Bill Blake Email & Phone Number

West Springfield, Ma, Us

Springfield, Ma, Us

• Spearheaded all on-property creative efforts to open the $960M resort casino project – the first ever in Massachusetts – on time and on budget.• Lead and direct the in-house team in the production of all internal and external marketing materials, including direct mail, print, OOH, email marketing, multimedia and property collateral. Our work supports: casino marketing operations and promotions; entertainment both on-campus and offsite at the MassMutual Center and Symphony Hall; hotel, banquet and convention services; all retail and food/beverage outlets; corporate sponsorships; and internal communications.• Establish and maintain all creative standards, including processes, specifications and documentation to ensure accuracy, quality, consistency and executional efficiencies.• Oversee profitability, deliverables, timelines and budgets for creative projects.

West Springfield, Ma, Us

Independent creative professional partnering with companies big and small to solve challenges, increase customer engagement and evolve brands with clear, effective design.

Atlanta, Ga, Us

Directed creative output, start to finish, supporting Yankee Candle’s Wholesale Division, responsible for half the company’s $1B in annual sales. Translated briefs into brand-right, compelling creative concepts, informed by consumer insights; pitched options to executive leadership and internal/external clients; developed final solutions that engaged the consumer, drove conversion, and strengthened the brand across touch points. Managed timelines and expectations throughout. Led a staff of four designers; contracted additional resources as needed.• Streamlined processes and workflows to better respond to yearly project volume increases of 27%, 21% and 39%, from 2014—2016 respectively, without any additions to salaried design staff.• Identified needs, built business cases, and won funding for enterprise-wide cloud-based digital asset and Creative Services work management systems; served as system administrator for both.

South Deerfield, Ma, Us

Served as the creative lead for a wide range of B2B/B2C projects (catalogs, trade-show installations, direct mail, in-store POS, etc.); directed designers, photographers, stylists, and copywriters as needed. Was hands-on in all phases of design, and brought creative ideas to life in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.• Co-authored the company’s first-ever Corporate Identity & Brand Standards guide.• Led a cross-functional team initiative to reduce printing costs, savings $300K+ over three years.• Twice awarded “Best Visual Presentation” at AmericasMart Atlanta, the nation’s largest wholesale gift marketplace.

South Deerfield, Ma, Us

Under the direction of Senior Designers & Creative Managers, produced retail signage, catalogs, direct mail, web assets and POS materials for national/international use.

Ludlow, Ma, Us

Responsibilities dealt mainly with the pre-press production of flexographic printing plates — from the creation and placement of art according to exact customer specifications to the digital output of film separations used in production.