Counsel Media - Illinois State Rep Political Ads
Non-Conventional Political Ads Created in 2.5 Weeks
Client: Illinois State Reps. Jaime Andrade & Kam Buckner
Production Company: Counsel Media
Roles: Art Director, Designer & Animator
Creative Direction: Luke Gibson
Timeline: 2.5 weeks, early 2026
Tools: Mood.site, Procreate, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects, Blender
The Brief
In mid-January 2026, Counsel Media, a production company that specializes in political ads for Democratic and progressive candidates, brought me on to create two animated spots, one each for two Illinois State Representatives. The creative brief for the spot for Andrade called for a “Youthful/DSA vibe” with a “sort of punk style.”
For the Kam Buckner spot the client requested I take inspiration from the work I did for Puma Hoops, but make it more clean and incorporate orange and blue, which are the school colors for Buckner’s alma mater, The University of Illinois. I also referenced vintage baseball cards and the overprint effect found on some screen-printed posters.
Jaime Andrade Promo
Seamless transitions, carefully considered typesetting, and halftone textures give this ad a distinctive look.
The Challenge
I had two weeks to deliver both ads, and only two days to get a first draft of each in front of the team. That left little room to explore, and each spot needed its own distinct look.
Kam Buckner Promo
This spot draws parallels between Buckner’s experience as a football player and his work as a state representative to illustrate how committed he is to his district.
The rotating footballs were animated in Blender.
Process
Mood boards and storyboards for each ad, shown in order.
Andrade Mood Board Parts 1-3
A collection of reference images that have a “youthful… post-punk vibe."
Andrade Mood Board Part 3
Andrade Storyboard
I used the storyboard to plan how all of the different elements would move and transition seamlessly from one frame to the next. This helped me create a dynamic intro to hook viewers in.
Kam Buckner Mood Board Parts 1-5
Vintage sports posters/cards along with screen printed graphics.
Buckner Mood Board Part 3
Buckner Mood Board Part 4
Buckner Mood Board Part 5
Buckner Storyboard Pages 1-3
The final piece ended up being pretty different from the storyboard, but the basic sequence structure remained.
The Result
Two finished promos, one for each campaign, that were broadcast on TV in Illinois and blasted on social media.