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Andrew Bly
Strategic Brand & Advertising Designer
Professional Background
Andrew Bly stands out as a talented creative problem solver who has carved a niche for himself in the competitive world of advertising in New York. With years of experience stemming from his diverse background in architecture, Andrew has developed a unique perspective on design and its powerful ability to communicate. His career trajectory exhibits a remarkable blend of creative roles, showcasing his flexibility and innovative approach to the advertising landscape.
Starting from his time in Ohio where he studied for a Bachelor of Science in Architecture & Environmental Design at Kent State University, Andrew honed his skills in a field that emphasizes the marriage of form and function. His architectural background has not only influenced his aesthetic sensibilities but also strengthened his ability to approach problems holistically, ensuring that creative solutions are both visually compelling and practical.
Andrew's architectural experience is extensive, having worked on notable projects ranging from steel staircases in Akron to designing spaces for Giant Eagles in Cleveland. This hands-on experience in architecture enabled Andrew to appreciate the nuances of design, pushing him to explore how great design can not only enhance visual appeal but also enrich lives.
Transitioning into the world of advertising, Andrew's skills translated seamlessly, allowing him to embrace roles that leverage both his artistic talents and strategic thinking. His professional journey includes key positions at several renowned organizations like ACB, where he currently serves as a Brand & Advertising Designer. His previous contributions as a Freelance Creative Director at 214 and an Associate Creative Director at Frank Collective reveal his capability in leading creative teams and executing impactful campaigns.
His career has been marked by various commendable roles, which also include being a Conceptor at Bullish Inc., Art Director at DigitasLBi, and Art Director at DiMassimo Goldstein (DIGO). Each phase of his career reflects his commitment to exploring creativity and design from diverse angles, and his leadership and innovative insights have led to numerous successful projects.
Education and Achievements
Andrew's educational foundation in architecture at Kent State University set the stage for his multifaceted career. The skills he developed while studying environmental design not only provided him with technical expertise but also instilled in him an appreciation for design as a fundamental part of communication. This educational background is pivotal as it has played a significant role throughout his career as a creative director and problem solver.
Andrew's work has extended beyond the confines of traditional advertising. As a co-founder of Grandma's Basement Blocks, he ventured into creating unique and thoughtful design solutions, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering commitment to promoting impactful design. His initiative reflects his belief in the transformative power of great design, as well as his desire to elevate the conversation around how we experience spaces and communication through design.
In his various roles, Andrew has consistently demonstrated his ability to adapt and thrive in creative environments. His experience with agencies known for their innovative approaches has not only bolstered his design skills but also given him insights into the broader industry trends that shape the advertising landscape.
Key Achievements
Andrew's career is highlighted by a series of noteworthy achievements that underscore his creativity and problem-solving skills. Working with industry leaders like DigitasLBi and DiMassimo Goldstein (DIGO), he has played a crucial role in delivering creative solutions that resonate with target audiences, contributing to memorable advertising campaigns.
His creative direction at ACB has been instrumental in shaping brand identities that stand out in the marketplace, demonstrating his keen ability to integrate artistic creativity with strategic brand positioning. His dedication to fostering collaboration among creative teams showcases his leadership qualities and ability to inspire those around him.
Furthermore, Andrew's versatility and proficiency in both architecture and advertising position him as a valuable asset in any project. His understanding of how design functions within various contexts enables him to create solutions that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also enhance user experiences.
Organizations & Experience
- Brand & Advertising Designer at ACB
- Co-Founder at Grandma's Basement Blocks
- Freelance Creative Director at 214
- Associate Creative Director at Frank Collective
- Conceptor at Bullish Inc.
- Art Director at DigitasLBi
- Art Director at DiMassimo Goldstein (DIGO)
- Co-owner/Architect/photographer at AB/AB
- Project Specialist at MCG Architecture
- Field Fix Manager at Sharon Stairs
Location
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
Unlike traditional CRMs that focus primarily on sales pipelines and business relationships, Clay is a "home for your people," attempting to carve out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. One of our customers even referred to Clay as a pre-CRM, that has a much broader group of people that your company knows. Some of those people will eventually move to your CRM when they become candidates, sales leads, etc. Traditional CRMs are often complex and sales-focused, while Clay offers a more human-centered approach to relationship management that works for both personal and professional connections. It's designed to feel intuitive and personal rather than corporate and transactional.
Clay takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Clay encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Clay work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Clay is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.