Advertising works best when it earns its place in culture.
Hi, I’m Colleen, a passionate creative thinker and leader based in Los Angeles. I build ideas that earn attention, shape culture, and create meaningful impact for brands.
For thirteen years, I’ve helped build integrated campaigns, brand platforms, first-in-class experiences, and unhinged social ideas that solve complex business challenges by giving people something worth talking about. Whether the solution is a product, a social campaign, a film, activation, or AI-powered experiment, I’m interested in ideas that people choose to engage with-and in leading the teams that make those ideas possible.
From launching a global brand platform, creating an earned-media moment, or experimenting with emerging AI tools to accelerate creative exploration, I believe the strongest ideas are the ones that feel both inevitable and yet unexpected.
As a creative and as a leader, I care just as much about building strong teams as I do building strong campaigns. I believe great creative leadership means creating an environment where curiosity is encouraged, diverse perspectives are valued, and ambitious ideas can evolve through collaboration.
I’ve been fortunate to receive industry recognition for my work, and hope to inspire young creatives to make the ideas they truly believe in.
__ E M P L O Y M E N T
Sharpe/Thorne Studio // Creative Director (freelance) // Los Angeles, CA // 2026 - present
GUT // Associate Creative Director // Los Angeles, CA // July 2023 - July 2026
72ANDSUNNY // Senior Art Director // Los Angeles, CA // Sept 2019 - July 2023
MUH-TAY-ZIK | HOF-FER // Art Director // San Francisco, CA // Jun 2018 - Sept 2019
DUNCAN CHANNON // Art Director // San Francisco, CA // Oct 2017 - Jun 2018
LEO BURNETT // Jr. Art Director + Art Director // Chicago, IL // Oct 2013 - Oct 2017
Clients:
DoorDash, Google, Wild Turkey, Wing Stop, Zocdoc, Supercuts, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Grubhub, Tillamook, Zillow, Adobe, Audi, See’s Candies, StubHub, Amazon Prime Video, Upwork, The California Tobacco Control Program, Allstate, Firestone, Purina, Kellogg’s, The Art Institute of Chicago.
__ M E N T O R S H I P
Northwestern Network Mentorship Program - mentor to young students
__ A W A R D S
The One Show | 2025 | Silver | Social Media | Use of Humor (DoorDash)
Cannes Lions | 2024 | Bronze | Social and Influencer | Use of Use of Humor (DoorDash)
Cannes Lions | 2024 | Bronze | Brand Experience and Activation | Use of Use of Humor (DoorDash)
Cannes Lions | 2024 | Shortlist | Film | Online Film (DoorDash)
D&AD | 2025 | Wood Pencil | Commerce | Promotion (DoorDash)
Effie Awards | 2025 | Silver | Seasonal Marketing - Services (DoorDash)
WARC | 2025 | Silver | Instant Impact (DoorDash)
London International Awards | 2025 | Silver | Long-Term Creative Effectiveness (DoorDash)
Graphis Advertising Annual | 2022 | Gold (Grubhub)
The One Show | 2022 | Shortlist (Grubhub)
__ N O T A D V E R T I S I N G
CHELEY CAMPS // Wrangler // Estes Park, CO // 2008 - 2011
Led groups of 14 campers + horses on summer trail rides and overnight pack trips in the Rocky Mountains, teaching horsemanship and wilderness skills to my kids.
LACROSSE COACH // Head Coach, JV // Decatur High School, Decatur GA, 2012 season // Evanston Township High School, Evanston IL, 2009 season
Led two high school lacrosse teams: drilling, teaching, strategizing, and inspiring my athletes to improve their skills, compete with professionalism, and most importantly have fun.
__ E D U C A T I O N
THE CREATIVE CIRCUS // Art Direction // 2011-2013
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY // Urban Studies + Art History // 2007-2011
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY // Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation // 2010
__ T U M B L R
__ C O N T A C T
colleen.e.horne@gmail.com