Darren Trautwein

Human Connections Start Here

For more than 25 years, I've helped organizations transform ambitious ideas into award-winning brands, campaigns, and customer experiences. As an Executive Creative Director, I combine creative leadership, brand storytelling, strategy, AI, and human-centered design to create omnichannel experiences that strengthen brands, inspire audiences, and deliver measurable results.

My work spans global organizations including Merck, 7-Eleven, Pepsi, and Heinz, where I've led teams from concept through execution. I believe the most effective creative connects business objectives with authentic human experiences, creating memorable, measurable, emotionally resonant work that people remember and brands that people trust.

Print Advertising

Nike

As Art Director for Nike Air Max 270, I developed campaign creative that celebrated the shoe's signature Max Air cushioning and modern design, translating product innovation into bold, lifestyle-driven visuals that reinforced Nike's performance and cultural leadership.

Medavante

As Art Director for MedAvante, I led the creative development of campaigns showcasing Virgil, the industry's leading digital clinical outcomes platform. The work translated complex clinical research capabilities into clear, compelling visual stories that reinforced MedAvante's leadership in global clinical trial technology.

Elexa by Trojan

As Art Director for the Elexa by Trojan campaign, I developed bold, consumer-focused creative that positioned the brand around confidence, intimacy, and empowerment. The work balanced compelling visual storytelling with strategic messaging to create engaging, culturally relevant advertising.

HappyChef

As Creative Director, I led the creative vision for Happy Chef's brand campaign, transforming the perception of professional culinary apparel from simply credible to truly incredible. The campaign elevated chef uniforms into a symbol of confidence, craftsmanship, and professional pride.

Sidra

As Art Director for Sidra Medicine, I led the creative vision for campaigns that elevated one of the Middle East's premier academic medical and research institutions. The work translated complex healthcare and research initiatives into compelling, human-centered communications that reinforced Sidra's reputation for innovation and world-class patient care.

HydraCoach

As Art Director for HydraCoach, I led the creative strategy for the smart water bottle, showcasing intelligent hydration tracking without the need for a mobile app. The campaign emphasized the bottle's built-in reminders and real-time feedback, making healthy hydration simple, intuitive, and always within reach.

Rethink Energy NJ

As Art Director for Rethink Energy NJ, I developed a provocative public awareness campaign opposing the PennEast Pipeline. Through bold visual storytelling and emotionally driven messaging, the work galvanized public engagement and highlighted the environmental and community risks associated with the proposed project.

YOO

As Art Director for Yoo HD, I led the creative development of campaigns promoting a wearable device designed for around-the-clock wellness. The work highlighted its extended battery life, seamlessly positioning Yoo HD as a fitness tracker by day and a sleep monitor by night without interrupting the user experience.

Responsive Web

PHH Mortgage

As UX Creative Director for PHH Mortgage, I led the design of a responsive loan servicing platform that simplified complex mortgage management tasks into an intuitive digital experience. The work improved accessibility across devices, enabling homeowners to securely manage payments, account information, and servicing needs with greater ease and confidence.

Merck - MerckEngage

As Creative Director and UX Strategist for MerckEngage, I unified brand storytelling, visual design, and digital experience to create a patient engagement platform that made healthcare more approachable, personal, and actionable across every touchpoint.

YOO

As Art Director for Yoo HD, I led the creative vision for the brand's e-commerce experience, designing a website that transformed advanced wearable technology into a compelling consumer story. The experience showcased Yoo HD's all-day activity tracking, overnight sleep monitoring, and extended battery life to drive engagement, build trust, and increase product sales.

Guild Mortgage

As UX Creative Director for Guild Mortgage, I designed a digital experience that intelligently connected prospective homebuyers with the right loan officers. Through intuitive interfaces and personalized user flows, the platform simplified the mortgage journey, built trust, and helped guide users from exploration to home financing.

Toujeo

As Creative Director for Toujeo, I led the creative development of digital experiences that helped communicate the benefits of long-acting insulin therapy with clarity and empathy. The work combined compelling visual storytelling with patient-focused design to build confidence, improve understanding, and strengthen engagement throughout the treatment journey.

Mobile Applications

RxNetwork

As Creative Director for RxNetwork, I led the creative vision for a digital platform that strengthened relationships between patients and pharmacists while addressing medication non-adherence. Through patient-centered design and engaging digital experiences, the work empowered pharmacists to improve communication, encourage adherence, and support better long-term health outcomes.

Yoo

As Creative Director for Yoo, I led the creative vision for the mobile application that transformed health data into a simple, engaging wellness experience. The app seamlessly tracked daily activity and nightly sleep, empowering users with meaningful insights that encouraged healthier habits and long-term engagement.

Heartery

As Creative Director for Hearers, I led the brand identity and digital experience from concept to launch, creating a cohesive visual system that established a distinctive market presence. The work unified branding, user experience, and interface design into a compelling customer journey that strengthened recognition, built trust, and supported product adoption.

Jurni

As UX Strategist and Art Director for Jurni, I helped define the product vision, user experience, and creative direction for a personalized student success platform. By combining strategic UX with engaging visual design, we transformed complex academic and life guidance into an intuitive digital experience that helps students stay motivated, organized, and confidently navigate school and life.

LifeTrak Zoom

As UX Strategist and Art Director for the LifeTrak Zoom mobile app, I led the creative direction and user experience for a wellness platform centered on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) insights. The app transformed complex biometric data into intuitive, actionable experiences that empowered users to better understand recovery, stress, sleep, and overall health.

Software as a Service

Pepsi

As UI Design Lead and Product Strategist for PepsiCo, I led the design strategy for an AI-powered enterprise retail intelligence platform that transformed complex sales, merchandising, inventory, and shopper data into actionable business insights. By combining intelligent analytics with intuitive dashboards, the platform enabled retail teams to uncover opportunities faster, optimize product performance, and make smarter, data-driven decisions across thousands of retail locations.