DION SANTA MARIA

General info
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
New York
I have a passion for creative. A desire to bring an idea to life through imagery, words, design and movement. Every effort is made to capture and inspire the viewer. Fully engrossed in fashion, beauty, e-commerce and social media, I’m always looking to do more. Be bolder with my creative, rally the strengths of the team, challenge the norm and lead by example.

•Recognize and respect the talents of others and work cross functionally with key stakeholders to align on business milestones

•Act with self confidence and authority by clearly presenting campaign initiatives and the steps needed to achieve set goals

•Ability to change directions and generate solutions when faced with obstacles while adhering to timelines and budget constraints
Experience
New York, NY
2012 - Present
Sr. Creative Director, Brand & Digital Marketing
New York & Company
Lead a diverse creative team of Art Directors, managers, designers and copy writers to establish marketing strategies in the execution of seasonal fashion campaigns across all touch points, ensuring a cohesive brand identity and tone of voice-
e-commerce, video, photo, retail, direct mail, PR, email, paid/owned social media and celebrity partnerships.

Photo art direct video, model and still life crews on creative objectives and push teams to constantly elevate and evolve the brand aesthetic. Such was seen in a denim rebranding that resulted in a +35% sales build week over week.

Present goals, objectives and results of campaign creative to senior management as well as merchandising teams.
Using this time to resolve possible issues, highlight efficiencies and gather data to illustrate success.

Institute workflow processes to align the needs of cross-functional partners with business goals and objectives through the implementation of detailed creative briefings to outline deliverables and timing.

Restrategize email best practices and designs based on performance analytics resulting in an increased open rate of +40%.

Partner with CRM and PLCC teams to engage consumers with targeted digital and print strategies to promote company promotions and membership benefits.

Oversee multimillion dollar annual budgets pertaining to marketing photoshoots, retouching and 3D retail materials with attention to cost savings opportunities. Working with vendors to bid on assignments, I reduced quarterly spend by -25%.

Develop, design and oversee the executions of instore POS marketing, visual displays, primary and secondary fragrance packaging, on product garment trim and store communications. All with a “customer first” approach to drive engagement and increase sales conversion.

Liaise with outside vendors to ensure high quality production and on time distribution of marketing materials including video editing, digital campaign imagery, e-commerce imagery, printed POS and direct mail.

Provide forward-thinking creative leadership to a team of art directors and copywriters with clear and actionable feedback,
as well as providing professional challenges and growth opportunities.
New York, NY
2006 - 2012
Senior Art Director / Senior Manager
Avon Products
Photo art directed large scale model and still life sets, capturing multiple assets across several beauty segments-
Color, Fragrance, Personal Care, Hair Care, Skin Care

Lead regional teams in the execution of 170+ beauty launches per year. Aligning markets with global standards but satisfied the needs of the local markets, via the development of brand books, style guides and quarterly global meetings.

Member of the Cosmetics Category Leadership Team that determined global category visions, business strategies and the development of all creative assets across multiple brands, product segments, regions and key markets.

Developed individual partnerships with global marketers by literally illustrating unique product photo concepts.
Resulting in time and cost savings plus the increase in trust and teamwork across departments.

Conducted project reviews with the creative team and photo production to prioritize multiple assignments and create efficiencies within tight timing and budgetary constraints.

Directed and mentored several designers and Art Directors in teamwork, individual excellence and overall career development.
Education
Syracuse
Sep - May
Bachelors of Fine Arts
Syracuse University
Major in Advertising Design
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