The Challenge
Most consumer brands know they need personality, but struggle to express it authentically. I founded Blue Dude Creative Studio to solve that problem. Blue Dude helps consumer brands use animation and illustration to show exactly who they are, why they matter, and why customers should care.
My Role
As the founder and creative director, I shaped Blue Dude from day one. That meant developing our creative approach, building out the studio’s offering, and designing every part of the brand. I also directed three standout speculative campaigns (for Ghia, Wilson, and a Lululemon x Peloton collaboration) to clearly define the kind of strategic, personality-driven creative we believe in. On the operations side, I built scalable systems for client onboarding, pricing, and project execution, and managed talented freelancers to deliver work I’m proud of.
The Blue Dude Approach
At the core of Blue Dude is a system I built called DUDE: Define, Understand, Design, Execute. It helps make sure every project starts with a clear goal, stays grounded in the brand, and ends with work that actually resonates. The steps are simple, but they keep the thinking sharp and the output focused. This approach has been especially useful for building out brand campaigns and creative systems that can scale without losing clarity.
Making Brands Feel Like Themselves
The work is always about helping a brand feel more like itself. That might mean leaning into personality, clarifying tone, or giving things a more thoughtful visual voice. The goal is to make the brand feel sharper and more consistent without losing character. This kind of clarity shows up in everything from campaign art direction to the design systems I build to support it.
Creative Work Starts with Listening
Before I jump into design, I try to get really clear on what the brand is trying to say and what might be getting in the way. The most effective projects usually start with good questions and honest conversations. Once we’re aligned, the creative decisions come quickly. But the work always starts by paying attention.
Small Studio with Systems
The tools I use aren't just for convenience. Notion helps me stay on top of the pipeline, Stripe makes payments easy for both sides, and Loom lets me share updates in a way that keeps the tone and context clear. Together with a straightforward client process, they form a system that keeps things moving without letting anything slip. It gives me space to focus on the creative and makes the whole experience better for the client.
