Hire the Best Creative Strategists in California

Hi, I’m Mallory - I'm an experiential event producer, program & project manager, and creative strategist with over a decade of storytelling through live events, audio, community and culture. Most recently I spent 8 years at Spotify where I traveled around the globe producing live events, worked to create societal change through social impact, launched marketing campaigns and helped build Spotify’s employer brand. I have deep expertise in brand activations, creative strategy, and large-scale event logistics. I also have experience with podcasting and producing shows. * Proven ability to develop brand-aligned experiential programs * Successfully managed large-scale events & activations * Adept at executing high-impact campaigns, optimizing event operations, and delivering measurable audience engagement * Passion for audio & podcasting and have experience developing show & episode concepts, reviewing content and hosting * Skilled with leading cross-functional teams

Most brands know what they want to say. Few know how to make people care. That gap between what a brand believes and what a market feels is where I work. Top 1% Expert-Vetted Consultant on Upwork. $135K+ earned on the platform. 20 years built at Ogilvy & Mather and OMD, the most awarded creative and media advertising agencies in the world. I've worked on Amazon Prime Video, Coty Prestige, Frito-Lay/Doritos, Grammarly, Hilton, Pepsi Beverages, Jimmy Dean, Maker's Mark, Taylor Morrison, Tyson (to name a few), and I approach every engagement like I own a piece of the outcome. Award-winning strategist. Effie judge. What separates me from most senior brand strategists: I was trained on both sides of the briefing table. Ogilvy gave me brand strategy, creative development, and the discipline of a big idea. OMD gave me media planning, connections strategy, and how a brand idea actually travels across channels and audiences. Brand-side P&L accountability at Suntory grounded both. Most freelancers have one of these. I have all three as well as independent consulting experience (B2B, B2C), which means the strategy I build already understands how it will be distributed, and the creative I develop already knows who it's serving. I also bring performance creative fluency, developing hooks, creative angles, and paid social briefs that convert without losing the brand in the process. Currently completing Motion's Creative Strategy certification to formalize this in the DTC context, though performance creative and media thinking have been part of my practice for 20 years. What I do for clients: → Integrated brand strategy & positioning. Brand POV, messaging architecture, competitive positioning, campaign platforms. For in-house teams, agencies, and founders who need senior strategic leadership. → Performance creative strategy. Research-driven hooks, creative angles, and paid social briefs that carry brand equity into paid media. Built for brands whose creative is underperforming, not because of the budget, but because the brief wasn't good enough. → Fractional IMC leadership. Senior counsel for brands navigating go-to-market complexity, launches, pivots, category entry, and AI adoption across these disciplines. I act like an owner, bill like a consultant, and show up like I'm on the org chart. If your brand has a positioning problem, a launch on the horizon, or creative that isn't converting in performance media or ROI that keeps slipping, send me a message with what you're working on. I'll respond within 24 hours to learn more.

Former TikTok and Meta strategist helping brands and individuals grow through content strategy, creator partnerships, and platform-native storytelling. I specialize in building social media strategies that drive audience growth, strengthen brand positioning, and create content people actually want to engage with. My background spans social strategy, influencer marketing, content planning, creator campaigns, and short-form video across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and emerging social platforms. Professionally, I've worked with companies including TikTok, Meta, Pinterest, NYX Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Young Nails, and more—developing content strategies, creator campaigns, audience growth initiatives, and platform recommendations. My strongest work sits at the intersection of audience psychology, storytelling, and social growth. Whether you're launching a new brand, refining your content strategy, building a creator program, or developing a long-term social presence, I focus on creating systems and content frameworks designed to grow with you. Areas of Expertise • Social Media Strategy • Content Planning & Content Calendars • Creator & Influencer Marketing • TikTok & Instagram Growth Strategy • UGC Campaign Development • Brand Positioning & Audience Development • Creative Briefs & Content Direction Portfolio available at: themexicanjew .com/upwork

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆? I help founders, creators, and DTC brands position themselves as premium through creative strategy, UGC campaigns, and brand identity, so your content blends storytelling and conversion. ✓ 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝘁: - 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 & 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Market research, audience insights, and competitive reviews → turned into clear hooks & angles, creative briefs, and content roadmaps (UGC, ads, social, email, landing pages). - 𝗨𝗚𝗖 & 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀: Sourcing and managing creators, negotiating usage, building testing frameworks, or shooting on-camera UGC myself for TikTok, Reels, and Meta ads. - 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵: Visual identity (colors, fonts, mood boards), IG & website audits, Canva templates, and simple systems that keep your DTC brand looking consistent and premium. - 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Short-form scripts, ad copy, captions, and storytelling that feel authentic while still being built for clicks, saves, and sales. ✓ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂: - Content and UGC that feel authentic, modern, and on-brand - Clear creative direction instead of random posts - Systems that make it easy to brief creators and test new ideas - A partner who thinks about both performance & aesthetics 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸: I’ve been working in digital marketing for 4+ years, and every project gets treated like it’s my own brand. I care a lot about the details, communication, and making sure the final result actually supports your goals. So far, every Upwork client I’ve worked with has rated me 5 (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐), and I intend to keep it that way. ✓ 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲: Canva, Later, CapCut, Notion, Slack, Milanote, Figma, Asana, Google Sheets, Adobe Premiere and SEO (YEXT). I also leverage performance creative testing to refine concepts and stay ahead of trends. → 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁, If you’re looking for a collaborative Creative Strategist/Director who can think in hooks, angles, and systems, not just isolated posts. I’d love to connect and see how we can elevate your brand.

🚀 From 1M to 40M Followers — Real Growth, Real Impact I worked with Krystle for over four years at First Media — from when our Facebook page was BabyFirstTV with 1 million followers to its evolution into Blossom with over 40 million. ✨ She produced one of the top viral videos over the years ✨ She consistently brought out-of-the-box creativity and originality ✨ She thought in directions no one else in the room would Her thought process is a wild animal — in the best way possible. Brainstorming with her is incredibly fun because her creativity goes places others simply don’t see. 💡 Creative 💛 Kind 🔥 High-performing under pressure Even in a fast-paced environment with intense performance expectations, Krystle stayed humble and grounded. She brought positive, infectious energy that lifted the entire team. 🎥 She’s also an exceptional mentor — teaching many how to film and edit with patience and down-to-earth communication. She never settles for “the usual way.” She constantly finds smarter, better, more efficient approaches — and implements them persuasively, without ever asking for credit. 🌟 I highly recommend this talented, kind-hearted, and wonderfully quirky human being. — Helen Makaryan Creative Director, Blossom 🔗 LinkedIn Recommendation

Welcome! I’m Nicole - a visual designer and creative strategist with 10+ years of experience helping brands show up clearly and confidently. I partner with founders, entrepreneurs, and mission-driven businesses to build thoughtful, cohesive brands — whether that means creating something from scratch or refining what already exists. My work spans branding, social media strategy and content creation (including on-camera/UGC), and marketing collateral like pitch decks and offering materials that actually convert. As I’ve worked with more clients, I’ve noticed that while social media is still essential, brands are craving deeper, more tangible ways to connect. That’s showing up through partnerships (both online and offline), influencer collaborations, and especially IRL events. I’ve led and supported partnership initiatives and events, and I love helping brands build this side of their business in a way that feels creative, strategic, and aligned. If you’re looking to expand beyond the screen and create more meaningful touchpoints, I can help you bring that to life. I offer 30 minute marketing consultations where we can go over your current strategy, what's working and not working, and where to go from here to get you where you want to be. I would love to meet you!