Creative Director  /  Chicago, IL

JP
Caruso

Selected Work

Buffalo Wild Wings

Limited Time Only

Writer & Creative Director

Buffalo Wild Wings wanted to talk about their limited time only menu, which changes every quarter. So we created one concept with unlimited executions, each one a limited-time-only unexpected situation related to sports.

"We found out people love wings. But boy, do they love to kiss."

Kiss-Cam: We took the Kiss-Cam out of the stadium and brought it into Times Square in NYC, for a limited time too.

Penalty Box: For a limited time only, we helped hockey players deal with their issues while they sat in the box.

Eye Exam: For a limited time only, referees and umpires who sometimes don't see correctly could get a free eye exam.

Kiss-Cam, Times Square activation

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Kiss-Cam, campaign film

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Penalty Box

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Eye Exam

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Tecfil

Trust Your Mechanic

Writer & Creative Director

As a freelance writer, I have the privilege of working close to clients. A lot of times I become the planner and account director as well, you know how it is.

When the client told me Tecfil was the best-selling brand of car filters in Latin America, I was surprised but not suspicious. Because who remembers the brand of oil and air filters in their car? Exactly. No one does. You simply trust your mechanic.

"You trust your mechanic. He trusts Tecfil. The leader in automotive filters."

We created a series of situations where one person is struggling to make a decision and asks their mechanic for advice. The client laughed. They loved it.

Campaign film

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Adidas

Second Skin

Writer & Creative Director

This was my first work for Adidas. There are so many stories I want to tell about the experience of launching the new jersey on a video instead of the traditional PR events Adidas was used to doing, and maybe I'll tell you all about it in person.

The video was posted on YouTube as a teaser for a possible misplacing of the uniform the team was supposed to wear the next day. Fans were invited to play detective using Google Maps as the game board: find out who took the Palmeiras uniforms, how they did it, and why. The first 300 fans to solve it won limited edition Adidas product.

The first real viral brand campaign on YouTube in Brazil. No paid distribution. Nike noticed, tried the same thing, and spent heavily to get comparable results.

Campaign film

Watch on Vimeo

Adidas

Adidism

Writer & Creative Director

Adidas sells more soccer cleats to children than adults. So to speak directly to them, we created a movement, a philosophy that states everyone was born with a specific gift relating to sports.

The three groups were called Predator, Adipure, and F50. Not by chance, these are the names of the three boots Adidas sells. We used the three main players sponsored by Adidas at the time, Gerrard, Kaka, and Messi, to represent each group. Kids logged on, took a test, and interacted with the player who shared their gift for the rest of the year.

Adidism campaign visual Adidism philosophy seal Adidism digital platform Adidism three schools

Adidas

Heroes

Writer & Creative Director

After two consecutive campaigns for Adidas, I was invited to pitch for their 2011 account. I called a few friends and we pitched against four other agencies. TBWA was one of them, and they had the Adidas media buy. We won.

Adidas was inspired by the 1951 Palmeiras team, considered the first world champions in the history of soccer. One of the players, Oberdan Cattani, the goalkeeper from 1951, took part in the film. The film went viral on YouTube.

Campaign film

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Adidas

Warriors

Writer & Creative Director

Palmeiras is known in Sao Paulo by its signature green uniforms. So when Adidas decided to launch a blue jersey for the team, we knew there was a big chance fans would reject it.

We came up with a tale to explain the new color. The video tells the story of how Palmeiras was founded, that their players came from a long line of warriors who fought for the honor of the royal family, the Casa Azzurra in Italy. Casa Azzurra, which literally means blue house, also inspired the Italian national team's blue jerseys. When the video went viral, fans debated whether the story was historically true, with many of them confirming it was.

Campaign film

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Philips

Meu Nome e Correria

Writer & Creative Director

When Philips decided to compete with Bose, JBL, and Beats in Brazil, we knew they had to do more than lifestyle ads and celebrities wearing headphones. So we did none of those things and instead launched a podcast.

In Brazil, when you ask people how they are doing, you hear "Estou na correria," which translates to "I'm on the run." But these people are always on the run, so it becomes their identity. We decided to call them by their name, give them a voice, and be relevant.

The podcast became bigger than the campaign. The brand is still running it.

Manifesto

Episode, Rafinha Bastos

Vale Sul Shopping

Hopping

Writer & Creative Director

When we started talking about Christmas, we didn't even know if people would finally be able to spend it with their families again.

This campaign was both fun and tough to create. Personally, because I had lost family members that year, and because I knew my son wouldn't get to spend Christmas with my parents.

The choice of bunnies has to do with the fact that Easter had been canceled during the pandemic. We wanted to create a conversation about the bunnies coming out of their holes on Christmas. The film tells a story of a little bunny who doesn't know how to hop and her relationship with her grandma who empathizes with her struggle.

"Maybe my heart that is always jumping / could teach me how to hop / even if I just stay where I am"

Animated film

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Explore Minnesota

Only in Minnesota

Social Media Photographer

"I've been called an influencer before, but don't let that influence your opinion about my work."

This one is different. An ad agency contacted me and said they wanted to use one of my Instagram photographs to attract tourists from other states to visit Minnesota. My photo of the Guthrie Theater ended up on a mural.

Sometimes the image finds you.

Campaign activation

Pay Forward

I believe generosity comes from being thankful for what you have.

The more you recognize how blessed you are, the more you give without expecting anything in return. These are some of the social projects I've been involved with. If you'd like me to help with your cause, let's talk.

World Vision

Elite Squad

What do you want to be when you grow up?

World Vision works with families and children all over the world who need help financially and spiritually. I believe advertising can make a difference just as much as donating money. So I donate my time to their cause.

The spot aired on Cinemark Theaters all over Brazil during the launch of Tropa de Elite. We used one of the film's most famous quotes to provoke a reaction and challenge audiences to get involved in making these kids' dreams come true.

Campaign film

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World Vision

A Shot of Espresso

Sponsoring a kid is as cheap as a shot of espresso a day.

The brief was to show how easy it is to help and sponsor kids through donations. When they told me how much they ask, I did the math. It was the same amount I spent on espressos every day.

Bakeries are part of Brazil's culture. A well-known pastor delivers the message simply, in that world. The results were above expected.

Campaign film

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World Vision

Dolls.

Open your eyes, your heart, and your hands.

World Vision challenged me to bring awareness to kids dying from poverty before they turn five years old. Instead of showing sad images that make people turn the TV off, I suggested we use dolls.

The spot aired nationwide on Globo TV channel.

Campaign film

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Let's
Talk

Email jpcaruso@jpcaruso.com Instagram @jpcaruso LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/jpcaruso