[ Define the why ]
Creative Strategy + Direction
Creative strategy defines the message, the audience and the business goal. Creative direction turns that plan into work people can see and feel.
For marketing teams launching campaigns, entering new markets or trying to make sense of creative that looks busy but isn’t working. Usually the gap isn’t talent. It’s that nobody connected the business goal to the work before it got made.
I lead both sides, so the plan and the work never drift apart. I’ve shaped strategy and creative for national campaigns alongside teams at Abbott, CareerBuilder and Tailored Brands. Based in Metro Detroit, working nationwide.
[ The work behind the work ]
What’s included
Strategy first, then the work. Most projects include some mix of the following.
Creative Strategy
The why and the what. I translate business goals into a creative plan: who we’re talking to, what will resonate and how we’ll know it worked.
- Audience + market insights
- Creative briefs + key messaging
- Campaign roadmaps + success metrics
Campaign + Concept Development
Where strategy becomes ideas. I develop the stories and concepts that campaigns and brand evolutions grow from.
- Visual territories + storytelling
- Integrated campaign concepts
- Culturally relevant creative
Art Direction
How the brand looks and feels in every frame, across video, print, digital and social.
- Photo + video shoot direction
- Illustration + typography
- Image direction + AI-assisted visuals
Creative Leadership
Guidance for the people making the work, so the final output feels cohesive and true to the brand.
- Art director + copywriter guidance
- Creative reviews + QA
- Ad concept testing
- Liaison Marketing and Creative Director
[ Case Study ]
Abbott Blood Donation Campaigns
Inspire a new generation to see blood donation as a movement worth joining. Integrated campaigns spanning social, influencer partnerships, and an immersive mixed-reality experience turned a medical necessity into a cause people could connect with and act on.
Lives potentially saved through increased blood donor participation.
[ Good work. Clear expectations. ]
Pricing
Strategy and direction can be a focused sprint, part of a campaign or ongoing support. I’ll recommend the right fit after a short call.
Creative strategy sprint
Campaign strategy + creative direction
Enterprise ongoing partnerships
[ Before we get to work ]
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between creative strategy and creative direction?
A fractional creative director provides senior-level creative leadership on a part-time or project basis. I help shape creative strategy, direct designers and vendors, review work, and maintain brand consistency without the commitment of a full-time hire.
Do I need both creative strategy and creative direction?
Usually, yes. Strategy without direction stays on paper, and direction without strategy produces work that looks good but doesn’t move the business. Most teams have one and are missing the other.
What is a creative brief, and do you write them?
A creative brief is the one-page plan every piece of work starts from: the goal, audience, message and what success looks like. Yes, I write them, and I can teach your team to write better ones.
Can you work with our existing agency or in-house team?
Yes. I often set the strategy and direction while your team or agency produces the work. I can also step in hands-on for the high-stakes pieces.
[ More ways to make it happen ]