Lil Dicky and Giant Propeller Speaks On Staying A Head Of The Pack!
Giant Propeller is a marketing and advertising company founded by Jordan Freda (@jordanfreda) and Mike Bodkin. Jordan made a name for himself in Silicon Valley as the founder of a (now defunct) visual effects company called The Base Studio, which worked on over 28 feature films – many for Marvel Studios – as well as thinning out-edge commercials. Freda leveraged this recognition to become the Creative Director for emerging brands such as Inkkas, Selk’bag, Breathometer. As a result of his time working with these brands, Freda became keenly aware that traditional selling is obsolete, and his refusal to fall in line with mediocrity became driven by a passion for helping new brands explode across every digital platform available.
The vision to build a rule-smashing marketing agency to fulfill this passion came into sharp focus when Freda’s road-less-traveled merged with that of Mike Bodkin, at which stage the two digital outlaws realized their destiny was to join forces to create Giant Propeller.
Considers himself as a professional “creative problem solver,” and with over a decade of senior production experience under his utility belt, it’s easy to determine why. Bodkin started his calling in Hollywood helping studios such as Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. And Dickhouse Entertainment on several high-profile motion pictures. Having sufficiently sharpened his creative problem-solving skills among these prolific companies, Bodkin was then taken to join Stereo D in its startup phase as the Vice President of Production to help structure and optimize their profits and procedures.
Over the course of just three years, Bodkin was instrumental in building Stereo D’s entire operations and management structures, which permitted them to scale from 30 employees to a thriving workforce of over 1,500. As an Executive Producer at Stereo D, Bodkin also added 35 blockbuster films to his resume and had the pleasure of collaborating directly with iconic filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and James Cameron, just to name a few. It was Bodkin’s dedication and ingenuity which helped Stereo D get on Fast Company’s competitive list for Most Innovative Companies of 2013. Currently, Bodkin is applying his ample talents to the creative agency Giant Propeller – along with his collaborator-in-crime, Jordan Freda. Together, they are making digital waves that are rocking all boats within the advertising and merchandising industries.
Giant Propeller has been work has had the opportunity to work on a variety of different projects that includes the #WatchPorn Campaign your time has come, Katy Perry’s E.T. Featuring Kanye West, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, The Avengers, Harry Potter, Nike, Google, Uber, Fairmont Hotel. Their most recent projects that they have been working on is Lil Dicky‘s (@lildickytweets) “Pillow Talking” and Juniper a luxury furniture brand.
The Pillow Talking video took 9 months to create and the animated brain had 25 ideations and was created by mapping choreographer Ian Eastwood for the campaign. The unique challenge the Giant Propeller team had to overcome was entire worlds colliding together – an alien intrusion. Lil Dicky was incredibly involved and would designate out a single CGI brick in the wall of the set if it wasn’t exactly as planned.
The Hype Magazine had the opportunity speak with Giant Propeller and Lil Dicky briefly about the marketing process that continues to break barriers with every project and Lil Dicky’s most recent commercial with ESPN featuring the Ball family.
Jordan how has Giant Propeller to continually break marketing barriers not only with music content but content in general?
We work on unique projects and I think one of the things, that set us apart is exactly out clientele. We are an agency that focuses on emerging brands, artists, & projects and those individuals tends to be open minded allowing us to insert our creativity. This also allows us to make an impact on the overall helping our clients’ campaign and anything else that we release.
Being that Giant Propeller has been involved with a variety of visual content which projects at the top of your list?
I would have to say the Pillow Talk video we did with Lil Dicky the concepts and creation process was incredible. In addition, I will add another one by the name of Juniper and that can be found at Livejuniper.com. That is a luxury furniture brand that Giant Propeller has help create the entire universe of with Eric Brand. This also shows our capability to bring a brand to market and developing the content surround the project. These two projects are definitely, in my opinion, is our best work to date.
Mike, how have you been able to apply the knowledge and work experience as an executive producer into various visual media you have produced?
Just the network of pure talent, as well as the clientele and people we have interacted through our previous careers, have come full circle. That has allowed us to be successful with our new venture Giant Propeller and our resources from feature filmmaking has been invaluable when conquering and emerging brands and talents.
What long did it take for you and the ball family come up with the cross-branding concept with ESPN?
It didn’t take long at all I was approached by ESPN to participating in a commercial related to the college basketball awards. During the creation process, we brainstormed who would be a good fit and they mentioned the Ball Family and it happens very quickly.
Landon Buford is an accomplished sports and entertainment journalist based in Richardson, Texas, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, WWE, MLB, and the entertainment industry. Known for delivering high-impact stories and headline-making interviews, Buford has earned a global audience through content that blends insider access with compelling storytelling.
He previously served as director of editorial and brand communications at PlayersTV, where he helped shape the platform’s editorial voice and brand identity. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of LandonBuford.com—an independent outlet with more than 1.6 million views and syndication from major platforms including Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports. Buford’s interviews with stars like Gary Payton, Kevin Durant, Mark Cuban and Chris Paul showcase his talent for meaningful, in-depth conversations.
His bylines have appeared in Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Heavy.com, Meta’s Bulletin and One37pm, where he has contributed exclusive interviews, breaking news and cultural insights. At Heavy.com, his work drew more than a million views in just eight months, and at One37pm, it contributed to record-breaking traffic numbers.
His work highlights the intersection of sports, fashion, music, and entrepreneurship—showcasing how athletes and entertainers use their platforms to inspire change, influence trends, and shape culture beyond the game. Landon has interviewed a wide range of figures from the NBA, NFL, and entertainment industries, consistently bringing authentic voices and untold stories to the forefront.
In addition to his journalism, Buford is an entrepreneur and content creator, dedicated to amplifying diverse narratives and driving meaningful conversations across media platforms. His passion for storytelling, culture, and innovation continues to make him a respected voice in the evolving landscape of sports and entertainment media.
