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Work experience

Graphic Designer

Nike, Inc.

Crafted identity design, packaging and collateral for Air Jordan, ACG, Cycling and Sport Casual. Art directed photographers, illustrators, filmmakers and designers on fashion and sport collateral. Created award-winning designs, participated in strategic marketing and planning for global brand launches and interacted with senior management, agency and vendors.

Director of Advertising & Design

Capitol Records

Directed cross-functional creative teams on album cover designs, logos, tour posters, print advertising, retail merchandising, swag, websites and video projects. Managed schedules, budgets and deliverables in a fast-paced, egocentric business. Collaborated with attorneys, artists, artist management, A&R, marketing and promotions departments. Created all consumer and trade print advertising for label.

Creative Director

Maddocks & Company

Managed elite team of art directors, designers, writers, web programmers, and industrial designers to create engaging brand development and product packaging. Launched La Brea Bakery, Ketel One Vodka webTV, DIRECTV, KMS and SONY Playstation — working closely with product development teams and marketing to build solid strategic solutions.

Jan 2011Jan 2012

Global Creative Director

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Lead the Los Angeles based global design group, responsible for all brand touch points including retail, digital, packaging, advertising and all communications. New product launch identity & packaging for: CBTL, Ready Coffee, Ice Blended and Custom Bar. Utilizing retail, packaging, web and social media to build community around the brand.

  • Helping to shape the retail brand experience: packaging, digital, posters, menu boards
  • Developing web and social media communications.
  • Creating external communications for new store/new market launches: including print, radio, TV, web and event materials.
Aug 2007Jan 2011

Founder/Creative Director

Venu Interactive

Integrated branding and communications firm, helmed by leading marketing experts who specialize in brand launches and rejuvenations. Expertise in retail and digital brand integration, branded content development and social media. Currently working with Nike Air Jordan, Southern California Edison, DYMO Endicia, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and DIRECTV.

  • Rebranded Nike’s Air Jordan — including identity, product, retail, packaging, branding, advertising, and website design.
  • Created print, retail, direct and online campaigns for DIRECTV's retail marketing group, promoting sporting events and special offers that were directly responsible for exceeding customer growth targets.
  • Developed branding and retail communications for Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.
  • Created new in-store marketing concepts for Applebee’s Restaurants incorporating Twitter and Facebook into the local networking for each restaurant.
20012007

Senior Vice President, Design Director

Built world-class creative team for award-winning, integrated marketing and communications firm, recognized as “Agency of the Year” 5 consecutive years. Orchestrated brand vision and integration for global blue-chip clients across all media touch-points. Oversaw creation and execution of industry-impacting brand development including identity, packaging, advertising, interactive, retail and collateral.

  • Pitched new business that generated millions of dollars in revenues for companies such as Old Navy, TGI Friday's, DIRECTV, GM, SONY Playstation, United Healthcare, Tesco
  • Directed brand development and created and maintained brand guidelines for TGI Friday’s, California Cheese, DIRECTV and Tesco’s Fresh & Easy.
  • Launched Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets including brand identity, retail, packaging, and online.
  • Instrumental in driving billings from $300M to $900M in 6 years.
  • Hired and managed a diverse staff of over 25 creatives.

Education

BA

BA

Skills

websites
www.freshandeasy.com   www.cicispizza.com   www.fridays.com   www.saturn.com  
Recommended By
“Having recently collaborated with Ross, I can tell you he is a rare breed of creative talent. Not only is he an amazing designer/creative director, but he's also extremely insightful. Time after time, I've seen Ross bring brilliant pieces of creative to the table that solve business issues. A strategic creative with business savvy, who produces relevant, engaging work? That's Ross all the way.” Adriann Cocker, Sr. Strategic Planner, Grieco Research Group
Recommended By
“I have worked closely with Ross for many years. I was a Partner at Deutsch LA while Ross was the head of our Design group. Along with his brilliant design capabilties, Ross is a very strategic thinker and works across many platforms beyond design. He was instrumental in many of our new business pitches as well as helping to organically grow business with existing clients. I have since hired Ross to help me launch Product of the Year USA that is a European company launching in the US for the first time. Wash branding has handled all of our collateral, messaging and advertising. The most important part is that Ross is a great guy, has amazing integrity, and cares intensely about your business. I would highly recommend Ross - and will always use him for my business - or at least until he becomes too busy and famous for me to afford to hire him!”  Colleen Kelly, Executive Director @ Product of the Year former Managing Partner, Deutsch Los Angeles
Recommended By
“Having the good fortune and privilege of working with Ross over the past 10 years, I have had a lot of experience in seeing what a unique and talented person he is. To call him a "Rock Star" would be close as he embodies many of the qualities connected with the term yet, arrives with none of the baggage. He is one of those rare individuals who brings a certain perspective and magic to the game and seems to just "get it". A true hybrid with all the strategic thinking and storytelling of an adman but, every bit the "designer's designer" who labors over each and every aspect of the communication, making sure that it is on brand and authentic. Ross is fearless and not afraid to ask the hard questions that challenges and reaches beyond the obvious to get to what's really relevant and right for the brand. The other thing that makes Ross special is that he is a "people person" in every sense of the term. Whether guiding a new designer to drill down a little deeper and create something wonderful or in a packed boardroom presenting brilliant creative - he has an innate ability to make people genuinely feel good, see his POV and enjoy the process.”  Chip Sheean, VP, Associate Design Director @ Deutsch Los Angeles

References

Eric Hirshberg

I worked with Eric for 6 years, guiding design teams on Saturn, DIRECTV, Fresh & Easy and TGI Fridays. I also led the Old Navy creative account for print and broadcast. My team of 25 + creatives were responsible for many new business wins. Our integrated efforts created linkage between TV, print, retail, web and direct.

Mark Smith

We worked with Mark and his team on the Jordan brand refresh. It's a top to bottom effort that will utilize new logo and brand components to redress the retail landscape and create renewed interest in the performance driven brand. The rebrand will set Jordan up for a major push into China in 2011.

Mike Sheldon

Mike's the kind of guy you want by your side in a client presentation. I was lucky enough to work behind the scenes with Mike as well as on the front lines.

Websites

Portfolio

Portfolio

Brand/Creative/Digital/Retail

INTEGRATED BRAND STORYTELLER:

Ross is a highly inventive and strategic creative guru with strong business management and leadership qualities that will drive business value for clients. His finely tuned design sensibilities have crafted integrated brand storytelling for leading global organizations. He has a proven ability to attract and retain world-class talent.

Big Brand Experience:

Nike, Old Navy, Chevrolet, TGI Fridays, Coors Light, 

Sony Playstation, Mitsubishi Motors, Nestle, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, DIRECTV

Key Areas of Leadership & Expertise:

Brand Development • Packaging Design • Creative Direction • Experiential • Social Media • Interactive • 

Mobile • Art Direction • Retail Innovation • Global Experience

Interest

Music, Art, and Fashion. Snow, Skate and Surf.

Keywords

Branding, Corporate Identity, Creative Direction, Design, Design Management, Event Design, Illustration, Marketing, Product Development, Project Management, Strategy & Planning, Brand Guidelines, Brand Management, Photo Art Direction, Retail Branding, Interactive, Packaging Design, Design Systems, Brand Launches, Brand Rejuvenation, Digital Marketing, Mobile, Web Strategy, eCommerce, Apps.

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