James Outlaw III - Creative Strategist
I have spent two decades connecting brands and consumer products to relevant culture verticals, building brand relevance, awareness and advocacy.
I was an early cultural partner for Toyota’s launch of Scion which moved me from underground music tastemaker into the world of brand marketing and communications.
With a background rooted in music, subcultures, and early digital experimentation, I’ve worked across a wide arc of disciplines — from creative direction and team leadership to tech development and large-scale experiential — shaping campaigns from the first brief to the final outcome.
Today, I focus on mission-aligned organizations and consumer-facing brands — from automotive to health, travel to tech — where shared values and cultural clarity can turn relevance into results.
I help brands grow by making them culturally fluent, emotionally resonant, and strategically clear. My work lives at the intersection of narrative, community, and consumer strategy — whether I’m repositioning a nonprofit to thrive in the real estate and design ecosystem, or guiding a CPG brand from pitch deck to national launch.
At the heart of my process is an ability to synthesize a brand’s purpose with the lived realities of its audience. I map culture, not as trend, but as connective tissue — and help organizations grow by leveraging this innate connectivity, pushing powerful messages in to the hard to reach corners of consumer/brand ecosystems.
I co-lead NGNM, an art and technology creative studio with my professional partner Greg Ipp, a veteran Creative Technologist. Founded on a collaborative philosophy, we work with an extensive network of thought leaders, creatives, influencers and executors based in LA and NYC (my two homes) as well as Chicago, Paris, Amsterdam, London and Mexico. - See more on NGNM
I am obsessed with vintage automobiles and, in addition to my brand work, I still find satisfaction in music and arts, making time in my schedule to manage artists and occasionally perform under the moniker DJ RaQuel of gem1n1seven.
/w=3840,quality=90,fit=scale-down)
Here are some key examples that show how my mind works:
KLM Helpfulness Pop Up
User journey strategy for KLM retail pop up activation in SF. Designed and built user engagement measurement tool. Conceived non traditional outdoor activations as it is very difficult to do outdoor in SF that isn't already permitted. Winner of ExMarketer award for best retail activation - Case Study (NGNM)
Our Incredible Mission
Conceived and executed a six month campaign built to raise morale and community brand visibility for Centura Health, a medical network serving Colorado and Western Kansas. Our Incredible Mission utilized a deep understanding of social media ad algorithms and human storytelling to drive a 700k% increase in brand engagement, all while creating a well of content that the organization could use over the coming years - Case Study (NGNM)
Minor Figures
Was asked by collaborative partner agency A Little Bird to develop a strategic approach to getting the most out of a music festival product sampling activation. Calling on my dance music network, I reached out to one of the most influential party photographers of our generation and built a content and influencer approach that drove exponential impact - Case Study (NGNM)
G-Tech Skate Team
Western Digital enlisted me to align their brand with a relevant cultural vertical. Surfacing skate content as one of the most prolific digital media verticals, I built a program that highlighted product features (speed, durability, reliability) paralleling them to content creator personality traits - Case Study (NGNM)
Prada Raw Avenue
Digital event to launch Prada Raw eyewear collection driving social visibility and digital press. Helped develop concept with April Milano, Prada's main creative agency. I researched and targeted influential illustrators to work with. I also oversaw digital development of the mobile web app - Case Study (Acne)