KANSAS CITY AMAZON HQ2
Director / Editor
Kansas City Area Development Council
Back in 2017, every city in North America was trying to convince Amazon to build its second headquarters in their backyard.
Kansas City took a slightly different approach.
Instead of telling Amazon why we were great, we decided to tell Amazon… using Amazon.
The idea was simple enough: turn Kansas City into a five-star product review. We partnered with the Mayor’s office to launch #KC5Stars, buying 1,000 products, writing 100 Amazon reviews, and weaving real facts about Kansas City into every single one. Once the reviews were live, everything was donated to local charities.
My role was directing and editing the campaign videos, including a series featuring Kansas City’s mayor.
We had exactly one hour in his office to unload gear, light the room, block the shots, walk him through every line, and somehow make it all feel natural. He was incredibly gracious through the whole thing. I’d already used up my mayoral favors a few years earlier when I somehow convinced him to proclaim “Air Guitar Day” in Kansas City. So… no pressure.
We didn’t land HQ2.
But we did manage to hijack one of the biggest news stories in the world.
The campaign generated more than 1,600 media stories, 150 million impressions, and over $2 million in earned media, with coverage from BBC, TIME, CNN, CBS This Morning, Fox, and even Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
AWARDS
Cannes Lions — Bronze Lion (2)
Shorty Awards — Gold
ADDY Awards — Silver