Jon Stoa

Senior Art Director/Designer/Brand Consultant

Address: 208 Pennsylvania Ave., Unit 109, San Francisco, CA 94107

Mobile: 415-963-1111

Email: STOA@jonstoa.com

Website: jonstoa.com

Resume: view as PDF

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonstoa/

Pinterest: pinterest.com/jonstoa/

 

Highlights

  • Worked intimately on the most anticipated and successful consumer electronics launches in history – the revolutionary Apple iPhone. Developed pre-release marketing and advertising concepts as part of a small 8-person creative team responsible for the campaign that helped define the smartphone and bring the iPhone to life. Established brand marketing guidelines for co-branding with major mobile carriers. Reviewed and managed the execution of carrier marketing materials. Designed, executed and iterated marketing collateral including online marketing and in-store point-of-sale materials for AT&T and Apple Retail stores. 

  • Created the Levi Strauss & Co. Dockers S/S ‘05 television spot “Dress to Live” that was well-received by consumers and highly successful commercially. The spot fundamentally shifted consumer perception of the Dockers brand from basic everyday clothing to the desired and more refined stylish space. Consumer research and focus groups indicated a 43 percent shift in opinion with 70 percent of viewers feeling “Better or Much Better” about the Dockers brand. 

  • Developed and executed creative strategy and marketing campaign for a new product called Modo. A unique entertainment information device designed by IDEO utilizing pager technology. Responsible for developing the “whole kitchen sink” which included custom typography, logo design, media kits, point-of-sale displays, teaser and print campaign, outdoor, guerilla marketing, video production and website design. Unique to the campaign strategy was targeting hard-to-reach ‘influencers’ 18-24 years old in three key markets: Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Results exceeded client expectations with units selling out five days after its release in the three targeted markets. The company was shortly purchased thereafter.

  • Worked extensively on the $200 million Microsoft account: advertising campaigns, marketing, focus groups, brand strategy, logo design and development, brand identity guidelines, corporate identity guidelines, point-of-sale materials, art direction, design and concepting, print ads, videos, online ads, packaging. Some notable highlights include working on Internet Explorer 3 and 4 at the pinnacle of the Netscape/IE "Browser Wars”. I am also proud of two rounds of Microsoft Small Business campaigns, and the online launch of Windows 98 for which I won a One Show Gold Pencil. 

  • My success in advertising is built upon – and has directly benefited from – nearly a decade of experience in the retail clothing industry, including: GAP – Assistant Manager, LA Region Merchandising & Visual Display; ESPRIT – Sales, Merchandising & Visual Display; Dayton’s Department Store – Merchandising & Visual Display; Benetton – Assistant Manager, Merchandising & Visual Display; A|X Armani Exchange – West Coast Visual Display Director.

 

Experience

  • Freelance – Senior Art Director/Designer/Brand Consultant (08-Present). Some clients include: Openhouse; Colt Studios; Animal Wellness Action; San Francisco Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District; Rocket Dog Rescue; Pennsylvania Street Gardens; Joe’s Barbershop; Leather Archives & Museum; Jelly Belly; Samsung; Perlot; NorthRock Partners; Observatory Agency. 

  • Apple – Senior Art Director (06-08). iPhone. AppleTV. Retail. Events. 

  • DraftFCB – Senior Art Director (02-06). Levi Strauss & Co.: Levi’s, Levi’s Signature, Dockers; Hilton Hotels; Nautilus; Kentucky Fried Chicken; Qwest; Kikkoman; Palm; US Dept. of Interior/AdCouncil – Smokey Bear.

  • BuderEngel & Friends – Freelance Senior Art Director (02). Virgin Mobile.

  • TBWA\Chiat\Day – Freelance Senior Art Director (02). HotWheels. 

  • Wieden + Kennedy – Art Director/Senior Art Director (96-01). Microsoft: Internet Explorer 3, Internet Explorer 4, MSN, Office 97, Outlook 97, MacOffice, BackOffice, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Small Business, Microsoft Research; Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke “Junior”, Powerade; AltaVista; Stamps.com; Allsteel; Modo; Ann Sacks.

 

Summary

I’ve been fortunate in my more than two decades career to work on building brands from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies including Apple, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Levi’s, Hilton Hotels, Red Cross and Smokey Bear. I’ve worked extensively at agencies, in-house departments and individually on consumer and B2B advertising including digital, television, print, guerrilla, collateral, branding, co-branding, re-branding, brand evolution, brand identity, brand guidelines, logo design, packaging, point-of-sale, product launches and events. 

My design aesthetic and creative POV is frequently described as clean, simple, modern, honest, memorable, emotional, authentic, effective – and always with a nod to the past and an eye to the future. 

I am hands-on, reliable, respectful and I enjoy working independently and collaboratively. I’ve successfully managed, directed and mentored designers and creatives to successfully execute multifaceted simultaneous projects while ensuring timelines are met, standards upheld – all with an attention to detail. My experience includes presenting to clients, working with strategic planners, photographers, illustrators, designers, typographers, art buyers, print producers, studio artists, media, traffic and account management. 

Leveraging more than two decades of experience across a wide range of industries from fashion to technology – my approach to projects is collaborative, explorative and intuitively sensitive to differentiating details. My career has always bridged the distinction between art director and designer. I’m currently looking to express and develop my talents with companies that value imagination, initiative, originality and, most of all, creativity.

  • Experience: Apple. DraftFCB. BuderEngel & Friends. TBWA\Chiat\Day. Wieden + Kennedy. 

  • Clients: Apple. Microsoft. Coca-Cola. Levi’s. Ann Sacks. Modo. Hilton Hotels. Red Cross. Smokey Bear.

  • Skills: Managed. Directed. Mentored. Collaborated. Developed. Created. Presented.

  • Mediums: Digital. Television. Print. Guerrilla. Collateral. Brand Identity. Brand Guidelines. Brand Evolution. Logo Design. Point-of-Sale. Packaging. Launches. Events.

  • Collaboration: Creatives. Photographers. Illustrators. Designers. Typographers. Directors. Stylists. Studio Artists. Print Producers. Art Buyers. Strategic Planners. Media Buyers. Traffic. Account Management. Clients.

  • Focus: Interested in companies that value imagination, motivation, collaboration, intelligence, initiative, originality, honesty, diversity, and most of all, creativity.

  • Awards: One Show Gold Pencil. Interpublic Organic Growth Fund Award.

  • Education: ArtCenter College of Design. University of North Dakota. 

  • Software: InDesign. Photoshop. Illustrator. Acrobat. Word. Excel. 

 

Skills

  • Ability to integrate my creative point-of-view, design sensibilities, perspective, technical skills and experience to generate and execute a wide range of impactful and effective creative assets through concepting, design, print, television, digital, guerrilla, packaging, point-of-sale, brand identity, and brand guidelines. 

  • Creating successful brands that both resonant with people and the culture at large. While remaining simple, memorable, and always grounded to how the brand will benefit and seamlessly fit into everyday lives. 

  • Establishing positive relationships with clients. Producing presentations of creative work based on strategic project briefs – from concept to final execution. Listening to feedback and building a solid foundation of responsibility and trust throughout the entire creative process. Shaping the client’s brand goals and mission while helping differentiate itself from competitors. 

  • Ability to work independently and with larger teams. Comfortable collaborating and working with cross-functional teams and multiple disciplines to develop successful marketing strategies and creative output. 

  • Managing, directing and mentoring diverse groups of designers and creative artists to successfully execute multifaceted projects while simultaneously ensuring timelines are met, design standards are upheld, and attention to detail remains paramount. 

  • Building and fostering collaborative creative relationships with talented copywriters to develop compelling, innovative and successful concepts and executions that meet the needs of creative briefs and clients alike. 

 

Awards

  • Recipient of the 2004 “Interpublic Organic Growth Fund Award”, an honor awarded to individuals from across Interpublic’s group of companies whose exceptional project or work was responsible for generating the most significant new business from a current or new client that year. The award recognized my creative body of work generated to win the Dockers Packaging account which increased agency billings by 15%. 

  • Awarded the “One Show Gold Pencil” in 1999 for the online launch of Microsoft Windows 98. At the time it was the single-largest online media buy in history and resulted in 28 pieces of unique digital executions that fully utilized and pushed the edge of existing web capabilities.