Mailchimp Presents
Role — Creative Director
Our team at the Pop-Up Magazine Brand Studio pitched and produced an original concept for Mailchimp Presents titled CURRENTS, an episodic non-narrative video series celebrating the ephemeral experiences of thoughtfully-considered small retail businesses across the United States. I played a lead role as Creative Director, collaborating closely with internal and external creative teams, and business owners, to bring this vision to life.
The creative concept was deeply influenced by my personal interest in environmental psychology and my appreciation for unique retail experiences, ensuring that the series not only aligned with Mailchimp Presents’ mission to support and celebrate small businesses but also created a visually engaging and cohesive narrative.
I also took on the responsibility of still photography, using instant film cameras to capture the special details of each space. This involved photographing store interiors, product details, landscapes, and more, with the resulting printed photographs being integrated into each of the films.
The impact of the project was significant—Mailchimp was so impressed with the series that they chose to sponsor the 2021 Pop-Up Magazine Fall Tour, investing five times the original series budget to showcase three of the films on stage in Los Angeles, Oakland, Washington D.C., and New York City.
Director: Matty Neikrug
Cinematographers: Nina Ham & Lauren Guiteras
Producer: Ajamu White
VP of Sales: Melissa Weil
President: Chas Edwards
Editors: Mackie Mallison & Matty Neikrug
Photography: Mark King, Nina Ham, Lauren Guiteras
Mailchimp Presents
Director of Programming: Sarita Alami
Producer: Sasha Brown
Creative Director: Matthew Paley
Art Director: Alexander Yan
THE END Yucca Valley, CA
LIFE WELLNESS CENTER Brooklyn, NY
MIRANDA BENNETT STUDIO Austin, TX
BLK GIRLS GREEN HOUSE Oakland, CA
THE WOK SHOP San Francisco, CA