Kenneth E. Parris III

THE WORKS Senior Creative
SYDNEY | OCT 2022 - JULY 2023

Qantas, Subaru, Praise Mayo, Visa, ANZ Bank, AMEX. Creating brand, advertising, and design experiences including new brand guidelines for the Qantas Business Rewards Program, concept and design of brand platform for the Subaru Impreza and Subaru Safety ARSF partnership, brand platform for Praise’s sustainability campaign, concept and art direction of digital campaigns for Visa FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 partnerships with ANZ Bank and Woolworths, and the winning pitch for Qantas Insurance.

AKCELO Senior Creative
SYDNEY | MAY 2022 - SEPT 2022

Doritos (purpose partnership with ReachOut), Macca’s, Gatorade, HCF Health Insurance, Qatar Tourism, TikTok. First venture in the Australian market focused primarily on creating brand experiences through social and digital channels. Successes include: providing creative execution, including design of look and feel, and creative direction of social media influencers and creators for a multi-channel youth mental health campaign partnership with Doritos and ReachOut. With engagement resulting in over 18 million views on TikTok, Meta hitting +200% vs planned impressions, and nearly 300 earned social content pieces, the campaign has collected over 41 million in earned media impressions.

PAM TANOWITZ DANCE COMPANY 
BROOKLYN | SEPT 2020 - PRESENT

Concept development, design, layout, and original art creation for the innovative dance makers commemorative coffee table book. Utilizing photography, programs, ads for performances, rare journal entries and process notes, with interviews and essays from critics, archivists, historians, dancers, and fellow choreographers to bring her story to life in a visual anthology.

THE BEST MGMT 
BROOKLYN | JAN 2010 - AUG 2022

One Little Indian Records, 00:02:59 Records, Modern Outsider Records. Transforming a bands sound to an equally compelling visual language. Creator, brand steward, and advisor, ensuring that all visual materials are integrated. Concept and design of identities, branded merchandise, LP and EP packaging, covers for digital releases, posters, social media content and apparel.

PARRIS3
BROOKLYN | NOV 2005 - MAR 2022

Create, consult, and build brands with client partners interested in using crafted stories and design with a fine art sensibility to create personal, aspirational, and transformative experiences. Providing creative vision and solutions through clear communication and strategic thinking from initial client meetings to all aspects of content creation, presentation, and production. Interface collectively with clients to define needs, accomplish and exceed goals, and generate opportunities.

MIAMI AD SCHOOL Instructor 
NEW YORK CITY | APR 2019 - APR 2020

Teaching non-digital techniques and production methods to expand the conceptual approach to advertising campaigns. Guiding Art Director and Copywriter students through principles of design and composition with projects that emphasize storytelling through physical materials and craftsmanship.

FRESH BRANDING GROUP  
BROOKLYN | JUL 2019

Created TV campaign concepts with design and layout of marketing materials for a new business pitch for Vazalore, a liquid filled aspirin. 

MINERAL  
BROOKLYN | NOV 2018

Generated concept, design, and layout of the commemorative book and 10” record titled, “One Day When We Are Young,” for the influential emo band Mineral.

CYNTHIA WADE PRODUCTIONS
BROOKLYN | MAR 2011 - 2013

Initiated and promoted Oscar-Winning filmmaker Cynthia Wade’s entry into the commercial industry. Executed identity and marketing materials positioning her brand for corporate clients. Concept and design of visual presentations for pharmaceutical and consumer goods clients.

NEW YORK TIMES
BROOKLYN | JUN - DEC 2011

Formulated traveling as an embed for two years with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company to document their final fifty city world tour through drawings and paintings. Developed vision and scope, pitched project and won collaboration and media placement. Negotiated contracts and usage rights with fifteen dancers and the Merce Cunningham Foundation. Originated, illustrated, and authored a weekly series titled “Drawing Dance” for ArtsBeat leveraging 788,500 unique monthly visitors for 23 weeks. Illustration commission for “Hard to Grasp But Harder To Say Farewell” by Alastair Macaulay for Christmas Sunday Print Edition, Vol CLXI, No 55, 630.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER TIM SPEIDEL
BROOKLYN | MAR - MAY 2010

Promoted Emmy-Winning Producer Tim Speidel’s capabilities to a diverse clientele of advertising agencies, corporations, and independent filmmakers. Concept and design of identity and developed website creating a user interface to navigate an extensive portfolio of video content.

UPROAR!@DDB
BROOKLYN | APR - JULY 2008

Conceptualized and designed the integrated launch campaign for Hasbro’s first online customizable luxury fashion doll, Lorifina. Collaborated with writing partner to develop concept for TV teaser and spot, print ads, direct mail, and interactive ads to increase website traffic and purchases.

Full-time Work Experience

DDB Creative Director 
NEW YORK CITY | FEB 2015 - MAR 2018

Play-Doh, Nerf, DohVinci, AEG, Heineken, Persil, Merck, and Topps Candy: Push-Pop and Ring-Pop. Specialized in kid and family focused advertising to lead teams and global creative execution of 360 branding for Hasbro. Collaborated with brand planners on strategy and mentored teams of writers, art directors, producers, directors, editors, animators, musicians, storyboard artists, voice-over talent, casting agents, and baby wranglers, throughout production process. Successes include: increasing DohVinci Platinum Styler sales by +580%, implementing a Nerf Rebelle Super-Soaker and Core Blaster global empowerment campaign that was shot by 14 and 15 year old female directors, launching a new Play-Doh segment titled Kitchen Creations as well as Play-Doh’s Global Brand Platform TVC and digital content. Led creative and collaborated with UX team on interactive new business pitches.

IRWIN SLATER Art Director 

NEW YORK CITY | JUN 2006 - NOV 2007

Fortunoff, Tacori, and Royal Doulton. Spearheaded art direction, visual design and luxury branding. Provided creative development and design of identity systems, print ads, direct mail, packaging, and point of purchase. Developing strategic solutions on all aspects of creative process directly with founding partner. Redesigned shopping and holiday bags and designed collateral for credit card launch. Researched and collaborated on new business pitches. 

UPROAR!@DDB Art Director 
NEW YORK CITY | APR 2003 - NOV 2005

My Little Pony, Easy Bake Oven, Lite-Brite, Littlest Pet Shop, Secret Central, Playskool, and Play-Doh. Lead Art Director, collaborated with writing partner on concepts and jingles creating over forty TV spots for Hasbro Girls’ Toy brands contributing to an increase in revenue by 21.5% over the course of one year. Collaborated on new business pitches with partner Omnicom agencies. Designed UPROAR! satellite corporate identity system.

SICOLAMARTIN Y&R GLOBAL NETWORK Art Director 
AUSTIN | JUL 2000 - FEB 2003

Novell, StorageTek, Oce, and Citrix. Executed concept and design of integrated campaigns for B-to-B and B-to-C high-tech brands. Provided creative development and design of marketing collateral, brochures, identity systems, direct mail, interactive campaigns, print and digital ads. Defined qualifications, evaluated and hired photographers and vendors for photo shoots and print production. Collaborated on new business pitches, concept and design of poster campaign for Austin Chamber of Commerce during SXSW, identity system for Children’s Hospital of Austin Gala fund-raiser and logo design for Special Olympics Texas Winter Games.

CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR Art Director 

SAN ANTONIO | FEB 1999 - JUL 2000

Mobilized in-house Creative Department of three Designers and Art Directors focusing on outdoor advertising from creative development design, to implementation. Collaborated with the Marketing Director/Department and Executive Management on strategic, budget, business development and synergy efforts between radio and billboard campaigns. Provided advisory assistance for advertising agencies on all aspects of outdoor advertising. Illustrated the Clear Channel Annual Report, a selection of original pieces acquired for corporate collection.

CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR Graphic Designer
SAN ANTONIO |  SEP 1998 - FEB 1999

Designed and pitched outdoor advertising campaigns. Concept, design and sale of a three month teaser campaign for Lone Star Beer promoting the brand’s return to San Antonio.

Education

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Rochester, New York 14623
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Illustration, with Honours May 1998
Associate in Applied Science, Graphic Design, with Honours May 1996
Concentration in Philosophy

Honours

Guest Instructor for Brainstorming Workshop at Miami Ad School Australia, Apr 2022
Guest Lecture on collaboration with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company at 92nd Street Y, Feb 2019
Industry Hero Lecture at Miami Ad School, Dec 2018
Art Editor of H.O.W. Journal (Helping Orphans Worldwide), 2010-Present
Juror on the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Panel for Painting, Jan 2018
Awarded a Space Grant from Chashama, June 2018 and Dec 2011
Bombay Sapphire & Russell Simmons Artisan Series Selection, 2015 and 2011
Guest Lecture on collaboration at Bard College, Oct 2014
Lecture Panel Member of The One Club’s Here Are All The Black People, Sep 2014
Selected as a fiscally sponsored visual art project of The Solo Foundation, May 2013
Performed in Rashaun Mitchell: NOX at Danspace Project, Jan 2013
Awarded a Studio Artist Grant from Chashama, June 2012
Awarded Bronze Addy Awards from American Advertising Federation, Austin 2003, 2002
Awarded Gold Addy Awards from American Advertising Federation, Austin 2001
Awarded Eller Media Company (Clear Channel) 1st Place National Nobie Award 2000
Awarded Eller Media Company (Clear Channel) ProActive Marketing Award 1999
Awarded Eller Media Company (Clear Channel) 1st Place National Street Smarts Award 1998