The first child of Chinese immigrants living in Columbus, Ohio, John C Jay has been called a living legend and a creative mastermind. He has changed how brands immerse themselves in the culture of their communities, and his work has influenced design standards for a generation.
His first break came in 1980 in the menswear and home-furnishing departments of Bloomingdale’s in New York, which he landed despite having no experience in retail, fashion, advertising or marketing. He won them over with his passion, and during his 12 years there he climbed to executive vice president, director of marketing and creative services.
In 1993 he joined Wieden+Kennedy, the iconic ad agency, where he became Global Creative Director, led game-changing campaigns for Nike and established satellite offices in Tokyo, Shanghai and Delhi. John is now President of Global Creative at Fast Retailing, which owns Uniqlo, Theory, Helmut Lang among others.
John has been inducted into the Art Director’s Club Hall of Fame, was included in Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in 2011, and has spoken extensively about creativity. He has also been selected in the 50 Most Influential Art Directors of the Past 50 Years by the readers of Graphic Design USA, and is the founder of the Jay Scholarship Fund at Ohio State University to encourage students of Asian descent to pursue careers in the arts.