EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR / COPYWRITER


https://serenaconnelly.com/
serenaconnelly@gmail.com
773 255 2721
New York, NY 10001
LinkedIn

CREATIVE DIRECTION I IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING I VR / AR / XR

EXPERIENTIAL I MEGA PITCHES I BRAND NARRATIVES I SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS

Hello, I’m a hands-on Creative Leader, with a diverse background rooted in strategic branding and

conceptual advertising. I thrive on the challenge of creating content in new mediums. I’ve been the

Creative Lead for award-winning immersive mixed reality projects, re-branding and launch campaigns,

interactive tools and apps, social media content, and branded experiences.

I’m known for:

  • Adding social purpose and positivity to the work and process of crafting brand

  • platforms for manifestos, product launches, ad campaigns, and brand acts

  • Leveraging trends, culture, and news for high-engagement social that earns media attention

  • Guiding interdisciplinary teams through strategy, ideation, pitching, design, and

  • production to deliver award-winning products

  • Balancing creative expression, pragmatic design, production processes, and business needs

  • Leading with empathy and positivity in a flexible, strategic, and organized mindset

  • Producing creative projects with high aesthetic quality, polish, and elevated design

Inventor: 2 US Patents | Cannes International Festival of Creativity Lions | Gold Clio Awards | One Show Pencils | Art Directors Club Cubes | Webby Awards | Shorty Awards | Ad Age Award | Jay Chiat I Award | Academy of Extended Reality Award VR for Social Good | Inaugural Anthem Awards Gold I The One Show Direct Marketing Jury 2022 I Academy of International Extended Reality AIXR Jury 2022–Present

AWARDS, PATENTS, & PUBLICATIONS


EXPERIENCE

ACCENTURE SONG

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR / 2019 to Mar 2023 

Accenture Consulting Mega Deals

Responsible for some of Accenture’s Mega Deals including acting as the head creative that landed a $660,000,000 global project with a Fortune 500 Insurance Company a $900,000,000 project for a Fortune100 Energy Company, and a $350,000,000 project for two large US Banks.

Save the Children US / Pitched and Won AOR

Launched the “Power to the Children” campaign, filled with positivity and color, to inspire a new generation to champion children and elevate their voices.

AVEnueS (Accenture Virtual Experience Solutions) / Third Version

Co-creating with SMEs two immersive, mixed reality learning experiences to be utilized with a live, seminar exploring personal and implicit racial bias among child welfare social workers. As the Creative Lead, I helped guide the team in building authentic, dynamic characters and conflicts with captivating backstories. I also lead the creative development of a complex, multiple-choice, branched narrative, VR script, storyboards, and other materials to inform the direction and production of both a live-action and a 360° video content shoot. Post-production included collaborating with a Unity dev crew on polishing the final experience in the VR headset.

Institute for Veterans and Military Families & Goodwill Industries / VR Interview Tools

Dual role of ECD and green screen video Director involved scoping, scriptwriting, planning, directing, and overseeing the shooting, capturing, and editing of multiple actors to create a VR tool to help Veterans and their spouses to practice interviewing for civilian jobs. The foundation built by this project was utilized to quickly create a similar experience for Goodwill Industries, which helped formerly incarcerated people prepare for their next chapter.



AR/VR/XR Immersive Content and Experiences

Leading the creation of Virtual and XR experiences for overcoming racial inequality. Utilizing real-time 3D technology, AR/VR/XR, NLP, 360 spatial sound design, and other linear content production.

Ginormous, Inc.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR / STRATEGIC BRANDING CONSULTANT / COPYWRITER, 2012 to 2019

Conceptualize ideas, establish strategic platforms, and introduce, as well as lead, effective, purpose-driven campaigns across all marketing channels. Communicate brand stories through a variety of platforms, such as live, digital, traditional, mobile, broadcast, and experiential. Develop new brand strategies into actionable, topical, audience-focused messaging and content. Rebrand international and reputable Fortune 500 company, resulting in press and industry recognition. Encourage innovative and experimental ideas across all departments while providing authority in managing and implementing creative affairs.

Selected Achievements:

● Won a key $75 million pitch for America's Biopharmaceutical Companies.
● Acquired two major intellectual property patents while maintaining the originality and novelty of the concepts.
● Recently honored with multiple Gold Clio Awards



Momentum Worldwide

VP, GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR, 2017 to 2018

Served as a creative lead on American Express experiential marketing initiatives while leading a cross-functional creative team, consisting of 12 members, to deliver innovative technological solutions, large-scale experiences, and integrated campaigns for American Express.

Enhanced brand awareness and strengthened brand repute by actively promoting the company across a variety of media, including traditional, experiential, digital, and social media. Marketed the brand and worked across B2C and B2B lines while modernizing the brand tone of voice. Liaised with internal teams to ensure the best transformation of ideas into reality within the allocated time and budgetary resources. Supported and backed ideas coming from every agency discipline and recognized the best solutions irrespective of place of origination. Directed and guided new business pitches with senior management and external IPG agency partners, leading to favorable outcomes.

Attended both the senior leadership team and inter-agency partner meetings to co-create and deliver strategic insights and press-worthy ideas before relaunching the brand. Promoted tech-forward and consumer insight-driven culture by leading teams to incorporate innovation and smart technologies into the development of client solutions.

Selected Achievements:

● Developed and maintained strong relations with more than 15 clients across marketing disciplines from Sponsorship to Legal Affairs.
● Received 4 Clio Awards for American Express “Air Tennis” at the US Open and achieving increased throughput from 9K to 20K+ within one year

RAPP

GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR, 2014 to 2015

Managed company’s most high-profile client, Humana and acted as the representative and main point of contact for all creative endeavors.

Collaborated with senior leadership to devise effective strategies, identify as well as address operational issues, fulfill staffing requirements, and ensure organizational success. Contributed to a comprehensive competitive analysis and generating a key business report, comprising of industry forecasts and digital trend data. In accordance with set objectives and KPIs, developing consumer journeys from discovery to conversion, as well as a content strategy and framework for both social and traditional media. Developed and executed a new program by advising on the implementation of a client strategy summit. Attended annual stakeholder’s meetings and directed all creative heads for internal experiences. Conducted off-site idea generation events for the brand’s social causes while welcoming new and fresh ideas on board.

Selected Achievements:

● Cooperated with senior management to lead a team in excess of 50 individuals, including Art Directors, Writers, and Graphic Designers and realize corporate objectives.
● Generated a fresh 360 brand platform to convey brand’s story while distinguishing the brand from the rest of the competitors.
● Shot more than 100 hours of footage along with capturing 10K+ photos for a documentary style report to provide proof of the brand’s actions.


ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Executive Creative Director at Blast Radius | Group Creative Director at LBi US, | Creative Director at Grey Group I Creative Director at StrawberryFrog | Associate Creative Director at R/GA | Senior Copywriter at Leo Burnett


GINORMOUS, INC. FREELANCE CREATIVE DIRECTOR / Jan 2024 - Present

My S-corp is called Ginormous because it’s just me. I specialize in new business acquisition, branding, ad campaigns, social content creation, screenwriting, and experiential events. Clients include: This is Oberland, Constellation Energy, Accenture Song, Odina Designs, BrandPie, EY (Ernst & Young), StrawberryFrog, Optavia

LIPPE TAYLOR EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR / Mar 2023 – October 2023

  • Utilizing a strong understanding of social media platforms, user behavior, strategy, culture, and trends to develop campaigns ranging from scrappy shoestring in-house budgets to well-funded multi-channel

  • campaigns (paid, organic, social, e-commerce, experiences, and events).

  • Leading, inspiring, managing and mentoring 25-35 full-time and freelance Writers, Designers, Art Directors, Motion Designers, Makers, and Creators.

  • Maintaining an understanding of clients, current and upcoming project status’, individual skill sets, and project types, collaborating with Finance, Recruiting, Production, and Project Management, to provide clear recommendations for staffing and allocations of the creative department.

  • Leading the Creative response to multiple RFPs with key stakeholders.

  • Supporting a visually impaired Creative Director to enable them to continue working with accommodations.

  • Expanding the idea of a branded lakeside party creating the first-ever “Lake Over” program to empower locals to take over their beaches and clean lake water naturally.

EDUCATION

SKILLS ON SKILLS ON SKILLS

SOFTWARE

Bachelor of Science in Advertising University of Colorado Boulder, CO

Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 2, Wine Steward/Sommelier

Storytelling • Brand Positioning • Brand Strategy • Branding  • New Business Development & RFP Responses • Integrated Campaigns • Copywriting  • Screenwriting • Video Scripts •  Comedy Dialog • Branched Narratives • Experiential Marketing • Virtual and Live Events • Experience Design • Run of Show  • Live Action Digital Video • Hands-on post-production • 360 Volumetric Video Capture • CG Content Design • Adobe Creative Suite • Earned media • Immersive Content Authoring • Virtual and Live Events • 3D Narrative Design • AR • VR • XR • MR • Extended Reality Content Development • Virtual Reality Content Creation • Interactive Innovation • Emerging Technology • Microsoft VR Platform Development • Oculus Development • Unity Development • Metaverse Concept & Design • IP Development

Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Keynote, and After Effects for motion design • MS programs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) • Working knowledge of 3D software including Cinema 4D and Unity • Plus, experience in utilizing AI with proficiency in OpenAI Platforms: Midjourney, ChatGPT, Pika, etc. Deep knowledge in Web3, volumetric video capture, and Blockchain