Socket “Sonimals,” CA Advertising Annual 2022 Cover Feature

This ISP is unusual. And we wanted everyone to know.

This campaign featured “unusual” animal fusions, lovingly called Sonimals, that represented the ways Socket — a Show-Me State business — is different than other providers.

But the sonimals aren’t random combinations: each animal represented was chosen because of symbolism within a culture or certain characteristics they embody — and how these traits relate to Missourians.

The campaign was featured on the cover of Communication Arts’ 2022 Advertising Annual.

The Sonimals were brought to life by the insanely talented Mike Heath.

The Chamelephant

Elephant: The elephant is a beloved animal that is loyal, reliable and wise. They are steady and devoted to their herd. Missourians, themselves, can be quite like elephants.

Chameleon: Vibrant and colorful, the most distinctive characteristic of the chameleon is its adaptability. It’s almost as if, like Socket’s services, they’re “customizable.”

The Toubra

Toucan: The toucan, among the spiritual, is a symbol of prosperity. They’re also great at spotting predators, much like Socket is adept at identifying and resolving any issues they come across.

Zebra: Long a symbolic figure across cultures, the zebra represents community, freedom, balance and individualism — characteristics Missourians tend to embrace.

The Hammerfrog

Hammerhead: Hammerheads, in Hawaiian culture, are seen as protectors from the Great White. Socket serves in a similar way, protecting consumers from the predatory “big guys.”

Frog: Dart frogs use their flashy colors to warn predators that they’re not to be messed with. Though they may be small, they are mighty and this tough stance is like both Missourians and Socket.

Bastin’ & Blitzen BBQ Sauce

For a client and employee gift in 2019, we teamed up with Roscoe’s to create our very own agency BBQ sauce. The packaging imagery carried across to an email and to social video.

I’ve named a few products in my day but “Bastin’ & Blitzen Cranapple Bliss” is definitely the most fun.

National Dog Week

As an agency that did a lot of work in the companion animal space, we thought celebrating National Dog Week — the most wonderful week of the year — was only natural. A small team of us got together to plan a video, landing page and social posts. I wrote, voiced, shot/gathered and edited this video to kick off the week in 2017.

Also, that cute boy in the static image is my pup, Hossa (HO-suh). He’s named after a now-retired Chicago Blackhawks player so approximately 7 people in the entirety of the Kansas City metro get the reference. Someone from the vet’s office once called him “Hoffa,” like Jimmy, and I think about that a lot.

Assorted Gems

Socket “Sonimals,” CA Advertising Annual 2022 Cover Feature

Bastin’ & Blitzen BBQ Sauce

National Dog Week