Today, parts of North and Central America will be treated to an awe-inspiring celestial event during the total solar eclipse. And while there’s been a lot of recent buzz about it over the past few weeks, our friends at RVshare were keenly aware this phenomenon was approaching way back in 2023. Why? Because it’s the perfect reason to book an RV and make sure you’re in position along the “path of totality.” The next one isn’t for another 20 years, so this might be your shot.

Since this literally a once-in-a-generation event, we were beyond excited to partner with RVshare and make a short but sweet spot highlighting this opportunity for adventure seekers. And because this was, at the time, something that hadn’t happened yet, we took the animation approach to tell the story of a family getting out of the city, finding the a great campsite, and enjoying the total solar eclipse from the perfect spot! Karina Carlson and I wrote the story, then I illustrated the landscapes, artwork and typography, and we worked with Josh Lieske to bring the animation to life.

CLIENT: RVshare | ACD/AD/ILLUSTRATION: Andy Westbrock | CW: Karina Carlson | ANIMATION: Josh Lieske | EDIT/AUDIO: Brian Alter | CCO: Mike Hayward | PROD: Jen Allen | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado

To put it mildly, life. Is. A. Lot. And it rarely lets up. From the time you wake up and until you go to sleep, there’s a lot of stuff on your shoulders: jobs, school and babies. Meals that need to be cooked, served and eaten. Laundry that needs laundering and Instagram feeds that need scrolling. How are we supposed to do it all?

I donno, I’m not here to solve all your troubles. But I do know at least one responsibility you can turn over to someone else, and that’s your commute. Instead of stressing out about driving, traffic, parking, or whatever— just kick back and let Sound Transit take you there.

And with routes and rails connecting the region, including a few newly opened stops, people can rely on Sound Transit to give ’em a lift to wherever they’re going. So we decided to take that promise literally.

We created a character: the embodiment of Sound Transit’s entire transportation system, who happens to be in a cool bespoke suit. As he treks around the Sound, riders can hop on and take the burden of the trip off their shoulders. Bing-bong!

We found a great production partner in the Docter Twins and Thinking Machine who really helped to solidify our plans to carry humans around on top of other humans, and they didn’t even bat an eye. This was a perfect situation where everyone had to come to the table with a problem-solvers mindset everyday, and it showed in the end result. And it was also a ton of fun. A number of us, including your’s truly, were even able to climb aboard our human Sound Transit during the shoot. See if you can spot us!

CLIENT: Sound Transit | ACD/AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Karina Zack & Danielle Janota | 3D: Josh Lieske | ECD: Vince Soliven | CCO: Mike Hayward | PROD: Jen Allen | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR: Docter Twins | PROD CO: Thinking Machine | EDIT: Docter Twins | COLOR: Derek Hansen at AFX Creative | PHOTO: Angela Kohler

What happens when one company gets too big and powerful for its own good? Well, in the case of GCI, Alaska’s biggest internet provider, they apparently start taking advantage of their customers. GCI's data caps, throttling, unreliable connection, and hidden fees all add up one pretty unbearable internet experience. No one deserves to be treated that way, especially when they’re paying good money for it. But that's where Alaska Communications comes in.

Alaska Communications' new fiber network boasts the fastest, most powerful internet Alaskans can get—for less money than those other guys. Not to mention unlimited data with absolutely no throttling! And with our new brand campaign featuring your regular, everyday last frontier family, Alaska Communications is showing the state that they deserve an upgrade.

It takes fun people to bring a fun campaign like this to life, as well. Meaning we had such a great time collaborating with the team at Alaska Communications from the very start. The same goes for incorporating Director Michael Illick's vision and the whole crew at Food Chain into the mix, who continued to find ways to make the work better and better. And the good news is, we’ll be rolling out two more spots in the coming months that we’re equally excited about!

CLIENT: Alaska Communications | ACD/AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Karina Zack | ECD: Vince Soliven | CCO: Mike Hayward | PROD: Jen Allen | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR: Michael Illick | DP: Joe Meade | PROD CO: Food Chain | EDIT: Brian Alter | SOUND: Will Yen at Formasa Group | COLOR: Carbon

When she's not playing Frisbee or with her ball, or running around with one of her stuffed animals (or eating), our little border collie, Annie Oakley, loves to sleep on the couch (I can't blame her). She has her preferred nap spot that’s all hers, so why not immortalize her there with a quick doodle?

Recently, we released another spot in the RVshare “Use Your Outside Voice” campaign, and it might be one of my favorite elements yet. The texture, emotion and sound design really came together well, and we were able put a new spin on things while still managing to pull from the assets we shot last spring. So enjoy!

CLIENT: RVshare | ACD/AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Karina Zack | GCD: Lianne Onart | ECD: Mike Hayward | PROD: MacKenzie Huff | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR: Janssen Powers | DP: Jeremy Snell | PROD CO: Farm League | COLOR: Dante Pasquinelli | EDIT: Brian Alter | SOUND: John Buroker at HEARby

When one of your best and longest friends asks for a favor you obviously say “yes” — no matter what it is. That decision is made even easier when it’s to design something that’s as cool as signage for a golf tournament taking place on a the frozen waters of Green Lake, Minnesota). Oh, it’s also for a good cause.

That was the case here, which lead to the illustration above, meant for a sign displaying sponsor information for different golf holes and events taking place at the 2nd annual Wintergreen Golf on Ice tournament. All proceeds went to the Safe Haven Foster Shoppe which provides essential items for kids of all ages going through foster care. And last I heard they raised nearly $5000, plus tons of other things like diapers, formula and clothes for Minnesota kids in need, which is extra cool!

So well done Katie and Jeremiah Yernberg for pulling of a great event, which looked super fun and I’m jealous I couldn’t be there in person, but I’m very proud to be able to help from afar, even in a small way.

When it comes to local brands or companies, you'd be hard pressed to find one more well-liked than KEXP 90.3FM. So when we got the opportunity to help them promote their year-end giving and donations, it felt like quite an honor. And since KEXP is the single biggest driver of music in our community, it only made sense to focus on the amazing things that can happen when we unite for a common cause, hence: "Everything sounds better when we're together." 

This main illustration was then used to make direct mailers, social posts like this and this, banner ads, plus website imagery—all leading listeners to donate to their favorite human-powered radio station.

CLIENT: KEXP | ACD/ILLUSTRATION: Andy Westbrock | CW: Danielle Janota | ePROD: Josh Lieske | ECD: Vince Soliven | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado

Take it from two ol' snowfriends, the holidays are better with loved ones by your side.

Illustrated by myself, and animated by Josh Lieske.

Perhaps I'm missing those warm summer days in the mountains, but hiking up a mountain pass on a sunny day, then jumping into a cold alpine lake sounds pretty great right now—mosquitos be damned!

I never get tired of seeing these feathery friends around our home and in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, so it seemed about time to find one under the tip of my Apple Pencil.

And not only are they beautiful, I love how noisy and brash they are. They’re also super fascinating. Do yourself a favor and learn up on the Stellar’s Jay. They can even mimic the sounds of other birds and animals, for Pete’s sake!

Say hello to the pride and joy of Bricksburg! I’ve been admiring some of the awesome character illustration out there and wanted to dabble in it a little. When it comes to illustration, “fan art” is always so inspiring, along with the original character design themselves, but it’s not really something I’ve explored much. And it’s an excellent way to try out different illustration styles, too (especially with say, The Lego Movie, when it’s already coming from the animation world). I’ve never been way into Marvel characters and all that, but I sure do love me some Lego, so Emmet seemed like the perfect place to start.

As the 2022 Seattle Mariners take the field in Minute Made Park, I can't help but think back to February 2020 when we filmed five of the Seattle Mariners promising young Minor Leaguers during Spring Training. Who were those five players, you ask? Logan Gilbert, Cal Raleigh, Jarred Kelenic, George Kirby, and an 18 year old Julio Rodriguez, all of whom had even played above Double-A at the time. And it was just a quick add-on to our day after shooting the Major Leaguers, strictly as a look toward the future of the team. And don’t look now, but all five are part of the M's postseason journey and on the ALDS 26-man roster—Logan Gilbert as the Game 1 starting pitcher.

GoMs!

Breakfast ✅
Coffee ✅
Mariners 2022 ALDS roster ✅ pic.twitter.com/vxHYKZgQLG

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) October 11, 2022

Roll, roll, roll your skate… gently across the rink.

Have you heard of the rule of threes? Okay, good. So have I and so have the other two Pacific Northwest creatures I illustrated this year, so they demanded a third. And here you have it, a three-colored orca who has places to be.

Let’s be honest, society has a way of putting a leash on us all. Even at an early age, we are taught to “behave” and to “mind our manners.” We’re supposed to be “buttoned up,” act “appropriately” and always color inside the lines.

But sometimes you just need to let it out. To get a little distance and free yourself to do whatever you want. 

So take the above photo for example. Even though you can’t hear this picture, let’s be honest, you can hear this picture. And the other thing is, you can’t do this at home. Or at work. You definitely can’t do this at a hotel or on a cruise ship, either. But that’s the beautiful thing about RVs, they bring you true, unbridled freedom. Which is now made accessible to everyone able to rend an RV through RVshare, because they are your vehicle for your outdoor expression.

Which is why RVshare invites everyone to Use Your Outside Voice—to let loose, embrace spontaneity, and welcome the uncomplicated moments in life. Because with an RV rental, the key to truly unbridled freedom is actually just a set of keys. So buckle up, let’s go!

Fresh Air, Fresh Brand

We refreshed RVshare’s brand to reflect their newly unleashed spirit. We introduced a new logo, established a color palette inspired by nature, illustrated a bevy of handmade elements, and redefined the way they looked and spoke to RV renters and owners everywhere.

CLIENT: RVshare | ACD/AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Karina Zack | GCD: Lianne Onart | ECD: Mike Hayward | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR & EDIT: Janssen Powers | DP: Jeremy Snell | PROD: Farm League | SCORE: Benjamin Gustafsson | COLOR: Dante Pasquinelli | SOUND: Jacki! Zhou

Back in mid March, we got word from Symetra there might be a chance to shoot with the living legend that is Sue Bird. We’d get one day and it would happen—most likely—sometime in April. So Andrew Gall and I started putting together ideas and scripts, not really knowing what might come of them, or when things might happen. And since Sue has hinted this might be her last season in the WNBA as she nears retirement, it seemed like a pivotal time for her partnership with Symetra. Sue reflecting on her career, thinking about what she’d tell her younger-self seemed like a good place to start.

Then, without about 10 days to prep, we heard April 7th was our day—Sue would be available and in Seattle. So we jumped into action! Luckily, we already had a director and production company in mind (Zia Mohajerjasbi with Society), and as luck would have it, they were available! Then, our world-class CF producers (namely MacKenzie Huff) along with our clients and account team, made it all come together—and fast! It was a huge team effort by everyone involved.

It was a whirlwind tour, but everything came together great! We quickly worked out script nuances, wardrobe and found a location, which was difficult with COVID protocols and on short notice. Then on shoot day, Sue was the total pro she’s always been when we’ve been fortunate enough to work with her. And, not surprisingly, she nailed practically every shot. It’s amazing how that is when you’re working with someone who’s a master of their craft. And seriously, she wasn’t clanking them in, either. This behind the scenes GIF below shows it exactly. It was like that every take. Swish. Every time. Swish. Amazing.

Anyway, this is a long way of saying it was a very fun and rewarding production process, and we’re all very excited with how it turned out. We have a few more things that will accompany this, but for the time being, we hope you enjoy the spot:

CLIENT: Symetra Life Insurance Co. | AD: Andy Westbrock | GCD/CW: Andrew Gall | CCO: Mike Hayward | PRODUCER: MacKenzie Huff | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR: Zia Mohajerjasbi | PROD CO: Society | EDIT: Heidi Black at Whitehouse Post | AUDIO: HearBy | COLOR: Bryan Smaller at Company 3

Earlier this year I illustrated a chinook salmon, and he needed a friend. So here’s a little Dungeness crabby friend I drew for him to hang with in the same three-color style. Might have to just keep this rolling as a series.

The path to becoming a parent looks different for everyone, and sometimes that journey isn’t exactly an easy one. And in the Pacific Northwest, there are few organizations more well-versed in that journey than Seattle Reproductive Medicine. So we worked with SRM’s knowledgeable staff to find and tell three stories from their patients to help shed some light on a few of those different paths, and help to inform others that may be facing some of these same questions.

CLIENT: Seattle Reproductive Medicine | AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Theo Henry | ECD: Mike Hayward | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR: Lindsay Daniels | PROD: Kontent Partners | EDIT: Brian Alter | COLOR: Joel Voelker

The spawning season for chinook salmon isn’t for another six months, but I couldn’t wait to birth my own salmon creation. So here ya go! I used a simple three color pallet (cyan, magenta & yellow) multiplied together—which I’ve always been a big fan of because you then get a total of seven colors as they blend together in different combinations. So something that’s pretty simple and basic can become more dynamic depending on how you overlap the three layers, akin to screen printing.

When it comes to your holiday shopping, Goodwill may not always be the first place that comes to mind. But for savvy shoppers who are looking for one-of-a-kind items, look no further! We created these three quick videos that ran on social and in-store to remind us there’s more than just ugly sweaters to be found in the aisles of Goodwill—not to mention the fact you’re keeping countless items out of landfills AND helping others gain jobs and job training through other Goodwill programs. Which, if you ask me, fits the holiday spirit perfectly!

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CLIENT: Evergreen Goodwill of Western Washington | AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Karina Zack | GCD: Andrew Gall | PROD: MacKenzie Huff | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR: Kyle Ilenda | PROD CO: Fresh Coat Studios | EDIT: Brian Alter