Case Study Creative direction & systems leadership

Phillips 66

Role
Creative direction & systems leadership

Context

Phillips 66 operated three major retail gas brands — 76, Conoco, and Phillips 66 — each with distinct geographies, audiences, and histories. Social media expectations were rising rapidly, but the category itself was a commodity: advertising could not make people buy more gas, only choose this gas. At the same time, the Phillips 66 corporate site needed a full redesign to serve press, investors, and the public with clarity and credibility.

What Was Broken

• Three retail brands with no unifying creative operating model

• Social output felt reactive, inconsistent, and difficult to scale

• No clear system for turning ideas into repeatable, brand-building formats

• Corporate website lacked clarity, hierarchy, and modern digital usability

Strategic Focus

While the corporate website redesign was important, the primary creative opportunity—and risk—was retail social. The challenge was to build affinity at scale without chasing trends, burning out teams, or diluting brand quality.