ELMA A THACKRAY
I’m an award-winning Art Director and Designer with over 17 years of experience creating innovative design experiences for brand identities, print and digital design, social media, and video. My work has helped brands in sectors like lifestyle, entertainment, travel, and finance craft compelling visual stories that engage their audiences.

After graduating from the London College of Communication with a BA in Graphic and Media Information Design, I worked in advertising, contributed to a Channel 4 documentary, and led event designs for high-profile government events. I later rebranded The Strad, a 134-year-old music magazine, and led creative teams as Head of Design at The Telegraph, where I directed award-winning campaigns across multiple media. I thrive in fast-paced environments, delivering creative solutions on tight deadlines. Passionate about problem-solving through design, I aim to create impactful experiences that connect with audiences—particularly in tech and media. 
Outside of design, I love exploring my creativity through clay pottery and paper constructions. These personal projects often spark new ideas and influence my design work, keeping it fresh and inspired.
If you're looking for an Art Director passionate about creative design, let's connect and see how we can collaborate.

Clients I have worked with:
News UK / What On Earth magazine / The Independent / Barclays / British Heart Foundation / Cancer Research UK / Caudalie / Channel 5 / Clarins / Decca Records / Disney / Fenwick / Geberit / Grundig / HSBC / Investec / Jaguar / Jet2Holidays / John Lewis / Jupiter / Kelly's Ice Cream / Liontrust / Mastercard / Aldi / Nature Valley / Royal London / Samsung Knox / SAP / Skoda / Viking / Visit Denmark / Visit Guernsey / Warner Bros / Yorkshire Bank / Invesco Perpetual / Yorkshire Bank / Amazon / Audley / Cupra Fleet / Vodafone / IBM Watson / BritishAirways / Braun / Bottega Veneta / StudioCanal / eOne Entertainment
Services
Brand Identity and Development
Digital Design
Print Design
Event Design
Concept Design
Art Direction
Illustration and Illustration Commissioning
Creative Leadership
"Elma is bold in her creative approach and fearless when taking on complex projects"
Awards and Accolades
ITV Ident
#ITVKidsCollaboration, 2021
Content Studio of the Year
Spark Campaign Publishing Awards 2020
Business Event of the Year 
SAP Campaign Publishing Awards 2020
Digital First-Ever: Responsive AMP story
Visit Guernsey
Google AMP Conf 2019 (Japan)
Publishing First-Ever: Embedded videos and sound 
Bottega Veneta, AMP story, 2019
The Chair Award
Skoda UK Telegraph Women's Sport
Newsworks Planning Awards 2019
Best Creative Content Partnership
Skoda UK Telegraph Women's Sport
Newsworks Planning Awards 2019
Best Topical Campaign
Skoda UK Telegraph Women's Sport
Newsworks Planning Awards 2019​​​​​​​
Ad of the Week 
Skoda, Newsworks.com 2018
Ad of the Day
Closing the gender gap in cycling
Newsweek, June 2018 
Winner, Online Services category
Samsung Knox and The Telegraph
Campaign Media Awards 2018
#Top 25 Art editor
Creativepool.com, 2016-2017
Are Design Graduates Motivated By Success, Passion or Money?
Creative Review, May 2008 issue
The Richard and Judy Show Christmas book collection
Earth: A Visitors Guide, The Penguin Group (UK), May 2008
Contact me
Interested in working together? I'd love to hear from you. 
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