Brandon Reader
About Me
I am a Creative Lead and Brand Strategist pairing brand identity and digital product design with hands-on UI architecture. I operate under a simple premise: great creative vision is only as powerful as its technical execution.
The 60/40 Design Split
Most brand campaigns lose their impact in translation. What looks stunning in Figma often breaks down during development. To protect design integrity from concept to code, I operate on a 60/40 Design Split: balancing 60% high-fidelity brand vision and concept-driven art direction with 40% UI architecture and functional logic. By grounding creative strategy in front-end feasibility (HTML/CSS, WCAG 2.2 accessibility, and responsive frameworks), I ensure the final build matches the original strategic vision.
Enterprise Scale to Creative Leadership
My background spans nearly two decades bridging the creative-technical divide across enterprise environments, agencies, and independent consulting:
- Strategic Consulting (Cohesion Studio):
As Lead Design Consultant, I partner directly with B2B and multi-industry business leaders to build end-to-end visual identity systems and high-converting, accessible web platforms. - Agency Leadership (GMB / Up&Up Agency):
Having served as both Director of Development and Senior Digital Art Director, I led multi-channel digital overhauls for complex, high-traffic ecosystems, generating over 6M impressions and driving a 19.5% increase in primary conversions. - Enterprise Product Design (DISH Network & Triad Retail Media):
Directed data-driven web and mobile redesigns in Agile enterprise environments, delivering a 17.28% conversion lift on DISH’s core platform and producing interactive retail campaigns for Fortune 500 CPG brands on Walmart.com and SamsClub.com.
Whether leading in-house creative initiatives or driving complex client builds, my goal remains constant: build visual systems that elevate market perception, perform as beautifully as they look, and drive measurable business growth.
What I bring to a team:
- A balance of creative direction and hands-on design execution
- The ability to align brand strategy with UI architecture and engineering
- A focus on building scalable, thoughtful design systems
- A collaborative mindset that keeps cross-functional teams moving forward
Outside of work, I recharge by getting outdoors—whether it’s hiking, biking, paddleboarding, or developing my game on the pickleball court. Exploring new places and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen helps me step away from the screen, ensuring I return with a fresh perspective and energy for the next creative challenge.
Lets' Connect
I am currently open to full-time leadership opportunities and select contract work. If you have an upcoming project or would like to explore working together, let's talk.
