Biography - Stuart Wilson 360 Creative Director

140 character biography
Creative Director/Strategist w/ 22 years of integrated marketing experience in traditional + pure-play digital agencies such as AKQA & JWT.

300 character biography
Hello There! Can we connect? I'm seeking opportunities as a 360° strategic creative lead with expertise in running multidisciplinary teams and driving results for global brands through innovative work in Comms, SoMe & Content, and Experience Design. Warmly, Stuart - www.stuwilson.uk

300 character biography
Multidisciplinary Creative Director w/ 15+ years of experience across narrative, direct response and CX. A dynamic team player with a tremendous work ethic and a career pitch win rate of 66% across digital and traditional networked agencies such as GREY, VMLY&R, HAVAS, McCann, JWT, TBWA and AKQA.

700 character biography summary
Multidisciplinary Creative Director w/ 15+ years of experience across narrative, direct response and CX. A dynamic team player with great integrity and loyalty with a career pitch win rate of 66% across digital and traditional networked agencies GREY, VMLY&R, HAVAS, McCann, JWT, TBWA and AKQA.

Things that fire me up;
1. Strategic conceptual thought.
2. Seeing connections that others do not.
3. Creating solutions so targeted that the results blow everybody's mind.

I have a tremendous work ethic, giving everything every day while demonstrating a willingness daily to roll up my sleeves. Colleagues tell me my love of ideas and my genuine passion and enthusiasm for creativity is inspirational.

60 word biography overview
An experienced, 360° Creative Director/Strategist with a natural inclination towards emerging products and platforms that drive social connection, while also retaining a command of the traditional communication channel mix. A creative polymath originally from a design background who has developed into a multifaceted writer, methodical strategic thinker and inspirational leader, equally comfortable working on both domestic and global briefs.

250 word biography summary
I am a 360° Creative Director/Strategist with 22 years of integrated marketing experience in both traditional + pure-play digital agencies such as AKQA, TBWA & JWT. I inhabit the crossroads of traditional media, technology, social media and content narrative. An ideas-led self initiated strategic creative always searching for what inspires, what makes people act and how insights lead to innovation in experience, branded content and communications. I'm a creative polymath originally from a design background who has developed over the years into a multifaceted writer, methodical strategic thinker and inspirational leader who is equally comfortable working on both domestic and global briefs in practically every category. I have a natural inclination towards emerging products and platforms that drive social connection, while retaining a command of the traditional communication channel mix. In my approach I use research, psychology and UX methodology to build and implement digital strategy, then working collaboratively I help shape that rigorous strategy into a product story that meets requirements and vested stakeholder interests. I'm a very supportive and proactive Creative Director who will deliver on my word. In terms of style, I take my teams on a straight-talking and methodical creative journey by giving them direction, inspiration and guidance where needed. This process allows each team member to focus purely on coming up with robust, intelligent ideas that are able to flex. This approach is born of working at every level of the career ladder over the years, under some great innovation and brand leaders.

FULL BIOGRAPHY

Company: GREY London
November 2021 - Present Day
Role: Creative Lead [Contract]

Company: GREY London
March 2021 - July 2021
Role: Creative Lead [Contract]
Brought in to finalize a challenger brand campaign approach and once client-approved, create an integrated multi-channel brand toolkit ready for transcreation into Czech and Greek markets. Originally contracted for one month but extended a further three times over a period of 6 months.

Company: HAVAS London
February 2021 - March 2021
Role: Creative Lead [Contract]
Development of a media-neutral communications idea for a specialist plaster brand for key EMEA markets: UK, DE, IT, FR, SP and others. End deliverables: 20sec TVC, tactical OOH and Social activations.

Company: VMLY&R
January 2021 - February 2021
Role: BAT Global Vuse Social Creative Director [Contract]
Strategic/Creative Lead on the development of BAT Global Vuse Social Media Playbook for 2021. Develop a transformational idea and plan to accelerate earned SoMe to get to a leadership position in terms of share of market. Set the strategic and creative direction, monitoring continuity as all the work is developed and a campaign comes to life.
Work in an agile, efficient and concentrated way to develop a proposition that informs the concept/campaign development to be used for toolkit collation and distribution.

Company: Flocc.co
June 2020 - September 2020
Role: Copywriter [Contract]
Responsibilities: Help establish a new brand and tone of voice for a flocc service sub-brand. Archetype and brand architecture definition + proposition development; naming, positioning/differentiation, values and, personality.
Achievements: Built a working click funnel matrix based upon the principles of the business, wrote 14 scripts for videos to be SEO'd as Google micro-moments, executed the UX, and wrote search optimised copy for the entire website.

Company: Cyber-Duck
July 2019 - June 2020
Role: Creative Director [Full time]
Responsibilities: Led the creative department of 6 UX Designers and 5 UI Designers across client design & build projects and internal digital marketing. Raising the standard of work, advocating best practices, setting the right structures and processes that enable better experience to happen.
Achievements: Lead the pitch winning team on Compare The Market Mortgages, landing a high profile £1m UX project.
Brands worked on: Autoglym, Censornet, Compare The Market, Eurofighter, Great Western Wines, Sport England, Thunderhead.
My position was made redundant after 57 days on furlough during the pandemic.

Company: HAVAS London
March 2019 - June 2019
Role: Multidisciplinary Creative Director/Strategist [Contract]
Responsibilities: Led a team of 15 creatives, designers, animators and editors in producing an integrated global campaign that used everyday people to amplify a smoke-free message, The Unsmoke Movement, to influence regulators and create the largest public conversation in history about how the world can move away from cigarette smoke.
Achievements: Delivered four films, messaging and imagery to populate unsmokeyourworld.com and a global press ad to activate the campaign. This project was multi-award winning; Communicator Awards: Silver award for unsmokeyourworld.com for copywriting. Web Awards: 2020 best advocacy site for Unsmoke. dotCOMM Awards: Website design/creativity for Unsmoke. Vega Awards: Two Centauri awards for Unsmoke - for user interface and user experience and Summit Awards: Bronze award for Unsmoke as an online campaign.
Brands worked on: Philip Morris International.
This contract came to an end on go-live date and hand over of all assets.

Company: McCann
May 2018 - Feb 2019
Role: Creative Director / Strategist [Contract]
Responsibilities: Supported strategy, project management, and account teams while inspiring and motivating both in-house and third-party creative and design teams to produce high caliber multidisciplinary work for the launch of a new heated tobacco system IQOS 3.
Achievements: Provided various PMI business unit leads with a breadth of integrated work in more than 150 consumer touch points under varying levels of turnaround. In seven months our team of 78 created over 6000 deliverables for an associated global asset toolkit.
Brands worked on: HEETS, IQOS, Philip Morris International.
This contract came to an end after the final delivery and hand over to the IPG holding group.

Company: ZAK
Feb 2016 - Sep 2016
Role: Creative Director / Copywriter [Full time]
Responsibilities: Managing a concept and ideation team of 4 creatives day-to-day as well as co-managing a studio of 10 multidisciplinary designers, motion graphics + freelancers. Leading and providing ZAK creative initiatives for new business interests in branded content, digital, and social media.
Achievements: The development of creative strategy, communications, and experience for the 2017 New Balance global brand proposition and subsequent asset development. Led the Drum Dream Award-winning team for Market View: http://www.stuwilson.co.uk/market_view.html
Brands worked on: New Balance.
I was made redundant after the client moved the global account to North America.

Company: Hiveworks
June 2015 - November 2015
Role: Creative Director [Contract]
I was brought in to Hiveworks to run a three month agile UX discovery phase to establish a new innovative Health & Beauty retail product experience as part of an omnichannel approach who's IP is still protected under NDA. Once that work was completed I was extended and moved on to the Orange account for various multidiscipinary briefs including the BIMA nominated 'phygital' new year greeting card 'Orange Wishes'. As Freelance Creative Director I covered ideation, UX/ UI design, copywriting, and video production. I managed a team of 8 including UX, UI Design and Motion Graphics. Also during this period, while acting as a mentor of students at the SCA2.0 helped them make a discounted viral version of the John Lewis Christmas ad in 7 hours for £700 #notonthemoon

Company: Digital Annexe
February 2015 - May 2015
Role: Creative Director [Contract]
I've worked as an interim Creative Director for Digital Annexe to help out the CEO who is an old colleague from AKQA. During the three months tenure I had to take a handover from the exiting Creative Director and then manage a team of 10 creatives and designers working on content management for Mercedes-Benz UK along with campaign work for Smart Car. The role involved mainly performance marketing on one side and some product innovation on the other. I also helped DA with their positioning for 2015/16 along with some new business pitches.

Company: Somo Ltd
Jun 2014 - Oct 2014
Role: Creative Director [Full time]
Responsibilities: Establishing a creative department to support strategy, innovation, and marketing functions. Managed a team of 15 including UX, UI Design, Videographers, Motion Graphics/3D Generalists. Led the rebrand of Somo in June 2014, based on a new strategic positioning of 'Solutions for the connected world.' This led to the inception of a new multipurpose identity called SPARK that is still used to this day.
Achievements: Led the successful pitches for OneSubsea and UNNA worth over £600,000 in new business. Produced the first Audi Virtual Reality Zone in a pop-up store at Westfield, Stratford which included an Oculus Rift 360° journey of the A3 Sportback e-tron.
Brands worked on: Audi Mobile UK, Audi of America, British Gas, Goldman Sachs, OneSubsea, UNNA.
I decided to leave Somo at the end of my initial 3 month probation period.

Company: J. Walter Thompson London (JWT London)
Aug 2008 - May 2014
Role: Creative Director/Technologist [Full time]
Responsibilities: 60% allocation as Creative Director of JWT Inside (Specialised communications) leading a small team of creatives, designers, and developers on employer brand and recruitment. 40% allocation as Creative Technologist on emerging technology and social media for JWT Experience on Debenhams, Canon, Microsoft, Nokia, Sunsilk, J&J, Nestlé.
Achievements: Collaborated as Digital lead on pitch winning work for HSBC Business School, Shell, Bank of America, Diageo, ATOS Healthcare, Listerine, Calpol, Lloyds of London, Tesco, Kit Kat UK, Kit Kat Global, HSBC, Rowntrees, PUMA, TATA Global. Innovation Award for Kit Kat PlayCaptcha project. RAD awards Innovation Gold for Shell Geopursuit. CIPD Awards Best Use of Video JWT Graduates. Self-Published my debut eBook Tattooed Baby - The art of telling big stories in small spaces.
Brands worked on: Shell, HSBC, Tesco, Diageo, Lloyd's, Rolls-Royce.
I decided to leave JWT after 6 years to join the tech start-up Somo.

Company: Blue Barracuda
Feb 2007 - May 2008
Role: Associate Creative Director [Full time]
Responsibilities: Led and directed a small team of creatives, designers, and developers doing digital marketing and design & build on one-half of the agency's accounts.
Achievements: Built the first iteration of Pizza Hut online ordering in the UK. Led a rebrand of the agency.
Brands worked on: Angels, BAA, EASports, Fat Face, FIFA08, Goldsmiths, Hamleys, Laithwaites, Love Film, Ministry of Sound (Earwig), Nectar, Paradise Poker, Pizza Hut, T-Mobile, UKTV, Zoopla.com.
I was made redundant in a reshuffle after the agency brought in a new Creative Director.

Company: TEQUILA\London (Merged with TBWA/GGT January 2005)
Jan 2005 - May 2006
Role: Senior Art Director [Full time]
Responsibilities: Managing projects and generating ideas with a copywriter then taking the work into production either with in-house design and development teams or commissioning specialists such as illustrators, motion graphics, or photographers/videographers.
Achievements: Led the large scale digital creative component of the integrated Carbon Trust pitch win during 2006, which saw all below-the-line work move across to TEQUILA\ from McCann London. Promoted into the leadership position within the digital department.
Brands worked on: Adidas, Army, Canon, The Carbon Trust, Chevrolet, Diageo, Morgan Stanley, News International, Nissan, Prudential, Reuters.
I left TEQUILA\London so I could take a sabbatical at the Germany World Cup in 2006.

Company: TBWA/GGT
Mar 2002 - Dec 2004
Role: Digital Art Director [Full time]
Responsibilities: Managing projects and generating ideas in rich media advertising, email marketing, and microsite projects within a digital department, then taking the work into production ourselves.
Achievements: Built and led the PRU team that delivered the online component for Prudential's NMA and Cannes Lion Gold award-winning Plan From The Pru campaign in 2003. Was part of the creative team that collaborated to retain the Prudential business in a 2005 three-way pitch.
Brands worked on: Abbey, Prudential, PruHealth, Three, Vauxhall, Unicef.
TBWA/GGT merged with TEQUILA\London in January 2005.

Company: Modem Media
Jun 2000 - Sep 2001
Role: Senior UX Designer [Full time]
Responsibilities: Managing projects and generating ideas in rich media advertising, email marketing, and design & build, then producing the work in Flash or Adobe Creative Suite.
Achievements: Key design role in building the first iteration of Philips.com. Led the design and user experience teams on prudential.co.uk.
Brands worked on: Friends Provident, GM, The Law Society, Philips, Prudential UBS, Unilever.
I was made redundant from Modem Media as part of a global contraction after the September 11th terror attacks in New York.

Company: AKQA
Aug 1998 - May 2000
Role: Senior Creative [Full time]
Responsibilities: As a creative manager of the Lifestyle team, led and directed teams of designers and developers on websites, games, display advertising, and email campaigns.
Achievements: Became brand guardian of Cable & Wireless and led both pitch-winning teams on Diet Coke and Nike. The resulting Nikelondon.com won a gold ICVA award.
Brands worked on: BMW, Cable & Wireless, Carlsberg Tetley, Diet Coke, Durex, Microsoft, MSN, Nike, Orange, Sainsbury's, SEGA.
I decided to leave AKQA after 2 years to join Modem Media.

Company: Gallagher Mullin Associates
June 1989 - July 1992
Role: Junior/Middleweight Designer [Full time]
Before I even embarked upon university, from 1989 I spent three years as a Junior/Middleweight Designer in the Kendal studio of Gallagher Mullin Associates designing and producing print artwork and multimedia presentations for brands such as Group 4 Securitas, English Tourist Board, Cumbria Tourist Board, Cheshire Tourism and UCB Films.

Awards
I've been recognised by Cannes Lion Direct, Cannes Cyber Lion, D&AD, DMA, US DMA, BIMA, Revolution, IAB, NMA Effectiveness, NMA Campaign of the Month, ICVA, The RADs, CIPD, MOMA's, Eurobest Innovation Trophy, Drum Dream Award, Effective Digital Marketing Award, Communicator Award, Web Award, dotCOMM Award, Vega Award and Summit Awards. As a student I picked up a commendation at the Apple Student Design Project 1996 and was a finalist at the RSA National Student Award 1995. In my spare time I volunteer as a mentor at The School of Communication Arts 2.0 in Brixton and I serve on juries for a variety of advertising and design awards including Campaign BIG and CIPDs.

Strength
My strength is in strategic conceptual thought. I have a hunger for problem solving and enjoy no better challenge than trawling for insights along the aim of a good proposition. This analytical approach leads to thought-out, genuinely original ideas. Over the years, my enthusiasm and passion for thinking have brought success across channels and disciplines.

Discipline Expertise
Brand Comms: 30 Second Spot - Advertising strategy - Activation - Animated Video - Annual reports - Animatics - Articles - Audio
- Brand Development - Brand Strategy - Brand style guide - Brochures - Business cards - Case studies - Corporate Identity - Data Visualization - Direct Mail - Direct Response Advertising - Email Marketing - Exhibition Stands - Gorilla Hijack/Ambient - How-to guides - Infographics - Landing pages - Logos - Magazines - Marketing Strategy - Messaging matrix - Microsites - Motion Graphics - Newsletters - Out-of-home advertising - Packaging - Photography - Point of Sale - Presentations - Press Ads - Product Packaging - Proposals - Print Ads - Public Relations - Radio Ads - Television advertising - Trade shows/events - Training materials - Typography - User-Generated Content - Videography - Visual Identity Rollout - White Papers.

Digital Marketing: AR advertising - Articles - Blog posts - Branded content - Content Marketing - Content Strategy - Customer database - Data - Desktop Widget - Digital OutDoor/Escalator - Display Advertising - Ebook - eCRM - Flash Microsite - Influencer Content - Influencer Marketing - iPhone Game - Paid Marketing - Photos - Rich media advertising - Sceensaver - Social Media Advertising - Social Media Strategy - Spreadsheets - Web Game - Videos - VR advertising.

Customer Experience: Analytics - Apps - Content management systems - Ecosystem mapping - Design mockups - Discovery - Ideation - Implementation - Interactive content - Iteration - Mood boards - Persona development - Product design and development - Project requirement analysis - Project scoping - Promotion - Prototyping - Q&A - Research - Scope definition - SEO - Sketching - Software development - Storyboards - Taxonomy - User feedback - User flows - User journey planning - Webinars - Website development - Wire-framing.

Brands worked on
Angels, Abbey, Adidas, Audi, BAA, Blackberry, BMW, BT, Butlins, Cable & Wireless, Calpol, The Carbon Trust, Carlsberg, Cillit Bang, Debenhams, Deutsche Bank, Diageo, Diet Coke, Douwe Egberts, Durex, EASports, Egg, Fat Face, First Direct, Friends Provident, General Motors, Goldsmiths, Hamleys, HEETS, HSBC, Laithwaites, The Law Society, Listerine, Lloyd's, Love Film, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Mini, Mini Cherished, Ministry of Sound, [MOCK], Morrisons, Nectar, New Balance, Nike, Nokia, Orange, Paradise Poker, Philips, Pizza Hut, The Prince's Trust, Prudential, PruHealth, Puma, Rolls-Royce, Sainsburys, Sega, Shell, Smart Car, Sunsilk, TATA, Telegraph, Tetley, Tesco, Three, T-Mobile, UBS, UKTV, Unicef, Vanish, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Vype/Vuse, and Zoopla.com.

Sectors worked in
Automotive, Beauty, Computer & Electronics, Consumer Durables and Apparel, Energy, Entertainment, Environmental, Financial Services, FMCG, Food & Staples Retailing, Gifts & Flowers, Health and Wellness, Health Care Equipment & Services, Home & Garden, Household & Personal Products, Insurance, Legal, Media, Non-Profit, Performance Sportswear, Pharmaceuticals, Real Estate, Recreation & Leisure, Recruitment, Retail, Software & Services, Sports & Fitness & Leisure, Start-ups, Technology Hardware & Equipment, Telecommunications, Tools and Equipment, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, Utilities.

What makes me different?
I think quickly. I make large conceptual leaps in a small amount of time. I'm an early adopter with entrepreneurial spirit. I'm naturally proactive. I am a lateral 360° strategic thinker who is hard-working and multidisciplined. I'm a fluent and capable UX/UI designer who can also act as a strategist, art director and copywriter. I'm principled. I follow protocols and line management although on occassion I do challenge. I'm a team player who doesn't mind rolling my sleeves up when needed. I can decipher and I'm a person who can reduce complexity. I'm an integrated creative who can design for both print, motion and screen. I am resourceful and self-sufficient. I'm good at presenting ideas. I'm a trustworthy confidant with soft skills who is earnest and responsible. I'm loyal. I inspire confidence in my team. I'm an idealist. I strive for effectiveness. I am driven by my personal integrity. I creatively manage every project to a high standard, both large or small.

Skills
• Creative Direction
• Art Direction
• Copywriting
• Creative Strategy
• Brand Development
• User Experience
• Integrated Marketing
• Advertising
• User Interface Design
• Interactive Advertising
• Mobile
• App Development
• Social Media Marketing
• Graphic Design
• Online Advertising
• Digital Strategy
• Email Marketing
• Digital Marketing
• Concept Development
• Digital Media
• Brand development
• Corporate Identity
• Interaction Design
• Visual Communication
• Typography
• Posters
• Corporate Branding