Chris Griggs, Creative Director in New York, NY

About

Hello, I'm Chris, a senior creative based in NYC and the Associate Director of Brand Design at Consumer Reports.

I specialize in creating bespoke design solutions that drive differentiation for innovative brands.

My work has been recognized by CR, The Deadline Club, SPD (The Society of Publication Designers), Transform Magazine, WPP, and Dell.

I have previously worked in-house at Landor (WPP) JetBlue, Real Estate Arts, Two Twelve, Publicis Modern (Vigilante), and Time Warner (London-Sire Records)

I have also collaborated with Design Bridge (WPP), Newell Brands, NBBJ/ESI Design, Beacon Capital, Campbell Ewald, FCB Health, DC Entertainment, Duke University United Airlines, Wildlife Conservation Society, LEGO, Time Warner, and Gap Inc. as an external design lead.

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts Graphic Design

State University of New York College at Purchase

1995 - 1999

Experience

Associate Director, Brand Design

Consumer Reports

Yonkers, NY

Apr 2020 - Present (5 years 3 months)

I oversee all brand design projects, including managing staff, freelancers, and budget while serving as a critical driver of CR’s design strategy and stewardship of the brand. I also ensure the implementation of brand vision across multiple teams, from marketing, strategic communications, innovation, and product.

Examples include social media creation/guidelines, marketing campaigns, OOH, events, announcements, petitions, B2B sites, color guidelines, brand licensing badges, and DEI initiatives.
Creative Director

Chris Griggs Design

New York, NY

Jun 2013 - Present (12 years 1 month)

Design / Brand / Experience

• My projects range from branding, guidelines, strategy, package design, airport branding, experiential design, and naming.
• Recent clients include: Newell Brands, Beacon Capital, Campbell Ewald, New York State, FCB Health, United Airlines, and DC Entertainment.
Design Director

Landor

New York, NY

Jun 2018 - Sep 2019 (1 year 3 months)

Designed campaigns and events for Dell Global. Projects included retail applications for Dell Gaming, Alienware, and Small Business categories, defining visual identity systems, and integration with VMLY&R social/media campaigns. Created live Dell Experience space at CES 2019 in Las Vegas, shop-in-shops with 3rd party retailers, gaming lounges, interactive content, and experience principles.

Successfully helped create and win an experience pitch for CVS Health.

Collaborated with strategy teams across three studios to create customer journeys and branding for Century 21 Stores, CVS Health, Hilton Honors, Hyundai, LEGO, Michael Kors, MSG Sphere, and Reeds.
Design Director

Design Bridge

New York, NY

May 2017 - Jun 2018 (1 year 1 month)

• Led a team of ten designers in designing brand guidelines for twenty Newell Brands companies including Baby Jogger, Berkley, Calphalon, Coleman, Contigo, Crock-Pot, DYMO, Elmer’s, EXPO, FoodSaver, Graco, Mr. Coffee, Oster, Paper Mate, Prismacolor, Rubbermaid, Sharpie, Sunbeam, and Yankee Candle.
• Developed new visual asset styles, strategic principles, and rules of usage.
• Crafted tone of voice tools/examples alongside writing team using nomenclature system, and brand pyramids using data from audits and interviews with brand VPs.
Associate Creative Director

NBBJ | ESI Design

New York, NY

Nov 2014 - Jan 2017 (2 years 2 months)

• Designed experiential environments for Beacon Capital Partners in multiple metropolitan areas. These incorporated graphic programs, media, and lighting to create unique moments which brought differentiation to each location. (ex. 575 Fifth Avenue)

• Designed and implemented comprehensive best practices/process documents.

• Led the redesign of company marketing proposals, and developed numerous pitches.
Design Director, Branding Group

FCB Global

Jan 2016 - Jul 2016 (6 months)

• Designed numerous visual identity systems – both branded, and un-branded.
• Created advanced packaging design concepts for pharmaceutical applications.
• Worked in tandem with FCB Health to develop brands across the health industry.
Associate Creative Director

Lippincott

New York, NY

Apr 2013 - Jun 2013 (2 months)

• Conceived a new airport wayfinding system for United Airlines hubs in Chicago, Houston, and Newark, by creating customer experience maps, brand POV deck, and graphic signage system.
Brand Design Manager (Design Lead)

JetBlue

Queens, NY

Sep 2011 - Dec 2012 (1 year 3 months)

• Led all corporate brand projects, including aircraft livery, digital, experiential, print collateral, logos, and supervised design team and partner agencies.

• Created JetBlue’s Mint experience, which debuted first-class seating, (seats, textiles, wall panels, lighting narrative) and innovative user interface (seat controls, digital displays). Share price doubled in one year after launch. (Airbus A321 Aircraft)

• Designed JetBlue’s hub in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and established an exterior/interior presence that celebrated the colorful, culturally vibrant destination.

• Collaborated with the interactive team to redesign JetBlue.com, and TrueBlue loyalty website.
Art Director

Wildlife Conservation Society

Bronx, NY

Oct 2009 - Sep 2011 (1 year 11 months)

• Partnered with LEGO and the Bronx Zoo to create a large-scale summer program, “LEGO Zoofari”, that led guests around the park in search of custom LEGO sculptures. Embossing stations near each sculpture allowed kids to emboss icons into a passport, while interpretive signage enhanced the journey.
• Created a whimsical identity for the Tisch Children’s Zoo and a 4-D theater experience for the Central Park Zoo Theater.
• Developed exterior branding for the Queens Zoo to guide visitors to the park.
• Revamped the Bronx Zoo and Central Park Zoo ticketing and signage with WCS guest relations and marketing teams.
Senior Designer - Branding & Identity

Rare Breed

New York, NY

Sep 2005 - Jul 2009 (3 years 10 months)

• Led a team of designers through new business pitches and real estate projects to build brand identities, promo materials, packaging, websites and experiential design.
• Clients included Cushman & Wakefield, Gucci, AT&T, 7 World Trade Center and The Rookery Building.
Environmental Graphic Designer

Two Twelve Associates

New York, NY

Oct 2002 - Sep 2005 (2 years 11 months)

• Designed signage packages, detailed wayfinding systems for city circulation, sign location plans and iconography for transportation and sport.
• Clients included AIGA, Grand Central Terminal, New Jersey Transit, The NYC 2012 Olympic Bid, The New York Mets and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Awards

Deadline Club Award Winner

Consumer Reports - 2024

Magazine Investigative Reporting - “Nobody Should Lose a Child Over a Toy”

Smashing Success Award

Consumer Reports - 2023

Heavy Metals in Dark Chocolates

Incredible Collaborator Team Recipient Award

Consumer Reports - 2022

Amazon Warehouses Investigation Team

Exemplary CR Ambassador

Consumer Reports - 2021

Yearly honor given to staff who make strong contributions across the organization and further marketplace change strategies.

Transform Awards North America - Bronze

“Best Brand Experience” - Dell

Experience at CES - 2019

WPP - WPPed Cream Award Winner

“Dell Interactive Cinema Content” - Retail, POS & Digital, Experimental - 2019

ACE Award

“Outstanding signage for Entertainment/Sports” Stadium redesign for NY Mets Shea Stadium - 2004

Industries

Skills

Elsewhere on the Web

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On Coroflot

@griggsdesign, member since 2001

Followers 3

Chris Griggs

Senior Industrial Designer

Creative Design Manager