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Creative Director • Art Director Freelance

Creative & Design

Proven creative strategist with over 15 years of experience driving effective teams and developing on-target marketing solutions that engage consumers and achieve revenue goals. Responsible for overseeing brand identity, storytelling, and visuals for all marketing channels so that messaging is cohesive and consistent. Highly effective in-house creative services manager who ensures a smooth workflow and runs a department that adheres to high expectations and deadlines. Also responsible for developing/mentoring team members, collaborating with key stakeholders, and selling creative strategy. Very adept and experienced at bringing big ideas to life through comprehensive strategy, no matter the complexity or market place challenges.


Currently freelancing and providing creative strategy for various clients including financial institutions, start-ups and new small businesses, commercial real estate firms, nonprofits and others. 

Provided creative strategy and direction for all branding, marketing, and advertising projects at $42 billion commercial real estate company. Managed in-house creative department which served 82 locations nationwide. Supervised 6+ team members responsible for design and management of internal and external projects including digital advertising, UI design, print collateral, branding, email marketing, corporate communications, presentations, tradeshow graphics, web design, and direct response.
•	Designed UI for new digital software product for over 3,000 employees, providing a tailored presentation system that could instantly pull real estate inventory. Complex initiative was developed over 18 months and required extensive collaboration and project management with development team and stakeholders across 8 corporate divisions.
•	Built consistent brand experience/messaging across multiple marketing touch-points. Responsible for launch and maintenance of national advertising efforts including trade shows, collateral, presentations, and special events.
•	Created and executed the firm’s first official Branding Guidelines which mitigated message inconsistency across field offices. 
•	Managed the entire process of closing out 10-person marketing department in San Francisco and completely re-staffing/ on boarding new team in L.A.


Creative Manager promoted to Creative Director

Created various print and digital media for one of the country’s largest yellow pages publications. Responsible for various creative development initiatives for both B2B and B2C campaigns. Duties included copywriting, art direction, and direct response strategy.
•	Part of team that achieved 10% in retention and customer acquisition rates for numerous direct response B2B campaigns.
•	Successfully concepted, wrote, and designed successful direct mail campaign that generated 6% increase in response rates for Big Brothers Big Sisters. 


Art Director/Creative Specialist

Provided concepts, layouts, and design for various clients in healthcare, travel, and financial services industries. Worked with account team, project managers, and print production managers to generate a high volume of print work, campaigns, branding, and other marketing initiatives. Major clients included Centura Health and Casino Veneto (A Wyndham Grand Hotel in Panama).
•	Helped launch the awareness campaign for Centura St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs. Directed photo shoots, print and OOH advertising campaigns, and various marketing materials for the Penrose-St. Francis and Centura Foundations. 
•	Concepted and art directed Centura corporate internal invitation mailer which generated 82% response rate.
•	Worked as sole creative Hispanic marketing resource to implement branding and advertising for Casino Veneto in Panama.


Senior Art Director

Developed overall creative concepts for all agency accounts while leading creative teams to produce award-winning work in direct mail, print, collateral and branding. Managed department of 10 responsible for design, copywriting, and traffic management. Supervised all agency creative projects, sales staff, and account team to generate successful campaigns. Major clients included Hard Rock Casino, The Riviera Casino, Chickasaw Casinos, and various non-profits such as Catholic Charities.
•	Conceived an innovative customized direct mail piece to promote in-house monthly breakfast series focused on new business development. Generated double-digit response rate, resulting in venue change to accommodate much larger attendance. Ultimately achieved new client acquisition goals and expanded wildly-popular creative into another program.
•	Managed department budgets and overall profitability for all projects.


Art Director Promoted to Creative Director

Production Artist, Promoted to Art Director | Heinrich Marketing, Denver, CO | 6/97— 8/03
Formerly was an Account Executive for this 80-person agency, left for one year, attended art school, and was hired back at entry level as I began my new career in art direction. Art Directed in print, direct response, POS, and B2B designs for Federated Department stores, Wells Fargo, Nordstrom, and Fashion Bug.
• Continually won B2B and Direct Mail industry awards including an international ECHO Award and Business Marketing Association awards.
• Concepted and developed numerous projects that exceeded response rate goals. Gained extensive experience in print production.

Production Artist promoted to Art Director

Gina Solano is a Creative Director at Chavez & Gilliam Advertising in Denver, CO.

Gina Solano

Gina Solano

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