Hilary Smith is an award-winning freelance writer, creative director / consultant & film director with 14 years of experience working across fashion, beauty, entertainment, tech, food / bev, sports, health / wellness, insurance, finance, hospitality, and the nonprofit sector.
Collaborating with a range of entities - ad agencies, production companies, brands & artists alike - Hilary writes, guides and directs ideas that are touching, and sometimes shocking too.
In a time when we’re bombarded by “content,” her speciality is delivering a strong dose of wit and attitude, designed to stand out. Hilary is on a mission to push the envelope; to draw a line in the sand; to say what’s not been said.
Obsessive about aesthetics & art direction, style is at the heart of everything she creates.
Hilary is a creative strategy expert, mining human insights and the cultural lexicon to craft verbal identities, positionings, brand voices & brand books for global clients including HP and the legendary French fashion house, Longchamp.
Hilary is also an actor. When she’s not making commercial campaigns, she’s making short films and working on a feature length script.
Her work has been internationally recognized by the likes of D&AD, Clio Awards, Vimeo Staff Pick, Ad Age Editor’s Pick and more.
CONTACT:
If you’re a company, email: thehilarysmith@gmail.com
If you’re an individual, looking for 1:1 creative consultation, apply to be a client here.
Media Shouts:
Ad Age (“Editor’s Pick” x 4 times, ”Creativity Pick,” #1 in “The Top 5 Creative Brand Ideas You Need To Know About Right Now”), Adweek (“Ad Of The Day”), Campaign, (“Ad Of The Week”), Little Black Book (“Work Of The Week”), Lürzer's Archive (“Work Of The Week”), Shots Magazine, Shoot Online, and 100+ publications across Europe.
Awards:
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Film & Video - Low Budget - National Network Of Abortion Funds “Eff-Urself”
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Design - Promotional - Physical Items - National Network Of Abortion Funds “Eff-Urself”
VIMEO - STAFF PICK - “Eff-Urself”
D&AD - WOOD PENCIL - Film - Tactical - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews”
NEW YORK FESTIVALS - GOLD - Best Use Of Work With Purpose - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews”
CLIO AWARDS - BRONZE - Direct - Social Media - Public Service - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews”
D&AD - SHORTLIST - Film - Social Commercial Campaigns - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews”
GERETY AWARDS - SHORTLIST - Communication Cut - Integrated - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews”
VIMEO - STAFF PICK - “The Reveal”
VIMEO - STAFF PICK - BEST OF THE MONTH - “The Reveal”
CLIO SPORTS - BRONZE - Film Craft - Copywriting - Product/Service - Roxy “Welcome To The New Cute”
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Film (Under 50k Budget) - Moving Image Craft - Writing - Roxy “Welcome To The New Cute”
ANDY AWARDS - GOLD - Craft - Longchamp “Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S’Éveille”
CLIO AWARDS - BRONZE - Film Craft - Longchamp “Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S’Éveille”
SHOTS AWARDS - AD OF THE YEAR - Bronze In Direction - Longchamp “Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S’Éveille”
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Brand Entertainment - Longchamp “Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S’Éveille”
CLIO AWARDS - BRONZE - Writing For Design - JCDecaux “We Keep Going”
ADWEEK OUT-OF-HOME IMPACT AWARDS - HONOREE - Best Copywriting - JCDecaux “We Keep Going”
CHIP SHOP AWARDS - COVID RECOVERY CAMPAIGN - JCDecaux “We Keep Going”
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Print - JCDecaux “We Keep Going”
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Design - JCDecaux “We Keep Going”
CLIO ENTERTAINMENT - SILVER - Home Entertainment: Audio/Visual - Spot - Peacock “Peacock How You Wanna”
CLIO ENTERTAINMENT - SILVER - Television/Streaming: Special Shoot Spot/Promo - Channel / Network Branding - Peacock “Peacock How You Wanna”
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Film (Online Films & Video) – Short Form – Series - Longchamp “It is not a bag. It is Le Pliage.”
WEBBY AWARDS - HONOREE - Social - Fashion & Beauty (Series & Campaigns) - Longchamp “It is not a bag. It is Le Pliage.”
NEW YORK FESTIVALS - BRONZE - Financial / Consumer Insurance – Ladder Life Insurance “So Good”
CHIP SHOP AWARDS - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AWARD - Ladder Life Insurance “So Good”
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Moving Image Craft - Writing – Ladder Life Insurance “So Good”
WEBBY AWARDS - HONOREE - Experimental & Weird - Webtoon “Stories To Obsess Over”
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Brand Entertainment - Webtoon “Stories To Obsess Over”
WEBBY AWARDS - HONOREE - Best Influencer Endorsement - HP “The Most Fabulous Unboxing”
NEW YORK FESTIVALS - BRONZE - Best Use Of Work With Purpose - Fridays For Future “1%”
CHIP SHOP AWARDS - BEST AD FROM THE FUTURE - Fridays For Future “1%”
SHORTY AWARDS - WINNER - Best Overall Instagram Presence - Tillamook
SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - WINNER - Mobile Campaign - Tillamook "Fill the Plates"
SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - WINNER - On A Shoestring Budget - Tillamook "Fill The Plates"
SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - WINNER - Poverty and Hunger - Tillamook "Fill The Plates"
SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - WINNER - Food and Beverage - Tillamook "Fill The Plates"
SHORTY AWARDS - GOLD - Best Online Community - Tillamook "Fill The Plates"
SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - SILVER - Twitter Presence - Tillamook "Fill The Plates"
SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best Use of Twitter - Tillamook "Fill The Plates"
SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best Use of Emojis - Tillamook "Fill The Plates"
SHORTY AWARDS - BRONZE - Best Use of Short Form Video - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch
ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Real Time Response - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch
SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best in North America - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch
SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best Use of Humor - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch
SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best Use of Twitter Video - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch
D&AD - WOOD PENCIL - Airbnb "Make a Shelter a Home"
D&AD - WOOD PENCIL - Nationwide "Tellr"
NATIONAL ADDYS - GOLD - Post-it "JotSpot"
YOUNG GUNS INTERNATIONAL - SILVER - Post-it "JotSpot"
ATLANTA ADDYS - GOLD - Post-it "JotSpot"
DISTRICT 7 ADDYS - SILVER - Post-it "JotSpot"
RADIO MERCURY - FINALIST - 7-Eleven "Vampire" [Everything you need to get by]
Experience:
2022 - Present - Freelance Creative Director & Writer @ SuperBloom House, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Conscious Minds & more
2021 - 2022 - ACD @ Venables Bell & Partners
2019 - 2021 - Senior Writer @ FRED & FARID Los Angeles
2018 - 2019 - Senior Writer @ MullenLowe L.A.
2015 - 2018 - Writer @ 72andSunny LA
2013 - 2015 - Creative Circus
2012 - 2013 - Laird & Partners
2010 - 2012 - Grey New York
Class of 2010 - Syracuse University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications