Intro
MIKÉL
LEYVA
CREATIVE DIRECTOR &
FILM DIRECTOR
Intro
MIKÉL
LEYVA
CREATIVE DIRECTOR &
FILM DIRECTOR
ABOUT
New York. London. Stockholm. Mexico. Milan. San Francisco.
•
Welcome! I am a multidisciplinary Creative Director and Film Director based in New York. I create brand relevance and value for audiences through resonant storytelling, social media, digital, and branding. I drive revenue through creativity and consistently win at least 60% of new business pitches I take. And am currently developing an innovative social strategy, creative development, and production model.
I keep my teams inspired while keeping projects moving forward—which I've directed in every agency model (digital, traditional, social, and branding). And when away from work, I enjoy photography and cycling—recently through Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.
•
Trusted by Fortune 500 brands and clients including:
Ferrari, IBM, LG, Microsoft, Lufthansa, Suzuki, VW, Kirin, and nonprofits.
•
> Scroll <
↓
ABOUT
New York. London. Stockholm. Mexico. Milan. San Francisco.
•
Welcome! I am a multidisciplinary Creative Director and Film Director based in New York. I create brand relevance and value for audiences through resonant storytelling, social media, digital, and branding. I drive revenue through creativity and consistently win at least 60% of new business pitches I take. And am currently developing an innovative social strategy, creative development, and production model.
I keep my teams inspired while keeping projects moving forward—which I've directed in every agency model (digital, traditional, social, and branding). And when away from work, I enjoy photography and cycling—recently through Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.
•
Trusted by Fortune 500 brands and clients including:
Ferrari, IBM, LG, Microsoft, Lufthansa, Suzuki, VW, Kirin, and nonprofits.
•
> Scroll <
↓
DE-Int
DE-Int
MORE Cases
MORE Cases
ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL AND NONPROFIT WORK MADE WITH DIGITAL, TRADITIONAL, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND BRANDING AGENCIES.
Social Media Creative Director
Managed a social media team to improve creative output and deliver social engagement that is: on brand, strategic, and a natural connection between audiences and clients: Philips & Microsoft.
Channels: Social Media. Content. Strategy.
Role: Creative Director.
Agency: Big Fuel.
Brand Relationship Building & Social Media
Big Fuel hired me to take their social creative teams to the next level. Where I focused on solving some of the shortcomings of the fast turn around demands of social media. And set forth an approach which is rooted in brand strategy and big idea creative thinking.
The Challenge
Microsoft needed a better way to reach enterprise customers and raise engagement across their marketing ecosystem in the now more crucial mobile platform.
Insight
Enterprise sales are large accounts and ultimately finalize over a phone call. Our potential customers are time-strapped and want the facts. So our goal was to a strong quick case for our customers enough to make that call. But not frustrate with unnecessary fluff.
Creative Strategy
At times Microsoft’s communal departmental structure posed certain challenges for reaching simplicity. Before this project—Microsoft had only made mobile experiences that were essentially resized versions of desktop websites.
To solve this, I defined and sold-in a multi-platform customer focused creative strategy, that would allow us to streamline the mobile experience for our audience. Which provided a unified focus for the large client team. And managed to get everyone at Microsoft excited to work on that streamlined mobile experience.
Creative Director & Designer
At the request of Iconmobile, I held the double role of Creative Director and sole Designer. And led a content and UX team on two concurrent rush large-scale B2B mobile campaigns for Microsoft CMG: Microsoft Dynamics CRM & Private Cloud Solutions.
I then worked with the development team to oversee the UX/UI’s production quality in every detail. After production, we worked in tandem with 3 ad agencies for other aspects of this business.
These two campaigns have been my 2nd and 3rd projects for Microsoft. Where I was able to build strong relationships with a complex client structure, and move their marketing forward.
Microsoft was very pleased with the results, and used this work as a best case of mobile marketing.
Digital Products & UX/UI
Helped numerous startups find their USP, develop innovative products, and design best user experiences.
*Case studies available upon request.
De Beers
Crafted a visual narrative redefining diamonds as eternal witnesses of our world evolving across the ages.
Channels: Pitch Won. Motion Graphics Video. Print.
Role: Creative Lead.
Agency: Wolff Olins.
The Chalenge
De Beers wanted to test a business relationship with Wolff Olins and asked us to pitch by creating a mew concept to promote diamonds in a traveling exhibition format.
Idea
Diamonds form in a fascinating way. They are made of organic and mineral matter compressed throughout the ages. So I decided to refresh the brand, by portraying diamonds as an eternal witness of humanity's epic evolution story of passion, determination and growth. Conveying a more modern interpretation of what love is.
Creative Expression
To illustrate this idea, I made a short motion graphics film of life and the earth evolving through millennia as viewed from the multifaceted perception of a diamond. The diamond conveying strength, while witnessing an evolution of nature’s humbling and fragile beauty.
I made the various images pass in different angles and trajectories in repeating yet varying patterns like a kaleidoscope time traveller. The work was used on all aspects of the pitch and I was offered to join Wolff Olins full time.
Result
We won the pitch.
Nonprofit & Public Sector
Dedicated 2 consecutive years to helping nonprofit organizations reach their audience, define their strategy and branding.
Worked with a wide range of organizations including front-line focused initiatives for the wellbeing of youth, to nation-wide programs improving support for the entirety of the nonprofit sector.
*Case studies available upon request.
CLIENTS & INFO
CLIENTS & CAPABILITIES
Helped many of the world's top brands transition into areas of innovation through agency partnerships and direct client relationships.
Listed here below.
↓
CLIENTS & INFO
CLIENTS & CAPABILITIES
Helped many of the world's top brands transition into areas of innovation through agency partnerships and direct client relationships.
Listed here below.
↓
CLIENTS & BRANDS
Airlines
Lufthansa • Agency Partnership • Germany
Alcohol & Beverage
Kirin Holdings / Macau • Direct Client • USA
Guinness • USA
Russian Standard • UK
Automotive
Ferrari • Italy
General Motors • USA
Suzuki • UK/USA
Volkswagen • UK
Ecology & Environment
Greenpeace • Direct Client • UK
Finance & Business
American Express • UK
Chase • USA
Citi Bank • USA
DE International • Germany
Lifestyle & Luxury
Adidas • UK
DeBeers • UK
FMCG
Frito Lay • USA
Mars • USA
Snapple • USA
Yoplait / General Mills • USA
Museums
Imperial War Museum • UK
Music
Emusic • USA
Warner Music (Direct) • UK
Tech & Communications
AOL • USA
Autodesk • USA
British Telecom • UK
Cisco • UK
IBM • USA/UK
LG • USA
Microsoft • USA
Motorola • UK
NEC • USA
NTT • Japan/USA
O2 • UK
Philips • USA
Samsung • USA
Vodafone • UK
Yahoo • UK
Public Sector & Nonprofit
Capacitybuilders • UK
Drink Aware • UK
Macmillan Cancer Support • UK
National Health Service • UK
Thanet Skills Studio • UK
YoungMinds • UK
•••
AGENCIES
Agency.com • London
Albion • London
Big Fuel • New York
Closer London • London
DDB Tribal • New York/London
Dentsu • New York/Tokyo
Deutsch • New York
Havas • New York
Iconmobile • London/Los Angeles
Jack Morton • New York
Martin Agency • New York
McCann • New York & San Francisco
Mcgarrybowen • New York
Momentum Worldwide • New York
Ogilvy • London
Public Life • London
Profero • London
Razorfish • New York
TBWA/CHIAT/DAY • New York
Wolff Olins • London
Y&R • London
CONTACT
Currently helping brands and organizations evolve during these fast-changing times. Let’s chat.
CAPABILITIES
CREATIVE OVERVIEW
360 / Integrated Campaigns
Social Media Campaigns
Content Creative & Planning
Integrated Pitches
Print & OOH
DIGITAL
Digital Advertising Campaigns
Websites: Desktop & Mobile
Product Strategy
Animated Ads
UX & UI
App Design
FILM & ANIMATION
Ideation & Creative Direction
Direction
Production
Editorial
Color
Design
BRANDING
Strategy
Identity
Packaging
Animation
ABOUT
Am a thinker and maker who enjoys inspiring and empowering teams. Yet have remained close to my craft while working with direct clients and leading noncommercial projects.
I have nurtured direct clients, agency partnerships and freelance relationships for over 10 years in NY, London, and San Francisco.
I work with an ideas-first approach, fluent in every channel. And place an emphasis on creating value for our audience and relevance for my clients.
Global Perspective
Having lived in and worked NY, London, Stockholm, Mexico, Milan and San Francisco, has instilled in me a global cultural appreciation, which helps me bridge perspectives and create globally resonant work. When not at work, I enjoy long distance cycling—last summer through Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.
As Creative Director & Art Director
Just as comfortable working with a creative partner, as I am leading teams of up to 15 people, overseeing the work of a whole department. In traditional agency models, I take on the CD/AD role, in tech I often lead the whole team.
As Film Director
I’ve directed medium sized crews during production and postproduction (of up to 15 people at a time and over 40 people total). Master storytelling dynamics in narrative and in integrated media.
Teams
I enjoy inspiring and empowering teams and never micro-manage. Which I've led in every type of creative agency, including social, digital, integrated, branding, traditional, film, and mobile. I keep projects moving forward. And know how to create collaborative environments conducive to innovation. And am ready to roll up my sleeves to help out when necessary.
Integrated Storytelling
I find that an integrated storytelling model has a stronger resonance with our audience who experiences our work from a singular perspective. And doesn’t care about who did what.
Favorite Projects
Particularly fond of projects bridging perspectives, or in health & fitness, travel, and making the world more connected.
University Education
Multimedia Arts For Social Change—Bachelor of Arts Degree, Cum Laude. At San Francisco State University.
Convinced education board to accept my custom university curriculum to cover:
Understanding—through World Philosophy. Communicating—through Creative Writing, Multimedia Arts, and Photography.
INSTAGRAM @mikelleyva
