PHILOSOPHY
Bridging Cultural Relevance & Utility
It's human nature to want simple answers to complex questions.
And it's much more satisfying to replace the old with the new than to find a comfortable home for two truths to coexist.
It is seductive to think of the branding lessons of yesterday as outdated. To write off successes in marketing as charlatans' tricks on suggestible audiences who gave in to a persuasive message, a beautiful logo, or a juicy price tag.
And it's compelling to think of today as a world of endless choice and compelling experiences, where consumer needs are paramount and designers compete to establish new digital protocols.
This is why the discipline of branding is, arguably, more crucial to a marketer's success than it's been in years. And it's why strategists need to challenge the tendency towards either-or arguments when it comes to branding.
In my twenty-plus years as a planner-strategist-innovator-design-thinker, I've taken a magpie approach to building my craft, learning how to weave together communications narratives, new product development, service design and tech innovation into a cohesive whole. Rather than 'taking sides,' I approach these work streams as complementary and necessarily integrated. My efforts are anchored by strong brand vision and elevated through distinctive experiences.
It's my goal to spearhead as many of these 'multilingual' and multidisciplinary projects as I possibly can, and create the conditions for new ones to flourish.
References
“Anyone who’s worked with Jaime knows the power of her Jaime-ness. As a leader, she’s essentially an on-demand inspiration service.
As a thinker, her brain is part strategist, part creative, and always idea-first. She’s got an enviable eye for clarity and an undeniable way with words. She unravels complex challenges to get powerfully simple ideas. Working with her really was like having a bicycle for the mind - I felt capable of anything and the work was infinitely better for it. She’s simply one of the best mentors I’ve ever had. ”
“Jaime (aka JKD) is one of the most collaborative and thought provoking strategy leads I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Jaime brings her all to the role, she has interests that span from fashion to financial services to pet care (and everything in between). She is big idea focused, being the thought leader and initial “conceptor” of the Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive incubator and strategic marketing work we did, while she can also be tactical helping to plan out RFP ideas, scopes/estimates and day to day strategic initiatives for any of our many clients. Jaime leads with confidence and brain power and it’s hard to see her as anything less than an incredibly smart and ambitious strategic powerhouse. Jaime takes her role very seriously and is always looking to get the best campaign, product or program together for the client she is partnering with. As her Program Management partner, Jaime and I worked closely together on countless RFPs, pricing exercises, and planning initiatives ranging from video shoots, to research projects, to Discovery sessions. Jaime is a fantastic partner, co-worker and friend and has been an absolute pleasure to work with.”
“Jaime is the best boss I’ve ever had in my strategy career. It’s not even close. She listens, she trusts and she doesn’t care about the fluffy, useless jargon most senior strategists lean on in order to show off how smart they are. She just cares about what gets to the best work - not her own glory. The most effective strategists get the most out of their employees and their clients - and Jaime does that with a natural ease.”
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About Me
A first-generation American Account Planner, hired by one of the first Brits to introduce the discipline to US agencies in the 1990s.
The first Strategy Lead for the New York office of Pearlfisher, a UK-based packaging design consultancy.
The first Strategy Lead at R/GA with work experience that spans both 'stories' and 'systems,' integrating design thinking, communications planning, innovation and packaging.
The first Strategy Lead in our New York office to attend WPP Maestro leadership training, in 2019.
The first Strategy Lead to receive the Inaugural Cannes Lion for Strategy, for work on the Adaptive Clothing launch for Tommy Hilfiger.