AMERICAN GIGOLO // CREATIVE CAMPAIGN
CONTEXT
Based on the movie of the same title, American Gigolo follows former sex worker Julian Kaye as he is released from prison after 15 years for a crime he didn’t commit.
At its core, American Gigolo is the complex character study of a trauma survivor; a man in search of love, connection, home, a sense of place – and ultimately a path back to his true self. It’s also wholly Julian’s story, seen through his lens; his actions drive it forward and his empathy draws people into his orbit.
“Julian is a gigolo, that’s a given, but the real hook is that he’s a complex character in opposition with himself in a modern world. “ — David Hollander
OBJECTIVE
Our goal is to be iconic, not informative, allowing the imagery to manifest stakes without having to explain the whole story. Also to communicate that this series can stand out on its own as a reimagined, more complete telling of a male sex worker’s life that viewers haven’t seen before.
SOLUTION
To reinvent the genre, we’ve established a modern visual paradigm that is bold, sexy and unexpected. We’ve created tension by using bright, poppy color to disrupt expectations and focused on the unexpected life of a male sex worker.
MY ROLE
I was the creative design lead on this campaign and was responsible for strategy, concept and visual language. I briefed & directed our creative agency partners, and managed a team of internal art directors & external teams to create graphics for on-air, motion graphics & print for out of home, and collaborated with digital and social teams.
KEY ART
American Gigolo // Key Art East of Eden
American Gigolo // Key Art X Offender
