Amy Derksen, Creative Director>> FATFREE

Amy Derksen

Creative Director

Part of the FATFREE team since before the beginning, Amy spends her time weaving engaging stories across just about every industry and channel—for local startups as well as some of the world's top brands. She's a whiz at making complex technical ideas simple enough for anyone to comprehend, as well as getting inside audiences' heads to understand what's most likely to motivate. From launch videos and online ads to websites and deep-dive content, she loves meeting people where they are and connecting them with the information they need to make a decision.

Amy honed her skills at industry leaders The Martin Agency and Leo Burnett—winning awards for Coca-Cola, IBM, GEICO and others—before realizing she prefers working directly with clients to make a real difference in their businesses.

Recent Perspectives by Amy

Harnessing a growth mindset for forward-looking marketing

I’ve been hearing a lot about “growth mindset” from my kid’s school, and the expectation that through hard work and the right guidance, they can tackle just about anything. It’s not a new…

The problem with personas—and why scenarios should reign

A recent meme made me spit coffee across my keyboard. Not only because it was funny, but because it encapsulated so easily what has always frustrated me about audience personas…

The scuba diving model for content marketing

I’m a diver. I learned early on that scuba is a great fit for me—the less effort you expend, the longer your air lasts and the more you get to see. You get rewarded for taking it easy…

Humanity over hype: Why trauma-informed marketing is good marketing

We’ve all got that person in our lives who sends an email with Hi in the subject line, or leaves a voicemail with just “call me back,” and you worry about responding because you’re pretty sure you’re in trouble. That’s the feeling trauma-informed communication aims to prevent. This has been on the FATFREE radar lately, … Read more

Keep, fix or turf: Improve content performance with a content audit

A content audit, like any audit, doesn’t sound like the most fulfilling thing you’ll do this year. However, if you find that your site traffic is flagging or you just aren’t getting the prospect behavior you’d…

Transforming your brand starts way before marketing

When companies talk about rebranding or brand transformation, they’re often talking about logos or taglines or websites. But the hard work starts way deeper. The maxim remains true—your…

Simple ain’t easy: Why the shortest, smallest marketing jobs demand the most

A clean, modern wordmark. A three-word tagline. A product name. Why is it that the cleanest, clearest elements often require the most heavy lifting? These projects may look deceptively…

To connect with a global audience, set your American-ness aside

Years ago, driving in the Chicago Loop, I saw a billboard that really opened my eyes—not because I cared about the brand or offer, but because they made a big mistake in trying to appear local…

Four fun faves: Easy brand positioning exercises

Recently, I asked a client to help me understand their desired brand personality by likening it to a personality. I apologized for using such a time-worn approach—agency folk have done this…

Invite everyone in through the front door: A DIY web accessibility audit

Reading that people with mobility issues are entirely welcome at the Met Gala—if they’re willing to enter through the rear door—made my jaw drop. I’d long recognized the torture those stairs…