Michael Hilliard Email & Phone Number

Seattle, Wa, Us

Greater Seattle Area

Responsible for branding, print, interactive and motion-based communications for clients in technology (digital, biotech, R&D), legal, consumer goods, non-profits, and education. Emphasis on telling contextual stories and translating technical ideas into digestible, consistently branded visual concepts. Frequently integrating multiple mediums — print brochures to responsive websites to presentation graphics — ensuring messaging is universal, clear, and narrative is appropriate to intended audiences. Participating at every level: Initial contact and strategy with clients; sourcing creative talent for larger projects; designing, art direction, and shooting photography/video where appropriate. Most important, developing and managing brand consistency across multiple channels for clientele spanning intimately held small businesses and non-profits to Fortune-50 corporations. SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONSSTRATEGIC: Enthusiastic about collaborating with clients to distill business goals into actionable campaigns; effective building consensus among stakeholders around clarifying messaging; excellent at presenting creative strategy. CREATIVE: 35 years of internationally recognized design, branding, print, interactive, still/motion imagery, and integrated marketing campaigns. Excellent at leading ideation and execution with creative teams — regardless of medium — transitioning easily from scribbles to final art. Outstanding at managing and mentoring talent, developing processes where none exist, delivering unique visual concepts against clearly defined marketing objectives.TECHNICAL: Fluent in Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office, motion tools (Final Cut, Motion, After Effects); understand CMS-based web application development, and built interactive websites, CDs, DVDs and presentations since 1993. Highly effective at interpreting technical and creative needs between designers and programmers.

Seattle, Washington, United States

Microsoft approached us to create a way to commemorate its 25th anniversary. “InsideOut: Microsoft, in Our Own Words” was a 15-month assignment, resulting in a 328-page coffee table book and website sharing stories, research, and contextual portraits from 800 employees, celebrating the big ideas and people that made the company great. My role was responsible for concept development, defining project scope and budgets, creating a prototype and style guides, adding creative partners, and directing a core team of writers, designers, illustrators, producers and staff. Additionally, while directing three other photographers, I photographed over 200 Microsoft employees across three continents in relation to their work, research, or narrative. InsideOut was delivered as gifts to 45,000 employees, with another 50,000 copies published and sold internationally, and content from the book is still used in Microsoft HR and public relations.Developed and designed highly successful ad campaigns and bus wraps for Husky Football broadcasts on KOMO Radio; created early brand messaging for Xbox; photographed and profiled high-concept prototypes for Microsoft Research in Beijing; collaborated with event planners for the first black-tie fundraising gala and subsequent development tools for the National MS Society; produced event collateral, signage, banners, and imagery, as well as post-event development materials for Mothers Against Violence in America.

Portland, Oregon, United States

Managed the creative department for a vigorous mid-sized Portland agency specializing in technology, startups, and education. My primary role was concept development and pitches, and studio management, and I frequently had hands-on directing photo shoots and design. ZCom created long and short-form print, direct mail, catalogs, collateral, websites, and identities for clients like Tektronix, Intel, Diamond Multimedia, Marylhurst University, SAP and InSync Communications.

Seattle, Washington, United States

MI Blue started as an industrial design firm, but shifted pivoted to interactive and user interface design. The mid-90s redefined our core business to 3-D illustration, web and print communications with a healthy emphasis on consumer-focused marketing.Fast, agile, efficient: We always finished with something entertaining. Clients included: Microsoft, Penguin Publishing, Superbowl.com, Broadcast Electronics, Net Information Systems/Sun, Port of Seattle, ABC/CapCities, CH2M Hill, Fisher Broadcasting, Boeing, Cypress Ltd., Senior.Com, iMall.com, AirTouch Cellular and US West.