XPLOR

Overview

Building XPLOR from the Ground Up

Sunflare develops flexible thin-film solar technology. I created XPLOR for recreational and off-grid customers and led the brand across strategy, identity, digital experience, education, community, content, and events.

I spent nine years at Sunflare as Creative Director, then VP of Brand Strategy and Marketing. I led a team of eight and a network of contractors, but I stayed hands-on. I set the brand strategy and creative direction, designed key assets, and traveled with our production crews to shoot photo and video. Everything in my portfolio from that period was created by me or built under my direction.

Results

Helped grow the dealer network to more than 80 worldwide
Helped increased revenue 200% within two years and 300% by year three
Built a community of more than 100 XPLOR ambassadors
Secured OEM and industry partnerships with Victron, Yakima, nüCamp, KC HiLiTES, Vistabule, and others
Turned XPLOR into a mark of a serious overland build, with customers showcasing the panels much like other premium vehicle components.

This case study presents a focused selection from nine years of work.

Community Over Specifications
I created an ambassador program of more than 100 experienced overlanders who produced content and represented XPLOR at shows and events. Their real-world experiences gave the company an authentic voice and presence. Much of the brand’s credibility belongs to the people who carried it into the community.
Our panels cost roughly three times more than conventional alternatives and offered less power on paper. We could not compete on price or specifications, but we could compete on durability, reliability, and trust. I built the marketing around real stories and shared experiences, using emotion, connection, and belonging to give people a reason to look closer.

The XPLOR Rig
When I launched XPLOR, I wanted the brand to participate in the overland community rather than simply market to it. With a limited budget, I found a 1995 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 in Seattle and drove it to Los Angeles. We repaired and outfitted it within the available budget, and I designed a partial wrap to give it a finished presence without the expense of a full wrap. I also developed industry partnerships that helped provide wheels and other components. The Land Cruiser became XPLOR’s hero vehicle across events, trade shows, and marketing.

When I started XPLOR, I wanted to understand what solar power actually meant to overlanders. I went to events and trade shows, joined overlanding groups, and spent time in the community. I wanted to know why people used solar, what motivated them, what systems they already had, and what kept others from getting started.
I found that reliable power mattered to nearly everyone. The biggest barrier wasn’t a lack of interest. It was uncertainty about what to buy, how to configure it, and how to install it.
That insight led me to create XPLOR Solar 101, a program designed to make solar easier to understand. We taught workshops at industry events, hosted our own sessions, and sponsored dealer-led classes. Each event included a live Q&A, access to a downloadable guide, and an invitation to our Discord community, where participants could continue the conversation and get help from subject-matter experts.

I also invited overlanders to share stories about their experiences on the road. Those stories made the information personal. People could recognize their own questions and concerns, see what was possible, and realize they weren’t the only ones trying to figure it out.

Overland Expo was one of XPLOR’s largest annual events. I led months of planning for our nine-person team, from exhibit strategy and asset production through logistics and on-site execution.

The Torture Test
I created the XPLOR Torture Test to turn a durability claim into live proof. The original idea, letting attendees strike an operating solar panel with baseball bats, raised understandable safety concerns. I commissioned a fabricator to build a grounded, impact-absorbing platform, added a live hit counter, and offered the $1,000 panel to the first person who could destroy it. Dozens tried. It took 391 hits to stop the panel. The activation drew a large crowd, generated organic social content, and transformed a product claim into credible public proof.

I designed the website to make a complex product feel approachable, using photography, infographics, and concise copy to explain it without overwhelming people.

I helped grow XPLOR’s network to more than 80 dealers and industry partners worldwide. We added a searchable locator to help customers find nearby distributors, outfitters, retailers, solar installers, van builders, and vehicle builders.

Our installation guides for every product SKU went beyond mounting and wiring configurations. Because an incorrect installation could create real safety risks, I added detailed safety guidance and testing procedures using clear instructions and diagrams. We also created a dedicated section of the website for anyone who needed more in-depth technical information.

The XPLOR Ecosystem
I often use infographics to make complex ideas easier to understand. For XPLOR, I created an illustrated ecosystem that brings the full concept into a single, approachable visual. Showing how the different parts connect makes the information easier to follow, remember, and communicate.

Outside of key campaign shoots, much of XPLOR’s social photography came from ambassadors documenting their lives on the road. Their images showed real trips, real campsites, and products in use. It made the brand feel authentic and helped customers see a community they could be part of.

I met landscape photographer Rodrigo Trevino while buying a used camera through OfferUp. A week later, he was in Maui filming with our team as a Sunflare ambassador,
This photo was taken by me for an editorial that followed Rod’s life on the road and showed how solar powers his photography in remote places.

I featured our products through story-driven photography and video, showing them in the places they were actually meant to be used instead of relying only on studio images. This helped people imagine what XPLOR could make possible and gave the brand a look and feel that stood apart from typical solar marketing.

These videos are from Transform, a campaign built around a simple idea: show how people use flexible solar in real-world conditions. Instead of leading with specifications, we focused on the people, the challenge, and what the panels made possible.

I developed the campaign concept and storylines, found each application through social media, and led the partnerships, custom panel fabrication, and installation for every use case. I traveled with a five-person crew to photograph and film the campaign while also directing the production.

SPADA SCURA