Hi, I’m Jonatan—a Creative Director / Art who helps brands look and sound like themselves and not like everyone else. I bring strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and a healthy obsession with craft to every touchpoint. I also thrive under tight deadlines, which I keep reminding myself is a good thing. I got my start in Ecuador and have worked in Buenos Aires, Miami, Los Angeles and Nashville—leading teams at scrappy indies, content shops, and global networks. I’ve told stories that make people laugh, cry, and occasionally go, “Wait, that was an ad?” Outside of work, I take photos, play guitar, and go mountain biking. Not all at once—though if I ever pull that off, it's going straight in the portfolio.
Brands: TikTok, Comcast Xfinity, Got Milk?, Chick-fil-A, Rockstar, Sazerac, Tequila Centenario, State Farm, Clorox and Servpro, among others.
Featured in AdAge, Lüerzer’s Archive, Communication Arts: Illustration, Interactive & Advertising Annuals, Colossal, We and the color, Graine de photograph; Poster House Museum NYC, Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.
Jury: Art Directors Club 2023, Communication Arts Illustration Annual 2025 and Webby awards 22-present.
LinkedIn | Instagram | E: jonatanmaldonado@icloud.com
Awards & recognition include:
- Communication Arts Illustration Annual Jury, 03/2025.
- Webby Awards Jury, 2022 - 2025.
- Art Directors Club Jury, 03/2024.
- Art Directors Club: 6 Shortlists (Citgo & Chinet), 05/2023.
- Clio: Shortlist, 05/2023.
- One Show: 2 Shortlists, 05/2022.
- Webby: Honoree, 2 Nominees including People’s Voice (Chinet), 04/2023.
- Communication Arts Illustration Annual, 03/2023.
- Local Addys: Best in show, Most in Show and 29 awards. 03/2023.
- Art Directors Club: Gold Cube (1792) + 6 Shortlists (1792 & Servpro), 05/2022.
- Clio: Silver, 05/2022.
- One Show: 2 Shortlists, 04/2022.
- Webby: Honoree, (Best Edit - Servpro), 04/2022.
- Communication Arts Illustration Annual, 05/2022.
- Graphis Poster Annual: Silver, 04/2022.
- Graphis Design Annual, 02/2022.
- National Addys: 2 Gold, 8 Silver + Judges Choice Award, 06/2022.
- Local Addys: 32 Gold & 16 Silver, 06/2022
- Communication Arts Advertising Annual 2020: Know The Facts, 11/2020.
- Art Directors Club 99 Book Of Craft 10/2020.
- We And The Color: Photography project article & feature, 08/2020.
- Graine De Photographe: Photography project article & feature, 06/2020.
- Communication Arts Photography Annual 2020: Shortlist, Photography series, 06/2020.
- Art Directors Club, Merit: Kim Jung Ji - Mural graffiti, 05/2020.
- Art Directors Club, Silver Cube: The Art of Storytelling, 05/2020.
- Webbys Advertising Honoree: Know the Facts, 05/2020.
- Webbys Branded Content Honoree: Know the Facts, 05/2020.
- Webbys Branded Content Honoree: The Art of Storytelling, 05/2020.
- Poster House Museum NYC, Permanent Exhibit: Know the Facts posters, 03/2020.
- One Club One Screen Short Film Festival / Craft: The Art of Storytelling, 02/2020.
- Colossal: Photography project article & feature, 01/2020.
- Lüerzer’s Archive feature: Know the Facts, 12/2019.
- ANA’s Multicultural Awards, Grand Prix: The Art of Storytelling, 2019.
- ANA’s Multicultural Awards, Print: The Art of Storytelling, 2019.
- ANA’s Multicultural Awards, Grand Prix, Gold & Silver: Language Choice, 2017.
- Jay Chiat Award: Language choice, 2016.
- USH Awards, Digital: The hardest job, 2014.
- El Sol, Bronze: The hardest job, 2014.
- Addy USA, National TV Campaign, 2 Gold, 1 Silver:The hardest job, 2012.
- One Show Entertainment, Bronze: Los Felinos De La Noche, 2010.
- Bill Bernbach Awards, DDB Worldwide: Gran Prix 2009.
- Addy USA, Branded Content and Innovation, Gold. 2009.
- Fiap, Shortlist: Branded Content, 2009.
- Effies, Silver: Sustained Success, 2008.
- New York Festivals, Print: Maria Güale Foundation, 2007.
- Effie, Silver, Promotional Marketing: Porta, 2007.
- Effie, 2 Silver, Best Launch: Lotto, Porta 2006.
- Condor (ECU), 5 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze: 2006.
- Caribe, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze: Lotto, 2006.
- Ojo de Iberoamerica, Bronze: Peugeot, 2005.
- Fiap, Bronze, Media Mix: Peugeot, 2005.
- Fiap, Shortlist, Alternative Media: Peugeot, 2005.
- New York Festivals, Print, Silver: Brahma, 2004