Nossi College of Art, Nashville, TN

Graphic Design Coordinator • Sep. 2016 – Present

• Saved the college $27,000 a year in marketing
• Created Internet ad campaign resulting in a 7.4% click-through rate

Creative Director:

• Manage creative’s, interns, and external vendors
• Produce deliverables that may include, but are not limited to: Advertising Campaign Concepts (broadcast television, web video, print, out-of-home, digital, experiential), Storyboards, Collateral and Print Ads, Newsletters, Online Ads, Infographics, and Social Media
• Support visual development of concepts throughout the entire creative lifecycle, from initial explorations through final design deliverables, all in a timely and accurate manner
• Storytelling through branded video. From concept and storyboarding to shooting, editing, and promotion
• Develop and maintain brand guidelines to ensure appropriate and consistent design execution throughout college marketing
• Created and manage a simulated internal ad agency within the college creating pro-bono work for local non-profits. The group was comprised of students chosen for their high-level of creative talent, maturity, and exceptional work ethic

Program Director:

• Managing the Bachelor degree programs for Graphic Design and Web & Interactive with up to 18 Adjunct instructors
• Redesigning the advertising, graphic design, web design, social media, and branding curriculum and finding opportunities for growth within the structure of each program
• Design curriculum for cross-discipline projects for students across multiple programs
• Integrating Design Thinking and UI/UX processes into curriculums as a foundation for creating engaging print design and advertising
• Cultivating, hiring, and managing Adjunct instructors
• Meet, advise, and mentor students

Instructor:

• Teaching art college courses (from beginning to advanced) in advertising, branding, graphic design, typography, social media, and marketing

“Mr. Kristof is a true professional. He took over the Graphic Design Department at Nossi College three years ago and instituted many changes to advance the quality of the program. On top of managing the department, teaching courses and revising syllabi, Mr. Kristof acted as the in-house Creative Director for the college Marketing Department. During his tenure at Nossi, he created a unique brand identity and brand position for the college, tapping into the essence of why a creative chooses an art college for their education. I’ve worked with many designers over the last 25 years. Mr. Kristof taught me how important communication THROUGH design really is.“
— Cyrus Vatandoost, Executive Vice President, Nossi College of Art

Kristof Creative, Nashville, TN

Creative Direction / Design / Marketing • Nov. 2001 – Sep. 2016

• Affiliate website redesign coupled with SEO resulting in a 4% increase in sales
• Using only On-Page SEO techniques, raised client website rankings to page 1 in Google SERPs
• Created a search engine for Twitter (for SEO and topic tracking) that helped identify a drive-by shooter – 
leading to their arrest
• Oversaw concept, design, art direction, and copywriting of print advertising, collateral, point-of-purchase, packaging design, exhibit design, wayfinding, broadcast, website design, mobile apps, and web application projects
• Website design, development, site architecture, UX/UI using WordPress, PHP, HTML, and CSS
• Developed social media, content strategies, search engine optimization (SEO), and Internet marketing strategies to increase leads and lower marketing costs
• Created and taught creative problem solving workshops and search engine marketing

• Projects also included: print advertising, report design, presentation design, point-of-purchase, packaging design, video, TV commercials, website design, WordPress theme design (PHP, HTML, and CSS), landing page design, social media, and search engine optimization (SEO)

B2B and B2C Clients included; Border Foods, Border State Bank, Choice Food of America, Crossroads Film Festival, David Deaton Karate, Diversified Wireless Technologies, Fairfax County Federal Credit Union, Hoffman & Hoffman Worldwide, International Budget Partnership, March of Dimes, Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry/National Agricultural Aviation Museum, Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries & Parks, Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Molinari & Sons, Nashville Business Incubation Center, Penton Media, Premier Concierge Physicians, Raging Energy Brands, Sierra Blanca Brewing Company, STEP EIKEN, The Teaching Company, United States Cruise Lines, and more.

Arnold Worldwide, McLean, VA

Associate Creative Director • Apr. 2001 – Nov. 2001

• Co-managed creative team in developing a bank acquisition/name change campaign for PNC Bank resulting in an 
Effie Award for an increase in deposits and virtually no loss of customers (versus 10% attrition considered average in a bank merger)
• Managed, supervised, and mentored creative group
• Wrote creative strategies
• Art directed and produced award-winning advertising campaigns for print, direct mail, and broadcast
• Art directed print campaigns for STIHL, On-the-Run Convenience Stores, PNC Bank, McDonalds, and Citizens Bank
• Involved in new business pitches

Accounts included; Mobil Oil, Mobile On-the-Run, STIHL, PNC Bank, McDonalds, and Citizens Bank

Independent

Art Director • Dec. 2000 – Apr. 2001

AdMine.com, Herndon, VA

Associate Creative Director • Apr. 2000 – Dec. 2000

Admine.com was the first online marketplace to acquire unsold creative from advertising agencies and license it to small non-competing businesses.

• Concept and art direction of 52 campaigns in 8 months for print, television, outdoor, and radio
• Managed team of 10 creatives and daily operation of production department
• Concept, designed and executed online requests for creative including the development and writing of creative work plans
• Created and initiated advertising sales program to generate online sales and promotion of business services
• Developed and implemented internal process for managing creative advertising submissions
• Created and managed online production tips and procedures for the submission of creative content
• Developed internal production network of file structure and organization to streamline and increase efficiency
• Managed daily operation of production department

Independent

Art Director • Oct. 1998 – Apr. 2000

The Ramey Agency, Jackson, MS

Art Director > Senior Art Director • Jun. 1995 – Oct. 1998

• Created advertising campaign for Mississippi Department of Economic Development that netted the state a 23% increase in jobs created by new businesses and a 15% increase in new business startups, at a time when new business creation experienced a seven percent drop-off nationally
• Concept and art direction of a financial print ad which brought in $1.5 million and opened 172 new accounts
• Won “BEST READ AD” in the year-end, double-issue investment guide of Fortune magazine — Fortune’s biggest and best seller of the year
• Four “Best of Class” and one “Superior” award — Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) annual conference
• Won a “Platinum Award” from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association. The 30-second TV ad competed against more than 1,650 entries from 55 countries
• Created and art directed print advertising and TV commercial campaigns for client’s in the Tourism, Banking, Financial services, Car Audio, Healthcare, and Travel Industries
• Art directed photo shoots, print design, and TV commercials for broadcast
• Designed award-wining creative business collateral and marketing materials
• Presented and persuaded client’s to buy into new advertising strategies that met their short- and long-term business goals

Accounts included; American Diabetes Association, Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development, Mississippi Division of Tourism, PROMUS Hotel Corporation, Southern Audio Systems, St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, Taste of the Nation, Union Planters Bank, and USA Pawn.

Saved an employer $27,000 a year in marketing

Effie Award – Bank acquisition/name change campaign resulting in an increase of deposits and virtually no loss of customers (versus 10% attrition considered average in a bank merger)

“BEST READ AD” in the year-end, double-issue investment guide of Fortune magazine — Fortune’s biggest and best seller of the year.

Four “BEST OF CLASS” and one “SUPERIOR” award — Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) annual conference.

“Platinum Award” from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association. The 30-second TV ad competed against more than 1,650 entries from 55 countries.

Created economic development campaign that netted the state a 23% increase in jobs created by new businesses and a 15% increase in new business startups, at a time when new business creation experienced a seven percent drop-off nationally.

Created financial print ad which brought in over $1.5 million in CD money and opened 172 new bank accounts.

Redesigned affiliate website resulting in a 4% increase in sales.

Effectively implemented SEO best practices to increase the website rankings of a client website from near obscurity to page 9 in Google SERPs in only three months

Created a search engine application for Twitter (for SEO and topic tracking) that helped identify a drive-by shooter – leading to their arrest

Creative Direction

• Demonstrated experience leading creative teams through motivation and inspiration
• Coaching and mentoring creative talent
• Set team goals that align with greater business goals
• Translate business objectives into actionable, integrated marketing campaigns
• Writing creative strategies based on research, consumer insights, and analytics
• Lead brainstorming/creative sessions to generate ideas
• Ability to understand client vision/direction and clearly articulate it to creative teams
• Exceptional presentation skills at all levels of internal and client organizations
• Direct creative development and execution of all materials for brand campaigns and product launches including print, digital, TV, out-of-home (OOH), brand marketing, social media, and retail

Branding

• Guardian of all aspects of brand including identity, style, tone, etc.
• Define, design, execute, and deliver brand identities for use across all media
• Conceive and implement brand guidelines and strategies and oversee them to completion

Social Media

• Develop on- and off-line marketing strategies
• Create content strategies
• Social networks; Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, SnapChat, and TikTok
• Understanding of social media channels and benefits and when, where, and how to use them

Web Development

• Front-end development
• Coding; HTML, CSS, PHP, and WordPress
• UI/UX, Design/Development, and Mobile application design
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Design digital campaigns

Print Production

• In-depth knowledge of pre-press and print checks

Creative Honors

London International Advertising Awards
New York Festivals
Creativity Annual
Communication Arts Design Annual
Numerous Local & Regional ADDY’s

Personal Achievements

Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America
Jay Chiat and Lee Clow endowed scholarships based on creative portfolio
2nd Degree Black Belt, American Wado Karate-do Black Belt Association

Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA

BFA, Advertising Design

Palomar College, San Marcos, CA

AA Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement
AA Liberal Arts
Police Reserve Academy Graduate

Computer and Technology Skills

Client Experience (Short List)

Industry Experience

Production Services

Public Relations

Public Service

Publishing

Radio

Real Estate

Religious

Restaurants

Retail (E-commerce)

Safety (& Security)

Sales

Software

Sports

Technology

Telecommunications

Toys

Transportation

Travel & Tourism

Utilities

Venture Capital

Wine & Spirits