I’m Mark Aaron, a Global Creative Director guided by curiosity. I help brands evolve their stories into something people can feel.
I’ve built ideas from the ground up, reshaped brand worlds, and led teams bringing bold thinking to life across continents.
Curiosity is the through line. It’s fed by culture, travel, and the unexpected turns I chase both in and outside of work. That mix keeps the stories sharper, the strategy deeper, and the work human.
Curiosity is the through line. It’s fed by culture, travel, and the unexpected turns I chase both in and outside of work. That mix keeps the stories sharper, the strategy deeper, and the work human.
Years of Experience
15+
Clients & Brands
50+
Industry Categories
10+
Global Markets
NA, UK, EMEA & Asia
Team Leadership
5 to 25+
Budgets Managed
250K to 10M+
Recognitions
10+
Years of Experience
15+
Clients & Brands
50+
Industry Categories
10+
Global Markets
NA, UK, EMEA & Asia
Team Leadership
5 to 25+
Budgets Managed
250K to 10M+
Recognitions
10+
Expertise
1. Creative Direction & Leadership
I lead creative teams of 5 to 25+ across continents, uniting designers, writers, strategists, and producers under one vision. I oversee budgets from $250K to $10M+, building a culture where bold thinking thrives while ensuring creative ambition delivers real business impact.
2. Brand Strategy & Storytelling
I define and evolve brand worlds that connect with culture. From long-term positioning to breakthrough campaigns, I translate strategy into stories people can feel, driving both relevance and loyalty.
3. Sustainability & Purpose
I embed sustainability into brand storytelling in ways that inspire action and build trust. From guiding brands to achieve B-Corp certification to positioning start-ups around purpose, I treat responsibility as a creative opportunity, not an afterthought.
4. Partnerships & Collaborations
I create cultural impact by connecting brands with the right talent, communities, and partners. From global sports icons to entertainment crossovers and retail exclusives, I’ve built collaborations that amplify reach, deepen relevance, and spark new audiences.
5. Innovation & Creative Technology
I explore and beta test emerging tools and platforms to expand how stories are created and experienced. By experimenting with AI, design systems, and new workflows, I use technology as a tool to unlock faster processes, new aesthetics, and ideas that could not exist before.
Expertise
1. Creative Direction & Leadership
I lead creative teams of 5 to 25+ across continents, uniting designers, writers, strategists, and producers under one vision. I oversee budgets from $250K to $10M+, building a culture where bold thinking thrives while ensuring creative ambition delivers real business impact.
2. Brand Strategy & Storytelling
I define and evolve brand worlds that connect with culture. From long-term positioning to breakthrough campaigns, I translate strategy into stories people can feel, driving both relevance and loyalty.
3. Sustainability & Purpose
I embed sustainability into brand storytelling in ways that inspire action and build trust. From guiding brands to achieve B-Corp certification to positioning start-ups around purpose, I treat responsibility as a creative opportunity, not an afterthought.
4. Partnerships & Collaborations
I create cultural impact by connecting brands with the right talent, communities, and partners. From global sports icons to entertainment crossovers and retail exclusives, I’ve built collaborations that amplify reach, deepen relevance, and spark new audiences.
5. Innovation & Creative Technology
I explore and beta test emerging tools and platforms to expand how stories are created and experienced. By experimenting with AI, design systems, and new workflows, I use technology as a tool to unlock faster processes, new aesthetics, and ideas that could not exist before.
Experience
Freelance | Global Creative Director & Lead / Brand Consultant
Amsterdam – International
2015-Present
Over the past decade I have worked with brands including adidas and Bose to create campaigns and shape brand direction at the intersection of sport, lifestyle and culture. I’ve guided teams of 5 to 25+ across continents, uniting in-house talent, agencies and freelancers under one vision. I’ve also shaped storytelling for Tesla, Airbnb, Rituals, Disney, Nike, Jordan, Ralph Lauren, Pepsi, KLM and Starbucks through both contracted and collaborative work with agencies like AKQA, 180, TBWA, Publicis, Nomads, The Midnight Club, JL and Digitas LBi. I led the launch of DFNS, growing it from a startup into an international brand. I built its identity from the ground up, positioning it as a next-generation sustainable sneaker care company. DFNS partnered with The North Face, UFC, and adidas retail, scaling into global markets. My work spans retail, digital, experiential, and partnerships, with sustainability and innovation as a constant thread. From guiding brands to B-Corp certification to pioneering new creative workflows, I focus on pushing brands into culture while keeping strategy and storytelling at the core.
Creative Director
MKTG – Los Angeles, CA
2012–2014
I led the West Coast creative office, managing strategy and execution for sport, entertainment, and tech clients. I oversaw all phases from concept to production, guiding both in-house and freelance teams. Projects included campaigns and live experiences for Nike, Jordan, Beats by Dre, Google, Nintendo, and Mattel. I also directed athlete collaborations with Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony, creating work that deepened consumer connection and drove product launches.
Creative Director / Senior Art Director
JWT (J. Walter Thompson) – New York, NY
2008–2012
At JWT I co-led creative across global accounts, producing fully integrated campaigns spanning TV, print, digital, and branded content. I partnered with strategy and production teams to bring ideas from pitch to launch while mentoring younger creatives. Clients included Microsoft, HSBC, Kleenex, Schick, and Bloomberg Businessweek, as well as nonprofits like The Ad Council and Advertising Week. The work built brand trust, drove engagement, and won industry recognition.
Creative Marketing Agent
CAA (Creative Artists Agency) – Los Angeles, CA
2006–2008
At CAA I helped position the agency as a pioneer of brand–entertainment collaborations. I led creative strategy, design, and presentations that connected brands with talent, shaping platforms that extended beyond traditional advertising. I developed partnerships for Sprint, eBay, Harley-Davidson, BMW, Mattel, Hasbro, Visa, Equinox, Citibank, Starwood Hotels, Delta Airlines, and the New York Mets, alongside nonprofits like Green Seal and One Laptop per Child.
Art Director
Publicis Hal Riney – San Francisco, CA
2003–2006
At Publicis I built integrated campaigns across print, broadcast, and digital for Sprint, HP, The North Face, Altoids, Univision, Jamba Juice, and Stolichnaya. I thrived in fast-paced pitch rooms and production environments, balancing big ideas with executional detail. This role formed the foundation of my creative leadership and resilience under pressure.
Education
The Creative Circus
Atlanta, GA, USA
2001–2003
Art Direction program focused on conceptual thinking, storytelling, and integrated campaigns. Strengths in collaboration, strategy, and portfolio development across print, digital, and experiential media.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI, USA
1997–2001
BA in Advertising with a concentration in International Business. Built a balance of creative and strategic skills with a global perspective.
Toolkit
Creative
InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro
Film & Video
Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut
Photography
Lightroom, Capture One
Web
Framer, Figma, Readymag, Squarespace
Microsoft 360
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams
Apple iWork
Keynote, Pages, Numbers
Workflows
Notion, Miro, Freeform, Slack
Audio
Logic Pro, Serato Studio
AI
ChatGPT, Midjourney, RunwayML, Magnific AI, Topaz, Sora, Gemini 2.5, Flux
