Strategic, passionate creative leader with decades of experience in directing and producing campaigns across multiple platforms and channels to build emotional, purposeful, and meaningful brand connections. Able to creatively tell a powerful story with a direction that is bold, provocative at times, and significant. Extensive involvement with Fortune 500 national and international clients.
Builds stellar teams and collaborates across multiple disciplines to innovate and create the unexpected for complex organizations. Works as an authoritative and compelling partner with clients, confidently guiding them through change and business transformation.
Work receives recognition from various international creativity awards including The Effies, The One Show, Cannes, Graphis, The Type Directors Club, The Art Directors Club, The Clios, The Kelly Awards, Communication Arts, AICP, Hatch Awards, London International Advertising Awards, Webby Awards, Behance, Fubiz and more
KEY SKILLS
Branding & Identity Strategy
Cross-Functional Team Leadership
Design Thinking
Art & Design Direction
Creative Concept Development
Coaching and Mentoring
Integrated Marketing
Branded Environment Direction
Creative Problem Solving
KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Spearheaded and launched a global rebrand of Wells Fargo, including creating of new strategic visual identity and brand voice. Organically grew business by +30%.
Directed creative development of the acclaimed “Imagine” campaign for Stanford Medicine’s primary care initiatives. Demand was so great after the campaign launch that physicians appointments were closed earlier than expected.
Creative direction and graphic design for dozens of Fortune 500 clients, including comprehensive brand campaigns for Google, brand values content for Apple, niche advertising for Target, and advertising, rebranding and culture change at Audi.
EXPERIENCE
Kettle@Apple | Creative Consultant
12/2019 - Present | San Francisco & Sunnyvale, CA
Siegel+Gale | Creative Director
03/2018 - 12/2019 | San Francisco, CA
Associate Creative Director
01/2016 - 12/2016 | New York, NY
mono | Creative
06/2017 - 03/2018 | San Francisco, CA
Turner Duckworth | Design Director
12/2016 - 05/2017 | New York, NY
DDB | Creative Consultant
11/2015 - 01/2016 | Chicago, IL
vbporange | Co-founder & Creative Director
01/2012 - 05/2014 | San Francisco, CA
Venables Bell & Partners | Design Director
10/2002 - 11/2015 | San Francisco, CA
EDUCATION
Graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin — BFA in Graphic Design, Printmaking and Advertising, 1994
OF NOTE
Accomplished creative director | Strategically focused brand specialist | Tenacious team builder | Effective creative problem-solver | Award-winning design leader | Highly empathetic, dedicated, motivated and focused | Excellent attention to detail | Extensive history of building positive client, team and business relationships | Engaging and inspiring presenter | Leads with integrity and clarity | Effective visual storyteller | Enjoys big challenges | Warm, honest mentor | Hungry to learn, to grow, to shine and to make great things | Enjoys receiving (just as much as giving) workplace culture awards such as “The Unstoppable Award,” “Employee of the Year Award,” “Team of the Year Award” or “The All-Star Award.”
REFERENCES
Blake is a creative visionary who consistently delivers inspired design solutions.
He thinks deeply about the brands he serves and develops concepts that do much more than simply answer the brief—his ideas push boundaries. It’s as if he travels to the future, takes in the sights, then comes back to the present moment and, through his work, shows the rest of us what the future holds.
— Bret Hansen, Siegel+Gale
What you may not realize is, behind the unassuming glasses, impeccable
white shirts with ginormous billowy cuffs, fastidious desk layout and constantly changing hairstyles, Blake Bäkken is a soldier.
— Paul Venables, Venables Bell & Partners
Blake is a creative that will listen, inform, lead, and execute design strategies
with passion. His approach is critical yet thoughtful, simplistic, and mindful. He embraces any challenge on point and provides clarity throughout the process. Truly, one of the hardest working creatives I’ve ever known. Deeply committed
to his team, his craft, and the client's success.
— Tim Young, Free Association