Oakley
2023Future Genesis
Campaign LaunchOakley wanted to create a brand moment that honored its heritage and propelled a visionary, long-term narrative. The challenge was to build a campaign platform around the legendary Oakley advertisement character, Max Fearlight, that would resonate culturally with fans, lay the foundation for years of ongoing storytelling, and also serve as an internal guide for the bold new brand direction.
As Senior Art Director, I played a central role in bringing Oakley’s new brand direction Future Genesis to life. I helped shape the long-term narrative by contributing to concept development, storytelling, and creative execution across every touchpoint. From reimagining the iconic characters and their wardrobe to art directing cinematic posters, key visuals, out of home assets and a printed book.
THE IDEA
To reinvigorate Oakley’s history of innovation and disruption, we created two cinematic animated teasers that reintroduce the Max Fearlight universe—beginning a new chapter that honors the brand’s roots and pushes it’s narrative into the future.
Max Fearlight’s cinematic universe was expanded to introduce a brand muse for the next generation—his daughter Maxine Fearlight.
The 360º campaign included story development, naming, scripting, character design, animation direction, naming, logo design, digital and out of home asset creation and a printed book.
To align Oakley’s internal teams around the bold new vision of Future Genesis, we created an extensive user guide that unpacked the teasers and the brand direction embodied by the narrative and its characters.
IMPACT
The launch drove Oakley’s largest user engagement ever on single social posts. Media coverage and consumer response confirmed Future Genesis as a cultuallty relvant new direction for the brand.
10B+ Social Impressions
46M+ Engagements
1.5M+ Mentions
1.5M+ Posts
PRESS
Agency: Kamp Grizzly
Senior Art Director: Peter Bowhan
Senior Art Director: Peter Bowhan
Executive Creative Director: Dan Portrait
Creative Direction, Animation Direction, Writing: Tom O’Toole
Writer and Co-Creative Direction: Jeff Harding
Animation Studio: Revenant (Glasgow)
Creative Team: Tyler Alexander, G Stewart, David Shanklin
Strategy: Tai Foster
Project Managers: Carson Schubert, Madi Smukalla
Creative Direction, Animation Direction, Writing: Tom O’Toole
Writer and Co-Creative Direction: Jeff Harding
Animation Studio: Revenant (Glasgow)
Creative Team: Tyler Alexander, G Stewart, David Shanklin
Strategy: Tai Foster
Project Managers: Carson Schubert, Madi Smukalla