Julia Shao is a creative director and designer. She is currently VP, Creative at Topicals. Formerly, she was the founding designer at Studs and e-commerce manager at Sandy Liang.
More info here.
Slick Salve Papaya Campaign Launch Role: Creative direction across all campaign assets, packaging and seeding designs, influencer launch event, Sephora in-store design and retail events Creative Concept: The first of many Slick Salve series rooted in culture, connecting lip shades to distinct places, countries, people. Papaya was inspired by the girls in the Asian diaspora.
Slather Bar Campaign LaunchRole: Led creative direction across all campaign assets and Sephora in-store and multi-city events, designed packaging, influencer seeding kits, and OOH. Creative Concept: Tough on the court. Smooth on skin. Inspired by 90s Nike ads and featured Jarred Vanderbilt and Lexie Brown.
Faded By Any MeansRole: Led campaign creative direction, OOH, packaging and influencer seeding kits, Sephora in-store designsCreative Concept: A Belly-inspired campaign borrowing Hype Williams’ saturated colors, stark contrast, and hypnotic pacing. Faded By Any Means reimagines skincare through a gritty cinematic lens, playing on a double entendre of “faded” from the colloquial slang and the serum’s benefit of fading hyperpigmentation.
Clearly HotlineRole: Sourced and directed type designer to develop the Clearly logo, led creative direction for all campaign assets, Sephora in-store designs, OOH in LA / NYC / London Creative Concept: The Clearly Hotline, here for all your breakups, breakouts, and breakdowns. This campaign positions Topicals as the go-to for acne care solutions.
Faded Eye Cognac Campaign Launch Role: Led creative for a 4-part campaign production, treating each talent as a hero for their own vignette. Designed a new colorway of Faded Eye, OOH, influencer seeding mailer. Creative Concept: Hometown heroes shoot featuring Gio, Krept, Sadboi, and Hugo Mendoza.
Faded Bar Campaign LaunchRole: Creative direction across video campaign shoot, OOH, packaging, merch, and influencer seeding mailers, Sephora in-store designs Creative Concept: Faded Car Wash is one of the many environments Topicals takes skincare out of the bathroom and into non-traditional settings. Featuring Flo Milli and Sukiibaby.
Stop Staring At My Zits Role: Led design and direction for all campaign creative, merch, OOH, community event (600+ attendees) Creative Concept: Tee design collaboration with Meji Meji, with a play on words. This campaign shoot was inspired by 2010 paparazzi images.
Slick Salve Campaign Launch Role: Creative direction across video campaign shoot, OOH, packaging, merch, and influencer seeding mailers, Sephora in-store designs Creative Concept: Inspired by heist movies, this campaign follows a group looking to steal Slick Salve from the Topicals vaults. Featuring Rico Nasty, Ian Isiah, and more.
Signed, Sealed, DeliveredRole: Led creative direction for all campaign assets, an original score, OOH, packaging and influencer seeding kits Creative Concept: This campaign was in collaboration with Tia Adeola and inspired by period pieces.
La La Anthony PartnershipRole: Led creative direction for the partnership with La La Anthony, OOH design Creative Concept: Sticking true to La La’s roots in NYC. Shot in her hometown in BK, with a billboard to match.
Teyana Taylor PartnershipRole: Collaborated with Teyana Taylor on her creative direction for this partnership, designed OOH in NYC Creative Concept: Sticking to Teyana’s personal brand, we kept her greys and reds to continue her story as a rose in Harlem.
Selected Earlier Works
Founding Graphic DesignerRole: Shaped the brand’s early creative foundation and evolved the early brand identity into a scalable system for all retail stores across the US, online and social, merch, packaging, and OOH.
E-Commerce ManagerRole: Launched Sandy Liang’s first ever e-commerce site and built the foundation for its DTC presence. Managed all digital platforms from web to fulfillment to customer service. Designed collection prints and sketched flats. Produced and shot seasonal campaigns, designed digital assets, and managed the brand’s social calendar and retail popups.
Brand IdentityRole: Created a new brand identity with a new brand logo, product/franchise logos, color, type, illustration system. Designed new secondary packaging.
Thank you.