Suzy Mae,

Strategy & Research

Strategy Director @ Battery

Suzy Mae is a Los Angeles-based advertising strategist. Her decade+ of experience executing consumer research and designing brand strategies for agencies across the US have earned Suzy a reputation as a culturally aware, creative, collaborative thinker.

Brands

Levi’s  Delta Airlines Target Nike  Getty Villa

Google Microsoft Dreamworks Facebook

Power Rangers Miller Lite Turtle Beach Ubisoft

Panavision Sonos Laika Quaker Oats  Hornitos

University of Phoenix TMZ DoorDash  LIV Golf

Lands End GGU CVS PacSun uni

Agencies

Battery Monks Wieden+Kennedy 

Razorfish 180 72andSunny Midnight Oil 

Ignited Quantasy & Associates White Label Strategy

DDB Phenomenon Wildlife R/GA

Standard Black (Standard Time) Goodness Mfg

Creds

There is so much I can say about Suzy. A strategic powerhouse, a skilled wordsmith, an ally to creatives, a compelling presenter, and a great collaborator. She's also smart, kind and wickedly funny. She approaches everything as a true student - diving deep in the data, pulling things apart and putting it back together again in fresh ways with clear vision. I fought hard to get Suzy on my team and it was one of the best decisions! She is an absolute joy. People love working with alongside her and one day I am sure we will all be working for her!
Amy Finn | SVP Strategy, Monks

Suzy is a strategic force to be reckoned with. I have had the honor of working with her on projects ranging from heritage spirits brand platforms to building psychedelic dimensions that make golf exciting. Always one to collaborate with and bolster creative, research and insights are just the beginning when Suzy is involved.
John Figlesthaler | Senior Creative Director, Code & Theory

Suzy is one of the good ones. If by good you need some brilliant at her job, a huge team player and one of the kindest humans you’ll ever meet.
She started as a freelancer working with us, but her impact was immediate and significant, I quickly advocated to bring her on full time so we could sprinkle her magic across a number of projects and pitches… she was an Ace up the sleeve for too many pitches to count.
Any team that works with Suzy will be blessed.
Eric Shamlin | CEO, Secret Level

Suzy Mae is an absolute expert on cultural strategy, with an ability to go deep into a specific community and really find the connection points and watch outs for brands and businesses to authentically connect with different audiences. More importantly, she’s also a great brand strategist who quickly understands a brand’s role in the world and In culture in order to find new ways for those brands to connect with new audiences.
Eric Zuncic | Chief Strategy Officer, DDB

I trust Suzy. Fully. Completely. Without hesitation. We worked together on a project to reposition a 140 year old oatmeal brand into a modern superfood. She was able to distill mountains of research into a succinct and easily understandable brand strategy without relying on the numerous framework slides typically employed by other strategists that don’t say much and make my head spin. Suzy is smart. And she will make you look smart. She has extensive advertising experience, a rich knowledge of cultural trends, the ability to form trusting relationships with the team quickly, and is a creative at heart. I would hire her again in a heartbeat.
Mary Alberque | Executive Producer, R/GA

Strategy is a tricky discipline. So many strategists are academically brilliant but struggle to condense their thoughts to something pithy enough for a creative to work from. On the other end, you have strategists who offer plenty of creative thought starters, but unfortunately bring little substance or insight. Suzy is a rare strategist with superpowers on both sides of the brain. She's able to approach intimidating amounts of information and distill it down to a sharp insight. She then presents the insight in the form of a crafted and visually-compelling deck that tells a story about a brand's role in culture. On top of all that, Suzy's just a joy to work with. She's collaborative, diplomatic, and has a great sense of humor. I've worked with Suzy at two agencies on two very different types of brands, tech and CPG. She crushed both. I can't wait for the chance to work with her again.
Dylan Berg | Co-founder, Hermit

What struck me upon working with Suzy for the first time was that she possesses both a razor sharp mind and unbounded creativity. She can not only clarify the essence of a strategy down to its atomic structure while keeping sight of the big picture, but she is also an accomplished artist and performer. Her paintings, photography, zines, mixed media projects and performances are all done with the same passionate precision that she brings to the table as a strategist. Suzy is a truly gifted listener and readily gathers information from consumers to inform stunning strategic insights. She listens carefully to the client, the creatives and consumers alike and can craft the questions required to unearth hidden insights. She has a natural affinity for working and communicating with creative teams and excels at organizing and leading focus groups. Suzy's 10 years of experience has led to work with multiple brands, categories and projects so she is flexible and skilled at succeeding in many environments. Suzy has such a strong reputation not only because of her unique skill set and extensive experience but also because of her integrity. You know you can trust her to do what she says she will do so she makes every project feel like a well-oiled machine. Suzy treats everyone with respect, she is a professional through and through and is a true joy to work with. I hope I have the chance to work with her again soon!
Jennifer Palais | Principal Product Manager, Mozilla

To be blunt, Suzy makes creative better. Her ability to find and determine what is most important to each project / client / product is invaluable. She is the type of account planner / strategist that every creative department needs. Her willingness to contribute beyond her job title is exceptional, be it in a pitch or developing concepts for a facebook app, Suzy will constantly push the creative until it goes from good to great. But beyond her exceptional abilities as an employee, Suzy is a genuinely great person. Hilarious, sharp and infinitely fascinating - it has been a joy to have worked with her, and I'm looking forward to working with her again in the future.
Kyle Ramos | CEO, Show More

I had the ultimate privilege of working with Suzy Mattay at Standard Time. She is extremely detailed and insightful. Her smart, strategic contributions made it so easy to understand a job or a client and helped me elevate my own aesthetic. Every strategist should take notes from Suzy.
Laura Wimer | Executive Creative Director, FCB NY

Suzy is a wonderful person to work with. She's extremely creative and smart- a combo that makes working with her a pleasure. She has the ability to bring new insight to the table, works extremely hard, and is never too proud or afraid to do more or rework things if it's for the betterment of the work in the end.
Jill Lin | Creative Director, Apple

Suzy is one of the most talented people I've had the pleasure to work with. She is original, witty, smart, and a snappy dresser. She thinks outside the box, she in tune with current culture as well as all the rad culture from the past! Highly recommended! She is one you want walking through your company's door very day!
Steven Denekas | VP Creative, Basic

Suzy is more of what the world needs now. She's been trained in the emotional approach to account planning at one of the worlds best agencies (W+K!) She knows social media inside and out...and is always up to date on anything and everything related to technology and advertising. She can write, she can draw, she makes a mean cocktail, she can strategize, she's whip smart and most importantly she's a team player. We miss you Suzy!
Michael Sharp | Founder, Standard Black

 
 

Personal Experience

Suzy Mae observes humanity for love and money. She works from Los Angeles across the fields of art, advertising, and comedy.

Born in Las Vegas, Suzy Mae was a voracious reader and writer, involved in academically talented programs and reaching the state of Nevada’s spelling bee two years in a row.

Suzy Mae has always been a creative kid, taking dance, illustration, and music classes growing up. In high school, Suzy began acrylic and oil paintings, a practice she continues today.

As a painter and collage artist, Suzy Mae’s artwork is studded with contemporary pop references.  Scenes of surreal tension explore magic, delusion, and cult beliefs.

Suzy Mae has written a recognized animated TV pilot, served as creative director of a beloved indie zine, created a fun LA-centric postcard line, built an online and IRL retail marketplace for magical goods and LGBTQ art, performs onstage as long-form comedic improviser and storyteller, and can be heard voicing Muffy and contributing music to the adult puppet series Frownhouse.

 
 
 

Photography by Matt Kallish