When a tobacco education program in Virginia wanted to reach teens in a unique and creative way, I personally proposed the ol’ switcheroo with an advertising campaign that evolved into living culture.
A Viral Marketing Campaign That I'm Syked About
Overview
Instead of telling teens what to avoid, this campaign gave them something to believe in. “Syke” emerged as a bold, high-energy brand—complete with interactive content, live events, and viral storytelling. It looked real, felt real, and spread like something real… except it wasn’t.
I built the campaign from concept to execution—crafting the brand, designing the ecosystem, and orchestrating the multi-layered rollout across web, video, interactive media, and experiential touchpoints. As the illusion unraveled, so did the perception of smoking itself—shifting the narrative from external messaging to internal identity.
What made the campaign effective wasn’t just the reveal—it was the architecture behind the experience. Every touchpoint was intentionally designed to mirror how real brands build loyalty: participation, identity, and social currency. From user-generated content loops to live event integration, the ecosystem rewarded curiosity and engagement before ever introducing the underlying message. By the time the narrative turned, the audience wasn’t being told what to think—they had already formed a relationship with the brand and were now recontextualizing it themselves.
This approach allowed the campaign to operate less like a traditional PSA and more like a cultural intervention. By embedding the message within something that felt native to the audience, we shifted perception from the inside out—transforming anti-smoking from an external directive into an internalized stance. The result was a campaign that didn’t just communicate—it recalibrated how influence, identity, and behavior intersect within a modern media landscape.
Project
Syke Energy
Client
Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation (VTSF)
My Direct Contributions
Campaign creative, branding & identity, virtual strategies, website design, web development, viral marketing, web/print/tv advertising media, street marketing, product design, motion design, 3D animation, interactive flash media
Hip to Viral Marketing Before It Was Cool
We developed edgy online and advertising media that thrived on short-form content and online engagement… and in the early 00’s!
Syke Full Extensions 2:14
We didn’t just create a drink, we created a viral way to consume it. We gave out Syke energy drinks during street marketing but they had to film themselves pouring it from an extended arm!
Reaching Subcultures With Viral Marketing 1:42
We collaborated with talented artists in online subcultures to help craft videos that reached our target audiences
Syke Viral Commerials 1:11
We created dozens of advertising spots that each had a surprise ending. We’re targeting teens here, we were utilizing brainrot before it was trending!
Syke 9 Girls :52
A number of TV ads and online marketing to promote the fake product Syke 9. Each girl had their own profile. Campaign eventually revealed it was manipulative marketing (metaphor for big tobacco manipulation).
Syke 9 Girls :50
A continuation of the Syke 9 campaign involving attractive girls to promote the faux energy drink product with the same ingredients as tobacco.
Syke 9 Hotties :32
Pillow fights, faux energy drinks, corporate manipulation, and more! Syke 9 was a diverse viral marketing campaign targeting youth in Virginia.
Syke Convenient Store :53
TV ad that involves talking to a convenient store clerk about ingredients in tobacco products that are also in the faux energy drink Syke. The Syke-out revealed!
Syke Concerts :47
Syke evolved from a faux energy drink, into a glaring example of big-industry hypocrisy, and then into a real-world cultural movement at alternative rock shows in VA.
Syke Viral Consumption :47
Syke went where the culture was; at concerts and skating events like Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom Huck Jam. Syke introduced a viral way to consume Syke!
Bathing In Culture 1:23
This spot was one of many online and TV ads that targeted alternative youth in VA. It’s the no-f’s given attitude that anchored Syke as a cultural movement.
Brainrot Way Ahead of It’s Time :53
This ad targeted the brainrot youth culture online in the early 2000’s. A faux government warning about how awesome Syke energy is!
More Ridiculousness 2:31
This online viral video poked fun at popular Japanese gameshows while promoting the faux energy drink Syke.
Syke + Mentos = ? :29
What happens when you mix mentos with the most potent faux energy drink on the planet?! Did this Syke you out?
Syke Party Trick :30
Further organic marketing to the alternative and party scenes in VA. What happens if you chug Syke at a party? Party trick?
Syke Band Champions 1:28
Syke was promoted at local concerts and events. We invited local bands to share why they dig Syke and why they choose to be smoke-free.
It started as an idea but became a movement.
From faux fuel to real-world fire across youth subcultures.
Living Culture
Syke evolved from a concept into a living presence within the death metal and rock scenes in Virginia and beyond. I don’t just create brands, I build movements. Proud to have seeded Syke!
Organic Virality
With the brand established, we embedded Syke into Virginia’s subcultures, where it began to grow organically. We sponsored numerous concerts & bands to deepen that presence.
Syke Zines
We kept the community engaged with monthly zines featuring bands that aligned with Syke’s culture. Major artists proudly rocked Syke gear, further amplifying its presence.
