Bradford Stevens
Executive-level creative leader activating exceptional brand outcomes through compelling design and creative direction.
About Me
Dynamic and visionary Creative Director with over 23 years of experience leading top-performing teams to deliver compelling and influential branding and design initiatives. Known for steering high-impact creative services that captivate target audiences and drive exceptional results, including securing over $10 million in annual contracts for top-name clients such as Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, and Vonage.
As a pioneer in integrating AI technologies like ChatGPT, Grammarly, Pictory, and Adobe Firefly into creative workflows, I optimize editorial and visual processes, enhance efficiency by 50%, and ensure consistency across all projects. My commitment to digital accessibility led to achieving a 100% compliance rate, surpassing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards, and elevating the quality and inclusivity of our content.
Passionate about fostering a culture of excellence, I excel at nurturing diverse teams of designers, writers, and editors, unifying them under a shared brand vision. Recognized with multiple industry awards, including UPCEA Marketing Awards and Gold IMPACT Awards, I am dedicated to delivering top-tier quality, consistency, and cohesion across all initiatives.
Let's connect to explore how my expertise in creative direction, brand strategy, and AI integration can drive growth and innovation for your organization.
Areas of Expertise
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Creative Direction & Leadership
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Brand Strategy & Execution
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Team & Division Management
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Digital & Print Production
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Cross-Functional Collaboration
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Client & Stakeholder Relations
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Project Management Optimization
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Creative Asset & Content Strategy
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Budget Management
Education
Master of Science in Graphic Communications Technology Management, Kean University
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, Old Dominion University
Portfolio
Career Experience
Director, Print & Digital Design Production
New York University, New York, NY
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Creative Vision & Strategy: Shaped and executed the creative vision across the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS), leading top-performing teams in creating world-class content.
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Brand Consistency: Safeguarded and strengthened NYU brand consistency, governing the full scope of brand guidelines, including color, font, layout, and design elements across all division design projects; served as the final authority on design approvals, ensuring optimal outcomes.
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Team Leadership: Directed a diverse team of creative experts—designers, writers, editors, freelancers, and interns—unifying them under a shared brand vision.
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Talent Management: Partnered with HR to define job roles, conduct interviews, and attract top talent; governed the entire employment lifecycle from interviewing and onboarding through termination, fostering a culture of excellence through hands-on development and clear communications.
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Project Management: Spearheaded the implementation of the Asana project management system, improving job request efficiency by 50% and activating centralized communications, automated task assignments, and annual reporting.
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AI Integration: Pioneered AI tool adoption, including ChatGPT, Grammarly, Pictory, and Adobe Firefly, to enhance editorial and visual quality, ensure brand consistency, and streamline workflows. Contributed to developing a custom AI chatbot for the NYU website, aiding in script review and design.
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Digital Accessibility: Mastered digital accessibility in Adobe InDesign and Acrobat, achieving a 100% compliance rate, ensuring PDF/UA (PDF/Universal Accessibility) compliance surpassing NYU’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA standards; elevated work quality and efficiency with the adoption of Axe Monitor, AxesPDF, and CommonLook PDF.
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Client Feedback Process: Initiated a cloud-based PDF project submission process to streamline client feedback, eliminating version control issues and enabling feedback from multiple users, facilitating collaborative discussions and iterations.
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Cost Savings & Efficiency: Developed comprehensive content, style, and formatting templates, capturing over $500K in annual cost savings through improved project efficiency and overall quality.
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Brand Development: Developed and controlled the NYU SPS 80th, 85th, and 90th Anniversary celebration brand and messaging, creating premium treatments and imagery to support the institution's world-class reputation.
Senior
Art Director
O2 Marketing Communications, Inc., Brielle, NJ
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Creative Content Production: Helmed high-impact creative content production and management, building exceptional brand cohesiveness within client groups.
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Marketing Campaigns: Governed innovative marketing campaigns, online strategies, and branding standards, empowering success for high-profile clients through top-tier content and approaches.
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Client Proposals: Partnered directly with the President and Sales & Marketing team to shape creative, bid-winning proposals and pitches for top-name clients, including Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi-Aventis, Pearson Education, Lockheed Martin, and Vonage, capturing $10M in annual contracts.
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Online Strategies: Built custom online strategies, defining SEO, social media, website metrics analysis, and online advertising approaches tailored to unique corporate goals.
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Award-Winning Campaigns: Produced an award-winning, multimillion-dollar direct mail campaign for RoC Skincare (Johnson & Johnson), leading the campaign from conception through execution; won multiple industry awards, including three JASPERs, two ASTRAs, two IMPACTs, and one ADCNJ award.
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Branding Standards: Established stringent, company-wide branding standards, forging unique logos, typeface usage, editorial styles, color schemes, and collateral for clients, including Ideal Tile, For-Shore Weed Control, and The Garden State Film Festival.
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Website Redesign: Comprehensively redesigned and rebuilt Ideal Tile's website, catalyzing a major rebrand; embedded tracking capabilities for over 10,000 warehouse items, dynamic multimedia content, social media integration, and a customized branch locator with bespoke SEO strategies.
Art Director
Fiserv, Jersey City, NJ
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Team Leadership: Directed a cross-functional team of in-house designers, vendors, and talent, leading market-captivating campaigns and collateral aligned with Fiserv's brand and messaging.
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Product Launch: Executed a major marketing campaign to empower the successful launch and growth of a leading product (APL) in the $1.7 trillion retail managed accounts industry.
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Promotional Branding: Defined promotional branding, driving engagement and participation for numerous high-profile industry trade shows with resulting revenue growth of $200K, client growth of 12%, and client retention increase of 22%.
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Cost Reduction: Initiated a tailored bidding process to cut vendor costs by up to 20%.
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Content Creation: Authored quarterly reports, multimedia presentations, and flash presentations, supporting organization-wide engagement, client pitching, and investor relations.
Additional experience
Senior Creative Consultant, DermSquared (formerly DermX Media), Remote
Freelance Graphic Designer, Nickelodeon, Remote
Senior Graphic Designer, Feury Image Group, Newark, NJ
Graphic Designer, ADC Telecommunications, Inc., Cranbury, NJ
For more information about my professional experience, please get in touch.
AWARDS
Bronze
UPCEA Marketing Award
Redesigned Noncredit Website
Most Improved
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2016
Bronze
UPCEA Marketing Award
NYUSPS “U” Campaign
Print Ad Campaign
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2015
Bronze
UPCEA Marketing Award
Diploma Programs
Print Ad Campaign
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2015
Bronze
UPCEA Marketing Award
Summer Direct Mail Postcard
Print Publications, Postcard
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2014
Gold
UPCEA Marketing Award
Summer 2014 Bulletin
Print Publications, Catalog/Tabloid, Color Cover
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2014
Silver
UPCEA Marketing Award
Summer Intensives Bulletin
Print Publications, Catalog/Tabloid, 4-Color
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2014
Silver
UPCEA Marketing Award
Fall 2014 Bulletin
Print Publications, Catalog/Tabloid, Color Cover
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2014
Bronze
UPCEA Marketing Award
What Does it Take to Move Ahead?
Print Publications, Postcard
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2013
Gold
UPCEA Marketing Award
Summer Continuing Education (CE) Bulletin
Print Publications, General Catalog or Tabloid, 4 Color Cover, 1-2 Colors Inside
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2013
Silver
UPCEA Marketing Award
Summer Summer Continuing Education (CE) Postcard
Print Publications, Postcard
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2013
Silver
UPCEA Marketing Award
Fall Continuing Education (CE) Bulletin
Print Publications, General Catalog or Tabloid, 4 Color Cover, 1-2 Colors Inside
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2012
Silver
UPCEA Marketing Award
Announcement for Fall/General Enrollment Postcard
Print Publications, Postcard
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association
2012
Gold
IMPACT Award
O2 Marketing Communications Holiday Mailer
Single Printed Mail Piece
Business Marketing Association of New Jersey
2010
Gold
IMPACT Award
Johnson & Johnson RoC® Solid Science Dimensional Mailers
Mail Campaign, Multiple Pieces
Business Marketing Association of New Jersey
2010
Gold
IMPACT Award
Johnson & Johnson RoC® Beautiful Skin Dimensional Mailer
Mailings with Gifts under $25
Business Marketing Association of New Jersey
2010
Gold
JASPER Award
Johnson & Johnson RoC® Beautiful Skin Box
Direct Mail, Single Piece
Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association
2010
Gold
JASPER Award
Ideal Tile Fabrications Display Stand
Point of Purchase Display
Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association
2010
Gold
JASPER Award
Johnson & Johnson RoC® Flower Box
Specialty Advertising Packaging
Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association
2010
Gold
JASPER Award
O2 Marketing Communications Holiday Promotion
Self Promotion
Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association
2010
Gold
JASPER Award
Johnson & Johnson RoC® Direct-to-Practitioner Campaign
Direct Mail Campaign
Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association
2010
Gold
JASPER Award
For-Shore Star News Group Ad
Newspaper Advertising
Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association
2010
Silver
ADCNJ Award
Johnson & Johnson RoC® Flower Box
Pharmaceutical DTC-OTC Package Design
Art Directors Club of New Jersey
2010
Contact Me
Interested in learning more about my work or how we can collaborate on an upcoming project? Reach out today.
