Payal Gandhi

CREATIVE EXECUTIVE | BRAND STRATEGY | DIGITAL STORYTELLER

Award-winning Creative Director and Brand Strategist with 15+ years of experience leading multimillion -dollar initiatives across retail, healthcare, fintech, and media. Skilled in scaling high-performing teams, driving brand transformation, and executing data-driven storytelling that elevates market presence and revenue. Expertise spans omni-channel marketing, performance-driven creative, and strategic storytelling rooted in digital innovation. Merges creativity with technology through AI-powered optimization, multivariate testing, and scalable design systems to maximize engagement and ROI. A trusted executive partner who fosters cross-functional collaboration to align creative strategy with business goals and build teams that thrive in dynamic, growth-focused environments. Currently leading brand and performance marketing creative at Enova International, advancing AI-driven processes, testing roadmaps, and scalable creative solutions for measurable growth and long-term brand impact.

NOTABLE CLIENTELE

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Creative Leadership & Brand Strategy – Define and execute brand vision, ensuring consistency across global platforms.
Multichannel Marketing & Campaign Development – Lead high-impact creative initiatives across digital, video, experiential, and traditional media.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Team Building – Partner with executive leadership, marketing, and product teams to drive strategic alignment.
Data-Driven Creative Solutions – Leverage audience insights and market trends to craft culturally relevant, performance-driven campaigns.
Consumer Engagement & Brand Positioning – Develop innovative storytelling strategies that resonate with diverse audiences.
Process Optimization & Workflow Management – Streamline creative operations to maximize efficiency and impact.

STRATEGIC IMPACT & LEADERSHIP:

Brand Strategy & Market Positioning – Architect innovative brand strategies that elevate market presence and drive revenue growth.
Creative Innovation & Digital Transformation – Stay at the forefront of emerging trends, integrating AI, UX, and digital storytelling into marketing initiatives.
Luxury & Premium Brand Leadership – Develop and maintain high-touch brand experiences that align with contemporary design and digital trends.
High-Performance Team Development – Foster a culture of creativity, innovation, and strategic execution, leading multidisciplinary creative teams.
Omnichannel Execution & Global Reach – Ensure seamless integration of brand storytelling across all consumer touchpoints.

CREATIVE VISION & EXECUTION:

End-to-End Creative Oversight – Manage the full creative lifecycle, from concept development to execution, ensuring brand cohesion and impact.
Integrated Campaign Leadership – Drive storytelling across digital, print, social media, video, and experiential marketing.
Strategic Advisory Role – Trusted partner to C-suite executives, translating business objectives into high-performing creative strategies.
Agency & Vendor Management – Oversee both in-house teams and external partners to deliver best-in-class creative solutions.

EXPERIENCE

ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR,

Enova International

Chicago, IL, 08/25–Present

As Associate Creative Director at Enova, I shape the creative vision for a portfolio of 10+ digital brands, leading performance-driven storytelling across paid social, display, email, SMS, and web. I translate business goals and customer insights into creative strategies that scale, convert, and strengthen brand equity while setting the standard for creative excellence and operational efficiency.

I lead the end-to-end development of high-performing campaigns that drive measurable lifts in acquisition, engagement, and conversion, ensuring every execution maintains design integrity and a seamless user experience. I also oversee full-cycle video production—from storyboarding through post-production and deployment—crafting content that connects insight, emotion, and measurable outcomes.

Focused on innovation and performance optimization, I define and implement scalable creative processes, multivariate testing roadmaps, and AI-powered workflows that accelerate iteration, enhance quality, and unlock new performance insights. I build, mentor, and inspire cross-functional design teams, fostering a culture of creativity, accountability, and continuous growth aligned with business objectives.

Partnering closely with growth, lifecycle, and product leaders, I ensure creative strategies align with acquisition, retention, and brand awareness goals. My leadership extends across internal and external resources, scaling creative capacity during rapid deployment while maintaining brand consistency and storytelling excellence.

A forward-thinking creative leader, I continue to evolve Enova’s brand storytelling and digital performance through innovation, collaboration, and the seamless integration of AI and data-driven design.

FREELANCE CREATIVE DIRECTOR,

Elev8 Marketing

Remote, 03/25–Present

Partnering with small business owners across healthcare, wellness, and fitness to elevate their brands through strategic creative direction and end-to-end execution. Projects include brand repositioning, visual identity systems, website design, and social media content. Provide hands-on leadership from concept to delivery, ensuring each brand communicates with clarity, consistency, and impact.

ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR,

Walgreens

Chicago, IL, 09/21–12/24

As Associate Creative Director at Walgreens, I led transformative brand storytelling, strategic creative execution, and multichannel marketing initiatives that elevated consumer engagement and drove business growth. Managing a high-performing multidisciplinary creative team, I spearheaded the 2023 Walgreens rebrand, developing a comprehensive brand illustration strategy, premium photography standards, and experiential retail design across 9,000+ stores and digital platforms.

I directed the award-winning Women’s Wellness campaign, a healthcare-focused initiative that generated $282M in annual conversion opportunities, achieving 8.3% growth over three years through a seamless integration of store signage, product packaging, digital marketing, and social media activations. Additionally, I led seasonal visual merchandising strategies, driving significant foot traffic and revenue growth through data-driven design execution.

Focusing on digital innovation and performance-driven storytelling, I optimized Walgreens’ Bumper Brand Lift initiative, increasing video completion rates (VCR) by 56% and achieving a 3.4% lift in brand consideration through strategic content refinement. I also oversaw end-to-end video production (OLV), from storyboarding to post-production editing, ensuring brand-aligned, high-quality deliverables.

I collaborated with cross-functional partners, including UX, product marketing, SEO, and data analytics teams, to enhance omnichannel engagement and optimize brand storytelling. My leadership extended to agency partnerships and team development, fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency.

A proven executive leader in creative innovation, I continue to push brand evolution, digital-first storytelling, and consumer-driven design strategies that deliver measurable success at scale.

DIGITAL DESIGN MANAGER,

Tribune Publishing Company

Chicago, IL, 09/14–08/21

As Creative Director at Tribune Publishing, I led digital advertising and brand storytelling across 11 major markets, including L.A. Times, Chicago Tribune, and New York Daily News. Partnering with sales, marketing, and product teams, I developed data-driven creative strategies that maximized audience engagement, revenue growth, and brand impact.

I architected the award-winning Chicago Cubs World Series digital campaign, generating $3M in revenue and earning the 2016 Publishers Choice Award for creative excellence. Managing a high-performing in-house and offshore creative team, I optimized workflow management, vendor relationships, and financial oversight, ensuring seamless execution of multimillion-dollar digital campaigns.

My leadership extended to cross-functional collaboration, site acquisitions, and brand governance, overseeing company-wide training, hiring, and creative strategy alignment. Additionally, I implemented trend-driven content solutions and omni-channel strategies, enhancing desktop, mobile, and emerging platform advertising.

A proven leader in digital innovation, I continue to drive high-impact brand storytelling, luxury campaign execution, and user-centered creative solutions that deliver measurable success at scale.

ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR,

Walgreens

Chicago, IL, 09/21–12/24

As Associate Creative Director at Walgreens, I led transformative brand storytelling, strategic creative execution, and multichannel marketing initiatives that elevated consumer engagement and drove business growth. Managing a high-performing multidisciplinary creative team, I spearheaded the 2023 Walgreens rebrand, developing a comprehensive brand illustration strategy, premium photography standards, and experiential retail design across 9,000+ stores and digital platforms.

I directed the award-winning Women’s Wellness campaign, a healthcare-focused initiative that generated $282M in annual conversion opportunities, achieving 8.3% growth over three years through a seamless integration of store signage, product packaging, digital marketing, and social media activations. Additionally, I led seasonal visual merchandising strategies, driving significant foot traffic and revenue growth through data-driven design execution.

Focusing on digital innovation and performance-driven storytelling, I optimized Walgreens’ Bumper Brand Lift initiative, increasing video completion rates (VCR) by 56% and achieving a 3.4% lift in brand consideration through strategic content refinement. I also oversaw end-to-end video production (OLV), from storyboarding to post-production editing, ensuring brand-aligned, high-quality deliverables.

I collaborated with cross-functional partners, including UX, product marketing, SEO, and data analytics teams, to enhance omnichannel engagement and optimize brand storytelling. My leadership extended to agency partnerships and team development, fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency.

A proven executive leader in creative innovation, I continue to push brand evolution, digital-first storytelling, and consumer-driven design strategies that deliver measurable success at scale.

EDUCATION

The Art Institutes | Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design

INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP & AWARDS

2016 Publishers Choice Award | Chicago Cubs World Series Digital Campaign

AIGA Chicago Board of Education & Mentor