Derek John Dudek

Art Direction + Brand Design

Walnut Creek, CA, USA
As an experienced creative leader and established brand designer, I have spent my career developing bold ideas and creative solutions for some of the world's leading brands. Currently running my own freelance design consultancy, where I work in partnership with ad agencies, global corporations, start-ups, music labels and action sports brands.

Currently available for remote | freelance | full-time opportunities.

Work Experience

Derek Dudek Design LLC

Art Director + Brand Designer

+ Owner / sole proprietor of freelance design consultancy specializing in creative direction, identity & brand design, campaign development, packaging and design production.

+ Collaborate in close partnership with ad agencies, global corporations, start-ups, music labels and action sports brands.
December 2006 - Walnut Creek, California, United States

Pax Labs

Senior Brand Designer

+ Drove the design process and creative vision for award-winning, cannabis tech brand. Became point-of-contact for guiding the evolution and visual direction from internal communications to customer experience.

+ Using key insights, I created various integrated marketing solutions for PAX product and
sales objectives. This included seasonal campaign strategies that were adopted at scale.

+ Collaborated with leadership and external partners to establish a new PAX brand refresh. Creative direction was given to establish the updated brand vision and guide the process of implementation.

+ Mentored designers across several teams, from marketing to product. Provided strategic direction and career support to assist individuals and their respective projects / personal goals.

+ Provided creative inspiration across the organization. Shared key learnings from design community events, industry trade shows and other cannabis-legal states.

+ Partnered with team PM’s & IT to upgrade tools for creative processes and stakeholder approvals. Notably, a custom data asset management (DAM) system that made sharing brand assets seamless across the organization.
August 2017 - October 2019 California, United States

Oracle

Senior Brand Designer

+ Created integrated brand systems for high-profile Oracle product releases and industry events. Provided implementation guidelines, photoshoot art direction and guidance for external partners.

+ Became established point-of-contact for Oracle collateral systems. Duties entailing content updates and various additions to Oracle partner templates, as well as management presentations. Primary clients were sales, marketing and internal communication teams.
October 2015 - November 2016 California, United States

Specialized Bicycle Components

Senior Designer

+ Acted as project lead on numerous global marketing campaigns with expedited schedules; designed and built brand standards to be carried out and scaled globally.

+ Worked closely with cross-functional teams (digital/social, product, retail marketing, public relations) to assure alignment and creative output exceeded expectations.

+ Managed in-house team as well as outside vendors and freelancer relations as it related to campaign objectives.
March 2013 - October 2015 California, United States

COMEDY CENTRAL

Senior Designer

+ Art directed and designed the campaign launch of 'Kroll Show'​ sketch comedy show; executed localized joke advertising (for LA and NYC markets) that received buzz-worthy press from such sources as Adweek, PSFK, The Daily News, and The New York Observer.

+ Executed creative for the much publicized 'Roast of Charlie Sheen' premiere. Provided art direction and design for the animated digital experience, print/outdoor advertising, and office installations.
July 2011 - February 2013 New York, United States

Oxygen

Designer

+ Strategized and designed for Oxygen's 2011 Upfront campaign; helped elevate sales collateral through interactive powerpoint presentations and various targeted outdoor advertising.

+ Collaborated with internal teams on various brand refresh exercises; from logos to lower 3rd designs, provided management/stakeholders with options in which to steer the look the network.
July 2010 - July 2011 New York, United States

Bravo

Designer

+ Designed and developed the Bravo TV Upfront magazine: a colorful, large format magazine that was distributed industry wide and set the standard for Bravo brand sales collateral. The concept still stands; as the magazine gets updated each year for content and network offerings.

+ Collaborated with other designers & freelancers to carry out various brand related projects; worked closely with upper management to make sure deadline-driven projects were executed with success and minimal revisions.
January 2007 - July 2010 New York, United States

Kelliher Samets Volk

Junior Designer

+ Assisted design director in creating projects for wide-range of clients.
May 2006 - December 2006 New York, United States

Education

Pratt Institute

BFA Communications Design - Graphic Design

August 2002 - December 2005 Brooklyn, New York, United States

Awards

HOW Design Magazine

In-House Design

2014

Skills

Lightroom, Adobe CS, Apparel, Branding, Microsoft Office, Photography, Screenprinting, Typography,

Stanford University - d.school

Attended Stanford’s D.School Innovation design program, representing Specialized