SOCIAL DESIGN LEAD & COVERAGE

As part of Complex’s digital media strategy, social lead designs play a critical role in drawing users into articles, video content, and breaking news stories. These visuals appear across platforms like Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube thumbnails, and on-site editorial placements, acting as the first impression that determines whether a user stops scrolling.

This ongoing body of work reflects my ability to distill complex cultural topics into bold, instantly recognizable graphics that resonate with diverse audiences.

My Role

In my role as Senior Designer/Animator, I:

Conceptualized and executed lead visuals for trending topics, original series, and breaking culture news
Designed motion and static assets tailored to platform-specific dimensions and user behavior
Collaborated directly with social editors, writers, and producers to align visuals with editorial tone and urgency
Created rapid-turnaround graphics, often within tight daily deadlines

Design Approach & Tools

Each design started with a content brief or headline—sometimes as little as “Beyoncé's new tour outfits.” From there, I translated the narrative into a striking visual moment.

Tools & strategies:

Photoshop and Illustrator: For compositing, retouching, and custom typography
After Effects: For animating social leads into motion-friendly assets (e.g., reels, animated teasers, swipe-ups)
Visual tactics: Strong focal point hierarchy, bold typographic treatments, and saturation-driven color palettes
I followed platform-specific guidance (e.g., 4:5 for IG feed, 1:1 thumbnails, 16:9 Reels/YT) to maximize visibility

Challenges & Solutions

Social leads require speed, clarity, and punch. Challenges included:

Hyper-tight timelines (same-day or same-hour turnaround)
Maintaining brand cohesion while adapting visuals to fit a broad range of content (music, sports, news, fashion)
Balancing editorial seriousness with creative flair, especially on sensitive cultural stories

To solve this:

I built a template system with flexible layouts for different story types (listicles, exclusives, series launches)
Created a personal visual shorthand library of type styles, color systems, and overlay effects to streamline ideation
Maintained close feedback loops with editorial leads to ensure tone alignment before publishing

Impact & Results

My social lead designs consistently drove above-average click-through and engagement rates, with several examples being top performers in Complex’s digital strategy:

Increased visibility for new series launches (e.g., “Sneaker Shopping” promos, special episodes)
Frequently reshared by featured artists and athletes
Contributed to Complex’s cohesive brand look across feeds—one that is recognizable, bold, and always culturally tuned-in

ART DIRECTION - OSCAR COVERAGE

Social Lead Design