Creative Strategist · San Francisco Bay Area
Bring me your creative challenges. Whether you have a clear vision or just a product and a goal, I'll bring the ideas, and together we'll make something worth remembering.
See the work →
What I do
Brand · Campaign · Direction
Sometimes the work just isn't landing and nobody can quite put their finger on why. The messaging feels off. The creative has drifted. The campaign looks fine but doesn't feel right. I find the thread and pull everything back into focus.
Whether you're launching something new, rethinking something existing, or just stuck, I bring an outside perspective and the experience to know what needs to change and what doesn't.
Leadership · Oversight · Partnership
You need senior creative leadership but not a full-time hire. I work with your team on a project basis, raising the bar on the work and helping your people do their best.
I work remotely and stay close through the creative process, showing up in person for kickoffs and key milestones when it matters most. You get the thinking of someone who has directed creative at LucasArts and Francis Ford Coppola Winery without the overhead of a full-time CD.
Ideas · Brainstorm · Possibilities
Ideas come naturally to me. Always have. Give me a product, a problem, or a blank page and I will fill it. This is where I'm most in my element and where clients tend to get the most out of working with me.
Whether you need a fresh campaign concept, a new way to talk about your brand, or someone to push your thinking in a direction you haven't considered, this is the work I was built for.
All engagements are project-based, scoped around what you actually need. I work remotely and stay close throughout the process, showing up in person for the moments that benefit most from being together. No hourly billing, no rigid retainers. Just focused work with a clear goal and a commitment to getting it right.
Selected Work
Internet Marketing Manager
For six years I led the online creative for one of the most beloved gaming studios in the world. Over 30 immersive experiential websites across the Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and original game franchises, each built to match the scale and identity of the IP it represented. I led a full-time team, managed agency and vendor relationships, and oversaw an annual budget of $350K while juggling three to five concurrent projects at any given time.
Star Wars Episode III
Immersive launch experience for one of the most anticipated film releases of the decade
Knights of the Old Republic II
Deep world-building site for the critically acclaimed RPG sequel
Indiana Jones
Extending a legendary franchise into an interactive digital experience
Star Wars Battlefront II
High-energy campaign site built around multiplayer launch momentum
Escape from Monkey Island
Bringing the irreverent personality of a beloved game series to life online
Star Wars Bounty Hunter
Immersive site built around the gritty underworld of the Star Wars universe
Creative direction, team leadership, and project ownership. Designed and built in collaboration with internal teams and external agencies.
Interactive Director
For thirteen years I was the digital steward of Francis Ford Coppola's creative vision, bringing it to life across a $300M family-owned portfolio spanning wine, film, food, hospitality, and ecommerce. Francis is the creative visionary behind everything that bears his name. My job was to translate that vision into digital experiences worthy of it, across 15 distinct affiliate operations, leading a team of four and ensuring every pixel reflected the standard he set.
Francis Ford Coppola Winery
Full digital presence for the flagship winery including pools, events, and wine club
Inglenook
Digital experience for Coppola's historic Napa estate, balancing heritage with modern luxury
Tetro
Film website for Coppola's personal passion project, cinematic and intimate in equal measure
Palazzo Margherita
Luxury hospitality site for Coppola's Italian resort property in Bernalda
Coppola Feast
Digital experience for Coppola's food and entertaining brand, rich with Italian spirit
Encyclopedia Wines
An immersive wine education experience connecting consumers to the Coppola portfolio
Creative direction, brand strategy, team leadership, and full digital ownership across the Coppola portfolio.
Marketing Manager
A 90-year-old Sonoma County institution with deep roots and a brand ready to grow into its next chapter. I evolved the visual identity without touching the logo, building a complete system from a single design element that was hiding in plain sight. The result is a coherent, confident brand across van wraps, billboards, digital and print that looks like it always belonged at this level.
The Meme Billboard
Placed directly across from an annual pumpkin patch that backs up traffic every fall. The distracted boyfriend meme on an actual highway billboard, with the pumpkin patch as the distraction. People slowed down, laughed, took photos, and shared it. Earned media from a static placement.
Pumpkin Spice is Furnace-Check Season
Meeting the audience exactly where they are. A seasonal campaign that turned a cultural moment into a service reminder, with enough wit to make people actually read an HVAC ad.
Back to Cool
A summer HVAC campaign built around a free MacBook Air incentive. Connecting a tech-forward offer to a seasonal message in a way that felt fresh and unexpected for the category.
Brand Evolution
A complete visual identity built from a single overlooked design element already living in the brand. Applied across van wraps, billboards, collateral, digital, print, and company apparel. Same logo. Entirely new presence.
Brand strategy, creative direction, and campaign development. Executed in collaboration with a digital agency partner.
What people say
"Jim is the MacGyver of interactive. I was constantly amazed at the amount of work he produced in a rubber band environment. He was an incredibly innovative member of my team."
Jennifer Leitman, MBA
CMO, Mission Drive Marketing and Advertising, managed Jim directly
"Jim was one of a few at LucasArts with a clear understanding of the purpose of online marketing, the expected results from our initiatives, and most importantly a firm appreciation for the process behind digital production."
Gregg Aprian
Entrepreneur and Growth Strategist, Jim's client at LucasArts
"Jim had a wonderful workstyle and ethic, completing complex projects on tight deadlines with a smile and positive attitude. I feel very fortunate to have had the pleasure of working with him."
Katy Walden
Brand and GTM Strategy, Lucasfilm, Microsoft, Meta, NestGoogle
"Jim approached every situation with a creative mind to solve issues and was a very valuable part of the team. I would gladly recommend him for any position requiring a can-do attitude, teamwork and creative problem resolution."
Renee O'Hare
Director, Systems Transformation Enablement, worked together at Autodesk
Whether you're a growing brand, an established company, or an agency looking for a creative thinking partner, if you have a challenge worth solving, reach out.
Let's start a conversation.