Craig Zacok
Chicago/ Seattle/ +
craig.zacok@gmail.com
630-303-3376
Overview
Dynamic creative with extensive experience in gaming, entertainment, and advertising. Expertly blending visual design, user feedback and marketing insight to craft impactful campaigns and lead teams in delivering compelling, audience-engaging solutions.
Experience
Principal Director of Design and Marketing, Jam Rascals
Oct. 2020 - Present
Chicago, IL
Spearheaded the development of "Troubleshooting," employing a dynamic parallel strategy to align product development with validated marketing insights.
Directed multi-platform viral marketing campaigns, skillfully utilizing digital platforms such as TikTok, Reddit, and XTwitter to maximize broad audience engagement.
Achieved media placement in top-tier outlets, demonstrating expert media relations and strategic communication skills.
Creative Director, Art Director, Strategic Designer, Consulting
Jun. 2009 - Present
Chicago, IL & Seattle, WA
Provided strategic consulting across B2C, B2B, and B2I markets, specializing in playful messaging and brand storytelling to drive meaningful engagement.
Collaborated with renowned brands such as Microsoft, Amazon, Star Wars (Disney), and McDonald's, crafting compelling visual narratives aligned with their marketing goals.
Expert in designing engaging viral content across multiple media platforms, significantly boosting brand storytelling and authentic customer interaction.
Successfully executed versatile creative marketing strategies for diverse products, ranging from emerging technologies and state lotteries to hamburgers and video games, effectively reaching broad audiences.
Principal Director of Marketing and Design, Haven Made
Feb. 2014 - Jan. 2021
Remote: Chicago, IL & Seattle, WA
Pioneered "Warcube," expertly merging game design with strategic marketing insights to craft a widely appealing product.
Led a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that garnered over 5.5 million YouTube views and robust engagement on major social media platforms.
Excelled in content marketing, generating over 3.1 million views of development GIFs that significantly boosted brand visibility and audience engagement.
Senior Art Director, OLV
Dec. 2018 - Oct. 2020
Seattle, WA
Directed art production for expansive 29,000-pixel video projects, displayed in 116 Microsoft stores worldwide, aligning high-impact visuals with strategic brand messaging to bolster global presence.
Led a diverse team of over 20 cross-disciplinary artists across three continents, showcasing effective leadership and project management in a global setting.
Orchestrated multiple high-profile campaigns for Xbox and Xbox Game Pass, demonstrating deep consumer engagement and market trend analysis expertise.
Studio Artist, AbelsonTaylor
July 2013 - July 2014
Chicago, IL
Established studio pipeline for digital adoption aligned to agency goals, demonstrating my ability to integrate advanced visual techniques into marketing and advertising campaigns.
Managed multiple projects across various media, balancing creative demands with marketing objectives, which enhanced the studio's capability to deliver diverse and impactful content.
Formed a pioneering real-time and VR team, utilizing Oculus Rift and Unity development, to provide innovative client pitches and demos, showcasing a forward-thinking approach to digital marketing.
Education
Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, GA
B.F.A Visual Effects