James Loftus, Creative Services & Brand Operations Leader in Mentor, OH

About

Creative leader with 25+ years of experience building brands, leading multidisciplinary creative teams, and transforming complex ideas into compelling visual communications. Expertise spans editorial publishing, branding, packaging, marketing campaigns, corporate communications, print production, and digital design. Directed creative production for more than 100 nationally distributed magazine issues while leading editorial strategy, art direction, writing, design, and production. Recognized for combining strategic thinking with hands-on creative execution to build brands, mentor teams, and deliver high-impact creative work. Known for building collaborative creative teams, mentoring designers, and bringing clarity to complex communication challenges.

Areas of expertise include:

• Creative Direction • Brand Strategy • Editorial Leadership • Art Direction • Visual Storytelling • Marketing Campaigns • Executive Presentations • Corporate Communications • Magazine Publishing • Print Production • Packaging Design • Advertising • Team Leadership • Project Management • Adobe Creative Suite • Figma • AI-Assisted Creative Workflows • Typography • Layout • Copywriting • Copy Editing • Vendor Management • Production Management

Currently open to opportunities: Creative Services Management, Brand Management, Creative Operations, Packaging Development, Design Direction, Marketing Communications, and related leadership roles.

Education

Bachelor's Graphic Design

> The Art Institute

Experience

Design Studio Supervisor

Race Winning Brands

Oct 2022 - Present (3 years 9 months)

Manufacturer of Automotive & Powersports products.

My achievements include:
• Lead creative development across 15+ brands spanning packaging, retail marketing, e-commerce, advertising, and product launch initiatives.
• Manage 50+ annual creative projects supporting packaging, digital marketing, and retail initiatives.
• Supervise creative staff and manage multiple design projects from concept through production.
• Develop brand strategies that support product launches, retail marketing initiatives, and e-commerce growth.
• Develop packaging and marketing assets supporting dozens of product launches while maintaining brand consistency across retail, e-commerce, and digital channels.
• Track project timelines and coordinate with internal stakeholders to meet deadlines.
Creative Director

Maui Bros.

La Crescenta-Montrose, CA

Jun 2018 - Oct 2022 (4 years 4 months)

Beverage company. Focus on creative problem-solving to meet the needs of consumers. Seek innovative solutions to increase market share. Optimize product design and development to attain best outcomes. Research, design, copy write, and produce promotional materials, POP, packaging and marketing communications. Evaluate design trends, assess new data, and keep up to date with the latest marketing techniques. Work with cross-functional team members to achieve maximum brand awareness.

My achievements include:
• Directed creative development for product design, marketing campaigns, and brand strategy.
• Led cross-functional collaboration with designers, copywriters, and marketing teams.
• Developed packaging design, POP displays, signage, and advertising campaigns.
• Created integrated marketing materials across print, digital, and social media platforms.
• Supported marketing initiatives which contributed to measurable sales growth.
• Conducted market research and evaluated consumer trends to inform design strategy.
Product Designer

American Greetings, Inc.

Cleveland, OH

2012 - 2018 (6 years)

Social Expressions company. Throughout this role, I have provided leadership to drive architecture of product design, conducted market research, and developed strategic plans for specific program lines to address client needs. Performed graphic design, production design, and typography. Led cross-functional teams to determine strategies for optimization of product, resulting in improved YOY sales.

My achievements include:
• Designed consumer retail products and marketing assets for dozens of national product lines.
• Led product design initiatives based on market research and consumer insights.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop more than 100 new product concepts for multiple SKUs and product lines sold through Walmart and Target retail programs.

Industries

Skills

Elsewhere on the Web

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On Coroflot

@jimloftus, member since 2014

Following 1
Followers 3

James Loftus

Industrial Designer - Intermediate

Brand Design Lead