GREG WARD
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Creative direction and strategy for brand identity, motion, and interface.
Brands are experienced in action. I help organizations shape those experiences, from high-level direction to hands-on execution.
Good design starts long before the visuals.
Three principles shape how I approach every engagement:
01 . Define the Problem
Don't start with the solution. Start with the right question.
The brief you're given isn't always the problem that needs solving. I like to step back, understand the business, audience, constraints, and opportunity, then define what we're actually trying to accomplish before jumping into solutions.
02 . Fail Fast
Don't spend months perfecting the wrong idea.
Strategy shouldn't be a long-term guessing game. When something can be tested, prototyped, or challenged early, I'd rather find out quickly than discover the answer after months of work. Explore broadly. Test early. Kill what doesn't work. Invest in what does.
03 . Work Without the Layers
You should always have a direct line to the person leading the work.
No gatekeepers, and no waiting for word to travel up the chain and back down. You get a straight answer from the person making the call. Direct communication makes better work.
Selected Projects
All projects were completed in an employed role. The most recent work cannot be shown publicly. If you're evaluating fit, reach out and I'll share relevant experience. Recent engagements span large-scale brand identity, HMI, UX-driven content, and digital product.
Where I’ve worked.
I’ve started my independent design practice following a decade of experience spanning agency leadership and in-house work with brands including Cadillac, Corvette, OnStar, General Motors, and Amway.
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Head of Design
Design Lead
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Design Lead - Advanced Design Group
Visual Designer - Cadillac In-Vehicle Displays -
Visual Designer - Digital
Brand Designer - Amway Global Marketing
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Chaco - Footwear Design Intern
New Balance - Footwear Design Apprentice
A brand isn’t complete until it performs
Identity, motion, and interface are three practices most teams keep separate. I build them as one, so the brand you ship behaves like one thing across every surface it touches.
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Systems that are distinct, flexible, and built to last.
Examples:
Full brand identity systems
Positioning & Principles
Visual identity refreshes
Market and Customer Research
Design systems and brand guidelines
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Most brand systems stop at static. I’ll bring it to life.
Examples:
Logo reveals and brand stings
Motion systems and behavior principles
Product sizzle reels and launch films
Micro-animations and UI motion
Educational / explainer videos
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Bringing brand and motion thinking into digital products.
Examples:
Product UI direction
Interaction systems and motion behavior
Key user flows and screen design
Prototype and concept experiences
Design systems for digital products
Accomplishments
“You’ve filled the gap within our teams”
Cross-Team Collaboration
At Amway, I unified agency, brand, and technology stakeholders to guide a scalable design system adopted across teams and markets. The initiative created a shared design language that aligned global brand expression with digital products.
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Multi-Brand Design Library
Led the consolidation of multiple GM brand libraries into a unified, modular design platform balancing distinct brand identities with shared UX foundations. This reduced redundancy, improved cross-brand collaboration, and established governance for long-term system evolution.
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Studio Jumpstart
Defined the studio's design direction and brand from early stage driving new business through a period of significant growth shaping the studio's creative identity, team and processes.
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