Todd Lawson Creative - Providing creative TLC since 2001.

UX Foundations – Planning & Mapping

Learn the foundational aspects of user experience (UX) planning and research including forms of user journey mapping and UX architecture.. Over the course of over two decades creating interactive experiences and balancing creative thinking I have spent a lot of time on understanding how things interact with people. In the early days of website design we ignored a lot of the disciplines software developers used in exchange for quick wins and fast track creations.

Variety.bc.ca Redesign

Digital, Variety, Websites, Work Work

Redesign an outdated online portal for the British Columbia chapter of the Variety Children’s Charity.

Club Des Millionnaires AR Bus Shelter

Digital, Oceans, Print, OOH & Publishing, Websites, Work Work

Launching a simple, confident campaign that included GDN, Social, Transit Ads, Billboards and an AR experience.

Sounding The Alarm with BC Ambulance Paramedics Campaign

Work Work

There are only 4,400 ambulance paramedics to respond to 4.9 million people in British Columbia. So we created the Sounding The Alarm campaign to help get the word out.

Staples Teachers Campaign

Commercials & Video, Digital, Staples, Work Work

The We (Heart) Teachers Contest drove students, teachers and parents across the nation to nominate their favourite teacher and tell us why.

Oceans More Than A Can Campaign

Commercials & Video, Digital, Oceans, Work Work

Creating the More Than A Can platform for Oceans Seafood Canada.

Neighbourhood Coffee packaging and vehicle wrap

Neighbourhood Coffee, Print, OOH & Publishing

My Role: Creative Direction, Design Updating packaging and vehicle wrap designs for Toronto based DTC Start-up Neighbourhood Coffee. The design was meant to be bold and lean into the community with a line based illustration of the city skyline. The line is continuous showing unity and the connection from community to community within the city.

Odometer Launch Campaign

Commercials & Video, Digital, Odometer, Vicimus, Work Work

The Idea To promote the launch of a new I.T. Software solution that used both Managed Services and a subscription based reporting Dashboard called Odometer we created a series of explainer videos (Long form and feature focused cut downs with voice over) and motion graphic social posts. We also assisted in the UX design of …

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SOCIAL CAMPAIGN: Selectrocide

Commercials & Video, Digital, Work Work

To promote the launch of a new hands-off service for our Automotive Marketing Platform Bumper we introduced Bumper Co-Pilot. Giving Dealers a dedicated Performance Manager to handle all their campaigns in Bumper similar to a Marketing Agency.

PRODUCT: Blu Ivy Platform

Digital, Products & Software, UX, Work Work

UX & UI design for an advanced data visualization & survey HR Brand Platform Blu Ivy that enabled companies to monitor the health of their brand culture.

APP: iWorkyWorky

Digital, Products & Software, UX, Work Work

iWorkyWorky App Design work. Concept, UX & UI design of a mobile tool that helps people organize and focus their day.

SOCIAL CAMPAIGN: Bumper Co-Pilot

Bumper, Commercials & Video, Digital, Work Work

CAMPAIGN: Bumper Ads “Directions” Brand Launch Campaign

Bumper, Commercials & Video, Digital, Work Work

To communicate the release of Bumper Ads we developed a campaign focused on how the new features drives customers to find dealerships like a GPS.

5 points from 5 years of managing Creative Teams in a SaaS Tech Firm.

Articles, Words

When I started to lead a creative team as Chief Creative Officer in Tech (SaaS) I had a LOT of preconceived notions about what my job was. I was mostly wrong most of the time. But I also learned a LOT over these past 5 years.

When a creative director puts out a job opening out for a copywriter…and gets a LOT of ‘other’ resumes.

Articles, Words

After the last few days of combing through initial applications for our latest job posting for a copywriter It was necessary to provide some key pointers to any applicants before you consider applying. This may also help other creatives understand how a Creative Director or an HR may treat your application.

WEBSITE: Vicimus.com

Commercials & Video, Digital, Vicimus, Websites, Work Work

A large effort to relaunch the Vicimus.com website as a better representation of our company, products, services and industry credentials.

One Eye Open: Creative directing without being an overlord.

Articles, Words

With this article I wanted to specifically focus on examples and tips for ways to give direction without micromanaging the processes.

Blue Monday is fake. But not the Winter Blues….have a heart.

Articles, Words

There is no ignoring for many people including the creative minded struggle through the coldest, dark days of winter. Here are 7 tips on how to cope.

The REAL you is infinitely more interesting.

Articles, Words

A few years ago I took a few professional presentation courses and was told that I should lean into my natural insecurity against talking loudly or being aggressive and instead focus on being the calm, collected voice of reason in the boardroom. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way on how to find my own comfort zone…

The creative long game SUCKS. But you can overcome it with these quick habit changes.

Articles, Words

As creatives, playing the long game can be excruciating. Your head is almost always going a million miles a minute and new ideas are kicking out old ones constantly. Our built in need to create and produce things is in our nature. So, when it slows down to a snail’s pace of revisions, concept rounds, strike outs or delays in a project it can really kill your motivation…

Fast-To-Prototype: are too many rules and rigid structure killing your output?

Articles, Words

“I bet many of you share all your steps in pretty infographics and overly large typography on your sites and in your pitch decks to show your clients and prospects how hard you work. How much you are worth…how much they will be involved…how much you safe check and control every penny and step for them.”

CAMPAIGN: Vicimus Product Marketing (Various)

Vicimus, Work Work

The flagship Vicimus product, Bumper has grown to have a user base through out North America, Mexico, Brazil and is growing by the day…

3 Don’ts and 6 Does for Creative Directors. As well as any one who leads a creative team.

Articles, Words

“It comes with experience that gives you a weird sort of future sight – you can practically see into the future and visualize the end work. But telling someone specifically what pixel to push or line to write is a sign of a bad CD and one of the best ways to have your team leave. No one wants to feel like a robot.”

Wireframes are not a bible.

Articles, Words

Originally published on Linkedin. They are a discovery tool. You can always burn them. This happened today – a small reminder to not get stuck in your own process or tools. We have spent the last month looking at what to do with our website at Vicimus. What we have is fine, but a bit …

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CAMPAIGN: Missing Children Society of Canada PSA TV SPOT

Commercials & Video, Missing Children, Work Work

Agency: Grey CanadaMy Project Role: Lead Art Direction PSA TV Spot for Missing Child Society of Canada in support of their online child rescue network – which has helped find missing children through the power of social media. The core concept being to leverage mobile and social media from the community to help law enforcement …

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CAMPAIGN: Guinness National TV Spot

Commercials & Video, Guinness, Work Work

Agency: Grey CanadaMy Project Role: Lead Art Direction, Copy Writing, Concept National TV Spot for Guinness to bring a summer campaign to life around the concept that as you mature you move from parties to good conversation and a good beer. Eventually, you get to Guinness.

APP: GSK Breathe Right Snore App

Commercials & Video, Digital, GSK, UX, Work Work

Breathe Right Nasal Strips are an adhesive strip that affixes to your nose, improving airflow through your nostrils. Previously marketed as a sports aid and nasal congestion reliever, one of its most persuasive product benefits is how it helps eliminate snoring.

CAMPAIGN: Grape-Nuts What’s Your Mountain?

Commercials & Video, Grape-Nuts, Work Work

Filmed in Chile over 3 days (which included a helicopter ride up to 14,000 feet) – These spots were part of a national US relaunch of Grape-Nuts Cereal (the oldest manufactured cereal in America) and New Grape-Nuts Fit.

CAMPAIGN: Grape-Nuts The Odds

Commercials & Video, Grape-Nuts, Work Work

The Odds 60Sec Film Featuring Sean Swarner. Building on year one of the Grape-Nuts What’s Your Mountain? campaign we took the brand from the Everest Hillary story to modern American mountain climber – Sean Swarner. Sean story is an amazing testament to achieving your goals and conquering your mountains. In Sean’s case those mountains are both physical and metaphorical.

ARTICLE: Abstraphic – Theory in Abstract Design

Articles, Words

AbstraphicPart 1: The Source Discussing the concept of abstract thinking for design and how unseen forces can affect the resulting work. Part one in a series. Introduction Where does a good idea come from? I’ve sat in countless brainstorms on so many subjects I will often forget if I’ve thought about an idea in a …

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CAMPAIGN: Try Bumper “Tear”

Bumper, Commercials & Video, Digital, Work Work

Automotive retail lives in a 30 day cycle. So we launched a campaign to show them our product, Bumper, can help make that month easier, faster.

PRODUCT: OnlineKars – Automotive Auction Platform

Products & Software, UX, Work Work

OnlineKars is an automotive Auction platform based in the US that allows dealerships to quickly list and auction off vehicles on their lot directly to consumers rather than traditional dealer to dealer offloading.

Vicimus NADA 2019 – Marketing Plan

Digital, Print, OOH & Publishing, Vicimus, Work Work

Expanding from the 2018 Whiteboard Concept, the 2019 creative for the NADA Conference & Expo…

PRODUCT: Bumper

Products & Software, UX, Work Work

The flagship Vicimus product, Bumper has grown to have a user base through out North America, Mexico, Brazil and is growing by the day…

VIDEO: Vicimus Social Videos

Commercials & Video, Vicimus

Various animations and videos created in-house for Vicimus and Dashboard for use in B2B marketing and social media.

PRODUCT: Glovebox CMS

Products & Software, UX, Work Work

Used by hundreds of automotive dealerships across Canada as well as manufacturers Nissan and Toyota, Glovebox is a Content Management System (CMS) and Service based offering…

PRODUCT: RMS – Revenue Marketing Suite

Products & Software, UX, Work Work

The Revenue Marketing Suite (RMS) was a large ambition product that incorporated a variety of other products into one marketing tool for dealers to schedule, create, execute and monitor their entire marketing and media plan…

PRODUCT: Odometer

Digital, Products & Software, UX, Work Work

Agency: DashboardMy Project Role: Creative Direction/UX/UI Chief Creative Officer : Todd LawsonDesign UI/UX: Isabelle Santiago Odometer was an analytics engine that tracked engagement in multiple products that focused on simplified, dealer-specific stats and lead tracking. The tool came out of a direct need within Automotive Retail. Many dealers want stats and ways to track but find Google bloated and overly …

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ARTICLE: Make An Attempt To Care Less

Articles, Words

Originally Posted on LinkedIN. I’ve written multiple articles and had long discussions on having empathy for your client and your customer. It’s your understanding and ability to live in their shoes, fear their fears, feel their joys and try to get an idea of what they truly want that is the invaluable secret sauce you …

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ARTICLE: Creative Career Advice

Articles, Words

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON LINKEDIN. Creative Career Advice: Working in a creative department is a shared experience – you are part of a team. Like it or not. Working in a creative department is a shared experience – and as employee or employer. Entering in to a creative department as you begin your career can often …

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