Hello!
I’m James Phillips — a Texan turned Chicagoan turned New Yorker, child of the ’80s, lover of neon, vinyl, and VHS box art — and I’ve probably seen more horror movies than you’ve even heard of.
I am a Global Executive Creative Director at VML and an award-winning creative leader working in advertising and commerce since 2005. I have experience across many brands and categories with a focus on CPG and have lead agency creative teams locally, nationally and globally. I’ve worked across some of the biggest holding companies and brand names including P&G, General Mills, Unilever, ABInBev, Mars-Wrigley, Pepsico, and Colgate-Palmolive.
My work has received many accolades through the years including Cannes Lions, LIAs, Clio Awards, D&AD, One Show, The Drum Awards, the North American Effies and Reggies plus many others.
I’m an LGBTQ+ ERG leader within WPP. I also teach on occasion as an adjunct professor in the Marketing & Advertising Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
AWARDS
2026
2026 Clio Awards / Gold - Creative Commerce
2026 Clio Awards / Gold - Digital/Mobile
2026 Clio Awards / Gold - Media
2026 Clio Awards / Silver - Creative Commerce
2026 Clio Awards / Silver - Creative Disruption
2026 Clio Awards / Bronze - Creative Effectiveness
2026 Clio Awards / Bronze - Creative Use of Data
2026Clio Awards / Bronze - Digital/Mobile
2026 Clio Awards / Bronze - Direct (Digital/Mobile)
2026 Clio Awards / Bronze - Direct (Experience/Activation)
2026 Clio Awards / Bronze - Experience/Activation
2025
2025 Cannes Lions / Grand Prix - Creative Commerce
2025 Cannes Lions / Gold - Direct
2025 Cannes Lions / Silver - Direct
2025 Cannes Lions / Silver - Media
2025 Cannes Lions / Bronze - Direct
2025 Cannes Lions / Bronze - B2B
2025 Cannes Lions / Bronze - Creative Commerce
2025 London International Awards / Gold - Digital
2025 London International Awards / Silver - Use of Data
2025 London International Awards / Bronze- Digital
2025 London International Awards / Bronze - Evolution
2025 The Drum / Gold - Digital Experience
2025 New York Festivals AME / Silver - Promotions
2025 New York Festivals AME / Silver - Products & Services
2025 New York Festivals AME / Bronze - Media Partnerships
2025 New York Festivals / Silver - Promotional Items / Commerce
2025 New York Festivals / Bronze - Promotional Items / Design
2025 Clio Awards, / Silver - Branded Entertainment & Content
2025 Clio Awards, / Bronze- Creative Commerce (Partnerships/Co-Creation)
2025 Clio Awards, / Bronze- Creative Commerce (Sustainable Content)
2025 One Show / x3 Merits
2025 NA Effies / Bronze - Digital Commerce
2025 P2PI Omnishopper Awards / Winner - Digital Media Activation
2024
2024 Cannes Lions / Silver - Brand Activation
2024 Clio Awards / Bronze - Social Media
2024 Clio Awards / Bronze - Direct
2024 D&AD / Shortlist
2024 ANA Reggie’s / Gold - Digital, Social
2024 ANA Reggie’s / Bronze - Small Budget
2024 ANA Reggie’s / Silver - XR and Extended Reality
2024 NA Effie Awards / Bronze- Commerce & Shopper Single Retailer/Mass
2024 NA Effie Awards / Bronze- Commerce & Shopper Single Retailer/Mass
2024 NA Effie Awards / Bronze- Commerce & Shopper Omni-Channel
2024 NA Effie Awards / Finalist- Commerce & Shopper Multi-brand
2024 NA Effie Awards / Bronze- Commerce & Shopper Retail Media
2024 NA Effie Awards / Finalist- Commerce & Shopper Retail Media
2024 Drum Awards / x2 Shortlist
2024 Adweek XP Awards - Best Mobile
2024 Amazon Ads Partner Awards / Bronze - Creative Brand Building
2024 Campaign US BIg Award / Shortlist
2024 P2PI Omnishopper Awards / Winner - Digital Media Activation
2015-2023
2023 P2PI Omnishopper Awards / Winner- Retail D2C
2022 P2Pi Omnishopper Awards / Winner- Digital Mobile Activation
2022 P2Pi Omnishopper Awards / Winner- P2P & Social Media
2022 P2Pi Omnishopper Awards / Winner- Integrated P2P
2020 NA Effies / Finalist– Commerce & Shopper Value Channel
2019 NA Effies / Grand Effie Finalist- Commerce & Shopper Single Retailer
2019 NA Effies / Gold - Commerce & Shopper Single Retailer
2017 NA Effies / Bronze - Commerce & Shopper Seasonal / Event Marketing
2017 NA Effies / Finalist - Commerce & Shopper Multi-Retailer Program
2017 NA Effies / Finalist - Commerce & Shopper Multi-Retailer Program
2016 NA Effies / Grand Effie Finalist - Commerce & Shopper Single Retailer
2016 NA Effies / Gold - Commerce & Shopper Single Retailer
2016 NA Effies / Silver- Commerce & Shopper Multi-Retailer