Maria Ashfaq

Maria Ashfaq

Senior Design Manager | Art Direction & Branding Expert | Ex-Sapphire Mills & Publicis Group

Based in: Lahore, PakistanMost recently: Design Head, PlaysmartExperience: 8 years

Hire me

Award-winning Art Director and Design Leader with over a decade of experience driving visual strategy for major brands like Sapphire Mills, Nestle, and PEL. Expert in 360-degree campaigns, retail design, and brand identity, blending traditional design mastery with AI-driven tools like Midjourney to deliver high-impact commercial results.

Experience

Design Head

PlaysmartDubai, UAE (Remote)work2025

Summary

Window display designing and executing, Outdoor Advertising, Mall display, Print media, digital signage, Storefront design etc.

What I did

  • Outdoor Advertising
  • Mall display
  • Print media
  • Digital signage
  • Storefront design

Results

  • Uses Midjourney to rapidly prototype complex window displays, generating spatial layouts, lighting treatments, and material finishes for brands like LEGO, Disney, and Crayola
  • Creates precise visual storyboards using AI to align stakeholders on scale and consumer impact before physical production
  • Maintains strict brand standards for global partners including LEGO, Disney, VTech, and Bratz through high-fidelity AI-assisted design iterations
  • Leading visual retail strategy and window display execution across every major mall in the UAE
MidjourneyAI PrototypingVisual Storyboarding

Sn. Manager Design

Sapphire MillsLahore, Pakistanwork2023 – 2025

Summary

B2b & B2c Campaigns, Visiual Identity, Print Ads, Magazine Ads, Art direction, Branding, Social Media.

What I did

  • B2b & B2c Campaigns
  • Visual Identity
  • Print Ads
  • Magazine Ads
  • Art direction
  • Branding
  • Social Media

Results

  • Managed visual identity for 3 years across global B2B and B2C sectors
  • Led digital asset creation for international partnerships influencing hundreds of Western corporate brands
  • Drove digital presence and market reach for an enterprise exporting to 35+ countries
  • Created social media campaigns and digital assets for medical scrub brands reaching millions of healthcare workers
  • Designed B2B digital lookbooks and launch assets for partnerships like The Lycra Company, influencing procurement for hundreds of corporate brands and hospital networks

Associate Art Director

Publicis GroupLahore, Pakistanwork2022 – 2023

Summary

Award winning 360 campaigns, Branding, Advertising design, Brands like, Nestle, PEL, Pitch Campaigns.

What I did

  • Visual direction
  • Food shoot management
  • Cross-channel campaign execution
  • Art direction

Results

  • Led the 360 platform campaign for Nestlé Milkpak Cream to modernize the legacy brand for younger consumers
  • Managed visual direction, food shoots, and premium macro visuals for a cohesive cross-channel look across TVCs, billboards, and social media
  • Successfully navigated Nestlé's precise branding standards to deliver a high-growth campaign that defended its market-leading position
  • Won top industry awards for integrated campaign excellence
  • Shifted consumer habits and sparked massive digital engagement through a unified strategy

Skills

Technical

Adobe Illustrator
Branding
Art Direction
Adobe Photoshop
Visual Identity
Typography
Canva
Adobe InDesign
Midjourney
FigmaFigma
Microsoft Office
UI/UX Design
DiscordDiscord
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Premiere Pro

Languages

English

Projects

Marshee 150g Bites

Lead Designerprofessional
Logo and packaging design for Marshee Bites.
Adobe IllustratorAdobe Photoshop

Rosif Skin Therapy

Art Directorprofessional
Branding and visual identity for Rosif, a skincare brand.
Adobe IllustratorAdobe Photoshop

Arc Flash Clothing

Designerprofessional
Visual identity and branding for Arc Flash technical clothing.
Adobe Illustrator

Sapphire Green Sustainable Clothing

Senior Manager Designprofessional
Logo and packaging design for Sapphire Green sustainable clothing line.
Adobe IllustratorAdobe Photoshop

Hush Puppies x McDonald's Kids Campaign

Art Directorprofessional
Outdoor campaign design for a collaboration between Hush Puppies Kids and McDonald's, featuring discount vouchers and school shoes promotion.
Adobe PhotoshopAdobe Illustrator

Union Steel Industries

Designerprofessional
Branding and campaign design for Union Steel Industries: 'Making Every Foundation Stronger'.
Adobe Illustrator

Color Me Yellow / Beat Your Giant

Art Directorprofessional
Outdoor campaign design for a resilience-themed project.
Adobe PhotoshopAdobe Illustrator

Danedar Banaspati / Docile

Design Leadprofessional
POSM and retail design for Danedar Banaspati and Docile products, including cholesterol-free messaging and 'Naya' (New) product launches.
Adobe IllustratorAdobe Photoshop

Miles Pakistan Social Media

Senior Manager Designprofessional
Social media design and management for Miles Pakistan, focusing on workwear and 'Tough Comfort' branding.
Adobe PhotoshopFigmaSocial Media Management
Visit the site

Education

Bachelors In Fine Arts

University of the PunjabGraphic Design2014 – 2018

Intermediate

Punjab CollegeICS2012 – 2014

Matric

Sacred Heart ConventComputer Science2010 – 2012

Recognition

Awards

Integrated Campaign Excellence Award

Industry Award

Won for the Nestlé Milkpak Cream 360 platform campaign which modernized the legacy brand and drove massive digital engagement.

Hire MariaReach out about a role, a contract or a conversation.For recruiters

Maria's twin is AI, it can make mistakes.

More people on Kanvis

Browse more peopleCreate your own Kanvis