Launch Agency

Producer: Jaime Roderer, Launch Agency

Print Producer: Alicia Conner, See Pictures

Director of Creative & Brand Management: Ben Day, Baylor Scott & White Health

Media: Camelot Media

Agency Partners: Monigle and Door No. 3

Dec 1, 2023

A STORY BIG ENOUGH TO FILL DAK’S SHOES

Dak’s been setting records with his arm. But last night, all eyes were on his feet.

As part of the annual NFL My Cause My Cleats initiative, Dak teamed up with sneaker designer Jake Danklefs of Dank & Co and Baylor Scott & White Health to raise awareness for early cancer detection and encourage people to get screened.

His cleats were inspired by the heartwarming story of a young woman, Sydney Benton, who narrowly avoided colorectal cancer thanks to an early screening. Sydney’s story struck a chord with Dak because of his own mother’s passing in 2013 to colon cancer, and he wanted to help tell her story to inspire other people to follow her lead.

So, we invited Sydney for an interview to talk about her experience with early detection. However, she had no idea that her favorite NFL player was waiting eagerly to meet her, or that he would be featuring her story on his cleats during primetime Thursday night football. The surprise reveal was an incredibly moving moment, which directors Andy Mahr and Ashton Rodgers captured beautifully.

Watch the story

What’s really remarkable about this initiative is seeing how much power a single story can have. Sydney has already started inspiring others to get screened, such as her mom and her older sister. And with the help of Dak and the Dallas Cowboys amplifying her voice, her story has the potential to impact many, many more.

Client: Baylor Scott & White Health

Director: Andy Mahr & Ashton Rodgers

Post Production: Charlie Uniform Tango

Photographer: Andy Mahr, Mahr Images

Principal/Creative Director: David Wilgus, Launch Agency

Principal/Creative Director: DianeSeimetz, Launch Agency

Group Creative Director/Copywriter: April Steinbach, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Art Director: Brian Dedering, Launch Agency

Associate Creative Director: Caleb Alba, Launch Agency

Copywriter: Isaac Swedlow, Launch Agency

Account Director: Jason Giles, Launch Agency

Account Director: Cortney Fly, Launch Agency

Account Executive: Lucy Galloway, Launch Agency

Producer: Jaime Roderer, Launch Agency

Director of Creative: Ben Day, Baylor Scott & White Health

Brand Manager/Sports Sponsorships/Digital: Tyson Stuart, Baylor Scott & White Health

Director of Consumer Marketing/Brand Strategy & Planning: Kristn Owens, Baylor Scott & White Health

Brand Planning & Strategy: Robin Kraase, Baylor Scott & White Health

Marketing Producer Creative & Brand Management: Megan Doss, Baylor Scott & White Health

Senior PR Marketing Consultant: Eric Keese, Baylor Scott & White Health

Feb 17, 2023

Stars goalie, Jake Oettinger invites you to get motivated with Motivotter.

We recently teamed up with Baylor Scott & White Health and the Dallas Stars to create an AR experience leveraging one of the biggest “stars” of the Stars, Jake Oettinger. As the team’s goalie, Oettinger always stays focused, motivated and determined, which makes him the perfect voice to inspire fans along their health journey.

Working with Dallas AR and VR experts, Groove Jones, we developed a look-alike Oettinger in the form of a mini-AR Jake. Only it isn’t actually Jake: It’s his inner voice which we named Motivotter, a combination of his nickname “Otter” and “motivation.” The experience allows users to place Motivotter on any surface, next to anything they’ve achieved or want to achieve. Like eating healthier, working out more, walking their dog—you name it, Motivotter is there celebrating your victories with cheers, back flips and a variety and dance moves.

To launch the experience, we partnered with award-winning director, John Suits to create a teaser-like trailer introducing Motivotter to fans. The film, along with numerous digital and OOH executions, invites users to “Unleash Motivotter” through Instagram or TikTok. All executions drive to motivotter.com.

Once you tap any social icon, the Motivotter filter opens and is ready to play.

Social posts encourage fans to share their favorite Motivotter moments.

In a short time, Stars fans have already adopted Motivotter as one of their own.

As the official healthcare partner of the Dallas Stars, Baylor Scott & White Health is proud to leverage this partnership to inspire fans around Dallas to achieve their goals – big or small.

Behind the scenes

To create Motivotter, Groove Jones scanned Oettinger in their XR Avatar Scanner powered by 50 4K cameras that capture HDR (high dynamic range – for color and depth) using multiple focal lengths—instantly capturing both the geometry and texture of the person standing inside. This, in turn, allowed us to make a lifelike mini-AR version of Jake.

CREDITS:

Client: Baylor Scott & White Health

Director: John Suits

Production Company: Natural Selection Productions

Executive Producers: Nicole Flores, Amanda Mortimer

Producer: Gensho Tasaka

DoP: Will Stone

Editor: John Suits

Sound Mix: Joe Barrucco, Timeline Audio

Color: Parker Jarvie, Company 3

VFX: Joshua Lester

Photographer: Andy Mahr, Mahr Images

Principal/Creative Director: David Wilgus, Launch Agency

Principal/Creative Director: Diane Seimetz, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Art Director: Brian Dedering, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Copywriter: April Steinbach, Launch Agency

Associate Creative Director: Caleb Alba, Launch Agency

Copywriter: Isaac Swedlow, Launch Agency

Account Director: Jason Giles, Launch Agency

Senior Account Supervisor: Bailey Troutt, Launch Agency

Senior Account Executive: Megan Robertson, Launch Agency

Assistant Account Executive: Lucy Galloway, Launch Agency

Producer: Jaime Roderer, Launch Agency

Producer: Kerstin Fredrickson

Strategy Lead: Dan Ferguson, Groove Jones

Creative Director: Dale Carman, Groove Jones

Producer: Eduardo A. Gonzalez V., Groove Jones

Developer: Carly Siciliano, Groove Jones

3D Team: Jeannot Landry, Elliot Johnson, Chris Fisher, Groove Jones

Animation: David Aguilar, Groove Jones

Graphic Design: Bip, Groove Jones

Production VP: Monte Masters, Groove Jones

Audio: Andrew Carman, Groove Jones

Production Coordinator: Khoi Tran, Groove Jones

Director of Creative: Ben Day, Baylor Scott & White Health

Brand Manager/Sports Sponsorships/Digital: Tyson Stuart, Baylor Scott & White Health

Director of Consumer Marketing/Brand Strategy & Planning: Kristn Owens, Baylor Scott & White Health

Brand Planning & Strategy: Robin Kraase, Baylor Scott & White Health

Marketing Producer Creative & Brand Management: Megan Doss, Baylor Scott & White Health

Senior PR Marketing Consultant: Eric Keese, Baylor Scott & White Health

Dec 3, 2022

Dak’s cleats for a cause

Every season, the NFL highlights players and the important causes they support through the My Cause My Cleats initiative. This year, Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott teamed up with shoe designer Jake Danklefs of Dank & Co and Baylor Scott & White Health to shine a light on his Faith Fight Finish foundation and the early detection of cancer.

Working with directors Andy Mahr and Ashton Rodgers, we set out to capture the making of Dak’s cleats from start to finish. Shot in three parts, the film documents the initial zoom call, the design behind the cleats, and the emotional moment of Jake delivering the cleats to Dak. From the beginning, there was a special connection between Dak and shoe designer, Jake Danklefs, as both lost a parent to colon cancer. The final design beautifully represents Dak’s foundation and his mom’s love of Betty Boop to raise awareness about the importance of early detection.

Dak will wear his custom cleats during the NFL My Cause My Cleats game between the Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts on December 4, 2022. The film was pushed out on all social channels prior to the game and drives to BSWHealth.com/GetScreened where viewers can learn about early detection and schedule a screening.

The American Cancer Society says the earlier you catch cancer the less time it has to grow or spread. This often means less-invasive cancer treatment and a better survival rate. As the official healthcare sponsor of the Dallas Cowboys, Baylor Scott & White Health aims to inspire Texans and their loved ones to get screened.

Winning Team: Baylor Scott & White Health, Dank & Co., Charlie Uniform Tango and Launch Agency

Andy Mahr and Ashton Rodgers filming at Jake’s Dank & Co. headquarters

CREDITS

Client: Baylor Scott & White Health

Directors: Andy Mahr & Ashton Rodgers, Charlie Uniform Tango

Production Company: Charlie Uniform Tango

Photographer: Andy Mahr

Principal/Creative Director: David Wilgus, Launch Agency

Principal/Creative Director: Diane Seimetz, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Art Director: Brian Dedering, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Copywriter: April Steinbach, Launch Agency

Associate Creative Director: Caleb Alba

Account Director: Jason Giles, Launch Agency

Assistant Account Executive: Lucy Galloway

Producer: Jaime Roderer, Dogtails Media Lab

Producer: Michael Wagner, Charlie Uniform Tango

Editor: Rodney Demeglio, Charlie Uniform Tango

Colorist: Joey Waldrip, Charlie Uniform Tango

Graphics: Gray Wilcox, Charlie Uniform Tango

Sound Design: Jake Kluge, Charlie Uniform Tango

Music: Atomica Music

Clients:

Ben Day, Director of Creative, Baylor Scott & White Health

Tyson Stuart, Brand Manager/Sports Sponsorships/Digital, Baylor Scott & White Health

Kristn Owens, Director of Consumer Marketing/Brand Strategy & Planning, Baylor Scott & White Health

Robin Kraase, Brand Planning + Strategy, Baylor Scott & White Health

Megan Doss, Marketing Producer Creative & Brand Management, Baylor Scott & White Health

Sep 16, 2022

Get care now. Like now, now.

To announce the news that the MyBSWHealth app now connects you to Baylor Scott & White Health 24/7, we partnered with award-winning director Eli Green to create a series of charming spots focusing on what happens when we get sick after hours or on weekends––you know, times when the doctor’s office is usually closed.

From frantically searching the internet for clues to creating less-than-appetizing homeopathic remedies, we see real-life scenarios get solved by simply connecting patients with the expert physicians at MyBSWHealth.

“Urgency is a tricky message in humor. With a hint of levity and character performance, we found a tone that connects need and relatability for Baylor Scott & White Health,” said Eli Green of Cultivate Media.

The television commercials launched during Dallas Cowboys games and even mention that you can get care during the game. Digital and social executions feature actual clocks that call out the exact time they are running to emphasize you can get care right this very minute. And airport OOH speaks to the fact that you can get care right now between flights.

By correlating with the times and places you can get care through the MyBSWHealth app, this charming campaign hopes to empower patients across Texas to get the care they need whenever they need it. Like right now. Later today. On weekends. At the airport. In the grocery store. You get the idea…

The campaign is running in North and Central Texas on television, print, OOH and social platforms like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.

CREDITS:

Client: Baylor Scott & White Health

Director: Eli Green, Cultivate Media

Executive Producer: Paul Papanek, Cultivate Media

Producer: Carlos Ayami, The Lift

Line Producer: Pablo Chozas, The Lift

Photographer: Brigette Diez

Principal/Creative Director: David Wilgus, Launch Agency

Principal/Creative Director: Diane Seimetz Duncan, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Art Director: Brian Dedering, Launch Agency

Creative Director/Copywriter: April Steinbach, Launch Agency

Producer: Jaime Roderer, Launch Agency

Account Director: Jason Giles, Launch Agency

Management Supervisor: Megan Lucy Neal, Launch Agency

Client: Ben Day, Director of Creative, Baylor Scott & White Health

Editor: Adam Henderson, Charlie Uniform Tango

Sound Design: Jake Kluge, Charlie Uniform Tango

Apr 30, 2020

LAUNCH FROM HOME

On Monday, March 16, we had just moved into to our brand new space in the Carlisle Building. While everything smelled like a fresh new beginning, COVID-19 had other plans. In just a few short days, we found ourselves relocating once again. For the safety of our Launch family as well as our own, we all knew the right place to be was home.

In typical Launch fashion, we put an action plan in place and quickly got up and running from our DIY home offices. Client meetings, brainstorming sessions and all daily interaction moved to convenient new locations like Zoom, Slack and even our phones.

To keep our Launch culture going, we began hosting our weekly Friday Beer:30 Happy Hours through Zoom. And celebrating birthdays by sending actual birthday cards to Launchers in the good old-fashioned mail.

Friday Beer:30 Happy Hour trivia on Zoom

We’ve continued to find creative ways to help our clients during these challenging times. When we found out Poston Gardens was at risk of closing, we quickly designed t-shirts to help raise funds to keep the tulips blooming next year. And by working remotely with many talented editors, animators and directors, we’ve been able to create a series of informative and compelling COVID-19 TV, video and digital campaigns for our client, Baylor Scott & White Health.

Poston Gardens t-shirt design

Baylor Scott &White COVID -19 Texans Stronger Together spot

Social distancing hasn’t stopped us from giving back to our community either. Through Launch LIFT, we’ve delivered meals to Baylor BUMC, and supported numerous local restaurants by participating in #TakeOutTuesday.

In a recent interview with AdChatDFW, Principal Diane Seimetz Duncan summed it up best: “We cherish our creative culture at Launch; I’d say that if anything, the current situation has galvanized us in preserving and protecting that. We have worked on a collaboration platform for several years, so the move to ‘shelter in place’ has allowed us to continue serving clients without a hitch.”

Feb 13, 2020

Rallying The Troops For Your Brand

Timelapse video of a war room build. (Never let the account team set up the camera – leave that to the art directors.)

The advertising war room – far less aggressive than it sounds (although there are occasional battles within) – is Strategy Central at Launch. It’s here we conduct a full brand audit and assessment of “enemy” territory. What are our client’s greatest strengths? How well does their product or service differentiate itself in a sea of sameness? Vital insights are drawn here, insights critical to informing the planning process.

We discussed the role and history of the war room with Launch partners and Creative Directors Diane Seimetz and Dave Wilgus:

What exactly is a Launch War Room?

It’s one of the few truly private places in the agency…no windows, a real door to close. We find this helps our squirrel-prone brains to focus. Inside, the walls are covered with pinnable material, which becomes home to a wide variety of our client’s and their competitors’ marketing, brand and social media assets, online reviews – almost anything digital and physical we can unearth. In the end, it’s a 360-degree deep dive, providing a unique, all-in-one glimpse into the customer experience.

A recent Launch War Room built for our client, Norwex.

What led Launch to establish this practice?

Surveying the competitive landscape has always been intrinsic to our discovery process. While we think we know what the others in the category are saying and doing, our recollections can be dated, confused or just not the case. Things change quickly in the world of consumer brands, and there’s really no substitute to ensure you’re working off the latest information than gathering it for yourself. We felt that designating a dedicated space to collect, view, compare and share this intel would encourage and facilitate this key effort.

What do clients gain from this process?

A date with the War Room is always a highlight of the brand strategy process. Our clients are extremely busy, and they appreciate this unique glimpse into their customer’s journey – all under one roof. It’s immersive, interactive, and has impact.

How does a war room get built?

It really does take an army to locate/source the large amount of content required to outfit the effort. A typical war room can include everything from website pages, Instagram feeds, video, print and promotional samples, menus, packaging, paid digital, search. We have people who have become expert at organizing this content on the walls in an easy-to-understand way.

Do you have any tips for building an effective War Room?

The key is to represent all relevant channels, so you get a really good idea of each brand’s story, who they are targeting, how they are attempting to position themselves, how they talk about their company, mission, unique benefits. It also helps to have at least one tall person on your team to pin things nice and high on the wall:)

How else does Launch fight the good fight for clients?

Spending time learning what’s going on in the competitive space is just one of the many ways we prepare to go to war for our clients. It’s part of our four-stage Launch Sequence® that combines strategic process with creative prowess.

Building a powerful brand starts with insights as the foundation, which inspire work that’s relevant, engaging and meaningful. Often highly entertaining, too. Creativity used in this way is the marketer’s ultimate trump card, prevailing over clutter to cut-rate pricing.

Memorable, shareable ideas not only differentiate a brand, they drive its success.