About Curtis
Innovative creative services leader with a sixteen year portfolio of success delivering marketing and brand initiatives.
Curtis studied at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana; graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication Design and a minor in Photography. He spent the following nine years in Chicago helping agencies deliver creative campaigns and media for clientele across diverse industries.
In 2014 he relocated across the lake to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Initially leading brand marketing efforts for an in-house team, subsequently performed as an agency Art Director helping to deliver award-winning online and in-store experiences, and most recently leading creative for an in-house team.
Two methodologies Curtis subscribes to are 1) do fewer things well, rather than many things poorly, and 2) great design seldom exists without great process. He loves learning best-practices, better workflows, and keyboard shortcuts. He finds one of the more satisfying aspects of design to be the intellectual challenge of conveying abstract concepts through visual solutions.
Why I design
Great design resonates with customers and builds value for a business. It associates intangible qualities with brands—influencing decision making and ultimately revenue.
I’ve experienced success with multidisciplinary teams both big and small. Those experiences have imparted a commitment to strategic decision making, process, and exploration. By applying those skills, I help companies develop great design by solving complex challenges related to branding, user experience, and design management.
The business value of design
Design and Marketing are often anomalous entities within companies and measured subjectively—or not at all. Roles, teams, and then departments form as a result of ad-hoc needs usually without thoughtful consideration for best-practices, structure, and underlying strategic objectives. Re-alignment of those pieces after the fact is a difficult proposition.
I guide stakeholders through the process of assembling, or re-assembling those pieces into collaborative, high performing departments. McKinsey & Company’s report The business value of design is a resource I highly recommend for all teams working toward ‘design’ objectives—especially senior leadership without a creative background.
McKinsey Quarterly, October 25, 2018
Disciplines
I look forward to hearing from you. For new business and general enquiries, please email: creative@curtistolen.com
I look forward to hearing from you. For new business and general enquiries, please email:
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