john nguyen
executive creative director

About

 

John Nguyen | Creative Director
Seattle, WA

I’m a senior creative leader with 27+ years of experience helping some of the world’s most respected brands—Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and others—translate complex ideas into clear, human-centered stories that drive connection, adoption, and growth.

My work sits at the intersection of brand, storytelling, and emerging technology. I specialize in shaping narrative systems—across film, motion, product launches, campaigns, and platforms—that bring clarity to moments of change: new products, new categories, new chapters.

Over the course of my career, I’ve led global creative teams, partnered closely with founders and executives, and delivered work across consumer tech, AI, mixed reality, retail, and culture-forward brands. Whether launching new platforms, reintroducing heritage brands, or helping organizations define who they are and why they matter, my focus is always the same: turning complexity into meaning.

Today, I work in two ways:

  • As an executive creative leader within organizations where brand and storytelling are core to the business

  • As a fractional Executive Creative Director, partnering with select companies that need senior creative leadership without full-time overhead

In both cases, I’m hands-on where it matters and strategic where it counts—setting vision, aligning teams, and elevating the work without unnecessary noise or bureaucracy.

I’m drawn to teams that value taste, clarity, and long-term thinking—and to work that’s thoughtful, well-crafted, and human at its core.


🔗Linkedin | 🔗Resume

 
 

Specialties

Brand Identity/ Guidelines
Brand Storytelling
Comms Design
Motion Design
Social Media Campaigns
Presentation Design
UI/UX
OOH
Team Design

 
 

Experience

Accenture
Executive Creative Director, Motion
Seattle, WA
April 2024 - Present

Leading and building a multi-disciplinary team for a tech client.

 

Creative Director/ Founder
Seattle, WA
May 2023 - March 2024

Created foundational visual brand identities and communications for small and medium sized startups for impactful company growth.

 

Microsoft - Mixed Reality + AI
Principal Creative Director
Redmond, WA
Dec. 2020 - April 2023

 

Collaborated cross-functionally with Engineering, Product Marketing, Integrated Marketing, and PR teams to drive visual creative communications excellence for keynotes, visual branding, product reveal videos, retail content, OOH, and social campaigns, leveraging presentation design and storytelling techniques to enhance impact. Managed 7-figure operating budgets.

  • Managed a multi-disciplinary creative team and external agencies engagements/partnerships to drive successful execution of high-impact marketing campaigns that increased customer acquisition.

  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and execute a comprehensive naming, brand strategy, and brand communications for Microsoft Mesh, resulting in a 40% increase in brand recognition within the first six months.

  • Led creation and execution of the Microsoft Mesh launch video,a high impact video project resulting in 3+ million views, and trended in the top 20 on YouTube.

  • Led design, strategy, and creation of the Microsoft Mesh launch site, focusing on user experience improvements, resulting in increased engagement with B2B customers.

  • Led the Microsoft Mesh 360 campaign creative across keynote, social, web, PR, and visual brand guide with high ROI.

  • Collaborated with the ID team to conceive and refine AR/VR concepts, enabling the internal progression of 4 high-potential prototypes, paving the way for future advancements and market differentiation.

  • Led creative and strategy for the Industrial Metaverse campaign. Reduced production costs by up to 50%.

Microsoft - Mixed Reality + AI
Principal Art Director
Redmond, WA
May 2017-November 2020

  • Led creative development and execution the Microsoft HoloLens launch video, generating over 5+ million views: showcasing the product's innovative features and driving widespread excitement.

  • Spearheaded a unique social media strategy and execution of the Microsoft HoloLens 2 launch, which resulted in the most organic engagement for Microsoft in 10 years.

  • Developed and executed content strategies for Windows Mixed Reality’s on-boarding experience, resulting in an increase in customer satisfaction.

  • Concepted and led execution of the "HoloLens Momentum" 360 Campaign that drove excitement and awareness of HoloLens’ innovations in industry verticals.

  • Redesigned and launched HoloLens.com with new content and new design in collaboration with Product Marketing + Engineering.

 
 
 

Apple - Marcom
Senior Art Director
June 2014 - May 2017
Cupertino, CA

 

Visual design lead for Apple Marcom’s Film/Video/Motion Graphics team. Collaborated cross functionally with Industrial Design, Product Design, Product Marketing, Marcom Leadership, external agency engagements, and across Apple Marcom teams.

  • Produced and directed the highly successful hero MacBook launch video, garnering over 4 million views.

  • Co-developed and led the team that created the MacBook Pro reveal video with 2.5+ million views and the Launch video with 3.5+ million views.

  • Concept and creative execution of the iPhone 7 Jet Black launch video with 2.5+ million views.

  • Spearheaded visual creative of the highly successful 'How to Shoot" campaign for Apple, captivating an audience of over 100+ million viewers and elevating brand recognition and consumer engagement.

  • Conceived and created season 1 and 2 of Apple’s flagship in-store large video display 8K video content.

  • Founded an internal 3d team that manages all of Apple Marcom’s 3d marketing assets.

 
 
 

Self-Employed
Creative Director/ Art Director/ Team Lead
May 2002- May 2014
Los Angeles, CA

 

Designed, concepted, and executed commercials, main titles, and campaigns for large brands and ad agencies.

• Led multi-disciplinary teams consisting of 2d designers, 2d animators, 3d animators, live action directors, and producers.

Brands:
Apple | AMEX | DirectTV | Dreamworks | Epson | ESPN | Honda | HP | LA Times |
Microsoft | Nike | Nintendo |Paramount | Riot Games | Sony | SYFY | Virgin | Volvo | WB | Xbox

Agencies:
Brand New School | Blind | Logan | Imaginary Forces |King & Country
Method | Not to Scale | National Television | Prologue | Royale

 
 

Education

Cleveland Institute of Art
1994-1998
Major: Photography, Film/Video/ Animation

Augment.org
Oct. 2023 - Dec. 2023
Entrepreneurship Business Program

 

Work with me