• RK
  • WORK
  • RESUME
  • NOTES FROM THE FIELD

RYAN KARELL

  • RK
  • WORK
  • RESUME
  • NOTES FROM THE FIELD

ZILLOW_HOME JUST GOT REAL

In 2025 people are really going through it when buying a home. Interest rates are crazy. A NAR settlement caused major upheavals for agents, So Zillow needed to be a comforting beacon of support for customers and partners alike. So alongside 72 and Sunny, we launched Home Just Got Real, a multichannel campaign that meets people where ever they are on their journey "home".

ZILLOW_ZILLIONS

People know Zillow. But most people don't know you can search for rentals on Zillow. Well, zillions more do now. For paid social and digital OLV we took a more polished approach working with production partner Imaginary Forces. For organic social we took a lo-fi, more native approach and worked with influencers like Elle Cordova.

ZILLOW_DISNEY

You scared? Good. I've always been a horror buff. And I turned this passion of haunted houses into a mini cottage industry at Zillow. It's one of those rare times when what you love combines with a brand willing to take some chances.

We had a unique opportunity to partner with Disney on their newest reboot of "The Haunted Mansion". At Zillow we always look for ways we can bring homes to "life" and this project was no exception. Through TV, Social, OLV and custom websites we invited fans to experience the legendary mansion in ways never before possible.

MINUTE MAID_ANGRY ORANGES

Oranges and Lemons are mad that Minute Maid tastes just as good as they do. We used "Modern Family's" Ty Burrell to try to calm the fruit down (to no avail). This campaign narrative started with TV, but then flowed seamlessly across all screens and devices. Here's some online content, TV, and screen grabs from a "Rube-Goldberg Style" mini-game.

 

ZILLOW GONE WILD

Zillow Gone Wild is a well established social phenomenon. But but when HGTV approached us to partner on a new TV series based on ZGW and the host would be Jack McBrayer, the project was a no-brainer. And the result was a series of social videos that was some of Zillow's top performing content ever. And ask about Jack McBrayer's dolphin noise skills. He's pretty squeaky.

PERFORMIX_YOU VS YOU

TV for Performix: a supplement that boosts energy and enhances mental focus. John Cena delivers the idea that the most daunting competitor you’ll ever face - is yourself. And Performix gives you the edge to be your best you, everyday. As proof that the supplement helps you flex your mental muscle, Cena did a global version in Mandarin featuring his well developed brain. Disclaimer: Performix does not teach you Mandarin.

ZILLOW_HAUNTED HOUSE

The pandemic closed Halloween Haunted Houses.

So Zillow opened a Virtual Haunted House.

The creepy old Haunted House tour. It’s a classic Halloween tradition. But during a global pandemic, you can’t have people jumping scaring you in the face. So since Zillow is the place that gives millions of people a virtual house experience, it stands to reason that during this freaky time Zillow could offer a virtual haunted house experience. And we saw this as a perfect opportunity to impart a bit of news about one of our emerging new products – Zillow 3D Home Tours with Floor Plans. We created a terrifying listing for a spooky haunted house… and embedded a possessed video promoting Zillow 3D Home tours. It was fun-scary for a world that’s scary-scary.

MERCEDES BENZ_TACH SAVVY

Mercedes-Benz is the Official Vehicle of Chase Center in San Francisco. So we blanketed the stadium in advertising reinforcing that this tech forward car company is at home in the tech capital of the world.

GMC_DUDE PERFECT

A fully integrated digital campaign for GMC. With over 40 million views on youtube, it was the first GM work to ever crack Adweek's Top 10 Viral Videos. It also won numerous interactive awards including One Show and D&AD Finalist. Here is the case study, some online content and a segment I wrote for Jimmy Kimmel Live.

 

ZILLOW_SWEET SPOT

A campaign that explained to renters that with Zillow, you won’t just see millions of places, but you can search and filter to find the perfect place. With “Find Your Sweet Spot” we launched dozens of executions across multiple platforms.

TRAVELOCITY_ROAMING GNOME

When done right, social media is my favorite media to work in. I love that you get to be part of a larger conversation and the work gets real time feedback. And if you come off as a shill or disingenuous, you get hung out to dry. Here, I traveled with Travelocity's Roaming Gnome across college campuses and got big engagement numbers on Instagram and Twitter by giving insider tips about the local communities and having live chats with ESPN's Rece Davis.

FIAT_ITALY, USA

In this TV spot for FIAT we see that America clearly loves Italy - and the signs are everywhere.

NGK_MAKE FAST FASTER

Print for NGK Sparkplugs. A Graphis Platinum Award Winner.

 

FIAT_AN ITALIAN SPREAD

FIAT is a great, yet challenging brand for an agency. Every big assignment is a jump ball between Doner, W+K and Richards Group (to name a few). Here, we won a series of full line print spreads for the Italian automaker.

WAHL_ROGUE MUSTACHE

A viral piece for Wahl that shows what happens when your facial hair gets a bit unruly. See the write up in Communication Arts.

MERCEDES BENZ_OR IT ISN'T

When it comes to a certified pre-owned vehicle, it’s either certified Mercedes-Benz - or it isn’t. We blew this concept out across all mediums. Here are some TV and social executions.

ZILLOW_HOME JUST GOT REAL

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ZILLOW_ZILLIONS

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ZILLOW_DISNEY

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Haunted Mansion TV

MINUTE MAID_ANGRY ORANGES

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ZILLOW GONE WILD

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PERFORMIX_YOU VS YOU

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ZILLOW_HAUNTED HOUSE

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MERCEDES BENZ_TACH SAVVY

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GMC_DUDE PERFECT

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Dude Perfect

ZILLOW_SWEET SPOT

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TRAVELOCITY_ROAMING GNOME

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FIAT_ITALY, USA

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NGK_MAKE FAST FASTER

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FIAT_AN ITALIAN SPREAD

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WAHL_ROGUE MUSTACHE

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MERCEDES BENZ_OR IT ISN'T

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