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Most recently, officially, he’s been called a Group Creative Director. Contact Michael to hear how he can help your clients tell compelling stories.

Michael specializes in creative leadership for ultramodern storytelling that solves business problems.

He’s a conceptual thinker and a creator.

He leads talented teams who tell stories with high-quality marketing communications for global brands on a global scale.

More on ultramodern storytelling.

Today’s brands need ultramodern storytellers to help solve business problems. We humans are wired for stories. No matter if it’s a literal book, ad, brand design, digital product, spatial computing demo, or social PR campaign, a great story well-told has the power to change minds.

Michael has worked on brands like Apple, Amazon, McDonald’s, and Xfinity to make them the hero of persuasive stories.

He helped define their villain, AKA The Business Problem. Villains come in all shapes and sizes — lack of awareness, fake news, being likened to a DMV, and the dreaded irrelevancy. So Michael has armed brands to fight their enemies with big ideas to win hearts and minds across multiple integrated global channels.

We all know every solid story has a beginning, a middle, and a twist.

Michael made twists that are innovative, insightful, and even inexpensive. Like creating a game for McDonald’s to increase loyalty. Or connecting peer-to-peer payments to moments around the Super Bowl for Apple. Or using the latest in AI film techniques for a non-profit called All Star Code (they couldn’t afford a big name director but still got a cinematic ad.)

Audiences are getting smarter while attention spans r gttng shrtr. So Michael mentors his teams to reinvent age-old narrative structures with the latest tech. AI. Spatial computing. Realtime 3D. Interactive. All with human truth beating at the heart of it. Story is key. Tech is only a tool.

Michael’s stories for brands have won awards. He’s been on the jury of award shows to elevate the best storytellers in the industry. And you may have seen him share his knowledge at a conference or in industry press.

If you’d like to tell ultramodern stories for your clients, then say ”Hi” to Michael and start the next chapter.

Based in NYC

Résumé.

2022

Group Creative Director

Elephant

2021

Senior Creative Director

Elephant

2019

Creative Director

Elephant

2018

Creative Director

The & Partnership

2017

Associate Creative Director

The & Partnership

2016

Copywriter

BBH

2015

Art Director

WCRS

2015

Senior Creative (Freelance)

DDB, BMF, Host

2011

Art Director

DDB

2012

Artist In Residence

Trophy Room Gallery

2009

Art Director

Circul8

2009

Art Director

Circul8

2007

Designer

Circul8

2006

Founder / Designer

Cadence Innovations

2005

Editor

P Magazine

Awards and recognitions.

The FWA — Site of the Day
Dope Awards — Gold
W3 — Gold

Westfield and Woolmark — ‘Fashion by Feelings’

Cannes Lions — Shortlist

Literacy Partners — ‘Unreadable Books’

Spikes Asia — Gold, Silver, 2 ✕ Bronze
One Show — 2 ✕ Finalist
A.W.A.R.D — 3 ✕ Bronze

Volkswagen — ‘Genuine Parts’

Shortys — Finalist
O.M.M.A Awards — Gold

Chico’s — ‘How Bold Are You’

Aimia — Gold
Desktop Magazine Create Awards — Silver
B.A.D Awards — Silver
Webby — Official Honoree

Greenpeace — ‘Action Pact’

Cannes Young Lions — Winner Australia

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute — ‘Birthday Video’

AIMIA — Finalist

Prodigy Films — ‘Website’

Effie — Silver
ADMA — Silver

Telstra — ‘Home Buddies Bundle – Always On’

UK Travel Marketing Awards — Best Viral

Tourism Queensland — ‘Koalapult’

Webby — Winner

Greenpeace — ‘Send A Whale’

Webby — Nominee

EA The Sims — ‘Digital Design System’

Email michaellukeashton@gmail.com