Hilary Smith is a writer, creative director, and film director who specializes in making ads, narrative films, and ads that feel like narrative films.
Trained by over 15 years of building global brands, Hilary’s ideas are strategically led, concept driven, and defined by an irreverent style that cuts through the noise, touching people on a deeply human level - sometimes through comedy, other times through emotion. Hilary considers herself ‘a creative partner for brave brands.’
Her campaigns have been globally recognized by D&AD, Clio Awards, The One Show, ANDY Awards and more. She co-made the comedy sketch “The Reveal” which currently has 16.7 million views and counting. She co-wrote the Instagram ad “Brielle & Liam” which went viral on social, sparking conversation amongst moms all over the world.
Hilary has worked across fashion, beauty, tech, entertainment, sports, and food. Some of her clients include: Meta, Hewlett-Packard, NBC’s Peacock, Amazon, Whole Foods Market, Dropbox, Starbucks, Longchamp, Kate Spade, Lane Bryant, Jimmy Choo, and the City Of LA.
Rather than compartmentalizing the process of campaign creation, she offers a ‘soup to nuts’ approach, handling everything from crafting creative strategies, to writing campaigns, to directing them too. This cohesive framework enables her to view a brand’s body of work from a higher level perspective in order to shape a clear, consistent tone and streamlined production from start to finish where all team members are on the same page.
Beyond her collaborations with agencies and brands, she’s often recruited by fellow directors on the industry’s top rosters to concept ideas, punch up scripts, and help win bids for seven-figure productions.
thehilarysmith@gmail.com
Media Shouts:
Ad Age (“Editor’s Pick” x 4 times, ”Creativity Pick,” #1 in “The Top 5 Creative Brand Ideas You Need To Know About Right Now”) | Adweek (“Ad Of The Day”) | Campaign, (“Ad Of The Week”) | Little Black Book (“Work Of The Week”) | Lürzer's Archive (“Work Of The Week”) | Shots Magazine | Shoot Online | and 100+ publications across Europe & US.
Awards:
THE ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Film & Video - Low Budget - National Network Of Abortion Funds “Eff-Urself” | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Design - Promotional - Physical Items - National Network Of Abortion Funds “Eff-Urself” | VIMEO - STAFF PICK - “Eff-Urself” | D&AD - WOOD PENCIL - Film - Tactical - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews” | NEW YORK FESTIVALS - GOLD - Best Use Of Work With Purpose - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews” | CLIO AWARDS - BRONZE - Direct - Social Media - Public Service - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews” | D&AD - SHORTLIST - Film - Social Commercial Campaigns - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews” | GERETY AWARDS - SHORTLIST - Communication Cut - Integrated - Concern Worldwide “#UnfortunatelyFakeNews” | VIMEO - STAFF PICK - “The Reveal” | VIMEO - STAFF PICK - BEST OF THE MONTH - “The Reveal” | CLIO SPORTS - BRONZE - Film Craft - Copywriting - Product/Service - Roxy “Welcome To The New Cute” | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Film (Under 50k Budget) - Moving Image Craft - Writing - Roxy “Welcome To The New Cute” | ANDY AWARDS - GOLD - Craft - Longchamp “Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S’Éveille” | CLIO AWARDS - BRONZE - Film Craft - Longchamp “Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S’Éveille” | SHOTS AWARDS - AD OF THE YEAR - Bronze In Direction - Longchamp “Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S’Éveille” | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Brand Entertainment - Longchamp “Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S’Éveille” | CLIO AWARDS - BRONZE - Writing For Design - JCDecaux “We Keep Going” | ADWEEK OUT-OF-HOME IMPACT AWARDS - HONOREE - Best Copywriting - JCDecaux “We Keep Going” | CHIP SHOP AWARDS - COVID RECOVERY CAMPAIGN - JCDecaux “We Keep Going” | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Print - JCDecaux “We Keep Going” | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Design - JCDecaux “We Keep Going” | CLIO ENTERTAINMENT - SILVER - Home Entertainment: Audio/Visual - Spot - Peacock “Peacock How You Wanna” | CLIO ENTERTAINMENT - SILVER - Television/Streaming: Special Shoot Spot/Promo - Channel / Network Branding - Peacock “Peacock How You Wanna” | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Film (Online Films & Video) – Short Form – Series - Longchamp “It is not a bag. It is Le Pliage.” | WEBBY AWARDS - HONOREE - Social - Fashion & Beauty (Series & Campaigns) - Longchamp “It is not a bag. It is Le Pliage.” | NEW YORK FESTIVALS - BRONZE - Financial / Consumer Insurance – Ladder Life Insurance “So Good” | CHIP SHOP AWARDS - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AWARD - Ladder Life Insurance “So Good” | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Moving Image Craft - Writing – Ladder Life Insurance “So Good” | WEBBY AWARDS - HONOREE - Experimental & Weird - Webtoon “Stories To Obsess Over” | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Brand Entertainment - Webtoon “Stories To Obsess Over” | WEBBY AWARDS - HONOREE - Best Influencer Endorsement - HP “The Most Fabulous Unboxing” | NEW YORK FESTIVALS - BRONZE - Best Use Of Work With Purpose - Fridays For Future “1%” | CHIP SHOP AWARDS - BEST AD FROM THE FUTURE - Fridays For Future “1%” | SHORTY AWARDS - WINNER - Best Overall Instagram Presence - Tillamook | SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - WINNER - Mobile Campaign - Tillamook "Fill the Plates" | SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - WINNER - On A Shoestring Budget - Tillamook "Fill The Plates" | SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - WINNER - Poverty and Hunger - Tillamook "Fill The Plates" | SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - WINNER - Food and Beverage - Tillamook "Fill The Plates" | SHORTY AWARDS - GOLD - Best Online Community - Tillamook "Fill The Plates" | SHORTY GOOD AWARDS - SILVER - Twitter Presence - Tillamook "Fill The Plates" | SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best Use of Twitter - Tillamook "Fill The Plates" | SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best Use of Emojis - Tillamook "Fill The Plates" | SHORTY AWARDS - BRONZE - Best Use of Short Form Video - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch | ONE SHOW - SHORTLIST - Real Time Response - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch | SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best in North America - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch | SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best Use of Humor - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch | SHORTY AWARDS - FINALIST - Best Use of Twitter Video - Tillamook "Goodbye, Hello" Social Launch | D&AD - WOOD PENCIL - Airbnb "Make a Shelter a Home" | D&AD - WOOD PENCIL - Nationwide "Tellr" | NATIONAL ADDYS - GOLD - Post-it "JotSpot" | YOUNG GUNS INTERNATIONAL - SILVER - Post-it "JotSpot" | ATLANTA ADDYS - GOLD - Post-it "JotSpot" | DISTRICT 7 ADDYS - SILVER - Post-it "JotSpot" | RADIO MERCURY - FINALIST - 7-Eleven "Vampire" [Everything you need to get by]
Experience:
2022-Present - Freelance Writer, Creative Director & Film Director
2021-2022 - ACD @ Venables Bell & Partners
2019-2021 - Senior Writer & Creative @ FRED & FARID Los Angeles
2018-2019 - Senior Writer & Creative @ MullenLowe L.A.
2015-2018 - Writer & Creative @ 72andSunny LA
2013-2015 - Creative Circus
2012-2013 - Laird & Partners
2010-2012 - Grey New York
Class of 2010 - Syracuse University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications