School of Visual Arts

Creative Director Brand & Marketing at Duolingo

New York, New York, United States

Leading the world's #1 language learning app in global brand, strategy and creative marketing efforts. With over half a billion learners of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds, our aim is to keep Duolingo part of current culture, inspire identification with our learners, and continue to be a disruptor in education.

Currently building a world-class internal global brand marketing team in insights, strategy, creative, social, through production and collaborating with global creative partners to develop ideas that scale Duolingo's mission of developing the best education in the world and making it accessible to all.

In two years time our team has scaled our brand to be recognized at Cannes, One Show, D&AD, have been named AdAge's Hottest Brands of 2022, Social Marketer of the Year 2022, and finally gave my mom some clarity of what we do.

Duolingo

Global Creative Director Brand & Marketing

Led creative teams to create culture-breaking, integrated campaigns, socially led, emerging tech and A.I. initiatives for VaynerMedia's roster of brands PepsiCo's Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Amp GameFuel, Cheetos, as well as ABI's family of brands including Busch & Budweiser. Lead the Mountain Dew Amp Game Fuel brand among Esports entertainment and social engagement opportunities.

2019 Clios Bronze Audio
2019 Clios Bronze Audio Technique

VaynerMedia

Sr. Creative Director

Led integrated creative, social-first, emerging tech and A.I. voice initiatives across numerous brands including FanDuel, JBL, GE (GE Lighting, GE Corporate, GE Appliances, GE Aviation, GE Power...) SandyHookPromise, Budweiser, Snapchat, Scotts-MiracleGrow, SAP, among many others.

2019 Best Creative Use of Live Streaming x2
2019 Best Use of Facebook Live x2
2019 Best B2B Shorty Award
2019 Radio Mercury Awards Innovation Finalist
2019 Radio Mercury Awards Non-Profit Finalist
2018 Best use of Artificial Intelligence Shorty Award
2018 Best Creative Use of Technology Shorty Award
2018 Best B2B Shorty Award

Creative Director

Led integrated brand initiatives across multiple channels with a range of teams including in-house creative teams, freelancers, production companies and partner agencies.

Work has gone on to be featured in numerous publications including: Fast Company, WSJ, CNBC, CBS, FOX, Adweek, Creativity, PSFK...

- Unsick Day" became Zocdoc's largest campaign/press initiative to date-

2017 Unsick Day Branding Shorty Award

Zocdoc

Creative Lead @ Zocdoc

Founding teacher of Undergraduate class: Advanced Advertising Buzzworthy Content.
Students have gone on to win nearly every major industry award- Most importantly they've taken jobs at Droga5, BBDO, Spotify, W+K, Google, R/GA, Facebook, etc... and garnered press for their projects. Hit me up if you'd like any recommendations on fresh talent.
2014-2022: Dozens of D&AD, Clios, One Show, ADC, Future Lions, Andys...
2019 & 2018: School of the Year award at ADC & One Show

Founding Teacher of Buzzworthy Content

Created and produced a wide range of work for the following clients: AT&T U-Verse TV, AT&T Mobile, Texting While Driving, Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Sandy Hook Promise, ExxonMobil, Snickers.

Honors:

2015: Cannes Silver Branded Content
2015: Cannes Silver Cyber
2015: Cannes Bronze Titanium/Integrated
2015: Cannes Bronze Cyber
2015: Cannes Bronze Mobile
2015: Cannes Bronze Direct
2015: Cannes 6 Various Shortlists
2015: Clios 1 Silver Branded Entertainment
2015: Clios 1 Bronze Branded Entrainment Documentary
2015: Clios 1 Bronze Film Craft
2015: Clios 1 Bronze Branded Content
2015: Clios 1 Bronze Experiential
2015: D&AD Wood Pencil Branded Entertainment Documentary
2015: One Show 1 Silver
2015: One Show 2 Bronze
2015: One Show 7 Various Merits
2015: Clio Sports 4 Silver
2015: Clio Sports Shortlist
2015: Webbys Nominees x2
2015: Young Guns Bronze
2015: NY Festivals Finalist
2015: AICP Next Award
2015: Shorty Awards x 2

BBDO Worldwide

Senior Art Director

Clients: Save The Children, Gillette, P&G, Mars,

Honors:
2014: Listed in Top 100 Art Directors of 2013- Big Won
2014: Webby Honoree x2
2014: Young Guns Bronze
2014: NY Festivals Finalist
2013: Cannes 1 Bronze, 5 Shortlists
2013: Clios 1 Gold, 3 Bronze, 1 finalist
2013: One Show 2 Merits
2013: United Nations Public Service Silver
2013: London International: 1 Silver, 1 Finalist
2013: NY Festivals 1 Silver, 1 Bronze, 10 Finalists
2013: Webbys Honoree
2013: Addys Best of Show, 4 Golds, 2 Silver
2012: D&AD Nomination - first win for the Gillette Brand
2012: NYFestivals Shortlist
2012: One Show Merit
2012: Addys 2 Golds
2012: Young Guns Bronze

Art Director

Multidisciplinary designer: Concepted and designed branding identities and accompanying assets for several brands and clients.

James Kuczynski