Mary Carol Sullivan
215-760-9360
http://www.marycarolsullivanportfolio.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Demonstrating artistic flexibility, strategy development, and creativity, I develop B2C and B2B brand messaging
concepts and programs for retail, consumer goods, construction, technology, health & wellness, food, grocery,
health care, media and industry that are tailored to create profit and/or instigate corporate growth. I am a leader
when presenting to and working with C-level executives and clients; working with team members and vendors; or
when mentoring and training junior staff. I will be the first to tell you I love what I do!
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CREATIVE SKILL SET
Brand Creation, Compliance
and Reinvention
Brand Messaging
and Consistency
Concept Development
Concept Presentation Content
Marketing
Corporate Branding
Creative Briefs
Creative Writing/Editing
Cross Channel Marketing
Consumer Retail Programs
Graphic Design/Typography
Grocery Programs
Health & Wellness Promotion
Integrated Marketing
Location Scouting
Packaging and POS Design
Photography Art Direction
and Styling, Casting
Product Launch
Print Design
Publication Design
Social Media
Strategic Positioning
Sweepstakes and
Incentive Programs
Trade Show Creative
Up-selling and Cross-selling
Website Design
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MANAGERIAL SKILL SET
Budgeting and Estimating
Build and Maintain Vendor Relationships
Collaboration with C-level Executives
Concept Presentation
Lead and Engage Brainstorming Sessions
Liaison for Marketing Executives and
Creative Staff
Mentor, Motivate, Train, Lead Teams
Project Management
Purchasing
Resource and Manage Freelance Talent
Resource Stock Art
Team Management
Staff and Media Relations
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TECHNOLOGY
Adobe Creative Suite (CC: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat), QuarkXpress, MicroSoft PowerPoint,
MIcroSoft Word, MicroSoft Excel, WordPress
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EDUCATION
Carnegie Mellon University, BFA 1986
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Creative Director/Proprietor, August 1995 to Present
Arachne, Doylestown, PA 18902
Arachne is a solutions studio specializing in the design and development of marketing, branding and
communications programs that are tailored to create profit and/or instigate corporate growth.
Selected Accomplishments:
• Health & Wellness Promotion / Retail Promotion
Developed and designed a profitable grocery dietitian program that was successfully
sold and custom implemented in grocery corporations throughout the Mid-Atlantic
United States region. Programs became quick profit centers for the grocery retailers
and advertisers alike—average sales lift for participating advertised products was
40% to 62% based on the same items being sold at the same sales retail. Advertising
became source of revenue for grocery corporations, which lead to strong funding for the
programs. The Grocery “Health & Wellness” programs (as they became known as) became
the model used through out the grocery industry. Each program engaged a corporate
Registered Dietitian with supporting print, website, in-store signage, circular advertising,
outdoor advertising, radio, television, dietitian appearances, tradeshow events, etc.
Creative Direction, design, production and creative management of programs. (12 years)
• Brand Rejuvenation, Miss America Organization
Working with the Miss America Corporation, pageant officials, recruiters, and board of
directors in Atlantic City, NJ, I was to give a voice and expand the accomplishments
of the National contestants through the annual publication. This lead to a six-year
relationship with the MAO and grassroots campaign to rejuvenate the brand from the local
level up — resulting in notable increases in sponsorship involvement, recruitment, scholarship
funding, volunteerism; and renewed MAO national interest.
Creative Direction, design, production, and marketing including: hiring of photographers,
writers, location scouting shoot and stylists, photography direction, design and production of
128 page magazine style annual national publication; design, advertising coordination, funding
and production of state supplement publications and multiple recruitment materials followed.
(6 years)
• Freelance In-House Creative Director
Established and then lead the creative marketing department for a start-up on-line staffing
company. I hired support creative staff, recommended equipment and program purchases,
established marketing and vendor relationships. Creative Direction, branding, strategy,
budgeting and design of all initial marketing materials and website needs. (1 year)
Art Director, May 1994 to August 1995
Criterion Communications, King of Prussia, PA 19406
A multi-media advertising agency founded by healthcare giant US HealthCare specializing in new media
communications.
Selected Accomplishment:
• Collaboration with Account Management and Client Relationship Building
The agency creative teams were talented, but came from the in-house staff of US HealthCare
and were unfamiliar with communicating with clients. As the agency’s only CD hired from
outside US HealthCare, in addition to my art direction responsibilities, I worked with account
representatives to mentor and help the creative team learn to better communicate with reps
and the wide variety of non- US Healthcare accounts.
Creative Director, May 1988 to May 1994
York Luggage Company, Lambertville, NJ 08530
America’s 3rd largest luggage company, after Samsonite and American Tourister; specializing in designer and
licensed brand name luggage and travel accessories.
Selected Accomplishment:
• Brand Compliance and Consumer Goods Promotion
Working with licensed brands (Jordache, Members Only, Bill Blass, Christian Dior, Diane Von
Furstenberg, Perry Ellis, LA Gear, Adolfo) and with several different types of retailer, I
maintained the brand specification, visual marketing goals, and packaging and catalog needs
of each brand while adhering to YLC marketing and sales needs/goals. I aided in increasing
company sales by creating consumer retail sweepstakes and retailer sales employee
incentive programs that were designed to reinforce the designer brand message and increase
retail sales. I was also instrumental in re-branding York Luggage Company and created a
unified catalog system that allowed for brand uniqueness housed under YLC.