About

ABOUT ME.

* US Citizen with Canadian Permanent Resident status *

I didn’t know that there was such a thing as a ‘Creative Director’ until I was in college. There aren’t many CD’s in Mandan, ND where I was born and raised.

I originally went to school to become a Paleontologist (because who doesn’t want to dig up dinosaur bones and piece them together like a giant Lego set?) but quickly reconsidered the major once I realized how many science and math classes were involved. Aside from dinosaurs, art has been another life long love of mine and once I discovered I could actually make a living with my creative skills, the decision to explore advertising was made. But because I always kinda want to challenge myself and try things a different way, I created my own major that combined the Advertising courses with Design and Studio Art.

My 20-year career has brought me from Minneapolis (Target in-house) to Denver (Factory Design Labs, Crispin Porter + Bogusky) to New York City (Saatchi + Saatchi, Grey, Story Worldwide, Big Spaceship & others), to Chicago (Beam Suntory in-house) now to Toronto and all around the world for shoots, events & immersions. I've led large national & global accounts & projects for brands like Maker’s Mark, Samsung, Miller Lite, The North Face, Head & Shoulders, Advil, Fruitsnacks & Trident just to name a few.

I’ve developed consumer experiences, branded campaigns & content in different forms ranging from large television productions with top celebrities, athletes & style teams to animation projects & socially integrated, quick-turnaround social content. I find just as much enjoyment in taking a nugget of an idea and blowing it out into an omnichannel program as I do designing the hell out of something and spending the time it takes to craft each tiny detail to perfection.

To keep my knives sharp, I moonlight on a variety of other creative projects. From co-founding and developing a women’s swimwear brand to launching a collection-based lifestyle brand for kids & grown-ups, I am always up for a challenge that pushes me outside of my comfort zone and forces me to think innovatively to solve problems with a creative mindset.

Always open to new opportunities as well as new collaborators. Drop a note to kybernhardt@gmail.com

If you are here for recruiting purposes, please also check out some great talent at People of Craft, Hire Black Creatives & Blacks Who Design.

Thanks for stopping by.

• Maker’s Mark

• Samsung

• The North Face

• Target

• Miller Lite

• Advil

• General Mills

• Head & Shoulders

• Hornitos Tequila

• Canadian Club
  Whisky

• Jim Beam

• Trident

• American Express

• Crown Royal

• Rawlings Baseball

• Revo

• Winter Park

• Scarpa

• Gregory Packs

• Pinnacle Vodka