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New York born, London and Cape Town raised Creative Director Jesse Stagg began at Ogilvy Advertising South Africa, making a mark with innovative work for VW, Audi and Shell. Steeped in fundamental design disciplines & principles of color, composition and typography, he fused this new skillset with his passion for emerging Hip Hop and House music. As an early 'cultural entrepreneur' he created the UFO Collective to build large-scale, socially diverse, experiential music and art events. This led to influential clubs Eden, Uforia and World Peace Party. Helping lay foundations for Hip Hop & EDM culture in South Africa, and now a vital cultural and economic force in Africa, as well as worldwide.

 

Landing in the US as Creative Services Manager for Turner Group, Disney Interactive, Viacom, and CBS/Infinity. He excelled by building and leading great teams that created successful integrated campaigns for national brands in digital, broadcast and print media. His psychedelic campaigns for Cartoon Network Studios helped establish a design direction that defined the look of the network, and launched animation hit-factory Cartoon Cartoon! with campaigns for Emmy-winning shows Powerpuff Girls, Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, ushering in a new generation of animation superstars.

 

Getting into movies as Creative Services Manager at Viacom/Paramount, Stagg developed a new global brand identity for the vast TV and Movie Star Trek universe and pioneered the first major franchise digital style guide, unifying its many parts. He managed creative for all licensed properties, including Top Gun, Twilight Zone, The Godfather & Hawaii 5-0. 

 

Stagg met the online revolution head on at Disney.com as part of the development team creating music sites for: Lion King, Toy Story, Austen Powers and a diverse range of Hollywood Records artists from Queen to the Insane Clown Posse.

 

Tapped as Department Head for radio powerhouse CBS/Infinity, Stagg spearheaded design of major market websites KROQ, LIVE105, KCBS and others. Creating compelling web portals for: The Howard Stern Show, Loveline with Dr. Drew, and the debut digital campaign of the Coachella Festival, helped achieve a combined weekly audience of 80 million visitor. For his innovative in streaming online radio, he received multiple awards and nominations, including: RTDNA Edward R Murrow Award for Excellence.

 

Stagg’s innovations and experience in media, art and culture, led to his position as Communications Chair for the Graphic Arts Council of LA County Museum of Art. During his tenure, initiatives like Into the Pixel (the first video game art awards) and Late Night at LACMA were born and membership was tripled.

 

Stagg was asked to consult Banksy on his record-breaking LA Barely Legal Show. Recently receiving a U.S. State Department cultural grant curating Shepard Fairey's 10-storey-tall Nelson Mandela Mural in Johannesburg, commemorating the 20th anniversary of South African democracy.

 

As Media Arts Instructor Stagg has lectured at UCLA, CalState LA and AFDA and been featured in VICE, the Los Angeles Times and his projects covered by the Wall Street Journal, TIME, CNN, Variety and Hollywood Reporter. 

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