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Brian Walters

@brianwalters

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I build brand strategy, identity, and campaigns that align businesses with their markets.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I'm looking to help ambitious brands connect business strategy with creative execution, from positioning and identity through campaigns and go-to-market.

I co-founded 208 Communications with Robert Genovese to put strategy and craft in the same room, building positioning, identity, campaigns, and go-to-market work for ambitious brands.

Through Studio W, I take startups and established brands from strategy to identity, campaign, and launch. My work for Bloom increased online orders 127% year over year, while work for Zitti helped sharpen its story ahead of a $7.5M seed round.

I’ve also led branding, campaign strategy, and digital marketing for HerMD, supporting expansion to nine locations and an $18M raise, and created broadcast and digital content for Crexi that contributed to 110% growth in site visits over two years.

Across more than two decades, I’ve directed work for BMW, MINI, Moët Hennessy, Kenneth Cole, Panasonic, Polaroid, Hunter Douglas, and more—looking beneath the brief to find what is actually keeping a brand from landing.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Co-Founder / Creative Director

Current

208 Communications

Sep 2023 - Present (3 years)

I co-founded 208 with Robert Genovese because we came up on opposite sides of the business — he’s an operator, I’m a creative — and between us we’ve sat on every side of the table that matters. That’s the whole idea: strategy and craft in the same room, so the brand and the business point the same direction. 208 is a collaborative marketing studio for ambitious brands — positioning, brand identity

Creative Strategy Art Direction Design Direction Strategic Thinking Digital Marketing Management Client Relations Brand Strategy Brand Development

Current

Founder / Creative Director

Current

Studio W

May 2019 - Present (7 years 4 months)

Studio W is my boutique brand consultancy. I take startups and established brands from strategy to identity, campaign, and launch — working end to end, from positioning through art direction and hands-on design.

Selected work: Bloom: led a six-month digital and UX campaign; online orders +127% YoY, site visits +110%, and e-commerce sales +30% through targeted email and paid media. • Zitti: rebui

Creative Strategy Typography Visual Design Research Design Media Marketing Marketing Strategy Branding Concept Development Creative Direction Advertising Photography Marketing Brand Expression Brand Strategy

Creative Director

Britton Marketing & Design Group

Sep 2017 - Sep 2019 (2 years)

Directed an 8-person creative team and led branding and marketing for highprofile home-improvement and consumer-goods clients.

Hunter Douglas / Kirsch — led the rebrand and go-to-market strategy, launching the new consumer-facing identity into 1,250 Lowe’s stores nationwide with Hunter Douglas’s internal marketing team. • Developed and managed campaigns and brand initiatives for Pratt + Lambert

Creative Strategy Typography Visual Design Client Research Design Marketing Strategy Concept Development Creative Direction Advertising Photography Marketing Brand Expression Brand Strategy

Consulting Creative Director

Self-employed

Nov 2013 - Sep 2017 (3 years 10 months)

Provided strategic creative direction and brand consulting for premium lifestyle, fashion, and luxury brands.

Moët Hennessy — elevated brand storytelling and reinforced luxury positioning through bespoke seasonal publications. • Kenneth Cole Collection — led a visual identity revamp and positioning strategy, sharpening the brand’s voice and direction.

Creative Strategy Typography Visual Design Research Design Automotive Industry Marketing Strategy Branding Concept Development Creative Direction Advertising Photography Marketing Brand Expression Brand Strategy

Creative Director

KKLD*

Mar 2010 - Oct 2013 (3 years 7 months)

Drove creative vision for global clients across automotive, consumer products, and culture.

BMW electric launch — developed and executed an award-winning campaign integrating traditional, social, and urban-mobility strategies to position BMW’s electric range as an industry leader. • MINI rebrand — spearheaded the repositioning: distinctive visual identity, design guidelines, and marketing assets

Creative Strategy Typography Visual Design Client Research Design Automotive Industry Marketing Strategy Branding Concept Development Creative Direction Advertising Photography Marketing Brand Expression Brand Strategy

Associate Creative Director

Kenneth Cole Productions

Feb 2006 - Feb 2009 (3 years)

Led award-winning campaigns, brand storytelling, packaging, and retail marketing for Kenneth Cole New York.

25th Anniversary campaign — designed and executed an award-winning multichannel campaign celebrating diversity and activism across print, video, digital, and experiential. • Directed marketing and brand initiatives including a multi-million-dollar e-commerce site and direct-mail programs.

Creative Strategy Marketing Strategy Concept Development Creative Direction Advertising

Sr. Art Director

Laird + Partners

Apr 2003 - Aug 2004 (1 year 4 months)

Art Director and Graphic Designer on key clients such as Nautica and DKNY.

Participated in robust business development pitches targeting the fashion and luxury sectors, achieved through a blend of relationship cultivation, strategic foresight, and creative skill.

Typography Visual Design Concept Development Advertising Brand Expression