How can I get a hold of him?

Contact

Phone: 224.305.4177
Email: mikenicholsdesign@gmail.com

Who is this guy, anyway?

My Story

I’m a creative maestro who composes letters, colors, and pictures into a visual orchestra to help people understand the world around them.

As a skilled Visual Designer and Art Director, my career has been defined by my ability to deliver best-in-class solutions for clients across a wide range of industries, and I’m always eager to take on the next challenge. With a keen eye for innovation and a penchant for problem-solving, I step into leadership roles with finesse and direct my team toward success. I listen to both my team’s and my clients’ needs, making decisions that push boundaries without pushing buttons. From brainstorming big-picture strategies to fine tuning the tiniest details, I take pride in guiding projects from concept to completion.

I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with some incredible clients, including headlining names like Dodge, Lunchables, Groupon, Disney, Allstate, Invisalign, Verizon, and many more. But I’ve also got a soft spot for small business. In my college days I opened, owned, and operated a gourmet hot dog stand. Since then, I’ve had a passion for working with both new and established local business owners in building their brands and amplifying their stories. I’m energized by teams that believe in their products, no matter how small or large.

If you’re in need of a creative rock star to guide your project to center stage, I’m the guy who brainstorms solutions, researches why they’ll work, and then meticulously blends design prowess with creative strategy for the result that resonates with your audience. Let’s collaborate and craft some truly memorable work together.

Ready to turn ideas into reality? Let’s connect, and together we’ll make the world a more harmonious place, one creative composition at a time!

What else is he into?

Interests

I’m A Musician On The Weekends
Playing music is ultimately what brought me to the design world in the first place. I feel at home in the stage environment. I currently play guitar in a rock n’ roll band.

Reaching For The Stars
When I was a kid, I dreamt of being an astronaut. All these years later, I’m still fascinated by the cosmos; I love watching space documentaries and reading articles on new discoveries.

Talk Radio 2.0
I can’t seem to get enough podcast in my life. Some current favorites include The Daily Zeitgeist, Secretly Incredibly Fascinating, and Hello From The Magic Tavern.

A Soft Spot For Small Business
I gained invaluable knowledge from opening up my own hot dog stand business back in college. Since then, I’ve had a passion for working with both new and established local business owners in building their brands and showcasing their stories.

And what can he do?

Resume

Work

Mike Nichols Design — Designer / Art Director — 06/2008 to Present

Built a reputation of excellence by combining design prowess with an entrepreneurial point of view. Most notably have worked on packaging, branding, web design and development, direct mail, and display advertising for organizations such as City Colleges of Chicago, Shopko, VitaPLUR, GoDog Gourmet, and All Campus.

Razorfish — Senior Designer / Art Director — 10/2021 to 07/2023

Led a team in creating the look and feel of iconic auto manufacturer Dodge’s entire 2023 model year lineup for web. Created brand imagery for the massive Chief Donut Maker campaign. Supported social media efforts, including ideating the brand’s first TikTok initiatives. Launched drug development company Fortrea’s first social media posts, and developed UI and Design for Invisalign’s upcoming web refresh.

Groupon — Visual Design Lead — 04/2019 to 10/2021

As the primary visual design contact for Groupon Coupons, I had responsibility for all outbound and inbound content marketing campaign imagery, including infographics, landing pages, email & site banners, social, and blog content. I oversaw an international team of image designers during one of the organization’s most intense content initiatives.

Performics — Web Designer — 04/2015 to 03/2018

Designed and tested landing pages that consistently increased conversions week over week for Allstate’s proprietary insurance quoting tools. I also devised a pitch site design and creation process that became a differentiating factor in the agency’s business development procedure.

mcgarrybowen — Digital Designer — 06/2013 to 04/2015

Quickly ascended from intern to integral team member due to my aesthetic adaptability and technical finesse. As a war room staple, my creative ideas and design production contributed to winning and increasing business from Pizza Hut, Lunchables, and Disney Cruise Lines.

School

Northern Illinois University

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design & Media Arts (Visual Communication)

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud Suite

Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, After Effects, Lightroom

Figma

User Interface Design Software

WordPress

Various Content Management Systems

HTML & CSS Development

Experience in Javascript Manipulation

Skills

Art Direction
Branding
Creative Strategy
Image Manipulation
Packaging
Social Media Marketing
Typography
User Interface Design
Attention to Detail
Collaboration
Open to Feedback
Positive Energy