👉 about katie willis
Me, Katie Willis. I am a creative director and art director in Richmond, VA.
My work in advertising has taken many forms: YouTube documentaries, music videos, mobile games, TikTok series, stunts, a children’s book, influencer campaigns, tiny homes with Italian grandmas inside, a brand of pre-crushed potato chips, a Reddit AMA. Whatever it takes to get some free eyeballs on the internet. Occasionally, I get to make a 30-second commercial.
My former life in the dark arts of musical theater and improv shaped my love for storytelling, dialogue, and doing little bits. My film work has won Best Documentary at the Webbys, a nomination for Funniest Ad of the Year, and has between 17 and 300 million views on YouTube.
As a side quest, my husband and I revived Welsbro Watch Company —a heritage American watch brand with a small cult following.
I’m mom to a cutie wild boy named Remy and cutie wild boxer named Frank. After a decade of bouncing between New York, Portland, and Los Angeles, we are back home in Richmond, Virginia.
✨ highlights
Schools:
University of Virginia, VCU Brandcenter
Agencies:
Wieden+Kennedy PDX, Droga5, The Martin Agency, Google Brand Studio
Brands:
Apple, Google, Samsung, Coinbase, Clash of Clans, KFC, Papa Johns, Converse
Mentions:
#1 of 100 Brilliant Ideas by Entrepreneur Magazine, Top 5 Ads of the Year by Forbes, coverage by The Washington Post, Fast Company, Rolling Stone, USA Today, Comm Arts, the front page of reddit
Awards:
3x Grand Prix at Cannes Lions
2x “Best in Discipline” at the One Show
Grand Clio in Film
→ 🏆 full award list here
💅 currently
I am available for:
✿ Freelance art direction or creative direction
✿ Campaign concepting
✿ Social-first ideas
✿ Scriptwriting
✿ Other stuff that art directors do