Daniel Masini

Des Moines IA Area adlsd1@r.postjobfree.com

630-***-**** www.linkedin.com/in/danielmasini/

Professional Creative Director

Extensive experience in building, mentoring, and motivating creative teams in the development, design and production of creative content, marketing and sales support materials, product packaging, product catalogs, editorial publications, web and e-commerce sites, and event and retail signage. I am a collaborative leader with proven problem-solving experience in the areas of brand management, digital asset management, large-scale project management and creative infrastructure improvement.

Areas of Expertise

Team Building and Management Digital Asset Management

Budget Development and Management Cross-Functional Team Leadership

Vendor Negotiations Production Process Improvement

Packaging Design and Production Publication Design and Production

Catalog Design and Production Website Design and Production

Brand Building and Management Photography Direction

Content Creation Trade Show Graphics/Signage

Retail Signage Marketing Campaign Development

Print and Web Advertising Design Style Guide Development

Professional Experience

National Pork Board, Des Moines IA

Creative Services Director September 2018 – March 2021

Led a team of graphic designers, an editor/writer, photographer and videographer in the design and production of marketing, promotion, research, and educational materials for this non-profit arm of the pork industry.

Actively managed, conceptualized and produced a variety of projects including corporate videos, video interviews, print magazines, logos, newsletters, social media graphics, presentations, print and digital advertisements, event signage, POS kits, portrait and feature photography, and other marketing materials.

Managed the in-house print shop and photography/videography studio.

Built an in-house video studio to accommodate increased video production and video interviews. Recommended hardware and software purchases of photo, video, and lighting equipment.

Trained staff on video production techniques to produce broadcast quality video in house.

Served as creative and audio/video consultant for a remodeling project in the organization’s main office that included the construction of a fully functioning demonstration kitchen and conference center.

Recommended hardware and software purchases to allow for livestreaming of events.

Actively managed the organization’s digital asset management system.

Developed and implemented new, user-friendly taxonomy on the digital asset management site to make it easier for customers to search and find relevant assets.

Petco Animal Supplies, Rhinelander WI

Creative Services Director, Drs. Foster & Smith June 2015 – September 2018

Reporting directly to the division President, led a team of designers, copywriters, photographers, videographers, and production artists at the online and mail-order catalog division of this national pet supplies retailer.

Led the design and development of the drsfostersmith.com and liveaquaria.com e-commerce sites and their associated social channels, with 27+ million unique visitors per year.

Led the design and production of 17 print catalogs per year distributed to more than 9 million households.

Designed, developed, and produced all online and print marketing/promotional materials, and private-brand packaging.

Implemented new SOPs in both the digital and print production workflows that increased efficiencies in the first year by 25%.

Managed an in-house photography/videography studio and served as the community public relations liaison.

Researched project management and digital asset management solutions for the department and presented findings to senior management with a fully realized implementation plan.

Led a cross-functional team tasked with analyzing the e-commerce websites and recommending UX design improvements.

Worked with external and internal teams to implement proposed changes to the PDP and checkout funnels of both drsfostersmith.com and liveaquaria.com.

Led a complete re-branding effort of the Drs. Foster & Smith brand with an external branding agency encompassing the website, print catalogs, and all private-brand packaging.

Wilton Brands, Naperville IL

Vice President, Creative Services January 2008 – June 2015

Led an in-house agency of designers, copywriters, photographers, stylists, and multiple freelance contractors at this consumer-packaged goods and publishing company specializing in cake decorating and baking tools and supplies.

Developed and maintained an annual departmental budget of $2.7 million, plus outside spend of $1.5 million.

Led a three-year total packaging re-branding initiative. Designed a modern, clean packaging format and converted more than 1,500 SKUs over the course of the project. Converted all packaging to compliant trilingual (English, Spanish, French). Landed preferred positioning for the product assortment in Walmart stores as a result of effort.

Developed comprehensive style guides for all Wilton-branded packaging, editorial communications, and photography.

Led a re-branding effort for the Wilton School of Cake Decorating and Confectionery Art and the Wilton Method of Cake Decorating retail education program, which resulted in reversing a downward trend in class enrollment.

Championed the acquisition and led the implementation of a project management, job tracking, scheduling and asset management software suite to track and archive jobs and assets in the department. New process measured productivity, improved efficiencies, and aided with resource planning.

Established an in-house digital photography studio, including a main photo studio, a natural light studio, and three digital camera workstations and lighting equipment. Increased productivity to an average of 2,250 images per quarter.

Created a cross-functional Trend Monitoring Team comprised of representatives from key areas of the company to monitor and report on cake and treat trends. Produced a quarterly trend report distributed within the company to assist product and content development, and an annual report for distribution to media to strengthen the company’s position as a trend leader.

Creative Services Director September 2001 – January 2008

Designed and produced an annual 250-page idea book/product catalog in three versions, including a Spanish-language version, consistently on time and on budget. 2010 issue won a MarCom Gold Award for marketing and promotion.

Designed and produced at least one additional 100+ page special interest publication per year, plus additional digital content to support new product launches at retail and other promotional opportunities.

Designed and produced all product packaging, catalogs, publications, retail signage, a wide assortment of marketing support materials, and creative content for the website and other digital media. Total number of jobs averaged almost 4,500 annually.

Hired and mentored key staff to expand internal capabilities, recommended and implemented hardware and software purchases to keep on the cutting edge of technology, and realized the many benefits – both fiscal and operational – of this transformation.

Transformed the department from a small group with limited capabilities into a full-service, in-house agency focused on excellent customer service.

Established an in-house pre-press department, saving the company approximately 50% of annual spend, per year. As part of that initiative, installed a remote proofing device in the company’s China office. Expedited delivery of printer’s proofs to vendors in country, sped time to market for product produced overseas and saved on shipping costs.

Additional Experience

Meredith Corporation, Des Moines IA - Creative Director

Education

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign IL

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) - Graphic Design

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