About
Mai La Thai is an award-winning Creative Director and Art Director with 20+ years of experience developing campaign platforms, brand narratives, visual approaches, and cross-channel advertising for Fortune 100 brands, global agencies, growth-stage companies, and founder-led businesses.
Her career began in design, including an early cross-disciplinary role she created with Robert Brunner’s industrial design team at Pentagram, where she developed visual systems and intuitive product details for technology clients before moving into advertising at Goodby Silverstein & Partners and beyond.
Her experience spans technology, finance, retail, media, sports, automotive, luxury, beauty, beverage, hospitality, health and wellness, and culture, with work recognized across advertising, design, photography, film, editorial,
and photojournalism.
Recent work includes leading the campaign concept direction, visual approach, and cross-channel creative for CrowdStreet’s 2025 rebrand launch advertising campaign, “Possible, Private, Missing,” which won Silver at the 32nd Annual FCS Portfolio Awards. Additional CrowdStreet work won Bronze for sponsorship marketing. Alongside her commercial work, Mai maintains an award-winning fine art and photography practice, with recognition including a Forbes profile, international exhibitions, and First Place in the 2019 PDN Photo Annual.
She partners with brands, agencies, and founders on campaign platforms, brand storytelling, visual direction, and cross-channel creative.
Awards & Recognition
Mai’s commercial work has been recognized across advertising, design, photography, branded content, digital, film, and campaign platforms, with honors from the
FCS Portfolio Awards, One Show, Communication Arts,
PDN Photo Annual, The Webby Awards, Clio Awards, ADDY Awards, ANDY Awards, Effie Awards, Telly Awards, and SHOTS.
Recent recognition includes Silver and Bronze at the 2026 FCS Portfolio Awards for Crowd Street campaign work, including Silver for Advertising Campaign, Print, and Bronze for Sponsorship Marketing.
Her broader commercial work includes a One Show Silver Pencil, publication in Communication Arts Photography Annual as a credited Art Director, 1st Place International in PDN Photo Annual, 3× Webby Winner / Honoree recognition, and awards and recognition from the Clio Awards, ADDY Awards, ANDY Awards, Effie Awards, and Telly Awards.
​Selected Awards / Mentions​
FCS Portfolio Awards, Silver, Advertising Campaign, Print
FCS Portfolio Awards, Bronze, Sponsorship Marketing
One Show, Silver Pencil, Advertising / Design
Arts Photography Annual, Communication
PDN Photo Annual, 1st Place International, Photo Website
The Webby Awards, 3× Winner / Honoree
Telly Awards, Original Branded Content, Film & Advertising
Clio Awards, Advertising
ADDY Awards, Advertising
ANDY Awards, Advertising
Effie Awards, Advertising Effectiveness, Campaign
SHOTS New Directors Showcase, Film-making
Corbis / Veer Global Online Campaign, Finalist &
Commissioned Artist/Filmmaker
Published Art Director
Creativity MagazinePenguin Book Cover Competition, Finalist, Featured in
Editor's PickForbes
New York City International Film Festival
Press & Publications
About
Mai’s work has been published, featured, and recognized across editorial, advertising, photography, design, and culture outlets. Her published work includes photography and writing for Wine Spectator, WoodenBoat, PDN, and Forbes, along with award and industry recognition from PDN Photo Annual, The Webby Awards, The Telly Awards, and the FCS Portfolio Awards.
Wrote in School Newspaper at CSA and first publication as a teenager, interned at the Cleveland Plain Dealer in the art department and first writing was in Retina Magazine - First Photography job was in The River Burns.
Editorial Writing
& Photography
​PDN PhotoServe,
The Ride of My Life with Mario Andretti,
PDN PhotoServe, 2018
Wooden Boat Magazine
Currents Section, 2019
Historical Section 2024
New York Public Library,
Hudson Park Branch
Press / Mentions
Creativity Magazine
Forbes Interview
Kodak In-Camera Magazine
Architezer
Communication Arts
Selected Photography
​Forbes Editor’s Pick,
Lifestyle / Travel
’Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky: What It’s Like to Fly in a Supersonic T-38 Talon
Forbes, June 15, 2018
U-2’s Michelin Men Pilots Go High, Stay Low
Forbes, June 18, 2018
Pocono Raceway Gives Verizon IndyCar Fans More Than Just a Thrilling Race
Forbes, August 21, 2017
Finally, a Test Drive of Bugatti’s New $3 Million Chiron Supercar
Forbes, 2019
Wine Spectator Magazine, 2025