And everything was never the same.
Jordan Brand asked if we could craft a launch film for Zion Williamson’s first signature shoe. We said yes, did a quick research sprint, and learned Zion’s not just a Gen Z scroll-stopping highlight machine. He was also an avid poet in College, and he’s best buddies with his little brother.
Being a triple threat on and off the court fueled the final result, which ran during every Pelican’s home game, with social, brand platform, and OOH assets supporting the full Global campaign.
Film Concepts, Scripts, Film Direction, Post & Finishing Direction
Production: Falcon Content, Edit: Rock Paper Scissors LA, Color Grade: Company 3 NY, Sound: Echolab Dublin, VO: DJ Khaled, Creative Collaborators: Jordan Brand Creative Team.
We helped Ember (of self-heating mug fame) help us all by introducing the World's first self-refrigerated, sustainable shipping box designed to protect essential medicines.
The long-form film headlined the press announcement, with shorter edits, stills, and gifs used across digital.
Film Concepts, Scripts, Storyboards, Art Direction, CGI Supervision, Voice Over Direction, and Edit, Post, Color Supervision.
CGI: Stept Studios LA, Edit: Lockt Editorial, LA
Our team was challenged by featuring Nike Trainers with a fresh approach that falls between polished brand content and lo-fi UGC. The platform idea also had to help educate consumers about Nike's Zenvy and Go leggings while resonating with very different athleisure markets across APAC and LATAM.
We found production efficiencies by running three concurrent shoots in Tokyo and parallel-pathed website design, Spotify ad scripts, 3rd party retail toolkit builds, and more.
In the end, all assets ran not only Internationally, but also across Nike’s global channels. While the robust playbook we created encouraged 25 markets to make additional localized content.
Strategy, Campaign Platform, Scripts, Creative Direction, On location Film Director, Web Design (Front End Dev), Photographer, Edit, Post & Finishing Direction
Insights: Untapped, Japan Production: Push Media, Edit: Rock Paper Scissors NY, Color: Primary LA, Music: Universal, Creative Collaborator: Nike Internal
This is one of our favorite examples of blurry-lined collaboration. While working on a running campaign aimed at Gen Z women, we realized Nike's primary logo featured a man x8. Awkward.
Knowing Nike's belief in inclusivity, we asked if we could redesign it. We heard it wasn't likely because it was already running globally. We tried anyway and also altered each character's running position, allowing for stop motion and zoetrope animations.
Long story short, our wonderful client loved the new version and convinced the whole of Nike to replace the design worldwide. 👏👏👏
Design, Cultural Research, Illustration, Motion Design
Original logo from Nike
Film Concepts, Scripts, Film Direction, Post / Edit / Finishing Direction
Athlete Film Capture, Editing: Blue Ox, UGC license agreements: Locomotive Content, Creative Collaborators: Jordan Brand Creative Team
Dexter's Life Science Network provides a platform for researchers to find and collaborate with precision medical experts on matters extraordinarily complicated and Latin-sounding.
The platform is serious in theory, but friendly and approachable in practice. On a limited budget, we provided the guidance needed for the brand to carefully strike this same balance. We also helped design a bespoke character used across Dexter’s properties.
Brand Design, Brand Positioning, Tone Of Voice, Logo (refining), Front End Web Design, Start-Up Social Package, Character Design
Character CGI: Rave Growl, South Africa
‘Behind The Design’ was historically Jordan Brand’s deep dive into the latest shoe’s tech. We were asked to refresh the franchise to attract a wider, younger audience.
We concepted, wrote and directed a package of films including these eye-pleasers featuring celebrity shooting coach Chris Matthews (aka Lethal Shooter) and legendary shoe designer Tate Kuerbis.
Film Concepts, Film Direction, On-set Film Director, Post/Finishing Direction
Production: Falkon Content, Edit & Graphics: Golden LA, Creative Collaborators: Jordan Brand Creative Team.
To launch Russell Westbrook’s Why Not 0.5’s, we built a campaign around, you guessed it — ‘Why Not?’. The shoe’s name, and Russ’ foundation whose mission is to ‘inspire the lives of children, empower them to ask ‘Why Not?’, and teach them to never give up’.
We concepted, and directed this journey into the mind of 10 year old Ziggy, as he wondered whether he could grow up to play like Westbrook. Spoiler, Russ believes ‘why not?’
Film Concept, Scripts, Creative Direction, On-set Film Director, Post & Finishing Direction, Illustration
Production, Edit, Color, Sound, Motion Design: Golden LA, Creative Collaborators: Jordan Brand Creative Team
AJ1 ‘Elevate’ is Jordan Brand’s take on the original Air Jordan 1 ‘Bred’ low for women, with a new lifted sole. We delivered this retro Behind The Design film by directing self-capture sessions of the designers responsible.
Together we tell the story of how they paid homage to the original, while updating it for a modern fashion fit. And the old-school VO learns THIS IS NOT A BASKETBALL SHOE, MY GUY.
Script Guidance, Zoom Film Direction (during the Pandemic), Art Direction, Post & Finishing Direction
3D, Motion Design, Edit, Color, Sound: Logan LA. Home Shopping Concept: Jordan Brand Creative Team.
Otoh stands for ‘on the other hand’. Not ‘only the oddest humans,’ but it’s also kind of true.
At Otoh our curiosity drives us to see things from the most, and least possible angles.
At Otoh, we believe that great creative makes the world go ‘round. Great partnerships enable great creative. And ‘hammer-pants' are under-appreciated attire.
We like to learn lessons. Not form habits.
A curious crew who problem solve with world-class creative.
An independent agency based in California, with collaborators spread around the world.
Founders Matt Heck (ECD) and Janna Imrie (MD) combine global agency experience and tech expertise to create a remixed agency model.
We’re a nimble, diverse group of makers, directors, crafters, coders, & strategizers who take an unconventional approach to creativity. Teams of category experts work alongside unorthodox thinkers to uncover unique perspectives brought to life with craft.
When you meet us, expect a sincere group of perfectionists who bring a welcomed optimism and collaborative approach to the agency space.
Without forks in the road, you may be running in circles.
We've been called an ad agency, design studio, digital creators, and our favorite "good and very nice to work with." And we expect this list to grow.
Our work and ways of working challenge conventions and often blur media boundaries — which inspired the agency's name, On The Other Hand (Otoh).
This thinking has consistently led the work of Otoh's leadership team to be recognized at international award shows, such as D&AD, Cannes, LIA, The One Show, The Webbys, Effies, and more.
And while awards aren't the goal, we've found that jurors tend to notice when real brand problems are solved with unique, crafted creative. The work reaches a broader audience, our clients get further recognition, and we get to drink Rosé in France together, which is a nice ending to any story, really.
It’s as complicated as it needs to be.
We're a solutions studio. What does that mean?
You could bring us a brief, and we'll execute against it. We're creators at heart! But we'd prefer to work through the challenge from the start.
With international backgrounds in tech, editorial, and marketing, we have a mashed-up, agile workflow. Meaning — once we understand the constraints and possibilities together, we can craft a bespoke approach to problem-solving and production.
Our collaborative methods have us working alongside in-house creative departments, running project-based productions, and more traditional agency retainer agreements.
Let's chat game plans.
Your friendly neighborhood global locals.
In 2023 our international know-how has resulted in campaigns running across four continents.
Having a diverse, multinational POV is essential to us. It allows our work to be grounded in authentic insights and brought to life eclectically.
The leadership team has launched campaigns in over 30 countries, making augmenting teams for the job easy.
From Amsterdam to Arizona, Denver, DC, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, NYC, Portland, San Diego, Sydney, Tokyo, Vancouver, and wandering — our core team may be small, but we make up for our size in perspectives.
Our goal is to make all we encounter better than we found it.
Back in the day, brands needed four floors of 'experts' to shepherd their advertising and protect their enormous media buy. It took months to agree on a scope alone. Times have changed.
At Otoh, we're very good at what we do. And the brands we work with seem to enjoy our casual, friendly-natured approach.
There's no room for politics, self-centered leaders, and narrow-minded douchebaggery here. In short, we work hard, have fun, and respect the lives of everyone we work with — leading to better work and healthier client partnerships.
At Otoh, we're here to help. We understand that the best initiatives are often the least funded. So if you're helping the planet, progressing humanity, or otherworldly goodness, please get in touch, and we'll see what we can do to help.