I’m an art director and designer by trade and education, and a creative director by experience. I’m also a husband and a father, but that may not be relevant. I have been working in the San Francisco Bay Area for a few decades (yes, I am that “experienced”). I have my own agency FM Advertising, where I have cultivated many long standing client relationships, but I also work internally in other corporate or agency environments as a creative director or art director. I love what I do, and I would like to do it for you (with you?) Sitting down for a chat is also highly recommended.
Thanks,
Chris Freire
Philosophy
A confused mind says no. In other words keep it simple, keep it impactful, and make a connection. Don’t complicate things. Keep your ideas pure and on strategy. Tell a story, but make it a good one. Everything else will take care of itself. Oh yeah, and work hard.
Skills
General Skills: Advertising | Art Direction | Brand Development | Copywriting | Corporate Identity | Creative Direction | Creative Strategy | Design | Packaging | Website Design
Software: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign; Photoshop; Illustrator) | Acrobat | Figma | Jira | Microsoft Suite | Mac OS (Keynote)
Experience
Freelance | San Francisco, CA | Various times January 2000 - Present
Creative Director | Art Director | Designer
• Oversaw the strategy, conceptualization, creative direction and implementation of hundreds of brand campaigns and projects for a large range of clients and industries.
• Worked closely with outside agency partners in a creative director and art director role to lead the development of brand and growth campaigns for national, and global clients.
• Lead teams of art directors, designers and writers to produce print, social, video and web development projects with impact. Specialized in brand development and re-branding to include identity design and brand look, feel and voice.
Citizen Group | San Francisco, CA | Various times, May 2022 - Present
Associate Creative Director (contract)
(Advertising Agency)
• Work closely with executive creative director to conceptualize, art direct and implement brand campaigns and projects for a large range of national and international clients, with a focus on sustainability and values lead organizations.
• Direct teams of designers, writers, videographers, motion designers and web developers, to produce print, social, video and web projects that accomplish desired objectives.
• Participate in new business acquisition projects and presentations.
Plastiq | San Francisco, CA | June 2021 - April 2022
Associate Creative Director (contract)
(Financial Services, helping SMBs improve cash flow and save time with online bill pay, payment processing and access to working capital.)
• Created, and art directed animated and live action videos to help drive knowledge and adoption of Plastiq products, as well as highlighted customer successes.
• Conceptualized and designed print, email, and social campaigns to drive flow to website.
• Achieved better engagement on web platform with targeted redesigns and updates.
Unison | San Francisco, CA | February 2020 - April 2020
Associate Creative Director (contract)
(Financial Services, offering a smarter way to access the home equity in homes, without interest, debt, or monthly payments.)
• Told the Unison story and drove traffic to their website through target focused campaigns.
• Designed the visual language of the Unison experience through videos, and animated social campaigns.
• Developed, designed and art directed the Unison ESG Report on Responsible Investing.
earlier Experience
Gardner Geary Coll | San Francisco, CA
Senior Art Director
Worked on integrated campaigns that spanned print and TV advertising, direct mail, promotions and digital for companies in consumer packaged goods, fashion, insurance, financial services and advocacy organizations.
Highway One | San Francisco, CA
Senior Art Director
Teamed up with others to lead numerous client branding and advertising projects, as well as new business pitches in the financial services, real estate and consumer products spaces.
clients
Consumer Brands: Chevron, Coca Cola, Electronic Arts, General Motors, Gore-tex, Lids, Slates (Levi Strauss & Co.), Stri-Dex, Pure Lip, True Organic
Tech: Hewlett Packard, Intel, Logitech, Seagate, Open Light, Unison, Accudata, CPP, Fractal, LogTrust, Loopnet, Particle, Seeq, Supportsoft, Concentric Networks, Reel.com, Dovebid
Wine & Spirits: Bonny Doon Vineyards, Skyy Vodka, Franciscan Wine Estates, Icon Estates, Pete’s Brewing Co.
Financial Services: Visa, Bank of America, Capital One Bank, Franklin Templeton, Alliance Credit Union, Emerson Equity, Plastiq, PremierOne Credit Union, Texans Credit Union, Will Duffy Wealth Strategies, Cross Country Home Services, HUB Insurance
Healthcare: Stanford Medicine, Blue Cross of California, Nevro, Children’s Hospital Oakland, Venture Med
Entertainment: Monterey Jazz, Michael Jordan Golf Co., San Francisco Zoo, Reno/Tahoe Open, Battleship Missouri Memorial
Hotels & Resorts: Hard Rock Lake Tahoe, The Pebble Beach Co., Atlantis Casino, El Dorado Casino Resort, The Row Reno, Grand Sierra Resort, Inn of the Mountain Gods, Dive Paradise
Legal & Advocacy: Amnesty International, Green Sports Alliance, Japanese American National Museum, JAMS, National Association of Manufacturers, NRDC, State Compensation Insurance Fund, Rape Trauma Services, Vista Center
Education: University of California, University of Nevada Reno, Destinations Career Academy, Belmont Oaks Academy
education
California State University Long Beach
BFA Visual Communication Design, with a minor in Marketing.
interests
All sports with a ball, playing and watching | Skiing on snow and water | Wine clubs, and drinking wine from said wine clubs | Every other year New Yorker subscriber (you know what I am talking about) | Nice restaurants | Dessert, making and eating | Traveling with family and friends | Being around nice, fun, interesting people | and tequila