USAA x NFL – Luther Himes IV

Salute to Service

Call in a Flyover Integrated Experience

Evolving the concept from a simple social campaign into a brand-defining experience, I served as Creative Lead on this ambitious, first-of-its-kind marketing initiative.

A complex, multi-platform user experience project, I wrote and pitched the concept, led film production, and provided creative oversight across web and integration development. As USAA’s highest-budget digital execution to date, the campaign generated over 50,000 shared videos, 114,000 site visits, and 143 million impressions earning widespread press and social media praise, and recognition as a finalist in both the Webby Awards and OMMAs.

Role: Motion Director & Producer
Agency: Publicis Sapient
Production Partner: Tool of NA

Site experience

Created in partnership between the NFL and USAA, Salute to Service is a generative video experience inviting users to honor an active or retired military friend or loved one by entering their name, rank, and address to create a personalized tribute video.

In each piece, pre-filmed scenes are stitched together on-the-fly with bespoke generated footage—integrated through a partnership with Google Earth and Google Street View—showing a formations of fighter jets flying to and over their home. A generative voiceover states the recipient’s name and rank as the piece closes with a personalized animated end card. Designed for seamless sharing, the finished tribute is then automatically delivered, creating a personal, dynamic, and emotionally resonant brand experience.

The project consisted of:

⇢ Scripting and shooting the film
⇢ Developing the site experience & social media integration
⇢ A custom automation back-end to handle:
↳ Accessing Google Streetview and Google Earth API
↳ Voice synthesis
↳ Compositing and rendering the video
↳ Hosting and delivering the files
⇢ Social & e-mail notification/sharing system