Jason Sugar's Portfolio

CLIENT

Staples

ASSETS

Signage

Digital

Please don't call these ads "over the hill." That's mean. And a little ageist. We prefer retro, vintage, timeless. They're just waiting to make a comeback — like hair metal.

And, yes, that's an actual CD in one of my ads. Remember when we used to listen to them? Those were the days.

And, yes, that's Engelbert Humperdinck. Remember when we used to listen to him? Yeah, me neither.

Posters

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DEPARTMENT OF UNEXPECTED GIFTS

Being able to write in different voices is essential for any good storyteller, but this truly took that to a whole new level. This award-nominated holiday campaign featured an eclectic panel of six "agents," each with a unique area of gift-giving expertise.

As the campaign's lead copywriter, my job was to conceptualize and capture every agent's voice — from the silky-smooth, self-absorbed Engelbert Humperdinck to the obsessively organized Taste Maker to the fun, folksy Sweater Lady.

My favorite lines from the campaign? I have a few…

Engelbert:

I invented sideburns. And love songs. And being in love.

I hit notes a bank couldn't cash, baby.

My voice is pure gold dipped in honey.

Engelbert about his fellow agent The Sweater Lady:

I'm a really big fan of her being a big fan of mine.

After McCann and our creative leadership team developed the characters for the Department of Unexpected Gifts, I took the lead building out their voices, shaping their personalities and bringing them to life. I crafted the agent profiles (see below), which became our essential guide for writing in each character's voice.

These profiles served as the storytelling foundation for every character's page in the holiday center (keep scrolling).