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

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

The “rules” around money have always been…confusing. When you should retire, how much to put down on a house, when to save and when to spend… let’s face it, not many of those rules hold true anymore. Our challenge was to help people feel confident about something that’s historically uncomfortable to acknowledge: their finances. And by playing on the (questionable) money advice we’ve all gotten, we helped Gesa Credit Union stake a claim in the crowded Washington market by showing people there’s a healthier approach to money.

The other cool thing about this campaign launch was that it was a major rebrand for Gesa, now the second largest credit union in the state. With this, they unveiled a completely new logo, website, design look and feel, plus a fresh market as they branched out from Eastern Washington into Western Washington, and the Puget Sound region. And the team we worked with at Gesa was super awesome to work with, too. It was a true collaboration on every step of the way, which makes it real easy to be proud of all the work we’ve done and continue to do.

CLIENT: Gesa Credit Union | AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Karina Zack | ECD: Mike Hayward | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR: Craig Brownrigg | PROD: Hobby Film | EDIT: Brian Alter | SOUND: HEARby | COLOR: Joel Voelker

Even as the world stopped in the face of a global pandemic, the wheels of public transit still need to go ‘round and ‘round. So Sound Transit, which provides mass transportation to tens of thousands of people in the Pacific Northwest via bus, light rail and train each month couldn’t go into lockdown, even as many of of did. Commuters—and especially front-line workers—still needed them more than ever. The wheels of Sound Transit couldn’t stop. And they didn’t. As vaccinations rolled out across our region, our challenge was to welcome anxious riders back to a safe transit option—one that never took its foot off the gas. An emotional and undeniably catchy take on the well-known children’s song did just that.

CLIENT: Sound Transit | AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Theo Henry | GCD: Vince Soliven | ECD: Mike Hayward | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado | DIR: Tony Fulgham | PROD: All Is Well | EDIT: Brian Alter

Oregon is known for a lot of great things; the amazing Pacific Coastline, towering volcanoes of the Cascade Range, and every single episode of Portlandia. But you may not know it’s also one of the best places in the world to grow the fickle pinot noir grapes needed to make pinot noir wine—specifically in the famed Willamette Valley. It’s there in the Dundee Hills region where you’ll find Erath Winery, makers of Oregon’s No.1 selling pinot noir.

It was this fact we dove into head first. That Erath is the culmination of all the best things about Oregon’s culture, climate and soil coming together in a bottle of wine. And every time you open a bottle of Erath, you’re invited on a sensory excursion to Oregon, no matter where you happen to drink it. Which is why we dubbed it, “An Oregon Original.”

I’m a big fan of Oregon (and the Pacific Northwest in general), so this was personally a super fun campaign for me to work on. You don’t have to twist my arm to conceptualize what Oregon means, look through beautiful photos of Oregon landscapes and create a voice that captures the same essence. So hopefully that passion comes through in what you see here.

CLIENT: Erath Winery | AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Carla Sparks | ECD: Mike Hayward | AGENCY: Copacino Fujikado

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In a sort of strange Seattle sports tradition, for 20 years in fact, it isn’t quite spring in the Pacific Northwest until the Seattle Mariners commercials debut for the new season. The local media; from The Seattle Times, Seattle PI, to sports blogs like SB Nation, all chime in on their take for each spot. They’re generally well received and something fans see over and over as the season progresses through the summer. But because of all that, there’s a little pressure riding on them when Copacino+Fujikado, the ad agency behind the campaign for two decades now, gets to work on the new batch. And lucky for me, I got to throw my hat into the ring for 2014!

I’m quite happy and proud with how they turned out, too. Definitely proud to be apart of what’s become a bit of a local institution. So give them a watch, and be sure to check them out on the Mariners Blog to vote for your favorite:

Felix Hernandez gets the royal treatment with each new pitch Check out http://MLB.com/video for more! About MLB.com: Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on January 19, 2000, that the 30 Major League Club owners voted unanimously to centralize all of Baseball's Internet operations into an independent technology company.

Robinson Cano is a five-time All-Star and he's got the music and slow motion to prove it Check out http://MLB.com/video for more! About MLB.com: Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on January 19, 2000, that the 30 Major League Club owners voted unanimously to centralize all of Baseball's Internet operations into an independent technology company.

Beneath his quiet demeanor, Hisashi Iwakuma is full of surprises Check out http://MLB.com/video for more! About MLB.com: Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on January 19, 2000, that the 30 Major League Club owners voted unanimously to centralize all of Baseball's Internet operations into an independent technology company.

A celebration of Kyle Seager's gritty, throwback style Check out http://MLB.com/video for more! About MLB.com: Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on January 19, 2000, that the 30 Major League Club owners voted unanimously to centralize all of Baseball's Internet operations into an independent technology company.

When it comes to a pair of pleated slacks, simply head down to the mall and buy yourself a pair. That’s not the case when we’re talking about Carhartt work pants – the toughest, hardest working, longest lasting pants the world has ever known. Because you don’t just “buy” a pair of Carhartt’s, you hire them. You enter into an unshakable bond between man and pant. A loyal co-worker who will be with you every step of the way. Which is exactly how it’s been since Hamilton Carhartt founded his namesake company back in 1889. And that won’t be changing anytime soon, either.

So the next time you have a job that’s bigger than any one person can handle, look to Carhartt. And Hire These Pants. 

Anywho, this was a super fun campaign to work on with Carhartt, and one of my personal favorites since being at Wexley. Not only is it always a pleasure to wrap your head around such a great brand, the end product turned out great and our clients were super happy, too. That always helps. And we also got to work with the extremely talented John Keatley to shoot our badass pants. And if that wasn’t enough, Mr. Andre Vriesman even got to be the pant model. Unfortunately we had to photoshop him out in the end, but if you don’t believe me, here’s proof:

Dolphin disappointment

Be on the lookout for some fun, quirky new commercials for Taco Del Mar soon. It stars a long board surfer riding on a never ending wave of deliciousness and a few of this friends from the sea. Oh, and he really loves the new TDM Shrimp Tostada. A lot. And he wants everyone to know.

Shhhh. Tostadas are here.

Attention, ocean...

CLIENT: Taco Del Mar  |  AGENCY: Wexley School for Girls  |  DIR: Fred Northrop Jr.  |  PROD CO: Southdown Creative

Agency: Wexley School for Girls Art Director: Andy Westbrock Copywriter: Matt Kappler Creative Director: Ian Cohen Developer: LitFuse

Ever wish you could have a super-awesome date with super-awesome professional soccer players? Of course you do. You’re only human and the need for love and soccer are part of our basic human necessities. Luckily, there are now things in place to help you with this very thing.

Recently, we launched Make a Date with a Sounder. There you have a chance to get to know the guys of the Seattle Sounders FC , learn their likes and dislikes, and obviously, make a date with a Sounder (along with 36,000 other fans). If all that doesn’t satisfy your basic human needs, I don’t know what will. You’re probably a lost cause and dead inside.

So if you’re in the Seattle area, hopefully you’ll see the full campaign running (billboards, TV, print, charity eBay auctions). I’ll post the rest later, but for now check out everything that’s going on at datewithasounder.com and don’t forget to actually make a date.

Note: Last night the Sounders broke the MLS attendance record with 46,505 wild, screaming fans. I like to think we sold a good share of those tickets. They’ve also added over 30k new fans on Facebook in just four weeks since the campaign has launched.

CLIENT: Seattle Sounders FC | AD: Andy Westbrock | CW: Matt Kappler | CD: Ian Cohen | AGENCY: Wexley School for Girls | DEV: LitFuse

Have you ever worked with leather before? A little over a year ago I got my first chance to do so while making some brand books for Redhook Ale. If you haven’t done any leather work before you should, because it’s pretty cool. And slightly weird. Especially when you think about the fact you’re using the skin of a formally alive animal for something other than it was originally intended.

The best thing about making these was being able to get away from the computer and having a chance to work with your hands. Tangible stuff. Stuff you can feel. Every cover piece was cut out by hand, as was every bit of the type. That’s a heck of a lot more rewarding than just printing everything off and binding it with a piece of plastic.

Back in February 2004, you’d find me roaming the halls of Brainco: The Minneapolis School of Advertising & Design. It was a great place to be and one of the funnest periods in my life. During this time is when I started working on this campaign for Craftsman Tools and honing my skills as an ad person.  I say “ad person” because at the time, we weren’t working with partners yet and I took a lot of pride in doing the writing, along with the art direction and photography. I even created the font, which was something new for me. So since this campaign was a pretty important stepping stone for me, I wanted to share them and give them a little more light.

On a side note, I really like the new Craftsman tagline, “Trust. In Your Hands.” In a world where people can’t work on their own cars and buy near-disposable Ikea furniture, it’s a sentiment that really carries some weight. Coming from a household where my dad’s first instinct was to build it yourself before you even think about pulling out your wallet, it makes me a little sad to think that working with your hands is a lost art. Luckily, Craftsman is the perfect brand to get people back in their garage and it makes me happy to see they realize this.

CLIENT: Craftsman Tools
AD/CW/PHOTO: Andy Westbrock
INSTRUCTORS: Erik Kvålseth & Grant Bernstein
SCHOOL: Brainco

Perhaps you already noticed (most likely not), but my writing partner, Andre Vriesman and I, finally gathered up the best of the 750 photos we took of the GroupHealth domination we did this summer at the Westlake Center in downtown Seattle and added it to the ol’portfolio. It’s always tough trying to tell the story of such a big ordeal in the most simple way possible. I think it came together pretty well.

This was the third year we got the opportunity to use this alt-media canvas and, in my mind, it’s the best one yet. The idea was to turn the giant mass of granite bricks that is the courtyard of the Westlake Center into a leafy oasis where people could escape their urban surroundings. From this, the GroupHealth Park was born. We also added a 14 x 12 foot wilderness maze that encourages would be hikers to get out and be healthy and a 16 foot long tire hop to train on. Not to mention all the table top art and banners we made too. One of which is a huge topo map of Mt. Rainier National Park. My eyes could pore over that for hours on end. Take a look for yourself.

The greatest thing about doing this kind of advertising has got to be how people react to it. It’s one of the few instances I’ve had in my career where I’ve gotten to witness firsthand, people interacting with your work, smiling, taking pictures of each other and genuinely enjoying something you helped create. It’s a great feeling.