About Colm

Creative Conceptualist | Art Director | Designer

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Big ideas can be for any size client, but big ideas for big clients, that's where I'm most at home. I've been trusted with art directing, designing and concepting great ideas and great design for brands that you've definitely heard of. Disney, California Grown, Visit California, Pebble Beach, California Raisins, Nascar, and the list goes on. Working both agency and in-house side in verticals such as Agriculture/Culinary, Travel & Tourism, Healthcare, B2B/Meetings, Youth Education and Sports has given me a world of experience to draw from.

I’ve engaged people to visit new places, eat more fruits and veggies and to learn and grow into healthy contributing and thoughtful humans plus so many other positive causes. There is so much to learn, discover and experience, I make advertising and design that is big that attracts clients and viewers. Let's make memorable creative to change minds and to help choose with our hearts, and love and appreciate the world we're in.

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WHO I'VE WORKED FOR

Noble West – Senior Art Director 2023-2025

• Precision design work for clients that fit with the agency’s north star: "The Future of Food.” Designed annual reports, sales material, and social graphics for clients.

• Implemented all clients websites updates. This included Mailchimp and blog support (Wix, Squarespace, Wordpress, Statamatic, Figma).

•Orchestrated a marked increase for internal blog and email click-through rate.

•Crafted internal blogs that supported the companies vision to share on Linkedin and social mediums.

• Presented multiple internal passion projects/thought creative inspiration sessions to demonstrate speaking and build team camaraderie.

•Self taught LLM image solutions like Adobe Firefly, Freepik's AI tool and StarryAI to generate imagery when stock was not feasible.

Vision Service Plan (VSP Vision) – Senior Creative Specialist 2019-2023

• Art Director/Account Manager/Brand Manager all wrapped up into one go-to package. This lead me to become an integral problem solving creative for many stakeholders on the client side.

• Acted as a brand manager to interface with the Premier Program line of business. Interfaced and held weekly meetings with contract designers in overseas operations to act as a creative director to ensure and teach brand integrity.

• Created new and strong ties to video team, partnering with many projects from large scale events, efficient quick video productions and creating new monthly video blogs to support lines of business.

• Increased attendees to yearly sales conference through better support materials (invites, social, video).

MeringCarson Advertising – Senior Art Director 2014-2019

• Balanced multiple projects concurrently across a broad range of digital and print applications, including email, OOH, print, website, social, environmental, video.

• Trained and mentored new Art Director employees, responsible for intern and Junior Art Director tasks.

• Managed still photography and video shoots, ensuring results that exceeded client and CD expectations.

• Shared responsibility to craft memorable external and internal presentations in group environment.

• Collaborated to create years long video series (80+ episodes) resulting in 0.5B impressions and 44.5M views (California Dream Eater)

MeringCarson Advertising – Art Director 2009-2014

• Highly involved in creative concepting with writers and creative directors. Participate in brainstorm sessions that push creative concepts across multiple channels.

• Pitch and produce decks to ideas to internal teams with multiple unique solutions.

• Enhanced on-site/on-set social and photography support for clients to increase awareness.

MeringCarson Advertising – Junior Art Director/Designer 2005-2009

• Use creative thinking and design principles to execute a unique and effective visual approach for multiple projects.

• Collaborated under the guidance of senior-level creatives. Concepted deliverables that demonstrate consistency of brand identity systems.

• Contributed to internal culture campaign by creative directing monthly awards and ceremonies.

Mering & Associates Advertising – Production Designer 2005

• Responsible for quality control of all printed collateral sent to publications. Built mechanical files with meticulous skill and craft.

• Ensured that all work produced meets requirements, including correct dimensions, resolution, format, etc and adhered to timelines.

• Orchestrated company wide templates and process slugs/documents for better workflow.

Raley’s Family of Fine Foods (Corporate) — Production Artist/Designer (Freelance) 2004

• Produced high-quality, high-frequency mailers for multiple grocery store brands.

• Designer and proofer for weekly mailer inserts.

• Supported the online DAMS (digital media asset server) and integrated workflows to ensure imagery and copy consistency.

Marketing By Design – Designer 2004

• Produced memorable logos, branding, business systems, collateral and many other small creative projects on fractional budgets.

• Produced work that cut through the normal studio drab with creative and unique solutions.

Associated Students Chico – Designer 2001-2003

• In-house designer and account manager for Associated Students, Chico. Marketed in-house products from food services to electronics, other bookstore essentials and club/organizations promotional materials.

•Managed workflow of fellow student designers to keep projects on time.

•Interfaced with university faculty to ensure all proper branding was used.

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EDUCATION

California State University Chico – B.A. Communication Design with Option in Graphic Design
Butte Community College – Graphic Design, Fine Art, General Education

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WHAT I DO

Art Direction — Brand development, creative concepting, light copywriting. Presenting ideas in formats to craft and tell stories. On-set art direction, working with directors/photographers to fulfill my vision. Create design at scale, bringing story, idea and system together.

Design — Graphic design, typography, photo compositing and photography. Designed for every medium imaginable, digital, social, online, outdoor, print, video/broadcast and activations. Knowledge of principals of online/website design. Collaborating with production companies, illustrators & photographers.

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WHAT I'VE WORKED ON

Ag Code/Agility.ag

Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers

Associated Students Chico

Arden Hills Resort

Auto Club Speedway

California Community College Chancellor's Office

California Dry Bean Advisory Board

California Department of Pesticide Regulation

California Earthquake Authority

California Grown