Mike Silcher

Mike Silcher

Senior Graphic Designer | Brand & Campaign Design | Art Direction | Creative Leadership

msdesigns21@yahoo.com • 831-428-3192 • Santa Cruz, CA

Core Focus

Art Direction • Brand & Visual Identity • Campaign & Marketing Design • Integrated Campaigns • Product Storytelling • Creative Development • Design Systems • Go-to-Market Creative • Product Marketing • Photography Direction • Content Production • Trade Show & Packaging Design • Print & Digital Design • Asset Production • Creative Execution • Cross-Functional Collaboration

Software

Adobe Photoshop • Adobe Lightroom • Adobe Illustrator • Adobe InDesign • Adobe Acrobat

Expanding into Figma and Sketch

Professional Experience

Graphic Production Artist (Contract)

WPP Production — STUDIO A | Confidential Global Technology Client | Sunnyvale, CA

Apr 2025 – Mar 2026

Executed production systems supporting product releases across on-device, retail, digital, and international markets.

– Produced launch-ready on-device creative, digital assets, and retail deliverables supporting launches.

– Executed localization, content production, and asset optimization while maintaining strict brand and QA standards.

– Supported design systems and asset production across global markets with high accuracy.

– Partnered with art directors, producers, and cross-functional teams to deliver go-to-market creative.

– Improved workflow efficiency through stronger asset organization and production consistency.


Creative Director | Visual Designer

MS Designs (Independent) | Santa Cruz, CA

Apr 2023 – Mar 2025

Built brands for emerging businesses across consumer, retail, lifestyle, and specialty product categories.

– Led visual identity and brand development across logos, packaging, campaigns, print, and digital applications.

– Directed product photography, styling, and post-production to elevate product presentation.

– Built cohesive branding aligning messaging, typography, visuals, and photography across channels.

– Designed marketing collateral and digital assets tailored to audience and business goals.


Senior Graphic Designer

Bay Photo Lab — Sensaria | Scotts Valley, CA

Oct 2019 – Mar 2023

Led product storytelling, creative development, and brand execution for one of the leading professional photo labs in the U.S.

– Designed flagship trade show experiences for WPPI and Imaging USA, translating product stories into high-impact experiences.

– Built integrated product marketing across catalogs, campaigns, trade shows, online assets, and print collateral.

– Directed product presentation, photography refinement, and post-production across print categories.

- Designed immersive environments showcasing metal prints, albums, wall displays, and specialty products.

– Developed environmental graphics and marketing systems supporting launches and sales initiatives.


Senior Graphic Designer

O’Neill Wetsuits, LLC. | Santa Cruz, CA

Aug 2014 – Oct 2019

Led creative development and campaign execution across Surf, Wakeboarding, Stand Up Paddleboard, and UV Sun Protection categories, spanning Men’s, Women’s, and Youth product lines across seasonal launches.

– Built seasonal product narratives across catalogs, print and digital, athlete-driven work, and retail experiences.

– Directed product, lifestyle, and athlete photography from concept through final post-production.

– Led go-to-market creative across wetsuits, wake, sun protection, and performance categories, including accessories.

– Designed integrated campaign assets across packaging, retail graphics, event branding, print advertising, and digital marketing.

– Partnered with marketing, sales, athletes, and product teams across U.S. and European markets to shape product storytelling.

– Elevated imagery through retouching, color refinement, and high-impact visual presentation aligned with current trends.


Visual UI Designer (Contract)

Vertical Design, LLC — Client: Intuit | Oakland, CA

Feb 2009 – Jul 2009

– Designed mobile UI visuals from engineering wireframes and product requirements.

– Translated technical functionality into clean, user-focused interfaces.

– Collaborated with product and engineering teams to support mobile design systems.


Independent Design & Production

Selected Clients: West Marine, Nordic Naturals, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Motorola, Looker, Lens Fire Films, Stanford Research Park, West Peak Spirits, Screwball Industries, Drunken Preacher, and additional independent and agency clients.

1999 – 2014

Delivered creative, production, photography, and brand support across agency, in-house, and contract work.

– Supported product launches, campaigns, packaging, print, web, and marketing initiatives.

– Directed product styling, photography, and post-production across consumer and lifestyle brands.

– Built trusted client relationships through speed, precision, and consistent execution.

– Partnered with fast-paced creative teams requiring both conceptual thinking and production expertise.

Education

Certificate in Desktop Publishing & Multimedia

Cabrillo College | Aptos, CA

1996 – 1999