Challenge: Conway Home Services had recently been acquired by ARS, and the transition needed to feel seamless to customers who had relied on the brand for years. For decades, Conway’s identity was rooted in its founder, John Conway. He was featured prominently in commercials and on service trucks, and his presence was closely tied to customer trust. With John no longer part of the company, the brand faced a significant challenge. We needed to reinforce continuity, maintain customer confidence, and introduce a new face without losing the local personality Conway was known for.

Strategy: We approached the sponsorship with the Memphis Tigers as an opportunity to reframe Conway’s brand story. Rather than replacing John with an actor or a corporate spokesperson, we chose to highlight Chris Berner, Conway’s General Manager. Chris was already a recognizable and respected presence within the organization, and positioning him as the new face of the brand provided an authentic connection to the past.

Pairing Chris with Penny Hardaway, head coach of the Memphis Tigers, allowed us to build a spot that felt familiar, local, warm, and rooted in Memphis pride. Adding a touch of humor helped soften the transition and created an approachable tone that matched Conway’s long-standing brand personality.

Approach: My team developed the creative concept, storyboard, and script around three key ideas:

1. Continuity: Chris shows up as himself, grounded and approachable, reflecting the same service customers have trusted for years.

2. Local Identity: Featuring Penny and the Tigers mascot reinforces Conway’s connection to the Memphis market.

3. Light Humor: A natural, playful interaction between Chris and Penny helps the audience feel at ease with the transition.

We partnered with Running Pony, a local Memphis production company, to bring the spot to life. Together we shaped a tone that felt familiar to long-time customers while introducing the next chapter of Conway’s brand identity. On set, we guided Chris to show up naturally and confidently, especially important since this was his first time stepping into the role previously held by the founder.

Work: We produced 30-second and 15-second broadcast-ready versions. We also captured behind the scenes content to share on social media. The creative focused on simple storytelling, conversational delivery, and the recognizable presence of Penny Hardaway to anchor the brand’s local pride.

Impact: Although the spot was not built around direct performance metrics, the impact was clear within the brand and across the Memphis market:

• Helped support the brand transition from founder-led identity to operational leadership

• Reassured customers that Conway remained the same trusted company they knew

• Strengthened the branch’s confidence in presenting a new public-facing leader

• Reinforced Conway’s connection to Memphis through a recognizable local figure

• Set a creative foundation for how other ARS branches can approach leadership changes or brand transitions

This spot became a meaningful moment in Conway’s evolution and helped maintain continuity during a sensitive brand shift.

My role: I led the creative direction for the project from concept through delivery. My team developed the idea, storyboard, and script, and I partnered closely with Running Pony to produce the spot. I guided the tone, pacing, and visual style, and provided on-set direction to support Chris in stepping into a new role for the brand. I also collaborated with Conway leadership to ensure the narrative honored the company’s legacy while moving it toward its next chapter within the ARS Network.