Me
About
With a deep design background, first-hand experience taking a product to market, and an MS in integrated design, business, and technology, I love looking at brand-building from every angle. I believe that for a brand of today to thrive, it must be built in service of the human beings encountering it. It must respond meaningfully to the needs, experiences, and frictions of its end-users, and deliver extrinsic value beyond the product or service being sold.
I am the mom of two extraordinary boys, a lover of the outdoors, and a history buff. I hail from Utah, spent a decade in Los Angeles, and now call NYC home. Let’s connect and grab a coffee or get out there.
Perspectives
“It’s almost like we’re saying, ‘How dare you make this decision without consulting me?’ It can feel almost like an act of betrayal.”
“Be Daniel Day Lewis. Never break character. Really think about how all of those touch points are opportunities for the brand world to be underscored, and create even more deeply enriching experiences for everyone interacting with it.”
“In a completely not-shocking prediction, AI will have an inevitable impact on the creative we see, as the line between the real and the surreal is more readily blurred,”
"It opened the door for Birkenstock to an entirely new audience. It gave them permission to retail not just at REI but also at Mr. Porter. New fans may have come to the brand through collaborations, but the reasons for their popularity are always comfort and durability”
“There is no tell, no break in character, no perfunctory gesture in his performances. For brand builders to create a world as immersive, powerful, and transformative as this, we must all become method actors.”
“You have to meet brand builders where they are. There are so many variables impacting their success today from category saturation to fast follower growth to a dearth of funding opportunities, and being prepared to offer them exactly and only what they truly need is critical, so flex your offerings and packages to be hyper-relevant.”
Brand as the ultimate through line, codifying authenticity, and yes, method acting.
Background
"There are times when you meet someone that really impresses you. Maggie Sause is one of these people. She is a rare talent and an incredibly smart creative director. In fact, she is one of the brightest creative professionals I've had the opportunity to work with.
She is a teacher, she is a sage. She thoughtfully thinks through challenges with a compassionate lens on both consumer and client. Her integrity to her craft is above and beyond.
Maggie knows how to sniff out a good brief, she is an incredible collaborator, detail oriented and organized, she can relax and captivate the stiffest of client meetings, and she really "gets" people and culture. More than anything, she cares. This is what matters, in our industry and in all industries. Humanity. And this is who Maggie is.
I cannot recommend Maggie enough and I very much look forward to getting to work with her again in the future.”
Claude Silver //
Chief Heart Officer at Vaynermedia
Head of Marketing, Red Antler
2022-current / redantler.com
Responsible for establishing and growing the marketing practice at Red Antler, codifying process and instituting interdisciplinary ways of working across the agency; responsible for revenue targets via new business wins and organic growth. I manage of a team of creatives and strategists, guiding the development and enablement of brands in ways that ensure they find most meaningful and impactful presence in-market. This is across all sizes and categories of businesses, working closely with pre-launch founders and global corporate clients alike.
Creative Director, On Spec
2021-2022 / builtonspec.com
As the Creative Director of an early stage venture studio, I oversee product, brand, social, digital, and marketing development for our direct-to-consumer brands, while leading the exploration of the next blue ocean opportunity. Building brands for startups means finding value in constraints, and driving innovative ways to create community, loyalty, and trust for our consumers quickly and early.
Co-founder & CCO, InGoodCo.
2016-2019 / ingoodco.co
As co-founding partner of InGoodCo., a peer-based consumer product review platform, I functioned as lead on product development and go-to-market strategies, as well as day-to-day product management and operations. As lead on user research and no-code prototype testing, as well as all initial UX and wireframes of application, I launched development with our agency partner [Friends & Family] in 2016. Lead on implementing all user acquisition channel testing and execution including social media, influencer, and press outreach, as well as developing, executing, and managing all brand creative.
Creative Director, VaynerMedia
2014-2015 / vaynermedia.com
Grounded in strategy, data, and impact, led a creative team of 15+ across CPG, fashion, real estate, technology, and health verticals. Partnered with agency executives to build and expand new business, helping to win AOR in digital and/or social categories. Represented and managed the social arm of the Inter-Agency Team construct, collaborating with PR, Branding, and Media to plan annual marketing efforts and to develop campaign initiatives for various Fortune 500 brands. Managed and rolled out digital re-branding efforts across various verticals. Helped to build a highly passionate, energetic, and collaborative agency culture as VM grew.
Clients: Axe, Dove Women's, Dove Men+Care, Coach, Century21, Hudson Yards, Wink, Virgin Mobile, Nature's Bounty, Pure Protein, MetRx, Vaseline
Assoc. Creative Director, VaynerMedia
2013-2014 / vaynermedia.com
Clients: Dove M+C, Dove Women (all categories), Knorr, Vaseline, SlimFast, OWN, VH1, AMP, Hess
Associate Creative Director, Rauxa
2005-2013 / rauxa.com
With a focus on data-driven direct marketing, harnessed the power of personalized and meaningful storytelling to drive both acquisition and retention strategies across consumer and B2B verticals in print, digital, and OOH. Helped to establish the creative department in our fledgling NYC office while expanding business on the East Coast. Imperative to growth was retaining and growing Rauxa's culture from our Southern California office as we scaled.
Clients: Verizon Wireless, Verizon FiOS, Chase Banking (Chase Sapphire, Chase Slate, Chase Checking, Chase Mortgage, British Airways, Disney Premier Card, Priority Club Rewards), Sirius Radio, WellCare
Volunteer Experience
Founder, Humans Designing
2020-Present / humansdesigning.com
Director of Impact Strategy, Impact Wrkshp
2020-Present / impactwrkshp.com
Founding Member, Greater New York City Families for Syria
2016-Present
Aided in establishing this 1200+ organization which provides aid to Syrian refugees in our Greater New York community, in particular focused on developing the visual identity and brand in order to help organize our efforts on social media and in the press.
Memberships
Tech Ladies, NYC Chapter
Design Sprint, NYC
iOSoho
NYC.rb
HeyMamaCo.
Education
MS, Integrated Design, Business, and Technology, USC / 2020
BA, Design | Media Arts, UCLA / 2003