SUSAN GRIAK

CREATIVE PROFILE

 

Award-winning Creative Director and Art Director with a record of creating culture defining campaigns for iconic brands at the highest levels of the industry. Recognized for big idea thinking, empathetic leadership, and storytelling that creates unique brand identities and drives results. 

 

Grew up in the advertising world at Wilson-Griak Productions in Minneapolis, where father Steve Griak directed televisions commercials, music videos and short films. From an early age, gained hands-on experience in concept, craft, acting and production, fueling a lifelong passion for creative storytelling.

 

Returning to the advertising industry after a career break dedicated to raising a family, pursuing personal creative projects, and launching two entrepreneurial businesses, now brings a fresh perspective, unmatched experience, and senior female creative leadership to forward-thinking agencies.

 

Strengths:

• Integrated Campaign Development

• Art Direction, Visual Concepting & Creative Storytelling

• Creative Leadership & Mentorship

• TV, Print, OOH, Digital, Social & Experiential

• E-commerce, DTC & Entrepreneurial Marketing

• Industry category expertise - Pharma, Auto, Luxury, Tech, Media, CPG, Retail, Beauty, Pet, Travel & Leisure, Spirits, Sports, Athletic Apparel, DTC/eCom, Fashion, Financial Services, Natural Foods

 

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

Creative Director / Art Director 

New York, NY & Minneapolis, MN | 1995 – 2020

AGENCIES: Fallon | Kirshenbaum & Bond | Wieden+Kennedy | Berlin Cameron | McCann Erickson

 

Partnered with cross-discipline teams to deliver integrated, award-winning campaigns for revered brands. Led and mentored creative teams, developed and elevated creative output, and championed bold ideas.

 

• ESPN: Created iconic, award-winning campaigns that became part of general pop culture, including NFL, NBA, NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, WNBA, NCAA basketball, and the launch of ESPN The Magazine. Worked with renowned actors, athletes and directors to create these campaigns.

• Silk Soymilk: Created the pitch-winning campaign that repositioned Silk as a better alternative to milk. This national campaign inspired a new way to think about alt milk, resulting in massive growth for Silk and sparking the boom for plant-based milks overall.

• Safeway: Repositioned a mainstream grocery store as an elevated shopping experience, known for exceptional produce and specialty items.

• Coca-Cola: Developed national campaigns that deepened consumer connection. Launched Coca-Cola’s flagship brand, Dasani, to help break into the bottled water category using a fashion-forward campaign. Launched the new Coca-Cola “Real” campaign with an unexpected celebrity portrayal of Penelope Cruz being refreshingly real.

• Zyrtec: Led creative development of Zyrtec’s unique launch campaign that positioned the product as a way to get back the life that the sufferer had lost.

• Lunesta: Introduced a lighthearted, poetic whimsy into what had been a serious, heavy pharma norm. This integrated campaign ran globally and was recognized by IAG Research as the most memorable pharma ad of 2007.  

• Booker’s Bourbon (Jim Beam Brands): Created one of the most awarded print campaigns ever for Booker’s Bourbon, which not only launched this super-permium bourbon which was the brainchild of Master Distiller Booker Noe, but this campaign also launched the category of super-premium bourbons including Beam’s release of Basil Hayden, Knob Creek and Baker’s. 

• Coach: Re-established luxury credentials for Coach as a fine leather brand after it had become mainstream, and was being challenged by foreign luxury brands. Created a print campaign that ran globally in all of the fashion magazines and featured images by world-renowned photographer Mary Ellen Mark.

• Purina: Directed a humorous four-commercial campaign for Second Nature Dog Litter, about different dogs’ confessions of their little indoors accidents. The campaign was recognized by Shoot Magazine, USA Today, and even Jay Leno referenced it on The Tonight Show.

 

 

Independent Entrepreneur, Brand Creator, Creative Director & Designer

Minneapolis, MN | 2010 – Present

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• Grijak Jewelry: founded Grijak Jewelry as a line of unique, handmade pieces that earned a following of dedicated clients, including Sheryl Crow, Kate Winslet and the late Mary Ellen Mark. Responsible for designing, making and all marketing for Grijak, which is sold primarily online, as well as select retail stores and pop-up experiential venues.

• me&Z Nutmilks: Launched a new almond milk to deliver an unmet need in the marketplace for one without fillers, gums or preservatives. This premium, crafted almond milk had the nostalgic charm of hand-delivered milk from days gone by. Responsible for designing the brand identity, packaging, creating all marketing materials, formulating seven unique flavors, and managing the entire supply and manufacturing chain. The milk was distributed through local restaurants, coffee shops, farmer’s markets and online for door-step delivery.

• FFifty Beauty: Created a unique brand in the beauty category to give women a new way to feel good about aging in a world obsessed with looks. This premium botanical face serum was sold globally through eCommerce as well as in local salons, boutiques and pop-ups. Responsible for creating the brand identity, packaging, marketing materials, social platforms, digital campaigns, and eCommerce site, as well as the product formulation and supply chain. 

• No 7 (Boots, UK): Created a global integrated campaign for No 7 to introduce this popular UK beauty brand into the US. Campaign elements including TV, print, digital and social which ran in the UK and US.

• Advertising freelance: Created campaigns and marketing content for smaller, entrepreneurial brands such as the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Urban Remedy natural foods, and Minnesota Dance Theatre; and for larger brands including Hormel Foods, Xcopri (Pharma), Giant Foods, Land O’ Lakes, and Strauss clothing.

 

Awards & Recognition

One Show: Jim Beam Booker’s Bourbon | J.D. Hoyt’s

D&AD: Jim Beam Booker’s Bourbon 

Ashland Independent Film Award: Best Documentary Film for Twins (2005) co-directed with Martin Bell

Shoot Magazine: Director profile, Purina Second Nature Dog Litter

Adweek, Ad Age, Communication Arts, Archive, AIGA Design Archives

 

Education

B.A., Advertising Design – Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA

B.A., Fine Art – Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO

Tech proficiency - Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), ChatGPT, Midjourney, Figma, Canva, Wix, Asana, Google Workspace, Keynote, Slack