Specialties

Here are the services that I have provided and excelled with in the past and am currently doing. I’d love to sit, Skype and talk about the projects that you are up against and figure out a way to solve them and make it a reality—no job is too small or problem too big.

“No job is too small or problem too big”

• Digital and Creative Strategy
• Social Media Strategy
• Multi-channel marketing
• SEO/SEM
• API Strategy Facebook API, Twitter API, Social APIs
• Web and social analytics and ROI measurement
• Community management and engagement
• Wireframing and Web strategy and planning
• Business, Functional and Technical Documentation
• Email Marketing
• Flash Development and general web programming (AS 2.0, AS 3.0, HTML5)
• Graphic Design
• Site Architecture
• UI/UX
• Client interaction/presentations

Infographic of Me

Need a brief summary of who I am? Here is a quick infographic I created to help share that information.

Quick Portfolio

Recent Experiences

Sr. Art Director
Havas Worldwide: Chicago
January 2015 – Present (2 years) Chicago

Routinely conceptualize creative solutions that effectively communicate the strategic intent for each tactic within the assigned product(s).

Primary Responsibilities: Art Direction

• Personally work on the graphic development of a few client products.
• Interact with Copywriters to develop creative concepts and executions of assigned product(s).
• Possess solid understanding of the science and market dynamics of assigned product(s).
• Work closely with account executives to schedule and monitor all projects.
• Provide accurate time and cost estimates for each tactic.
• Perform miscellaneous tasks, as directed by Creative Director.

Secondary Responsibilities: Client Relationships

• Advise client on all technical visual recommendations and/or issues.
• Help facilitate both the input and creative meetings.
• Assist in making presentations to client.

Tertiary Responsibilities: Staff Development

• Provide detailed direction to designers.
• Assist in the education and development of designers.

Associate Creative Director / Sr. Art Director
Digitas
July 2012 – Present (3 years) Greater Chicago Area

Responsible for the conception, design, and execution of innovative visual materials for integrated, cross channel initiatives including: large web initiatives, online advertising and digital marketing.
Utilization of strong conceptual and design skills and assist the Creative Director in improving the conceptual, technical and creative performance of staff within his or her group.

Digital Creative Director / Digital Strategist
June 2011 – Present (3 years 1 month) Chicago

• Responsible for the creative output of clients digital practice, with oversight of the digital creative team and creative processes; the ideation, presentation and execution of client branding and marketing communications campaigns; the profitability and creative quality of client projects, and the operational readiness of the digital creative team including:
• Directing the creative function so that the environment, culture, team, capabilities, tools, processes, expectations, work style and other elements support the strategic goals of client.
• Ensuring that the creative function operates in an efficient, profitable manner.
• Ensuring that our creative product remains leading edge and ahead of our competition.
• Ensuring that our high quality of creative and production is upheld, maintaining consistently high standards for him/herself and others on the team.
• Delivering strategic communication solutions that help our clients attain their marketing and communications objectives.
• Listening, asking, hearing, prioritizing and translating client situation, marketing goals and information into strategic brand concepts, voice, messages and rationales.
• Collaborating and contributing to the creative process as a leader of a creative team, and as a member of the account team.
• Co-leading the unified creative/account management process in order to execute on client projects.
• Writing and presenting cohesive and persuasive rationales for campaign approaches.
• Leading the unified process of marketing/concept/design and post-production execution.
• Leading the unified process of marketing/concept/design and interactive/web/video/motion graphics.
• Ensuring the professional development and readiness of the creative team.
• Managing the evolution of the agency’s technology needs and marketing technology and digital marketing capabilities which include Social Media and OOH strategic plan.

Senior UI/UX Designer
Robinson and Maites
July 2012 – July 2012 (1 month) Greater Chicago Area

• Designed high-level user interfaces for both desktop and mobile platforms. These designs were used to demonstrate the different levels of branded experiences within the clients’ software.
• Developed a demo presentation utilizing Keynote to showcase the capabilities of a branded mobile application focusing on the key needs of a sales executive.
• The designs were required to be modular and customizable making the experience transferable to multiple clients as well as departments of that client.
• I worked directly with the founders to ensure a smooth presentational flow which matched the overall feel of the presentation. I also worked with the Creative Director to make sure style guides were not compromised when designing these mocks and to ensure Design consistency across all products.
• This contract required high-level strategic thinking and took advantage of my organizational skills and creativity to solve design tasks.
• On this assignment I was also asked to present and have face-to-face interaction with the clients. At this presentation capabilities and processes were discussed as well as a high-level Q&A session.

Flash Developer
Downtown Partners Chicago
June 2012 – June 2012 (1 month) Greater Chicago Area
Developed flash demos for a client presentation. Worked directly with the Senior Art Director and Creative Director to establish the desired animation and interactivity.

Interactive Strategist
Curro, Rankin & Williams | Marketing Communications
July 2011 – July 2011 (1 month)

• Converted client-articulated needs into methodologically and strategically sound proposals with current clients as well as new business RFP’s.
• Independently found insightful data and research from free and paid resources.
• Participated in team discussions excelling in the area of digital technologies and opportunities.
• Worked alongside the Marketing and Account Services to proactively develop and propose value-added ideas/insights to drive the development and execution of interactive strategies of key accounts on a regular basis.
• Identified vendors and partners to deliver value added and full-service solutions to clients.
• Created promotion ideas that are current to the latest trends.

Digital Creative Supervisor
Burrell Communications
January 2010 – July 2011 (1 year 7 months)

• Responsible for concepting and executing original and innovative creative for any given design initiative.
• Designed and developed multiple digital components to be used for clients as well as the agency itself.
• Projects included HTML5 applications to be used on various digital magazine platforms, rich web banner implementation using API built within the EyeMedia and PointRoll platforms. Development lead in multiple website, micro-sites and social media platforms.
• Designs concepted must not only reflect a solid understanding of the client’s business motives, but also be aligned with brand strategy, IAB/technical specifications and usability requirements.
• I also consistently generated presentation grade designs with minimal art direction, while collaborating directly with other creative teams, strategy, and project management.
• I also took on creative lead responsibility which requires the ability to mentor and advise other designers, direct photographers, illustrators and other vendors.
• I lead a team of designers as well as developers while working hand-in-hand with the Digital Producer in completing projects on a timely fashion.
• Increased departmental projects up 500% which also increased department revenue.
• I had one-on-one experience delivering presentations to our clients as well as walking them through the vision behind each creative digital strategy.
• I was in charge of the agencies largest clients which included McDonalds and Toyota. I also was in charge of American Airlines, General Mills, P&G and SuperValu.
• I reported directly to the Chief Creative Officer and assisted in numerous internal digital projects.

Art Director / Senior Flash Developer
McKinney|Chicago
December 2009 – January 2010 (2 months)

• Developed multiple flash projects and presentations for new business.
• Updated and maintained numerous web projects form existing clients.

Senior Flash Developer
Energy BBDO
November 2009 – January 2010 (3 months)

• Worked alongside the ACD in the development of rich-media banner ad campaigns for an existing clients to help bring excitement and interactivity to a campaign activation which kicked off in early December 2009.
• This project exercised best web practices and end-user usability.
• Programming in AS3.0 and working within the Adobe CS4 Suite.

Interactive Art Director
Arc Worldwide
July 2009 – November 2009 (5 months)
Currently I am Art Director and working on multiple projects. Putting in place best practices for interactive ad campaigns. Working closely with multiple Creative Directors and Assoc. Creative Directors to ensure quality design in this fast pace environment.

Senior Flash Developer
Design Kitchen
May 2009 – July 2009 (3 months)
Heading out the flash development for multiple projects including various micro sites and banner ad campaigns.

Flash Developer
Schafer Condon Carter
March 2009 – April 2009 (2 months)
Played the role of Senior Flash Developer in charge of heading out and delivering multiple banner ad campaigns for current clients. Worked closely with the Project Manager and Creative Director to ensure that the quality of components met the requirements of the client.

Senior Art Director / Web Developer
Video One Productions
February 2009 – March 2009 (2 months)
Projects: PsychicSmart

• Developed a fully functional website
• Implemented JOOMLA as the main content management system. Setup the MySQL server to link up with existing database.
• Utilize Google Analytics as the main source for traffic reports and metric data.

To view the rest of my work roster please visit: www.linkedin.com/in/juzarraga/

Additional Honors & Awards
Wooten Awards 2007 for Interactive Design – YarisVersusYaris.com

Education
DeVry University
BS, Computer Information Systems
1997 – 1999

Broadview Academy
High School Diploma,
1995 – 1997
Activities and Societies: Band, Choir

North Shore Junior Academy