Ken Slater — FORD + SLATER

ART DIRECTOR / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

I’ve had the pleasure of being part of some incredible agencies and teams over the past 17 years, working with brands of all sizes and categories. In terms of my approach to the work, I don’t believe in creative being categorized as “interactive” or “traditional”; instead, I believe in starting with the big idea, then finding what medium works best to bring it to life.

Outside of advertising, I ‘m usually found in my shop getting my hands dirty. I have a passion for cars that has transitioned into building a small business/brand, Parts & Labor… but more on that hopefully soon.

email me

Freelance CD/AD
Los Angeles, CA
2020-Current

Deutsch
Los Angeles, CA
2014-2019
VP, Creative Director

Ogilvy & Mather
Los Angeles, CA
2012-2014
Partner, ACD

Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Los Angeles, CA
2006-2009 / 2010-2012
Designer, Art Director, ACD

Featured

Dominos: Pizza Tracker

Domino’s Pizza Tracker, the first system that allowed you to track your order in real-time. And yes… it really works.

Taco Bell: Taco Emoji Engine

When the Taco finally got an emoji we knew we had to celebrate. Simply tweet 🌮+ any emoji (seriously… any one) @TacoBell and we’ll send you back a GIF representation of their love child.

Glen and the Magic Taco

How do you turn a made-up “social media holiday” into an actual, real holiday? Simple: you act like it already is an actual, real holiday. And since the centerpiece of any actual, real holiday is an origin myth featuring a magical holiday character … well, we made that.

Web of Fries

In launching Nacho Fries, Taco Bell threatened the burger people’s long-standing French fry monopoly. To what lengths would “Big Fries” go to stomp out this seasoned, cheese-dipped insurgency? Our campaign dramatically answered that patently absurd question.

Web of Fries II: Franchise Wars

When you make a blockbuster ad for Nacho Fries, and then Taco Bell wants to re-release Nacho Fries, you make a blockbuster sequel ad for Nacho Fires. But that really goes without saying.

Go-Getters

There are inspiring people in this world who go out there and get their dreams. Then there are those who’s dream is to not go out there to get anything at all. And for these people, Taco Bell Delivery is a delicious dream come true.

Best Buy: Movie Mode

What started as just another brand + movie launch partnership, ended with an opportunity to invent and patent a new piece of technology with the help of the minions in Despicable Me.

Taco Bell: Bigger Than...

We pre-sold a product without even telling people what it was.

Feast for $1

Taco Bell’s $1 value menu is a true renaissance of affordable indulgence, in which one can regally feast for mere pittance.

Jello: Temptations Vending Machine

Launching Jell’s new line of pudding aim’ed at the guilty pleasure of adults, we built a vending machine to give it away for free… to adults only.

Ex-Boyfriend

Taco Bell’s Rolled Chicken Tacos are so delicious, you won’t want to put them down. Which presents a dilemma when you need your hands for something other than dipping Rolled Chicken Tacos.

Comfort Yourself

Taco Bell’s Beefy Potatorito makes even the most uncomfortable situations a bit more comfortable.

Fondue Party

Taco Bell’s new Cheesy-Core Burrito arguably the best way to serve warm-melty cheese. No need to get fancy.

Jello Pudding Face Mood Meter

It turns out pudding cheers people up. So we built a site that real-time tracked Twitter’s mood & gave out free pudding when people were feeling down. Ohh… and we created a 30’ animatronic billboard of a friends smiling face in NYC.

New World

What if every-home was now a taco Bell? With Taco Bell delivery… it’s almost like that.

Rebel Without a Bun

Jimmy doesn’t want his parents’ safe, traditional chicken sandwich life. He wants to follow his own dream of golden fried chicken wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. Man, it all sounds pretty dumb when it’s written out like that.

C.F.E.F.C.T.S.W.Y.A.H.

For most, a taco shell made entirely of fried chicken is a delicious innovation. But for the poultry traditionalists at The Council For Eating Fried Chicken The Same Way You Always Have, it’s nothing short of an abomination, and a gateway food to disaster.

Dejà Food

The go-to staples of every party food table. Platters of meat tubes, weird waxy cheese cubes, an array of raw veggies… I’m sure it sound familiar.

Jello Jiggle It

Jell-O. It jiggles. Wiggles. Wobbles. Turns out it’s got better dance moves than anything I’ve attempted. So we created an app that lets Jell-O break it down to any beat you give it.

Burger King: Simpsonize Me

When Burger King partnered with The Simpsons movie launch, we Simpsonized the king and built an app that let fan’s Simpsonize themselves. It got a bit out of hand.

Banners

Banners. Yeah… we’ve all had that assignment. But any opportunity to create is an opportunity to create fun. Heres a couple of my favorites we’ve managed to work into the media buys.

AWARDS & HONORS

2019 THINK LA AWARD – Web of Fries – Best Branded Content/Storytelling Campaign
2019 GOLD EFFIE – Web of Fries
2019 BRONZE ADC – Web of Fries – Motion/Film Craft
2019 WEBBY + Peoples Choice – Web of Fries – Short Form Video
2019 GOLD BRITISH ARROW – Web of Fries – Motion/Film Craft
2018 SILVER LION – Web of Fries
2018 BRONZE EFFIE – Council For Eating Fried Chicken the Same Way You Always Have
2017 BRONZE EFFIE – Quesalupa #Biggerthan
2017 BRONZE Twitter #Creativity Award – Taco Emoji Engine
2016 SILVER ANDY – Taco Emoji Engine
2016 SILVER LION – Taco Emoji Engine
2016 BRONZE LION – Taco Emoji Engine
2016 ONE SHOW – BEST OF SHOW – Taco Emoji Engine – Social
2016 GOLD PENCIL – Taco Emoji Engine
2011 BRONZE CLIO – Best Buy Movie Mode
2011 COMMUNICATION ARTS Interactive Annual Featured – Best Buy Movie Mode
2011 GOLD PENCIL – Best Buy Movie Mode
2010 ONE CLUB: BEST OF THE DIGITAL DECADE FINALIST – Domino’s BFD Builder + Pizza Tracker
2009 COMMUNICATION ARTS Advertising Annual Featured – Volkswagon Babymaker3000
2009 BRONZE LONDON INTERNATIONAL AWARD – Volkswagen Babymaker3000.com
2009 BRONZE CLIO – Domino’s You Got 30 Minutes – Integrated Campaign
2009 GOLD CLIO – Volkswagen Routan Boom – Integrated Campaign
2009 BRONZE LION – Domino’s You Got 30 Minutes – Integrated campaign
2009 BRONZE LION – Volkswagen Babymaker3000.com
2008 SILVER CLIO – Domino’s BFD Builder + Pizza Tracker
2008 SILVER CLIO – BK Simpsonizeme.com
2008 SILVER LION – Domino’s BFD Builder + Pizza Tracker
2008 BRONZE LION – BK Simpsonizeme.com
2008 SILVER ANDY – BK Simpsonizeme.com
2008 GOLD LONDON INTERNATIONAL AWARD – BK Simpsonizeme.com
2008 SILVER LONDON INTERNATIONAL AWARD – BK Simpsonizeme.com
2008 SILVER LONDON INTERNATIONAL AWARD – Domino’s BFD Builder + Pizza Tracker
2008 GOLD PENCIL – Domino’s BFD Builder + Pizza Tracker
2008 SILVER PENCIL – BK Simpsonizeme.com