Chris Mehl: Creative Director & Product Growth Lead | Outdoor, Fishing & Lifestyle Brands in Santa Cruz, California
Chris Mehl
Creative Director & Product Growth Lead | Outdoor, Fishing & Lifestyle Brands
Santa Cruz | United States
Skills
- Brand Marketing
- Creative Direction
- Ecommerce Strategy
- Campaign Development
- Content Strategy
Work experience
831Design
Creative Director & Product Growth Lead | 06/2023 - Current
Lead creative direction, brand design, and digital marketing for outdoor, lifestyle, and retail brands, partnering directly with founders and leadership teams. I shape brand systems, campaigns, ecommerce experiences, and content strategies that drive growth while staying true to the culture behind the brand.
My role blends hands-on creative execution with strategic decision making across visual design, storytelling, ecommerce, and marketing performance. I stay involved from concept through launch, helping brands move faster, stay focused, and build systems that scale.
Highlights
Led full redesigns and launches for ecommerce brands including Kalletka, Yardage Golf, Uroko, and Naturalist World
Defined visual direction, brand systems, and content frameworks to support product launches and campaigns
Designed and executed marketing systems including email, digital merchandising, and content-driven storytelling
Improved product discovery, checkout performance, and conversion across multiple platforms
Served as principal creative and growth partner for founder-led brands, guiding priorities, timelines, and execution
GAP
Senior UX/UI Designer | 01/2024 - 05/2025
Led UX design for high-traffic ecommerce and account experiences supporting millions of customers across Gap’s retail brands. The work focused on reducing friction, improving clarity, and aligning complex account flows with business and brand goals.
I partnered closely with product, engineering, research, and marketing to redesign core login and account experiences, balancing usability, security, and performance at scale.
Highlights
Designed and launched a passwordless login system that improved conversion, reduced support issues, and simplified authentication
Led redesign of core account and profile experiences including loyalty, order history, payments, and in-store purchase integration
Drove UX strategy for cross-brand initiatives, aligning customer needs with business priorities
Contributed to enterprise design systems and established standards across web and mobile platforms
West Marine
Lead UX Designer | 08/2012 - 09/2023
Led UX and digital experience strategy for the nation’s largest marine retailer, partnering closely with marketing, merchandising, and technology teams as ecommerce and digital marketing became core growth drivers for the business.
My role sat at the intersection of UX, content, and marketing, shaping how customers discovered products, engaged with campaigns, and moved between online and in-store experiences. I focused on clarity, performance, and storytelling at scale while supporting a complex retail ecosystem.
Highlights
Owned UX and content strategy for the ecommerce platform, including product discovery, checkout, retention flows, and lifecycle touchpoints
Partnered with marketing teams on email campaign design, digital storytelling, and promotional layouts supporting product launches and seasonal retail campaigns
Led navigation and information architecture design for large, complex product catalogs
Introduced user research and usability testing practices that improved decision making, reduced friction, and increased conversion
Supported company-wide digital transformation as ecommerce, email, and digital marketing became primary growth channels
West Marine
Internet Design & Production Manager | 09/2005 - 08/2012
Managed day-to-day creative and production work for West Marine’s website, email marketing, and digital merchandising programs during a period of rapid ecommerce growth.
My role combined hands-on design with coordination across marketing and development, supporting campaigns, promotions, and site improvements that directly impacted traffic, engagement, and conversion.
Highlights
Led design and production for homepage features, email campaigns, product pages, and promotional marketing content
Designed email templates and campaign layouts that balanced storytelling, merchandising, and performance goals
Led redesigns of key site areas including store locator, checkout flows, and core templates to improve usability and conversion
Created user flows, wireframes, and prototypes to support new features, promotions, and site enhancements
Developed and ran customer testing programs including surveys, moderated sessions, and iterative prototypes
Partnered closely with marketing and development teams to support ongoing optimization and campaign execution