Jimmy Nichols

Since Jimmy joined GDC five years ago, he has demonstrated his unique artistic style and creativity on a number of GDC’s accounts. Additionally, Jimmy has a great deal of production experience, having led the effort to version creative for Sprint/Nextel for over 200 markets across all media including OOH, print and radio.Jimmy has beenin the business for 10 + years, and his other account experience includes SAWS, H-E-B Grocery Company, the DallasMarket Center, Methodist Hospital System, Baptist Hospital System, Time Warner Cable and P&G.

The father of a son and twin daughters, Jimmy brings as much passion to his clients’ projects as he does to his family life.

10 Questions with Jimmy

You’re an art director. What the heck does that mean?
I make things happen (like a boss!). I create and execute the look and feel of layouts for print projects including catalogs, brochures, mailers and other promotions. I participate in internal and cross-functional brainstorm sessions. I partner up with copywriters to make sure my design concepts mirror the copy and delivery desired. I prepare files for release and processing to printers. I am also responsible for concepting and design of websites, banner ads, and other interactive media. It’s really cool because I get to work collaboratively with our creative director, copywriters, programmer, and account teams to create a great product.

How do you keep up on the latest design trends?
I browse design blogs, read books and watch TV. I just look at life like it’s a movie, and I suck it up like a sponge.

What has design taught you?
To pay attention to the details.

What are your strengths via StrengthsFinder 2.0?
Adaptability, woo, restorative, harmony, achiever.

Any hidden talents?
I can make people laugh. I have tons of great stories to share and always like putting my special twist on them.

You’re a father of three and still skateboarding. How does that happen?
I keep myself healthy and hang onto that little kid inside.

Tell us your best skateboarding story.
There are so many. The most vivid is skateboarding on the eastside in a ditch with another skater and having a group of gang members chase us for two to three blocks until they were so tired of running they stopped the chase. I never felt so scared and excited at the same time.

What’s your favorite medium to work in?
Right now I would say I am super excited learning about building websites. So I guess it would be digital art and creating that art through the process of coding.

And your creative process?
I research, research, research. I take time to process that research, then jump right into the project and begin working.

What’s the secret to your success on the agency pool table?
I have played pool on and off since the age of 14. More importantly, if you take a look at the competition, you wouldn’t ask.

Really bored? Check out Jimmy's dance video.