AVAILABLE FOR a good chat

Available for a good chat

Joe Ambrocio

Joe Ambrocio

Joe Ambrocio

Joe Ambrocio

le Carolino

le Carolino

le Carolino

le Carolino

BASED IN Portland, Oregon

BASED IN Portland, Oregon

Work Samples

Work
Samples
Available
Upon
request

Work Samples
Available upon request

Available Upon request

Brands I've had the pleasure to work with

Brands I've had
the pleasure to work with

I'm a creative leader with a design background that likes to move quickly from idea to making.

I'm a creative leader with a design background that likes to move quickly from idea to making.

I'm a creative leader with a design background that likes to move quickly from idea to making.

👋 I'm Joe (or José), a first-generation Filipino-Vietnamese American and a Creative at Thesis. With a design background, I lead Thesis with a unique perspective to expand our capabilities sustainably. Since 2006, I've worked with brands like Nike, Ralph Lauren, Target, Hyundai, Luxottica, and Hermès, and co-founded a startup focused on brand building and digital product design.


I am passionate about creating space for underrepresented communities and always strive to create solutions that matter. My goal is to connect brands with customers or communities authentically, ensuring strategic alignment and serving both community and business needs.


One of my biggest strengths is having a vision and seeing it through, believing it takes a village of collaborators and strong teams to innovate. My favorite part of my career is inspiring and mentoring peers and professionals.

👋 I'm Joe (or José), a first-generation Filipino-Vietnamese American and a Creative at Thesis. With a design background, I lead Thesis with a unique perspective to expand our capabilities sustainably. Since 2006, I've worked with brands like Nike, Ralph Lauren, Target, Hyundai, Luxottica, and Hermès, and co-founded a startup focused on brand building and digital product design.


I am passionate about creating space for underrepresented communities and always strive to create solutions that matter. My goal is to connect brands with customers or communities authentically, ensuring strategic alignment and serving both community and business needs.


One of my biggest strengths is having a vision and seeing it through, believing it takes a village of collaborators and strong teams to innovate. My favorite part of my career is inspiring and mentoring peers and professionals.

Expertise

Expertise

Brand Building & transformation

My approach is a strategic blend of innovation, storytelling, and consumer insights to engage and evolve a brand's identity, driving authentic connections with audiences and supporting growth in an ever-changing landscape.

Creative Leadership

With years of experience building and scaling multidisciplinary creative teams, I find great joy in helping teams mobilize toward their most ambitious goals and create value for the brands they are passionate about.

Brand Building &
transformation

My approach is a strategic blend of innovation, storytelling, and consumer insights to engage and evolve a brand's identity, driving authentic connections with audiences and supporting growth in an ever-changing landscape.

Creative
Leadership

With years of experience building and scaling multidisciplinary creative teams, I find great joy in helping teams mobilize toward their most ambitious goals and create value for the brands they are passionate about.

Brand Building & transformation

My approach is a strategic blend of innovation, storytelling, and consumer insights to engage and evolve a brand's identity, driving authentic connections with audiences and supporting growth in an ever-changing landscape.

Creative Leadership

With years of experience building and scaling multidisciplinary creative teams, I find great joy in helping teams mobilize toward their most ambitious goals and create value for the brands they are passionate about.

Digital Marketing

With all the work I do I look at things holistically and digital marketing I believe deserves the same treatment from top to bottom of the funnel to ensure strong strategy and creative.

Digital Products

Deep experience in building digital products with brands from V0-to-launch, launch-to-growth, and growth-to-sustain. These have come in the form of native apps, websites small and large.

Deep experience in building digital products with brands from beta-to-launch, launch-to-growth, and growth-to-sustain. These have come in the form of native apps, websites small and large.

Design Systems

The digital landscape demands more from creators and marketers. I believe that design systems, when properly set up in tools like Figma, support speed and iteration with precision, and ease.

The process involves building virtual 3D models and materials, setting lighting, and then rendering the images.

Digital Marketing

With all the work I do I look at things holistically and digital marketing I believe deserves the same treatment from top to bottom of the funnel to ensure strong strategy and creative.

Digital Products

Deep experience in building digital products with brands from V0-to-launch, launch-to-growth, and growth-to-sustain. These have come in the form of native apps, websites small and large.

Design Systems

The digital landscape demands more from creators and marketers. I believe that design systems, when properly set up in tools like Figma, support speed and iteration with precision, and ease.

Digital Marketing

With all the work I do I look at things holistically and digital marketing I believe deserves the same treatment from top to bottom of the funnel to ensure strong strategy and creative.

Digital Products

Deep experience in building digital products with brands from V0-to-launch, launch-to-growth, and growth-to-sustain. These have come in the form of native apps, websites small and large.

Design Systems

The digital landscape demands more from creators and marketers. I believe that design systems, when properly set up in tools like Figma, support speed and iteration with precision, and ease.

Let'S Chat

Let'S Chat

CONTACT ME

EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE

Thesis

Chief Creative officer

2019 - Present

Currently sitting on our executive leadership running and leading larger agency initiatives, our internal brand studio that manages the Thesis brand and lead our creative department which includes, design, writing, motion and editing functions.

Thesis

Chief Creative officer

2019 - Present

Currently sitting on our executive leadership running and leading larger agency initiatives, our internal brand studio that manages the Thesis brand and lead our creative department which includes, design, writing, motion and editing functions.

Rahlies

Co-founder

2019 – 2022

From concept to launch, I led the creative side of a three person partnership to launch Rahlies, an overall dtc brand.

Rahlies

Co-founder

2019 – 2022

From concept to launch, I led the creative side of a three person partnership to launch Rahlies, an overall dtc brand.

The practice

Founder

2018 – 2020

More than a studio that focuses on creative direction, product and brand design. We help brave brands solve complex problems with innovation, strategy and creative solutions.

The practice

Founder

2018 – 2020

More than a studio that focuses on creative direction, product and brand design. We help brave brands solve complex problems with innovation, strategy and creative solutions.

Nike

Creative director & product designer

2016 – 2019

Served as a Digital Innovator, Lead Product Designer and Creative Director in the Innovation Kitchen and Valiant Labs.

Nike

Creative director & product designer

2016 – 2019

Served as a Digital Innovator, Lead Product Designer and Creative Director in the Innovation Kitchen and Valiant Labs.

Instrument

Senior Interactive Designer

2015 – 2016

Served on the dedicated Nike team creating apps, websites and digital experiences for a variety of products.

Instrument

Senior Interactive Designer

2015 – 2016

Served on the dedicated Nike team creating apps, websites and digital experiences for a variety of products.

R/GA

Senior Interactive Designer

2014 – 2015

Served on the dedicated Nike team creating apps, websites and digital experiences for a variety of products.

R/GA

Senior Interactive Designer

2014 – 2015

Served on the dedicated Nike team creating apps, websites and digital experiences for a variety of products.

Second Story

Interactive Designer

2013 – 2014

Worked on many high profile brands primarily focused on blending the physical and digital world with highly interactive experiences.

Second Story

Interactive Designer

2013 – 2014

Worked on many high profile brands primarily focused on blending the physical and digital world with highly interactive experiences.

Accolades

Accolades

Accolades

People on the move

Ad age

2022

People on the move

Ad age

2022

MVP Cup Award

Nike Innovation Kitchen

2019

MVP Cup Award

ARNO Portfolio

2019

W³ Awards Gold

Marketing Environmental & Experiential: Fashion

2014

W³ Awards Gold

Marketing Environmental & Experiential: Fashion

2014

Nike Global Maxim Award

Digital Retail Innovation Award

2014

Nike Global Maxim Award

ARNO Portfolio

2014

How Interactive Design Awards

Interactive Merit Award

2014

How Interactive Design Awards

ARNO Portfolio

2014

Rosey Award

Experiential Merit Award

2013

Rosey Award

ARNO Portfolio

2013

Writing for visual thinkers

Published design & photography

2012

Writing for visual thinkers

Published design & photography

2012

Chois Gallery Package Design

Published Packaging Design

2012

Chois Gallery Package Design

Published Packaging Design

2012

ACUI Steal This Idea

Best brand identity creative

2012

ACUI Steal This Idea

Best brand identity creative

2012

Speaking

Speaking

Speaking

I am a passionate speaker that enjoy sharing my experiences and point of views on creativity, design, inclusion, and the ways in which we communicate as brands and as individuals. Below are some recent happenings.

I am a passionate speaker that enjoy sharing my experiences and point of views on creativity, design, inclusion, and the ways in which we communicate as brands and as individuals. Below are some recent happenings.

Breaking Barriers Summit

Asians in Advertising

2024

Discover the power of unity and redefine your journey at the Breaking Barriers Summit. This year's event combines an immersive in-person and virtual experience, offering a unique opportunity to address the specific challenges faced by Asian Americans: bias, imposter syndrome, and the delicate balance of multiple cultures.

Watch

Breaking Barriers Summit

ARNO Portfolio

2024

Discover the power of unity and redefine your journey at the Breaking Barriers Summit. This year's event combines an immersive in-person and virtual experience, offering a unique opportunity to address the specific challenges faced by Asian Americans: bias, imposter syndrome, and the delicate balance of multiple cultures.

Watch

Did I do that?

Gluttons for punishment

2023

A podcast about making graphic design and mistakes


Listen

Did I do that?

Gluttons for punishment

2023

A podcast about making graphic design and mistakes


Listen

PDX Design Festival

Opening Keynote

2022

The power of connection, our stories and how they inform our why


Watch

PDX Design Festival

Opening Keynote

2022

The power of connection, our stories and how they inform our why


Watch

Asians in advertising

Creative community interview

2022

The intersectionality of creativity and culture


Read

Asians in advertising

Creative community interview

2022

The intersectionality of creativity and culture


Read

First generation burden

interview

2019

I believe stories need to be told to gain new perspectives and understanding of other cultures with unique backgrounds.


Listen

First generation burden

interview

2019

I believe stories need to be told to gain new perspectives and understanding of other cultures with unique backgrounds.


Listen

Let'S WORK

Let'S WORK

TOGETHER

TOGETHER

CONTACT ME

Based in Portland, I'm a creative leader who cares deeply about the work and the people behind it. I move quickly from idea to making and embrace an iterative design philosophy.

©Ambrocio

©Ambrocio

©Ambrocio

©Ambrocio

©2024 Joe Ambrocio Carolino

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©2024 Joe Ambrocio Carolino

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©2024 Joe Ambrocio Carolino

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©2024 Joe Ambrocio Carolino

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