My name, Maya, comes from Mount Maya in Kobe, Japan.

The mountain is home to the "Ten-million-dollar Night View", and although my net worth hasn't quite reached ten million dollars yet, here's a little more about me so you can help achieve that goal and more. 

  • I’m a Japanese-American Associate Creative Director / Art Director

  • I was born in a slow beach town, was whipped into shape across the Pacific Ocean, learned that people actually say “Y’all” down south, and am now trying to catch subway trains that seldom come on time

  • Making Club Penguin music videos on Windows Movie Maker was the beginning of my creative career

  • I spent 5 years translating BTS’ Japanese content

  • The Purple and Yellow M&M’S signature is my handwriting

  • My great-great-grandfather invented furikake, a Japanese seasoning for rice, which means taste is ingrained in my blood

  • I try to convince myself that my cat views me as his equal, not a subordinate

  • I’m not one to decline generous donations to my retirement fund

If you'd like to talk about opportunities or want to get in touch, I'm just an email away 📬

Email: mayaiwata25@gmail.com | Phone: 512-294-0794 | LinkedIn

AWARDS

M&M’S Super Bowl (2023)

Gold: Cannes Lions – Creative Strategy, Food & Drink

Bronze: Cannes Lions – Creative Strategy, Brave Brands

Shortlist: Cannes Lions – Creative Strategy, Market Disruption

Shortlist: Cannes Lions – PR, Food & Drink

Shortlist: Cannes Lions – Brand Partnerships, Sponsorships & Collaborations

Silver Pencil: The One Show – Integrated, Integrated Campaign

Merit Award: The One Show – Experiential & Immersive, Craft, Storytelling

Bronze Pencil: The One Show – Cultural Driver, Popular Culture Impact

Shortlist: The One Show – Public Relations, Community Building

Shortlist: The One Show – Social Media, Stunts & Activations

Shortlist: The One Show – Social Media, Craft - Writing

Best in Show: The Caples Awards

Gold: The Caples Awards – Integrated Campaign

Gold: The Caples Awards – Radical New Strategy

Silver: The Caples Awards – PR

Shortlist: Campaign US BIG Awards – Integrated

Shortlist: Campaign US BIG Awards – Consumer Packaged Goods

Shortlist: Campaign US BIG Awards – Best Idea That Taps Into Culture

Silver: Cresta Awards – Influencer Campaigns

Silver: Cresta Awards – Social & Influencer, Influencer Campaigns

Bronze: Cresta Awards – Integrated Campaign

Bronze: Cresta Awards – Social & Influencer, Social Campaign

Shortlist: Cresta Awards – Social & Influencer, Innovative Use of Social Media

Bronze: London International Awards – Integration, Confections/Snacks

Finalist: London International Awards – Creativity In PR, Food and Beverage

Finalist: London International Awards – Use of Social Media & Influencers, Foods

Nominee: Webby Awards – Integrated Campaign

Nominee: Webby Awards – Best Use of Social Media

Honoree: Webby Awards – Brand Strategy

Winner: Effies – Snacks & Desserts

Winner: Effies – Timely Opportunity - Products

Snickerchief (2023)

Shortlist: The One Show – Social Media, Stunts & Activations

Silver: FAB Awards – Confectionery & Snacks, Guerrilla Marketing

Rescue Dogs Pay Their Own Way (2023)

Bronze: Cresta Awards – Creative Use of Data, Creative Technology


M&M’S Character Evolution / A New Day for the M&M'S Characters (2022)

Bronze: Effies – Snacks & Desserts

Bronze: Effies – Youth Marketing Products

The Academic ‘Not Your Summer’ (2022)

Gold: Epica – Branded Content, Music Videos

Silver: Clio Awards – Design Craft, Other 

Bronze: Clio Awards – Branded Entertainment & Content, Partnerships 

Bronze: Clio Awards – Branded Entertainment & Content, Music 

Bronze: Clio Awards – Design Craft, Image Creation 

Bronze: Clio Awards – Digital / Mobile & Social Media Craft, User Experience 

Bronze: Clio Awards – Digital / Mobile & Social Media Craft, Other  

Shortlist: Clio Awards – Audio Craft, Music

Bronze: Music Clio Awards – Digital Websites

Bronze: Music Clio Awards – Branded Entertainment

Winner: Webby Awards – Advertising, Media & PR, Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics

Gold: The One Show – Moving Image Craft, Innovation in Lockdown

Bronze: The One Show – Moving Image Craft, Innovation in Moving Image Craft

Silver: The One Show – Moving Image Craft, Use of Technology

Silver: The One Show – Interactive & Mobile Craft, Visual Craft, Animation

Bronze: The One Show – Interactive & Mobile Craft, Innovation

Winner: AICP Awards –  Digital Experience

M&M’S Messages (2021)

Bronze: Effies – Marketing Innovation Solutions

AAF ADDYs (2019-2020)

AAF District 10 ADDY Bronze (Television Advertising) – Waze (2020)

AAF Austin ADDY Gold (Television Advertising) – Waze (2020)

AAF Austin ADDY Gold (Print/Magazine Advertising) – Dave’s Killer Bread (2020)

AAF Austin ADDY Gold (Illustration) – Dave’s Killer Bread (2020)

AAF Austin ADDY Gold (Integrated Consumer Campaign) – Spirit Airlines (2020)

AAF Austin ADDY Silver (Print/Magazine Advertising) – Spirit Airlines (2020)

AAF Austin ADDY Silver (Art Direction) – Build-A-Bear Workshop (2020)

AAF Austin ADDY Silver (Print/Magazine Advertising) – Greyhound Bus (2019)

 

RECOGNITION

ADCOLOR® Future (2023)

Press: PR Newswire / Adweek / CBS / Yahoo Finance

1 of 30 (out of 399 applicants) chosen based on strong leadership potential, sustained involvement in reaching back, interest in partnering with leadership to drive change through DEI initiatives, and innovative thinking to solve today's problems. ADCOLOR® FUTURES is a unique program that is dedicated to identifying and nurturing the next generation of leaders in the advertising, marketing, media, and public relations industries.

Droga5's D5in10 Academy - Guest Panelist (2024)

Indiana University Bloomington - Guest Project Judge (2023)

University of Texas at Austin - Guest Portfolio Reviewer (2023)

NextGen Mentorship Program - Mentee (2023)

Creative LIAisons Program - Mentee (2023)

BBDO NY MVPV (Most Valuable People Values) Award (2021)

4A’s MAIP Fellow (2019)

experience

Amazon

Creative (07/2024 - Present)

BBDO New York

Associate Creative Director (02/2024 - 07/2024)

Senior Art Director (05/2022 - 02/2024)

Art Director (04/2021 - 05/2022)

Junior Art Director (02/2020 - 04/2021)

Art Direction Intern (06/2019 - 08/2019)

Brands

Mars Chocolate (M&M’S, Snickers)

Mars Petcare (Pedigree)

Dunkin’

Dos XX

Degree

Neutrogena

Meta

Penguin Random House

Lay’s