Kol Shtufaj
Creative Director
Experienced hands-on Creative Director with a history of elevating brands through innovative design. Skilled in nurturing and motivating diverse, forward-thinking creative teams for entertainment, sports, and sports betting brands. Successfully engaged and captivated billions of subscribers world-wide.
THE GAME DAY
Creative Director, 2021 – Present
Empowered, directed, and inspired a team of graphic designers (UX/UI, Digital, Motion) across multi-platform distribution channels
Created and established brand identity guidelines, media kits and brand portals to revitalize brand image and visual identity
Spearheaded the identification and implementation of creative request systems and asset management systems to effectively store and distribute creative and video production IP internally and externally
Creative leadership overseeing design across social media, digital content, video production, and podcasts resulting in surge of over 3 billion impressions, 800 million video views and 125 million engagements
Oversaw creative for B2B pitch proposals and white label services, resulting in monetization of content and increased profitability
Pioneered the conception and development of Media.TheGameDay.com and TheGameDayShop.com, driving direct-to-consumer merchandise sales and increased B2B revenue
Led strategic planning for long-term innovation levers, including AI, to streamline and increase creative production capabilities
Established stunning studio set design driving brand integration strategies, blending creative visions and improving production value
Transformed the headquarters’ workspace by optimizing the layout, functionality, and visual aesthetic, while capturing the brand’s identity and culture
BETMGM
Creative Consultant, 06/2021 – 11/2021
Optimized paid and organic social creative, driving brand awareness and new customers to BetMGM’s flagship sportsbook
Collaborated with internal Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram teams to build dynamic original features to promote the BetMGM brand
Spearheaded and managed the creative process for development of key art for BetMGM’s highly acclaimed yearly brand campaign
WWE
Senior Art Director, 2017 – 2021
Creative leadership to a team 30+ designers, motion designers, and photo editors across WWE’s multi-platform distribution channels
Led creative on all WWE social platforms resulting in the growth of 1 billion social followers and over 34 billion video views
Directed photoshoots for premier WWE Superstar photo galleries, featured content, key art design, and marketing initiatives
Elevated the visual appeal of WWE’s long-from premium content, WWE Originals and WWE Documentaries, with cutting-edge key art design and motion design packages
Contributed to the 2019 redesign of WWE’s subscription based SVOD service, WWE Network, collaborating with internal product development and external agency teams
Architected the 2021 migration of over 20,000 hours / 40 years of WWE Network library content visuals to NBCUniversal’s Peacock in under two months and with a team of 26 freelance production artists and 4 project managers
Created and managed a creative request system for WWE’s digital team. Later, shepherding the replacement with a more robust asset management system and creative request system that was adopted by WWE’s Creative Services and TV production teams
Fostered a collaborative and positive team culture, driving productivity, creative vision, and innovation through education and creative workshops
WWE
Art Director, 2014 – 2017
Lead Art Director and liaison between clients and internal departments, ensuring effective communication of creative requirements, meeting deadlines and project budgets
Managed 24/7 on-call and live show coverage schedules, for flagship shows Raw, Smackdown, and NXT
Directed and designed social media creative, exclusive features, directed photoshoots, and visually compelling content for WWE.com
Contributed to multiple redesigns of WWE.com, including UX/UI direction with external agencies and creative content migration
Played a key role in designing emerging new digital properties such as WWE Network, WWE Shop, WWE App, and WWE Kids
WWE
Digital Designer, 2012 – 2014
Developed visually captivating interactive graphics for enhanced user experience on WWE.com
Collaborated with producers and photographers during live broadcasts, creating real-time creative content for Raw and Smackdown
Contributed to the establishment and expansion of new WWE social media accounts, driving rapid growth and recognition
Designed captivating layouts and spreads for WWE magazine, delivering visually stunning content