Matador Network
1B+ views · 2016–2019
Art Director
In one line
I was Art Director at the world’s largest independent travel publisher. I ran small crews across filmmaking and post, making campaigns for Fortune 500 brands and tourism boards on an indie-doc budget.
Context
I led a global team of filmmakers, designers and editors making branded work for automotive, tourism and lifestyle clients.
Matador is the largest independent travel magazine in the world, with more than a billion views across Facebook and Instagram. Clients included Ford, Subaru, Yeti and tourism boards from dozens of countries. At that scale, it’s easy to make beautiful content that doesn’t mean anything to anyone.
What I Built
I built a framework I called “content with intention.” Before we shot anything, we asked one question: what’s the win for the client?
- PlannedEvery production backward from the client’s goals. A car brand wants to get on your shortlist. A destination wants to inspire your next trip in time for travel season. Those are different movies.
- LedA global team across filmmaking, design and post. I kept one bar for quality across overlapping productions on multiple continents.
- Directed40+ branded videos on location for Ford, Subaru, Yeti, Lufthansa and tourism boards around the world, with the same craft standard on every set.
- CreatedA Webby-nominated documentary about forest bathing in Japan. The work also earned three Travel Video Awards nominations.
Strategy
The difference between making something and making something that works is asking “who is this for?” before anything else.
On purposeful content
Every production started from the client’s goals. Some shoots needed more production value, and others needed to be fast and scrappy. The purpose decided which.
On maintaining quality at scale
A lot of content across a lot of countries only stays good when someone owns it. I owned it end to end: on set, in the edit and on the publishing calendar.
1B+
Views across Facebook and Instagram.
40+
Branded videos directed around the world, plus a Webby nomination and three Travel Video Awards nominations.
Multiple
Ford, Subaru, Yeti and tourism boards kept coming back, which is the proof I care about most.
Matador kept its creative credibility while delivering real results for clients. When the intention is right, those two things help each other.