PHX Websites

The advertising years

One plan, run under every brand. Pick one and read it start to finish.

A square ad on deep green: a two line promise of peace of mind after every shift, a woman on a sofa with her phone, and a made bed in a rounded corner photo.

New customer acquisition

The planning that ran first, then the work it produced.

Enter to read it, arrows to move.

A square ad on deep green: a two line promise of peace of mind after every shift, a woman on a sofa with her phone, and a made bed in a rounded corner photo.

New customer acquisition

The planning that ran first, then the work it produced.

I ran acquisition on a subscription product. Below is the planning that happened before anything was made, and then the work it produced, taken a few pieces at a time.

What carried over

The slot at the top of this brand is a specification and I did not know that at the time. A row of it says who has the problem, what the problem is and the one thing that resolves it. That is exactly what I write before I build a feature.

What carried over is the discipline of the second column. A worry with nothing specific against it becomes a question instead of work. Answering that question first is most of what stops me building the wrong thing.

How the weeks were planned

Every week opened as empty slots

Each slot was filled the same way before anything was made.

The slot

The concept calendar, field by field, recreated without the client in it.

1Audience
Who the piece is for, one group at a time
2Pain point
What is in their way
3Solution
The one thing that answers it
4Creative type
Whose voice carries it: a real person or the brand
5Asset type
A film or a still

Week by week

What went out, week after week

A sample of each week, in order, from the folders the work was delivered in.

  1. A comparison, a phone call, quieter new versions
    A tall comparison ad over a blurred pool courtyard: the brand against a rival, star ratings on top, four green checks facing four red crosses below.A shorter cut of the comparison ad: the brand's high star rating and four green checks beside a rival's low rating and four red crosses.A tall comparison ad over a blurred pool courtyard: the brand against a rival, star ratings on top, four green checks facing four red crosses below.A square ad styled as a phone call screen reading "Dream Apartment calling", set over a balcony view of an apartment pool courtyard.A square ad styled as a phone call screen reading "Dream Apartment calling", over a straight on balcony view of an apartment block and its pool.A video still: a young man throws himself back on a made bed, a caption in green bars about finding a fully furnished place to stay as long as you need.A video still: a woman rests her chin on her hand beside a white bed, eyes closed, a caption in green bars about ditching rental paperwork and moving freely.
  2. City guides, a standby offer, the first nurse testimonials
    A square ad: an older man leans back with hands behind his head by a pool, the headline "Best places to retire" set large in white.A square ad: a lit old theater marquee on a night street, a green circle in the corner with the town's name, its retiree share, rent and healthcare score.A square ad: an aerial view of a river, an arched bridge and a small skyline at dusk, a green circle with the town's name and three retirement figures.A square ad: a turquoise pool lined with palms by the water, a green circle in the corner naming the city with its retiree share, rent and healthcare score.A tall ad: a new apartment building with a wood pergola and outdoor kitchen on a lawn courtyard, the city's name on a green tab at the bottom.A square ad set in type on deep green: the logo top right and a large line offering vacant units with three days notice to find another.A tall video still: two logos joined at the top, the word "Reminder" stacked six times in white italics over a sunny pool with palms.A video still: a clean apartment kitchen with a stove and white cabinets, a green caption bar running across the counter.
  3. The travel nurse, in carousels and short films
    A square ad: a woman in green loungewear on a sofa with her phone in a bright flat, a green tab reading "Fully furnished and equipped".A square ad: a nurse in navy scrubs walks a city sidewalk away from the camera, a green tab reading "Stay near your hospital".A square ad: a nurse in scrubs opens a building door with a keypad lock, the logo sign on the wall, a green tab reading "Secure and easy check ins".A square ad: a woman with a backpack wheels a suitcase through a bright airport, a green tab promising easy transfers across hundreds of cities.A square ad set in type on deep green: the logo top left and a centered line, "Never worry about where you'll live on your next assignment again".A square ad: the logo and a line calling the brand the best way to live as a travel nurse on green, beside a nurse in scrubs walking a leafy street.A video still: an apartment kitchen with dark cabinets and a steel stove, captions in green bars about furnished stays wherever your next assignment takes you.A video still: a woman sets a dish on a coffee table in a furnished living room, captions in green bars listing three cities and hundreds more.
  4. A home tour, and the carousel iterated
    A wide photo of a furnished living room: a grey sofa, a glass coffee table, an orange chair and a balcony door with city light behind.A wide photo: a nurse in navy scrubs with a shoulder bag walks past a white brick storefront on a sunny street.A wide photo of a loft apartment: a cream sofa, a round coffee table, a dark kitchen and a black spiral staircase behind a timber post.A wide photo of an apartment kitchen: wood cabinets, a striped tile backsplash, steel appliances and a steel island with blue stools.A wide photo: a small wood desk and a white chair under a glass table lamp, a sprig of eucalyptus in the foreground.A tall ad: a grey kitchen with pendant and track lights, a dark stone island and a steel sink, the city's name on a green tab at the bottom.A video still: a woman in a striped cardigan holds open an apartment door and welcomes the viewer in, the caption "Hello." on screen.A tall video still: a nurse in scrubs takes a mirror selfie in a tiled hospital restroom, a green caption asking "Onto your next assignment?"
  5. Branded stills in every size, moving listings
    A wide banner on green: a nurse walking a city street, the logo and a line about an apartment that moves with your career, and a living room.A square ad on green: the logo, a line about an apartment that moves with your career and makes living easy, a nurse walking and a sunny living room below.A wide banner on green: a hand opening a keypad lock with a phone, the logo and a line about safe, flexible, ready apartments, and a bright kitchen.A tall ad on green: the logo and the line "Flexible, move in ready places, where safety meets comfort.", a phone opening a door lock and a kitchen below.A square ad on green: the logo, a line about never worrying where you'll live as a travel nurse, four short feature tabs beside a bright furnished flat.A wide banner on green: a woman on a sofa with her phone, the logo and a line about peace of mind after every shift, and a made bed in a rounded photo.A square photo of a bright corner apartment: a cream sofa, a marble coffee table and a kitchen counter with black stools against tall windows.A square photo of a living room: a grey sofa, a glass coffee table and two orange velvet chairs below wide windows over a city.
  6. A day in the life, and the flexible stay
    A square photo of a bedroom: a white bed with sage pillows, two abstract prints on a slate wall, and a window over tall city buildings.A tall photo of an apartment kitchen: a pale counter with a steel sink and round stools under a long hanging light.A wide strip of a bedroom: a padded headboard, a warm lamp and framed abstract prints on a dark wall.A wide photo of an apartment kitchen: dark wood cabinets, a white tile backsplash and steel appliances.A square photo of an apartment kitchen: three black pendant lamps over a white island with a chevron tile front and three stools.A tall photo of a work nook: a pleated lamp and a framed black and white print over a pale desk with a dark chair.A video still: a nurse takes a mirror selfie in a tiled hospital restroom, the caption "A day in the life of a travel nurse" with the brand's name below.A video still: a blurred walk down an apartment hallway, a white caption about never worrying about housing as a travel nurse again.
  7. The price on the photograph, short branded films
    A tall ad over a bright furnished kitchen: a large headline about saving up to 30 percent on a year of furnished living, a transfer note, the logo below.A tall ad over a modern kitchen under a stair: a large headline about living with the brand for a year and saving up to 30 percent, the logo below.A square ad over a balcony view of an apartment pool courtyard: a stacked headline about saving up to 30 percent on a furnished year, a transfer note below.A square ad over a sunlit desk by a window: a stacked headline about saving up to 30 percent on a furnished year, a transfer note in a dark tab.A tall ad over a kitchen counter with stools and a bedroom beyond: the headline about saving up to 30 percent on a furnished year, a transfer note.A square photo of a bright shared lounge: a long wood table, a round white sofa, palms and a woven pendant lamp, two logos in the corner.A video still: a grey sofa by sunny windows over a city, a dark caption reading "Save up to 30%" and a line about living with the brand for a year.A wide video still with a blurred border: a nurse in scrubs walks out of an apartment doorway, a caption about why she loves the brand.
  8. Remote work by city, and a twelve month stay
    A square ad: a woman works at a laptop by tall windows over a harbor and hills, the headline "Best places to work remotely" set in white.A square ad: a night skyline of lit towers, a green circle in the corner with the city's name and the line "City vibes without the city attitude".A square ad: an aerial night view of a downtown with glowing highways, a green circle in the corner naming the city with a short line about its tech scene.A square ad: two cyclists cross a white cable bridge at sunset, a green circle naming the city and the line "Perfect spot for hikers and city slickers".A square ad: giant glass domes beside a lawn and plaza, a green circle naming the city and a line about always being near a green space.A square event ad: a dark green panel announcing an evening downtown tonight, beside guests at a vintage food truck under string lights.A video still on mint green: a map of the country with city pins and the headline about living anywhere for a year at a 30 percent discount.A tall video still on mint green: the headline "Save up to 30%", a line about living across hundreds of cities for a year, and a map with city pins.
  9. Contract workers, and the pros and cons of a city
    A square ad on green: the logo, a phone showing a bedroom listing and a city list, and a line about furnished homes with flexible terms for your career.A tall ad on green: the logo, the line "Move into a fully furnished home, wherever your work takes you.", and a phone showing a kitchen listing.A square ad on green: the logo, a phone showing an apartment pool listing and a city list, and the line about a furnished home wherever work takes you.A tall ad on soft grey: the logo, a line about flexible furnished spaces so you can focus on your work, not your move, and a phone showing a listing.A tall ad: a pale sofa under three abstract prints in orange and black, a dark tab with the monthly rent.A square ad over a bedroom with a city window: a stacked headline about saving up to 30 percent on a furnished year, a transfer note below.A video still: an aerial city skyline on a lake, a green caption about changing the way you think about traveling for work, and "Move often for work?"A tall video still: a sunny downtown street lined with palms and towers, a title about the pros and cons of moving to the city.
  10. Captioned cutdowns, and contract worker pros and cons
    A square ad: a living room with a grey sofa, a round coffee table and an arched alcove, a dark tab with the monthly rent.A tall ad: a grey sofa and a round coffee table in a calm living room, a dark tab with the monthly rent.A square ad: a sunlit living room with a sofa, an oval coffee table and a desk by the window, a dark tab with the monthly rent.A square ad: a white kitchen with pendant lights, a steel range and two grey stools at the counter, a dark tab with the monthly rent.A square ad: a bright bedroom with a padded headboard, white bedding and two framed prints, a dark tab with the monthly rent.A square photo of a bright shared lounge: a long wood table, a round white sofa, palms and a woven pendant lamp, two logos in the corner.A video still: a nurse in blue scrubs holds a fluffy dog in a mirror selfie, the caption "hotel for a year." along the bottom.A tall video still: a travel nurse sits on a sofa and speaks to camera, her name and role in a small title, a caption about a travel nurse contract.
  11. A quality checklist, a holiday post, a nurse compilation
    A square photo of a rooftop lounge at dusk: white sofas around a long fire table, pink fireworks bursting in the sky above.A video still: a smiling woman in a green top films herself in a bright apartment, bold captions reading "It's time to stop sacrificing".A square video still: two smiling nurses in scrubs stand under trees, a bold caption saying the brand has completely changed things for them.
  12. Contract worker stills, and the price iterated
    A square ad over a gym rack of dumbbells: the logo and a green box about amenities and furnished living in hundreds of cities.A tall ad: an overhead view of an apartment pool and loungers between brick buildings, the logo and a green box about amenities in hundreds of cities.A square ad over a furnished living room: the logo and a green box about living in the brand's network of furnished places across hundreds of cities.A tall ad over a furnished living room with a glass coffee table: the logo and a green box about the network of furnished places in hundreds of cities.A tall ad: a traveler with headphones rests his feet up by an airport window full of jets, the logo and a green box about furnished stays near airports.A square ad split in two: an apartment pool under oak trees beside a grey living room, a green tab with the monthly rent.
  13. Home renovators, summer cities, nurse cutdowns
    A square ad: a green panel with the logo and a line about comfortable living during your home renovation, beside photos of a bedroom, kitchen and pool.A tall collage ad: a green panel about furnished short term living in your neighborhood, framed by a kitchen, a bed, a washer and dryer and a pool.A square ad: a woman leans out of a car window with a sun hat and her phone at sunset, the headline "Best cities to spend the summer" in white.A square ad: a dark green panel with the city's name and three bullet reasons to spend summer there, beside an aerial skyline over a river marina.A square ad: a dark green panel with the city's name and three bullets on music, culture and food, beside a neon lit main street at sunset.A square ad: a dark green panel with the city's name and three bullets on music, the outdoors and food, beside a lit night skyline on a river.A tall video still: a hand opens a dark apartment door, a caption saying the brand came up.A tall video still, a moment later: a hand turns the knob of a dark apartment door, a caption saying the brand came up.
  14. Two series for the brand’s own page: a city and a campus
    A square ad: a grand brick house with white columns and curved stone stairs, a large white greeting to the city set over it.A square ad: a dark green panel titled "Outdoor activities" with three bullet ideas, beside a striped lighthouse behind beach grass.A square ad: a dark green panel titled "Shopping" with two bullet ideas, beside a lamplit brick street glowing at sunset.A square ad: a red brick college tower behind green lawns and trees, the headline asking why students should live off campus.A square ad: an overhead view of a student with headphones on a laptop in a blue chair, a green circle titled "Flexibility at your fingertips".A square ad: a young man in a red hoodie cooks at a kitchen stove, a green circle titled "Adulting 101" with a line about budgeting and cooking.

Before anything was shot

The storyboard, before anything was shot

What happens, in what order. Then the film it became.

  1. A tall video still: the same woman seen from behind outdoors, green captions asking if you are struggling to find flexible living with easy transfers.Beat 1
  2. A tall video still: a hand taps a laptop showing a booking calendar, green captions about everything you could want and support around the clock.Beat 2
  3. A tall video still: hands hold a phone showing an apartment listing, green captions about flexible monthly leases and freely transferring.Beat 3
  4. A tall video still: a grey sofa and dark coffee table against a green wall, captions about furnished living with amenities and "I'll have a gym".Beat 4
  5. A tall video still: hands hold a phone opening the brand's app, a white caption at the bottom.Beat 5
  6. A tall end card on deep green: the logo large in white, a short line below about furnished, flexible stays across hundreds of cities.Beat 6

The films

1
2
3
4

Four ways to earn the first second

At first sight nobody has agreed to listen yet.

  • None of these opens by explaining.
  • Each one takes a different route into the same problem.
  • One names it outright.
  • One refuses to look like an ad at all.
  • One offers a list and one opens by telling you what is wrong with the thing it is selling.
  1. 1Names the problem in the first line and moves to the booking screen before the sentence has finished.
  2. 2A day in the life, told in ordinary moments.
  3. 3A list piece.
  4. 4This one opens on the reasons not to.
1
2
3
4

Four ways to be believed

Once somebody is paying attention the problem changes.

  • Now the piece has to be believed.
  • Two of these hand the argument to a person and two hand it to the product.
  • Which one carries it was the first decision I made on every concept.
  1. 1A remote worker talking to camera.
  2. 2A named member, in uniform, in his own place.
  3. 3The real search interface, moving.
  4. 4Led by the screen.
1
2
3
4

Four that hand the argument to somebody else

None of these four argues in its own voice.

  • Two are set like a magazine page.
  • One borrows the competitor’s own price and one borrows a customer.
  • Each of them has to follow the borrowed line with proof of its own.
  • That follow through is the thing to watch.
  1. 1Opens on a press quote over a building shot.
  2. 2Same opening move, different follow through.
  3. 3Two prices side by side in the first second.
  4. 4A member saying it in her own room, captions carrying it for a viewer with the sound off.
1
2
3

Three that show the claim instead of stating it

Each of these takes a line that would have been a caption and makes it something you watch happen.

  • One asks a question before it explains anything.
  • The other two walk you through the thing itself instead of describing it.
  1. 1A quiz that makes you answer before it explains anything.
  2. 2The amenities are shown and not listed.
  3. 3The same claim as the testimonial above, with nobody in it.

A sequence that earns each card

A swipe set only works if every card gives somebody a reason to move to the next one.

  • This one opens on who it is for.
  • Three cards show the product is real in places a buyer might go.
  • It asks for something only at the end.
  1. A square ad on green: the logo and a line about comfortable furnished stays near your hospital for travel nurses, beside a nurse walking a leafy street.1
  2. A square ad: a tall apartment tower with balconies above a palm lined pool, the city's name on a green tab.2
  3. A square ad: a white kitchen with black pendant lamps, open shelves and a big island, the city's name on a green tab.3
  4. A square ad: a residents' gym with a punching bag, a dumbbell rack and a climbing wall on blue walls, the city's name on a green tab.4
  5. A square ad set in type on deep green: the logo and a centered line about booking stays that match the length of your assignment, with no hassle.5

Composed for every frame

A resize is not a version

Every idea had to run in places that crop differently and are watched differently.

  • Dragging the corners of a layout does not survive that.
  • Each of these is one idea composed twice.
  • The differences between the two compositions are the work this chapter shows.
One idea, two shapesThe square gives the pair of images room to sit beside each other.
One interview, two lengthsThe long one earns its ending.
A wide photo: a nurse in navy scrubs with a black tote walks past a white brick wall and a window reflecting an ambulance.
A square photo: a nurse in navy scrubs and grey sneakers walks a pale sidewalk past a white brick wall and dark window.
A thin banner crop: a nurse in navy scrubs walks past a white brick wall, leaves in the corner.
A tall photo: a nurse in navy scrubs with a black tote strides along a white brick wall, an ambulance reflected in the window.

One picture, every shape it ran in

The same photograph rebuilt for the wide banner, the square, the portrait and the strip.

A square ad: a bright blue pool with a rock waterfall before brick apartment buildings, a dark tab with the monthly rent.
A square ad: a residents' gym with exercise bikes and dumbbell racks on blue and grey carpet, a dark tab with the monthly rent.
A square ad: a sunlit living room with a sofa, an oval coffee table and a desk, a dark tab with the monthly rent.
A square ad: brick garden apartments behind a bank of pink crape myrtle, a dark tab with the monthly rent.

The price on the photograph

A home and what it costs, in one frame, then the same home from other rooms.