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Colleen
O'Toole

about me

Since starting my career on Airbnb’s Plus photo team, where I helped shape the brand’s global visual identity, I’ve built over a decade of experience as an Art Director and Creative Lead. I’ve led photo, video, and content campaigns for consumer tech and lifestyle brands, taking work from concept through production and delivery. My approach blends creative direction with hands-on execution, focusing on building visuals that are cohesive, scalable, and aligned with brand identity while driving measurable results.

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Highlights of my career include:

  • Built Hover’s influencer marketing program from the ground up, driving a 595% follower increase, a 4,850% traffic spike, and 83% user conversions at launch.

  • Partnered with brands including Airbnb, Brooklinen, Ruggable, Piglet in Bed, and The Sill to create content that increased bookings, engagement, and brand awareness.

  •  Grew my own TikTok audience to 15.9K+, leading to brand collaborations and paid campaigns.

  • Featured for interior design and photography in Apartment Therapy, a Webby Award–winning platform with 22M+ readers.
    Directed visual branding for James Beard Semifinalist Chef Carrie Baird’s Denver restaurant.

Current Work Experience

October 2023 - October 2025

Art Director, Photo & Video

Hover

  • Built and led Hover’s influencer marketing program, driving 595% follower growth, 4,850% increase in landing-page traffic, and 83% conversion to active accounts at launch.

  • Directed end-to-end production of photo, video, and social-first creative across organic social, paid campaigns, landing pages, and product launches.

  • Led AI-driven interior and exterior asset creation, establishing scalable systems that reduced design debt and improved creative output.

  • Art directed and produced video-first GTM campaigns, increasing engagement by 30% during the Homeowner product launch.

  • Shot, directed, and edited a real customer brand story, delivering a high-performing flagship video used across social and marketing.

  • Built and standardized media libraries, templates, and workflows, reducing turnaround time by 25%.

  • Directed and produced 100+ employee headshots and brand videos, defining visual guidelines for consistency across the brand.

  • Partnered with product, marketing, and design leadership to align creative output with brand strategy and business goals.

January 2023 - August 2023

Content & Creative Manager

The Culinary Creative Group

  • Owned social media strategy and day-to-day execution for 16 restaurant and bar brands, driving 32% organic audience growth across platforms.

  • Led photo and video production for menus, interiors, staff, and events, serving as the primary creative for all visual marketing.

  • Planned, shot, and edited social-first content optimized for Instagram and other platforms, balancing brand consistency with performance.

  • Managed influencer partnerships and social collaborations to increase reservations, foot traffic, and brand awareness.

January 2022 - Present

Creative Producer (contract)
Airbnb

  • Produced photo and video campaigns for Airbnb Experiences and Marketplace, owning projects from concept through post-production.

  • Led casting, scheduling, scripting, and post oversight to deliver conversion-focused creative.

  • Increased host bookings by 22–31% through performance-driven visual storytelling.

  • Collaborated with Airbnb’s in-house creative team of filmmakers, designers, and art directors to craft multi-channel campaigns.

September 2021 - Present

Art Director • Creative Producer • Photographer
Colleenmotoole - Freelance

  • Directed and produced campaigns for national and international brands including Apartment Therapy, Brooklinen, Ruggable, The Sill, and Piglet in Bed.

  • Delivered end-to-end creative, from concept development and art direction to photography, video production, and editing,across digital, social, and editorial platforms.

  • Specialized in lifestyle, real estate, and commercial photography with a strong focus on brand storytelling and visual identity.

  • Built a personal brand and social presence, growing TikTok to 15.8k followers through consistent content creation and strategic collaborations.

November 2020 - January 2022

Lead Photo Editor & Creative Producer
Vroom 

  • Defined photo standards and creative guidelines across 26 national facilities.

  • Trained 50+ photographers, improving consistency and quality at scale.

  • Researched customer behavior and visual preferences to refine product imagery.

October 2018 - May 2020

Photographer Manager & Production Photo Editor (Plus Team)
Airbnb 

  • Contributed to the Airbnb Plus visual identity through photography standards and art direction.

  • Managed and trained 100+ freelance photographers globally, providing technical and creative feedback.

  • Produced training resources, including instructional videos, that reduced reshoots by 33% and streamlined onboarding across the photographer network.

  • Oversaw our DAM systems, centralizing imagery and access to brand-approved content for marketing and product teams.

  • Partnered directly with the marketing team to source, retouch, and design imagery for cross-platform campaigns.

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