Shannon Washington

Chief Creative Officer, US Oct 2022 - Jan 2024

SVP Executive Creative Director, Head of Creative, New York Jan 2021 - Nov 2022
In my tenure, my intersectional and craft-centric style of leadership has contributed to a decrease in attrition, significant growth in revenue, and a renewed creative vigor in the office, all netting an impressive set of 2022 creative wins to include 4 Webbys, 3 ADC Cubes, 5 Clios, 2 AICP Awards and 2 Cannes Lions, with sights set on another successful season for 2023.

Group Executive Creative Director Mar 2020 - Jan 2022

Recruited to lift off the creative transformation of H&R Block, starting with the creation of a new tagline, “Block Has Your Back.”

Leading a team of six, we set out to put a new, human face on the country’s leading tax preparation service with the creation of the character ‘Lisa,’ and a demographic relevant “tax world & real world” structure that gave voice to the brand’s culture of care.

Guided the creation of over 200 pieces of integrated work, to include 20 films for the 2019 campaign year, their first-ever Reddit AMA, a new social tone, and more, resulting one of their most successful tax years in the ten years prior.

Selected to lead the creative rebrand and the agency’s inaugural creative campaign for CoverGirl with the launch of a new line (“I Am What I Make Up,”), selection of new talent (Issa Rae, Massy Arias, Ayesha Curry, and Mae Musk) and created the first-ever major makeup brand film featuring a model with vitiligo, Amy Deanna to culminate in 14 films that represent what beauty looks like today, and how a beauty brand should evolve with their consumer.

In addition to CoverGirl, I also co-led the creative campaign development of the You Invest platform for Chase, their millennial-forward investing tool with the creation of two films and a collection of still lifestyle imagery.

INVNT is by far, the most mentally ambidextrous environment I've had the pleasure to call home—an ideal step into what is next for my long term development...and the future of our industry.

After revamping, pitching, and winning new clients for GREY, I became interested in how I could be better used for my full skill set while still creating resonant, innovative work that simply "gets" it while also taking a few steps beyond the traditional creative agency structure and mindset. Today as a Senior Creative Director at INVNT, I do just that both internally and for brands such as People, Intel, Essence, InStyle and Time as INVNT is the live media/integrated agency leg of Time, Inc. There, I drive beauty + lifestyle driven live media for the agency, in addition to assisting on non T.I. work for ESPN, Merck and Pepsi. Everyday, I exist as a Creative Director while actively pulling from my proven digital director, producer, strategist, art director, writer and all around kick-ass woman's brain to challenge everything about how we create great work that moves people, increased revenue and excites teams internally.

So for now...I'm here. And while I've created and seen some of my ideas come to life at NYFW for Intel or the most recent Time 100 Gala, I'm mostly working on some very cool things for Time Inc I can't quite let out of the bag so no long description for now. And that's cool, because it feels hella good.

After a successful pitch in 2014, I began the year as the Digital Creative lead for Pandora Jewelry, with a focus on reintroducing the brand with a new look, tone of voice and set of digital-first tools and strategies designed to remodel brand awareness and consideration in the region. In addition to Pandora, I also led the digital charge within our largest CPG group for brands like Abreva, EmergenC and iconic names like AARP.

I was originally recruited to GREY as the lead Digital Creative for Pantene North America & Global, where I led the brand’s digital first makeover with a targeted focus on content creation and social-platform development in efforts to guide the brand towards a more multicultural, millennial consumer. Key milestones include:

- The creation of the ‘World Is A Lab’ content series, a science-based, product demo video series that has seen the highest organic engagement and view duration on YouTube for the brand.
- The global redesign and launch of a new Pantene.com.
- The digital-first introduction of #ShineStrong brand platform, and “Sorry” film, which to date has over 10 million views.
- The #WantThatHair 2014 Oscars Red Carpet activation which netted some of the highest social awareness and mentions for the brand to date in one night.
- Double/triple growth of our social followings and an improved L2 Digital IQ score for the brand in 2014.

With the aforementioned campaigns, I led my team and our media and planning partners in the creative strategy and direction of all supporting elements to include all digital/social media messaging and content, branded video content, integrated media units and addition to extensions into our dotcom.

In addition to the above, I was frequently tapped for digital thought leadership for new business pitches (5-0 pitch record) and to represent the agency at a number of industry events. Internally, I served as a mentor to young women and minority creatives within the agency.

**Freelance to Full-time Position**
Digital Creative and Strategic Director for leading luxury and beauty agency. Lead Creative Director and Producer for Branded Content projects.

Worked directly with executive global leadership of Maybelline New York**, the world's leading color cosmetic brand, to concept, strategize and produce holistic interactive digital engagement platforms and original branded content for over 30 countries. This included strategic product launch positioning in the digital engagement space, creative production of branded content such as makeup how-to and campaign/lifestyle videos, development of new branded digital tools, interactive vendor/partner selection and more.

Ensured that the Maybelline New York aesthetic and brand character is integrated and adaptable for all of our markets, no matter their size or resources. Offered strategic direction and leadership to partner agencies on the behalf of the client. Oversaw and led the creative direction and production of two major engagement tools/platforms, to include the brands first global mobile app, Makeup Express, which launched in late 2013 - to which I also led UX design.

In addition to Maybelline, my daily activities also included me strategizing digital engagement and overseeing production and branded content development for Lindt Chocolate, L'Oreal Professional and Essie Nail Color.

**Beauty@Gotham has been the Global AOR for Maybelline New York for 20+ years. With my arrival and team recruitment, we successfully added a core digital capability to the agency.

**Contract Position**
Directed all digital & video content and strategy for primary agency digital client, Sociéte Perrier / Nestle Waters in addition to boutique digital projects for Pernod Absinthe / Pernod Ricard.

SociétePerrier.com:
Oversaw the daily digital engagement and development of SocietePerrier.com, an eleven-city website dedicated to global nightlife and culture. Worked daily with international client brand team to strategize and direct all integrated engagement activities which support website promotion, influence and metric growth. Managed all UX and CMS development and training, plugin and feature add-ons, bug fixes and leads creative development with global team. Worked directly with all development vendors on new implementation, scheduling, testing and builds.

Pernod Absinthe:
Led the production of brand’s first mobile app, ‘The Art & Absinthe Guide to Brooklyn,’ released in October of 2011. Sourced development partner/vendor and custom CMS builder, managed all QA testing, feature and creative development. One of the most dynamic and user friendly apps for a wine & spirits brand to date, designed to serve as a culture and gallery guide for local visual art activities in Brooklyn, NY, a cultural hub. To date it has received over 2,500 downloads and an iTunes 4.5 star rating.

request CV for more detailed information

**Freelance Position**
Consulting Creative Director and Producer for boutique marketing agency rooted in Music & Branded Entertainment. Oversaw creative direction and production of all integrated projects for agency clients such as Guinness, Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka and Interscope Records to include digital campaigns, commercials and branded video content, and entertainment promotions. In addition, led agency re-branding strategy and new business development. Daily duties included:

- Integrated Creative Direction: Oversaw the design and development of all integrated campaigns to include rich media and static advertisements, integrated social media initiatives and sweepstakes for clients. Efforts led to a 300% increase in case depletions and sales for the Ciroc Ultra Premium brand for the 2010 calendar year and a 200% increase in social media community fans/followers for Guinness Draught. Implemented and directed all creative strategy and fiscal upkeep. Managed profitable budgets up to $2M.

- Image & Video Production: Creative direction and sourcing of all shooting/editing/talent for still images, special events and commercials and brand video projects. Creative directed and oversaw production of 2010 “Smooth” television and video campaign which included the following spots: ‘Smooth Off” spot featuring Aziz Ansari, “Smooth Talk” featuring Sean Combs and all “Perfectly Smooth” CGI-assisted spots, all directed by Dave Meyers.

- Product Innovation: Working with agency executives and it’s chairman, Sean Combs, to develop new products to add to the family of brands to include health and beauty product design and new spirits.

Fully integrated global marketing agency. Chief creative driver and integrated producer for Sony Ericsson North America on the 2008, 14-City Usher ‘One Night Stand’ Tour. Sony Ericsson partnered with five-time Grammy Award-winner Usher and AT&T to introduce the Walkman mobile phone product family to younger consumers. My focus was driving the experiential and digital creative, logistical and production aspects of this branded-entertainment experience to increase product awareness and purchase consideration culminating in over 600K impressions of the activation & campaign. Daily duties included:

- Developing, directing and briefing in all creative strategy and artwork.

- Recruiting and hiring, and managing all tour-staff and vendors.

- Working with artist’s management and artist directly to coordinate consumer experiences (sweepstakes, meet & greet) and sponsorship brand visibility
and mentions.

- Working with CAA and LiveNation to coordinate all marketing strategies and scheduling.

- Managing and working directly with YouTube to develop dedicated video messaging, digital placements and digital distribution. - Maintaining budgets, resulting in a sizeable profit margin for the client.

- Liaison with Usher management, security and production to coordinate tour routing and on-site activities.

Top Experiential Marketing Agency. Key member of a creative team that concepted and executed experiential, digital and print for over 20 major brands to include: Nintendo, COTY, PepsiCo, and DIAGEO. Key Moments:

- Strategized, pitched and successfully directed PepsiCo "First Of Many" multicultural retail campaign.

- Strategized, pitched and produced "Urban Beauty" print and retail campaign for Rimmel U/Rimmel Cosmetics to introduce new brand to American consumers.

- Executed 'best-in-class' winning experiential graphics for consumer-facing platforms such as Tanqueray Style Sessions, Johnnie Walker Journey, and Baileys' Get Together.

Also served as creative lead of the multicultural division, Urban Concepts.

Top Multicultural Advertising Agency. Key member of beauty and health creative team, focusing on the Pantene & Cover Girl brands.
Concepted and executed successful print, television, radio, marketing and experiential solutions. Client roster increased from beauty to include Coors, General Motors, and Washington Mutual. Selected to serve as a mentor to students interested in advertising careers.

Oscar-winning independent cable network, first to use viewer-created content as main source of programming. Creative lead on marketing team, focusing on branding, partnerships and awareness.