In 2017, I founded Ben Badgett Creative with a simple goal: build a nimble creative studio capable of delivering agency-quality work for some of the entertainment industry's biggest brands.
Since then, the studio has partnered with marketing agencies, film studios, game publishers, and consumer product companies to create interactive experiences, digital campaigns, animation, UX, and branded content for franchises including Marvel, Ghostbusters, Dune, Spider-Man, Godzilla x Kong, Wheel of Fortune, LEGO, and Project Hail Mary.
Unlike a traditional agency, the studio was intentionally designed to scale quickly around each project's unique needs. Depending on the engagement, I served as Creative Director, strategist, production lead, UX designer, art director, or hands-on contributor—assembling teams, defining creative vision, and ensuring every project shipped on time without compromising quality.
The Challenge
Entertainment marketing has become dramatically more complex.
Campaigns launch simultaneously across social media, streaming platforms, mobile devices, interactive experiences, and emerging technologies. Production schedules are compressed, expectations continue to rise, and theatrical release dates rarely move.
Clients needed a creative partner who could move quickly, understand complex entertainment brands, and bridge strategy, design, animation, and technology without the overhead of a large agency.
My Role
Founder / Creative Director
I built and continue to lead every aspect of the studio, including:
- Creative strategy, concept development and pitch deck production
- Client relationships
- Art direction, UX architecture, pipeline design
- Production leadership & vendor management
- Interactive product development
- Quality assurance
- Business operations
Every engagement begins by understanding the client's business objectives, then assembling the right combination of creative talent, technology, and production workflows to achieve them.
Select Initiatives
Launching Interactive Campaigns for Major Film Releases
Working alongside leading entertainment marketing agencies, the studio has delivered more than 50 interactive promotional experiences supporting theatrical releases.
These projects combined game design, animation, UX, and web technologies to create engaging experiences that extended each film's marketing campaign beyond traditional advertising.
Because theatrical launch windows are fixed, every project required precise planning, rapid iteration, and flawless execution.
Across dozens of launches, the studio maintained a 100% on-time delivery record.
Reimagining Social Content at Scale
Entertainment marketing increasingly demands high volumes of platform-specific content.
For Sony Pictures and agency partners, I directed the creation of more than 200 animated social stickers supporting major film releases including Spider-Man, Dune: Part Two, Ghostbusters, Project Hail Mary, and Godzilla x Kong.
Individual assets generated as many as 89 million views, demonstrating how thoughtful creative execution can extend audience engagement far beyond the initial campaign launch.
Designing Connected Product Experiences
Not every project centered on entertainment marketing.
For Spin Master, I designed the UX ecosystem for Meccanoid, connecting physical robotics with companion digital experiences.
For Wheel of Fortune, I designed the official Alexa experience, translating a familiar television format into a voice-first interaction model.
These projects required balancing usability, technical constraints, and brand expectations across entirely different platforms while keeping the user experience intuitive and engaging.
Scaling Creative Production
One of the most rewarding engagements involved helping iDriveSafely dramatically increase animation output.
After evaluating the existing workflow, I redesigned the production pipeline, established clearer creative standards, and directed an offshore animation team. Within three months, production capacity increased by 10×, allowing the organization to deliver significantly more content without sacrificing quality.
While the assignment focused on animation, the real achievement was operational: improving the systems that enabled the team to perform at a higher level.
Executive Takeaway
Leading an independent creative studio has reinforced my belief that creative leadership is fundamentally about reducing complexity.
Clients don't hire a Creative Director simply to generate ideas—they hire someone who can bring clarity to ambiguity, align multidisciplinary teams around a shared vision, adapt to changing constraints, and deliver exceptional work without drama.
Whether the project is a theatrical marketing campaign, an interactive product, or a new digital platform, my role is the same: create an environment where talented people can do their best work while clients feel confident that every detail is under control.
