About me
My name is Chris Maclean, I’m an award winning creative director with over 19 years of experience. Originally British, I’ve worked across the UK, Australia and US as creative director for Wolff Olins, Gretel, Re and Interbrand. I’m a dual British / Australian and now reside in the UK.
I started my career as a graphic designer, but nowadays that doesn't seem to sum it up. I am a problem solver, writer, technology nut and designer of brands. Not just brand identity, but complete brand transformation, both inside and out. For me, branding means influence. The power to make things better, to inspire whole populations, to change minds, and on occasion change the world.
My work has helped transform brands such as Apple, Slate, Paramount Network, Optus, Sydney Opera House, Opera Australia, Griffin Theatre Company, Darling Harbour, Alzheimer’s Australia, Queensland Art Gallery and Australia’s biggest brand, Telstra. In 2012, I was recognised as one of Australia’s Power 20 by Australian Creative magazine for bravery in the creative industry.
I have been recognised by some of the world’s most prestigious awards bodies including D&AD, AGDA, Red Dot, Clio, Type Directors Club and IDCA. I’m also a frequent writer, public speaker and lecturer on the subject of design and branding and their ability to change the world.
Projects
- IR Brand IdentityIR is a software company that makes a product called Prognosis that acts as a watchdog for complex IT systems. They needed our help to tell a simpler story about a complicated product. The solution was an identity designed as an illustrative toolkit that tells stories of how IR spots small problems before they become big ones.
- Paramount Network Brand IdentityInspired by Paramount Studio’s rich cinematic heritage and A-list roster of talent, Paramount Network aims to provide a modern television audience with premium cinematic storytelling without the premium subscription of its competitors. Our brief was to leverage 105 years of cinematic heritage with a contemporary brand identity suitable for this digital savvy audience. Our solution: Take the classic icons that Paramount is famous for and represent them in a way that’s familiar yet fresh with a n
- Optus Brand IdentityOptus, had bold ambitions of transitioning from a telecommunications provider to an entertainment provider as a way to offer more value to customers. Unfortunately their previous cutesy image wasn’t suitable for the cinematic brand they wanted to become. Our solution was to amplify a brand property that had been part of the brand since the 80s but had lost its meaning – 'Yes'. Making the frontman for the brand, we gave ‘Yes’ new meaning, making it the customers’ response when Optus get things r
Projects credited in
- Canopy. Goes Fresh.How do you get renters to think positively about their rent? We’d been working with Canopy for a while, creating Ad campaigns and making them famous. Things were growing, the work was driving customer sign ups but something was missing. A killer brand to talk one-to-one and make people feel special. Cue a rebrand. Talking to the public with empathy and realism, but doing it with some va-va-voom. Fresh, vibrant and real. Fame: More renters, more downloads and crucially… more traction.11
Work history
Creative DirectorM&C Saatchi
Sydney, AustraliaFull Time
– Creative Director for M&C’s sister branding agency, Re.
– Led the pitch and rebrand of Australia’s
second largest telecom brand, Optus. Brand
consideration increased by 18% in the first
three months and was recognised as one of
the best identities of 2016 by Brand New.
– Brand custodian for all Optus creative work
across multiple agencies and disciplines
including print, digital, environmental, events,
packaging, experiential, advertising, film
and animation.
– Toured Australia to sold out audiences with
my thought leadership talk, How to Make
Brands and Influence People, on behalf
of AGDA. The final talk in Sydney was the
organisation’s most successful event ever.
– Led design team to create a new brand
identity for Menulog to become Australia’s
second most successful food delivery brand.
– Design judge, AGDA Awards, 2016.
S
S
Crreative DirectorSelf Employed
London, United KingdomFreelance
Freelance creative director working at multiple branding agencies across London and Manchester. Agencies include SuperUnion, Interbrand, Ahoy and Creative Spark. Involved in creating conceptual design work for pitches and conceptual development of brand identity projects.
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Skills
- Graphic Design
- Brand Communications
- Brand Concept
- Brand Consultancy
- Brand Copywriting
- Brand Creation
- Brand Design
- Brand Developent
- Brand Creative Strategy
- Brand Communication
- Brand Content
- Brand Consistency
- Brand Agency
- Brand Architectue
- Brand Awareness
- Brand Building
- Brand Campaigns
- Copywriting
- B2B Copywriting
- B2C Copywriting
- Creative Copywriting
- Conceptual Copywriting
- Copywriting Skills
- Design
- Design Agency
- Design Direction
- Design Development
- Design Guidelines
- Design Layout
- Design Leadership
- Design Management
- Design Managing
- Design Production
- Photo Retouching
- Photography
- Photography Editing
- Photoshop
- Art Direction
- Creative Art Direction
- Abobe Illustrator
- Adobe
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Bridge
- Adobe Create Suite
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Indesign
- Adobe Lightroom
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Premiere
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Keynote
Education
U
U
BA(H) Graphic Design First Class DegreeUniversity of Northumbria
- Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
First class honours degree in graphic design