Barefoot Bus Road Trip

Role: Creative, Assistant Editor, On-Camera Talent

One wintry December, I embarked on a cross-country road trip to deliver the "official bubbly of New Year's Eve" to Times Square. My team documented the 30-day journey, delivering daily social media content from the backseat of a moving 1969 VW bus. All at once I was directing, editing and starring in the campaign; while also dealing with flat tires, empty tanks and other real-life adventures that come with driving a 50-year-old vehicle across the country. (Side note: Our DP, who’s traveled the world on some of the most demanding assignments, said this was the most hardcore job he’s ever done).

The campaign attracted 18 million impressions, doubled the brand's ad recall and redefined the way Barefoot interacts with consumers. I'm the one in the pink cowboy hat.

📍Venice Beach, California | Day 1: The Barefoot Bus is ready for take off! We kicked off our coast-to-coast road trip on Venice Beach with the help of Allison Hagendorf, the official host of Times Square New Years Eve. Follow the bubbles as we make our way across the country. #BarefootBus

📍Palm Springs, California | Day 2: Today we conquered coffee stains, hot motors, and tow trucks and learned that NOTHING’S gonna bring us down. There are people to meet, parties to attend and 2,232 miles left to explore. Times Square, we’re on our way with just a couple bumps and bruises. #BarefootBus

📍Las Vegas, Nevada | Day 3: After a rough day yesterday, our baby is back up and running on all four cylinders. Shout out to the pros at Beetle Barn for the tune up. With a full tank and empty stomachs, our crew hit the Vegas strip and found out why they call it Sin City. #BarefootBus

📍Moab, Utah | Day 5: The Barefoot Crew beat the sun up for a morning drive through the sandstone arches of Moab. After a balanced breakfast, we took off towards Breckenridge and made it just in time to watch the sun set over the snow-capped Rockies. Is this real life? #BarefootBus

📍Denver, Colorado | Day 7: After a week cooped up in the Barefoot Bus, it felt amazing to stretch our legs on the snowy slopes of Breckenridge. That night, we met up with our friend Allison Hagendorf and the rest of the Barefoot crew to host the first party of the road trip. Thanks for coming out and celebrating with us, Denver. #BarefootBus

📍Somewhere in Kansas | Day 9: Us city folk aren’t used to the vibrant night skies we see out here in the country, so when we heard about the Geminid meteor shower, we immediately searched the coordinates for the darkest spot in town and took off down a dirt road. Sadly, clouds were covering every single star, so we got creative. (Insider note: spelling backwards is harder than it looks.) Barefoot, you light up our sky. #BarefootBus

📍Nashville, Tennessee | Day 10: You can’t help but feel the music when you arrive in Nashville. So we hit the historic WELCOME TO 1979 recording studio and laid down some road trip blues. Please allow the Barefoot Blues Crew to present: “Broke-Down Purple Van,” inspired by our many breakdowns and the mechanics who helped us get our groove back. #BarefootBus

📍Charlotte, North Carolina | Day 13: We rolled into our Charlotte in the the middle of the night still full of energy, so we took a stroll down to the park with a fuzzy blanket, a bottle of bubbly and a camera. Who says picnics need to be reserved for daylight? #BarefootBus

📍Charlotte, North Carolina | Day 15: No amount of rain could stop the city of Charlotte from putting on their ball-drop best and coming out to celebrate last night. ‘80s cover band Kids of America brought the retro heat as we danced our way to 2018. Next stop for the Barefoot Bus? Times Square! We hear there’s something happening on the 31st. #BarefootBus

📍Somewhere on the East Coast | Day 18: Wondering how the Barefoot Bus crew passes the time on our road trip from California to New York City? You’re looking at it. The Barefoot Bus crew has officially caught the holiday spirit and WARNING: it’s contagious. Only 536 more music-filled miles to go. #BarefootBus

📍Gastonia, North Carolina | Day 21: The crew took the Barefoot Bus down a back road and ended up in animal territory. We spent the day at Whispering Hope Farm riding horses, milking cows and cuddling everything in sight. It felt right to get some dirt on our jumpsuits before our big city debut. NYC, these roughed-up farm hands are on their way! #BarefootBus

📍New York City, New York | Day 24: The Barefoot crew is in The Big Apple and our bucket list is getting shorter by the second. From driving the bus through the heart of the city, skidding around the rink at Rockefeller Center to actually getting to touch the New Year’s Eve ball on top of Times Square—we’re pinching ourselves at every turn. #BarefootBus

📍New York City, New York | Day 25: Ever wonder what it’s like to see the New Year’s Eve Ball up close? The Barefoot Bus crew went to the top of Times Square to find out. #BarefootBus

📍New York City, New York | Day 26: Being in the middle of Times Square for New Year’s Eve was more magical (and cold) than we could have ever imagined. For that short time between the end of one year and the beginning of the next, everyone was family. It didn’t matter what passport you had in your pocket—we all spoke the same language. Thank you, Times Square, for letting our crew bring the bubbly to the biggest party of the year because it was so much more than that. #BarefootBus

Life After Road Trip, Day 1: The bubbly has been delivered. The bus has been parked. There’s only one thing left to do… RELAX. After clocking 3,000 total miles, the Barefoot Crew spent New Year’s Day resting, reflecting, and wondering ‘what now?’ It seems like yesterday we were taking off from sunny Venice with smiles on our faces and creases on our jumpsuits. 30 days later, we emerge hardened, exhausted, and ready to do it all over again. Stay tuned. #BarefootBus

DREAM TEAM

Art Director: Jarrod Gustin; Director of Photography: Adam Feuerman; Camera 2: Jeremy Searle; Creative Director: Libby Brockhoff; Executive Producer: David Verhoef; Talent: Crystal Kelley