WHY UPGRADE?

This latest version of Creative Director is going to produce results, and everybody’s going to have fun along the way. That can be a very valuable promise, when you’ve had to make compromises in the name of creative talent.

More than anything, I love to direct creative teams beyond the expectations of a company and its audience. I do this by fostering the creative environment, rather than with ego or pressure. Whether this is done in-house, or in managing accounts, it doesn’t matter. I find the projects that I can become a partner with passion, and I become the most important member of its audience.

7+ years of experience means a lot in the world of design and branding. It means I’ve walked through many fires, and gathered several skills that only time and experience can provide. Here are some new features of the upgrade I bring as a creative director:

PATIENCE

These days, patience comes naturally to me, and to some whom I’ve worked with, it’s legendary.

So many creatives are like wild horses when it comes to unleashing their creativity. When that energy is directed at others, expecting them to produce something of quality, how can the result be anything but filled with tension? The personality of a wild horse is more than a company – or a tight team – can take day in day out.  I take pride in my patience – with other creatives, as well as clients. Sure, I’ll vent about the fifth revision after a deadline. Who wouldn’t? But I’ll maintain a sense of reality and calm. What is, is.

PRODUCTION WISDOM

I’ve been the bane and best friend to pressmen – often requesting the impossible, and often producing materials we both hold up proudly as our babies. Knowing the realities of print, the various techniques and limitations, makes me a skilled broker of quality work. I know how to navigate, place, and take responsibility, making me an honest broker as well as a skilled one.

FUNCTIONAL AESTHETICS

I’ve gotten all my art-for-art’s-sake work out of the way. Now, I’m a staunch believer in the function of graphic design. If it wins awards but doesn’t meet goals, what’s the point? I know design is the first few seconds of a customer’s engagement, and the rest is relationships. If a design doesn’t lead to a relationship that benefits the company, it is a failure. That being said, in that first few seconds, the entire relationship is established – a customer’s dreams, feelings, and expectations are formed. That’s why I like to stay with design until those visceral, mental, spiritual connections are instant.

COLLABORATION

A creative director isn’t a one man show, but can be if necessary. The rest of the time, collaboration is required, and it is an art that only comes with practice. My style of collaboration involves genuine listening, and drawing out the creative ideas of others. Mine is an inclusive style that fosters personal creative responsibility in all who participate.

How do I do this? I can easily conjure a game that leads to new ideas. I can let others take the lead, and inspire from the sidelines. I like to foster an environment of respect and equality wherever I can, because I know when a creative mind is as comfortable as it is confident, it produces great ideas. And we all have creative minds on some level.

As a director, I am the guardian of BS. I can smell design missteps – of tone, language, and style – by holding true to the brand, and to the people that matter most: company’s biggest fans.

BRAND GUIDELINES

I write and hold to deeply effective brand guidelines, and I know how to follow those already in place. I take branding very seriously. Where I sense branding is shallow, I bring more depth and meaning, so that all involved can see it. Branding is the bedrock of a fanatic customer base, so I like to design with brand in mind.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

While I’ve been through many experiences, one skillset that I’ve grown from scratch is my ability to articulate a vision to others. I’m a skilled communicator – to large and small audiences, to friendly and hostile crowds.

What I bring most effectively to an office is top-notch feedback skills. Keeping myself centered, I can be frank and I can bring diplomacy.

I’m formally trained in communication and integrity skills. Whereas many who learn what I know go on to be highly paid executive coaches, and advisors to world leaders, my passion is in the creative world.  You can pay a coach to transform your team, or you can start with a team leader who knows how to listen.

UPGRADE NOW!

Upgrade your creative department by bringing me in. Give me an account that has been a problem for you. Give me a staff that needs to be inspired. You’ll find this latest version of Creative Director is as effective as it is rare. For a free demo, call me.