Blake Walker

Looking back on his career so far, art director Blake Walker is certain of one thing: it’s been shaped more by people than it has by projects. From a university professor who introduced him to an internship to a friend who helped him land a graphic design job, Blake’s connections have opened many doors. He's a firm believer that your network is essential. “Having people who advocate for you can make all the difference – especially now with ghost jobs, AI resume filters and other barriers in the mix,” he says. We speak to Blake about evolving with the industry, fostering creativity collectively and building meaningful relationships in today’s creative landscape.

About my work

My creative practice
As an art director, I come up with creative ideas – often in collaboration with a copywriter or a wider team – to help solve a creative problem. From an advertising point of view, my job focuses on creative visualization through a variety of mediums such as video, photo, design and more, as well as persuading people that these creative ideas are worth pursuing.

Influences and inspiration
Going into stores with my parents and watching lots of television as a kid, I started to notice how things were being communicated. I became obsessed with packaging design, TV commercials, maps and signage. Once I hit design school, I was introduced to thinking about design through nature; this then translated to time spent observing the natural world and going outside. Now, inspiration comes from being in creative spaces throughout Los Angeles, meeting new people, talking to other creatives and travelling.

My training
For many of us, a more traditional creative education journey is necessary, whether that's through art school or a creative advertising program. But if you truly love the craft, I think you can become a great art director by finding mentors, watching hours and hours of tutorials, listening to creative podcasts and making a portfolio. Crazier things have happened.

Favourite recent project
In the past year, I was really fortunate to create my first television commercial. Having a background in graphic design, print design and e-commerce branding, it was really exciting to branch out into a new medium. I built a television commercial from the ground up with a team of incredible individuals – it was such an awesome project from start to finish.

A normal day usually looks like…
What I love about being an art director is that there is a little bit of everything. On a normal day, I could be connecting new ideas with my creative partner and copywriter, sitting in an edit session during the post-production process, or giving feedback to a vendor. I could also be filming on set or looking through casting, location and wardrobe for pre-production sessions. No matter the stage of the process, there is always a meeting – and coffee.

A starter pack for my job would be:
French fries, iced coffee in a mason jar, Pinterest, a solid alt-indie-folk-rock playlist that has just the right groove and is blaring over my JBL earbuds, the Khroma color scheme generator and a doggo within 20 feet at all times.

'Erasure of Memory,' an editorial design concept about the fading of memory over time

How I got here

Starting my creative journey
I started as a graphic designer. Through a connection of one of my professors at university, I found a remote internship working at an e-commerce startup – during which I also applied for and was accepted into the first cohort of The Academy at Goodby, Silverstein and Partners. While in San Francisco, I landed a new job as a graphic designer thanks to a friend I met in that program and worked there for almost a year until Saatchi & Saatchi offered an art direction internship. Since then, I’ve moved up the ranks there from intern, to junior, to mid-level art director.

Landing my first few jobs, clients and commissions
A lot of it came down to the network I built while I was in school – friends and mentors who knew me and saw my potential were gracious enough to plug me into the places looking for creative help.

Biggest challenge along the way
The biggest challenge along the way has been learning how to stay relevant in the ever-changing advertising industry. With the rise of AI, shrinking budgets and the constant shifts in how people consume media, there’s a lot to keep up with and adapt to. The real question is: how do you stay prepared and relevant as a creative while delivering meaningful, high-quality work that meets client needs and staying within budget? It’s something I ask myself often, and I’m continually working to adapt and evolve with whatever the future of creative advertising brings.

Skills I've found helpful for my creative work
Working in advertising, curiosity is a must. You often get clients or assignments you don’t know much about at first, but learning to find common ground in their worlds opens you up to ideas and perspectives you’d never expect to come across, let alone have a real interest in. That curiosity has made me a better collaborator and storyteller, and it’s something I try to bring into everything I do.

Work for Hello Fresh

My social media and self-promotion vibe is…
It’s definitely important, though I think there’s a balance. I share my work on my personal socials from time to time, but it really depends on the project. Often, the most meaningful impact comes from the work existing where it’s meant to – whether that’s on broadcast, in print, on digital media, or as part of an experimental campaign. Sometimes, it’s more important for the creative to showcase it in their own portfolio than on socials.

Three things I’ve found useful in my career:
Talking to others in the industry and the creative world in general (for inspiration), having other creative interests (besides being an art director, I also shoot photography, practice design and occasionally screenprint), as well as taking time offline to explore the world around me (a walk around the neighborhood, trying a new bakery, or hiking always helps awaken my curiosity and resets me for more creative work).

My greatest learnings when it comes to making money and supporting myself as a creative have been…
In my five years as a creative, I’ve tried to take on as much work as I could, from freelancing for friends’ up-and-coming brands to working with small publications. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of setting yourself up for success and standing up for yourself.

If you’re a freelancer, write that contract. Send that invoice. Protect your time and set clear boundaries. If you work at an office, firm, or agency, I would start thinking about how you balance your professional work with taking care of yourself.

Advice

Best career-related advice I've ever received
My design Professor Tim Musso always told us that feedback is a gift. Cherish it, but know what to use, what to put away for another time and what to discard.

Where I go to feel connected as a creative
I feel really fortunate to be based in Los Angeles; most of my friends here are creatives, so being able to talk shop or collaborate on things together has been a huge help in staying inspired and connected.

For starters, I feel really fortunate to be based in Los Angeles. Most of my friends here are creatives, so being able to talk shop or collaborate on things together has been a huge help in staying inspired and connected. Outside of L.A., I love listening to creative podcasts to keep those kinds of conversations going. I’m also part of the Creative Lunch Club, where I get paired with two other creatives each month to grab lunch and share ideas. And whenever I need some professional guidance, resources like Talk to a Creative Director have been super valuable.

What I'd say to someone looking to get into a similar role
Right now, it feels harder than ever to land a creative job (so major kudos to anyone out there searching). First, remember that not having a creative job doesn’t make you any less of a creative person. Second, think about who you’re connecting with. Are you meeting people in person? Building relationships or mentorships?

Most of the opportunities I’ve had in my career came from people who were rooting for me and saying my name in rooms I didn’t have access to yet. Your network is your marketing. Having people who advocate for you can make all the difference – especially now with ghost jobs, AI resume filters and other barriers in the mix. Sometimes it’s the people on the inside who can help open the door, and I am a firm believer that whatever is destined to be yours will be yours.