Defender – TikTok Social Series

Role
Creative Lead, Art Director

Challenge
Defender was making TV ads and cutting them down for social. Engagement was low because the content wasn’t built for how people actually use TikTok.

Response/Idea

Make preparation the story, not the adventure.

I pushed the brand to stopped making ads and started building worlds.

I tapped into GorpTok, a niche community blending outdoor and luxury, and used PrepTok storytelling to focus on the ritual of preparation rather than the destination.

Instead of showing the car conquering terrain, I showed people preparing for it. Gear, movement, texture. The car sat naturally inside that world.

I built it as a repeatable series across ice climbing, sand surfing and extreme canoeing, working with a leading creator to keep it authentic.

Outcome
Millions of organic views and a clear shift in engagement. Proof that platform-native storytelling outperforms cut-down advertising.