Hello there. I’m Marissa. An advertising Art Director / Creative Director, sometimes writer and designer.
I’ve spent the last 2 decades working at some of Canada’s best, most sparkly advertising agencies on everything. Seriously. Chips, chocolate, cake, cars, cancer, cannabis, clothing, (etcetera).
I love my career. Yes, love. There’s something amazing about coming up with stand-apart, memorable ideas to be owned by a particular brand (and not just the category). It’s challenging. It’s crazy. But when you land that good idea, you strike gold for your client.
I come with an unpoppable optimism-filled balloon and fresh, smart thinking. Wouldn’t it be good to work together?
“Marissa is an incredible talent, a prolific ideas person that can solve any problem and is just the absolute best person to be around.”
- Denise Rossetto, Partner, Broken Heart Love Affair
AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS
Cannes / The One Show / Communication Arts / The Clio Awards / Lürzer's Archive / Advertising & Design Club of Canada Awards / New York Festivals / The Epica Awards / London International Advertising Awards / Billies / Strategy / Marketing / Applied Arts / CMA Awards / AToMiC / SIA / The Crystals / The Cassies
And, in 2018, I was awarded 2017's 'Freelancer of the Year' by Freelancers Unite. That’s the only trophy I have on display at home.
PLACES I’VE WORKED
Freelance 2023 / 2024
Grey Canada / GENE / Oliver
BROKEN HEART LOVE AFFAIR January 2023 - June 2023 / freelance Art Director
ROM, Kruger, Ontario Tourism
(Then I spent Summer 2023 analyzing target markets and behavioural patterns.)
Freelance 2022
SID LEE / Grey Canada / TAXI / Humanity
Jackman Reinvents permalance Creative Director / October 2020 - December 2021 15+ months
Staples Canada, Wesson (a cooking oil brand in the USA).
BBDO permalance Art Director and Writer / 2018 - March 2020 (24+ months)
Mars (M&Ms), PepsiCo (7up), FedEx and Sobeys.
Freelance 2016 - 2017
Cossette / Grey Canada / Mackie Biernacki / Publicis / Innocean / Gravity / McCann / DentsuBos / Ray Creative Agency (St. John's NL) / Cundari and Juniper Park.
Cossette (full time, CD) 2015 - 2016
McDonald's, Kobo, M&M Meat Shops
Freelance 2013 - 2015
kbs+ / Evidently / Grey Canada / DentsuBos / Cossette
kbs+ 2012 (full time, CD)
Target Canada
Saatchi & Saatchi 2006 - 2012 (full time, ACD)
Toyota, Tide USA, Scotts Lawn & Garden Care, Voltaren P&G (Venus Embrace, Herbal Essences, Olay)
BBDO Toronto 2004 - 2006 (full time, ACD)
Pepsi, FedEx, Shaw Cable (in Calgary), Frito Lay, Bayer, Cadillac Fairview, The Colorectal Cancer Screening Initiative Foundation (CCSIF), Sears, Aquafina
Freelance 2004
Ogilvy / Bensimon Byrne / Zig / Downtown Partners / BBDO
Flavour 2002 - 2004 / Associate Creative Director
Cadillac Fairview, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Glaxo Wellcome, Ministry of Health, Boomer, Artsweek
Freelance 2001 - 2002
Saatchi & Saatchi
Toyota, Tide
Roche Macaulay & Partners 2001 / Art Director
IKEA Germany, Toronto Zoo, Holt Renfrew, The Textiles Museum, Addecco
Ogilvy 1995 - 2000 / Art Director
Unilever (Dove, QTips), IBM, KFC, WWF, Timex, Duracell, Mattel Fisher Price, Amex, Glaxo Wellcome, Bick’s Pickles, KRAFT, Maxwell House, Zellers, Kodak
And before all that a paper route, some babysitting, a few retail jobs, and serving at a golf course.
ACCOLADES
Mentor on Ground Floor (fromthegroundfloor.com) 2024
The Marketing Awards (2010, 2018, and 2021 as Craft Juror, and 2023)
Speaker at Coop’s Propellant event “Getting on in the Gig Economy” in Toronto - April 2019
Speaker for a crowd of advertising professionals/students of advertising in Halifax - May 2018
ICE Awards judge in Newfoundland, Canada and speaker at the after-event - May 2018
Judged shows including the ADDYs (Dallas Texas), Mobius and the National Advertising Awards - 2014
Appearances in Ad Age, US Ad Review, Creative Review (UK), AdWeek
Guest lecturer at Humber’s AdWeek - 2010
Taught Advertising Workshops/classes at OCAD 1997 - 2001
Mentored various students over the years.
Young Creatives Contest Winner (Grand Prix) with a trip to sunny Cannes - 2000
(back when there was only one contest like this).
EDUCATION
OCAD graduate - 1995, valedictorian
THEME SONG
”I Won’t Let You Down” by OK Go