RESUME

Creative director with 15 years of experience developing brands and leading in-house creative teams. Specialties include CPG branding, ecommerce and digital marketing, packaging design, content creation, and media campaigns, as well as designing and structuring effective creative operations.

Centr

Director of Creative Strategy & Operations  |  Present

I currently lead creative strategy (the "art") and creative operations (the "science") for Chris Hemsworth-founded fitness app, equipment manufacturer, and leading HYROX partner, Centr.

Chemical Guys

Director of Creative Services  |  2024 - 2025

I led an in-house team supporting brand awareness campaigns, product launches, performance marketing, and all retail and digital initiatives.

  • Led briefing, concepting, and pitches for the brand’s first ever campaign and strategic positioning, including high-level taglines, tentpole commercials, and various channel-specific executions.
  • Brought structure to start-up chaos with new key hires, tools like Bynder and Asana, improved commercialization workflows, and general coaching around good creative and design processes.
  • Drove creative for two or more major product launches each month, including product positioning, packaging design, product photography, video production, in-store activations, and digital assets.

Dragonfly Commerce

Creative Director  |  2022 - 2024

Led an international team providing creative strategy and product marketing for a vast ecommerce portfolio of 20+ brands and 4000+ products.

  • Led creative development of all assets involved in new product launches, including SEO research, keyword-driven copywriting, packaging design, product photography, and product page design.
  • Analyzed marketing funnel metrics and sales data to identify brand and product opportunities. Execute improvements and optimizations to brands and our existing online product catalog to improve positioning, traffic, and conversion rates.
  • Developed, coached and mentored a team of 18 graphic designers, SEO copywriters, project managers, and video editors.
  • Restructured department into distinct product launch and catalog optimization teams to increase quality and efficiency of work.

Simply Good Foods

Director of Creative Services  |  2020 - 2022

Led creative direction and operations for Simply Good Creative, a full service in-house creative agency. Our specialized team provided creative strategy, packaging development, graphic design, photo & video production, copywriting, and print production services for both the Quest Nutrition and Atkins brands.

  • Coordinated with senior leadership and internal stakeholders to understand business objectives and translate into creative execution.
  • Coached and mentored a diverse group of designers, producers, photographers, copywriters, project managers, and other creative specialists.
  • Managed creative operations, a 7-figure operating budget, and tools/processes to deliver hundreds of simultaneous and varied projects each month.
  • Led refresh of visual identity and brand guidelines for the Atkins brand.
  • Led execution of all digital assets (paid social, web, email, OTT) on Quest's 2021-22 "It's Way Bigger Than a Protein Bar" media campaign.
  • Developed and maintained the strength of our brands, and their importance to a passionate consumer-base, through high quality creative and consistency of style and tone.
  • Drove creative thinking and collaboration across the organization.

Quest Nutrition

Creative Director  |  2017 - 2020

Led a full service in-house creative team, providing graphic design, photography, video production and copywriting support. Defined the Quest brand style, personality, and messaging, and drove consistency and unity through creative.

  • Repositioned Quest from a niche sports nutrition brand to a broad-appeal healthier snacking brand (while retaining our authenticity and legacy consumer-base).
  • Led the packaging redesign (in collaboration with Chase Design) of Quest’s entire product portfolio to unify the family, modernize our branding, and create a striking and effective shelf presence.
  • Oversaw conceptualization and execution of Quest’s 2018 “Life Is Better When You Can Feed Your Cravings” 360 degree campaign, including billboards, digital banners, social media content, and video production.
  • Oversaw conceptualization and execution of Quest's 2019-20 "Enjoy More, Carb Less" brand campaign, including OTT TV commercials, social media advertising, and other paid media placement.
  • Led an RFP process and redesign of Quest's DTC website to improve site performance and conversion rates.
  • Oversaw conceptualization and execution of various Quest innovation launches, including Protein Cookies, Thin Crust Pizza, Tortilla-Style Protein Chips, and Peanut Butter Cups.
  • Built workflows based in Blue and Esko Webcenter to manage packaging approvals and minimize risk in a strict food labeling/compliance environment. Coordinated internal and external pre-press resources and managed press-checks across a wide range of printing facilities and methods.
  • Developed, led, and coached a best-in-class in-house creative team of artists, contractors, and project managers. Managed creative operations, department budgeting, and resource allocation.

Sr. Manager, Creative Content  |  2016 - 2017

Led Quest's media production team in the creation of photo, video and digital content - supporting marketing initiatives, product launches, a highly successful social media engine, and driving brand awareness.

  • Both led a creative team and executed "hands-on" to produce hundreds of social media assets that drove growth of Quest's successful digital presence (1m+ Facebook, 1m+ Instagram).
  • Directed music video for "Stud Muffin" by singer/songwriter Bonnie McKee, a promotion for Quest's Blueberry Muffin Protein Bar.
  • Produced and directed the Quest Labs Virtual Reality Experience - an innovative foray into VR video that gave visitors to the Mr Olympia fitness expo a completely unique and interactive sci-fi experience.
  • Director of "Inside Quest": 70+ episodes (and supporting social media content) of a talk-show featuring interviews with various entrepreneurs and industry leaders; an early blueprint of Tom Bilyeu's "Impact Theory" series.

Video Producer  |  2013 - 2016

Hired by Quest to develop an in-house content production team, and create video and photo content to support Quest's thriving online community. Developed the media department from a one-person-band to a full service production and post-production team.

  • Directed the 'Explosive Pie Prank' to drive awareness for Quest's new Pumpkin Pie flavor launch - an interactive prank commercial starring celebrity YouTubers that garnered over 2 million views and 40k fan comments.
  • Directed 'Food for Thought' with Matthew Santoro - a branded educational animation that doubled Quest's YouTube subscriber count and reached over 5 million views.
  • Directed "Cooking Clean With Quest" - a cooking series hosted by lifestyle influencer and YouTube star Cassey Ho (Blogilates).
  • Developed the "#15SecondRecipes" cooking series, encouraging fans to use the Quest products in creative recipes. A fan favorite and driver of Quest's early online growth, generating between 4-10k Instagram likes and up to 100k+ YouTube views per video.

Mahalo / Inside.com

Video Producer/Editor  |  2012

Produced, directed and edited video content for educational and lesson-based apps. Produced and directed, and collaborated with the larger video team, to create premium fitness and food content for YouTube's Premium Partner Program.

  • Directed and edited "Being Fat Sucks" - a YouTube-based weight-loss reality series.
  • Directed "Painting for Dummies" - a video based app and partnership with the For Dummies brand.
  • Camera Operator on "Inside My Kitchen" - a cooking series featuring interviews and recipe tips from prestigious LA chefs.
  • Camera Operator on "Food Deconstructed" - a cooking show demonstrating new twists on classic meals.
  • Production Sound Mixer on "Matt Sorum's Power Drumming" - a lesson series with Guns n' Roses drummer Matt Sorum.

Film & Television Production

Various  |  2009 - 2012

Versatile video production jack-of-all-trades with experience in both camera and sound departments. Regular contractor for various production companies, and produced & directed a variety of music video, commercial, and corporate content.

Examples of credits:

  • Camera Operator / Director of Photography:
    • Coca-Cola Oceania - ‘Stepping Up' [Corporate, Screentime Productions]
    • Westpac NZ - ‘Smile TV' [Corporate, Screentime Productions]
    • Glacier Rugby 2011 [Corporate, Tourism NZ]
    • Google Loon Test Launch [Corporate, Ruffell Productions]
  • Camera Assistant:
    • Sleepy Age - ‘Waster' [Music Video, dir. Julian Vares]
    • Plasback [TVC, Ruffell Productions]
    • Ministry of Health Earthquake Campaign [TVC, Ruffell Productions]
  • Production Sound Mixer:
    • 'The Secret Lives of Dancers' [Reality TV, Eyeworks New Zealand]
    • Vodafone - Company Case Study [Corporate, ID2 Media Ltd]
    • Hunter Furniture - ‘We Love Leather' [TVC, Ruffell Productions]

Education

University of Canterbury

Bachelor of Fine Arts