Jaquay Saintil is a Creative Director and AI Design Architect with over 13 years of experience leading integrated campaigns across fashion, tech, and culture. With a strong foundation in art direction, he specializes in crafting bold, story-driven work that fuses cultural insight with cutting-edge design. Jaquay has led creative for top agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi, Havas, and Media.Monks, where he helped pioneer AI-powered production workflows. As the founder of Cconnectedd, he also mentors emerging talent and builds brand systems that resonate across platforms.

How many years have you been a judge?

5+

What excited you about judging for the Telly Awards?

Judging the Telly Awards offers a unique opportunity to help spotlight groundbreaking creative work from across the globe. It’s a chance to contribute to the industry by recognizing innovation, storytelling, and craft across mediums. As a creative leader, being part of this jury celebrates the evolution of content and inspires future excellence.

What was your first job in the industry? What did it teach you?

My first job in the industry was as Senior Director of Marketing at Alife®, a pioneering streetwear brand rooted in NYC culture. That role taught me the power of authentic storytelling and community-driven branding, how real cultural credibility can’t be faked, only earned. It also gave me firsthand experience balancing creative expression with business impact, a lesson that still guides how I lead campaigns today.

What project are you most proud to have worked on?

Media.Monks. We built a one-of-a-kind virtual production pipeline that completely reshaped how the agency pitched new business and created work as creatives. It wasn’t just about speed or efficiency, it was about empowering talent with tools that expanded our creative possibilities and challenged traditional production models. It set a new bar for how technology can amplify storytelling without compromising soul.

What’s the most challenging part about your job and/or the industry?

The most challenging part of my job, and the industry as a whole is predictability. Creative work thrives on originality, but there’s often pressure to follow formulas or repeat what’s already worked. Breaking out of that cycle to push bold, unexpected ideas forward especially in fast-paced, high-stakes environments, requires constant advocacy, curiosity, and trust in the creative process.

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

When determining excellence in video, I look for three key things: clarity of concept, craft of execution, and emotional or cultural impact. A great video should communicate its message with purpose, using strong visual storytelling, pacing, and design that aligns with the brand or narrative. Ultimately, it should leave a lasting impression, whether that’s through innovation, resonance, or sheer originality.

What are your current roles and responsibilities and what do you love most about your job?

Currently, I serve as a Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi, where I lead integrated campaigns across digital, social, OOH, and broadcast for global brands. My role blends art direction, creative strategy, and AI-enhanced workflows, guiding cross-functional teams from concept to execution.

What I love most about my job is the ability to shape culture through storytelling, taking ideas from spark to screen, and watching them resonate with real audiences. That mix of creative vision, strategy, and impact never gets old.

What initiatives or projects are you working on now that excite you?

Right now, I’m leading exciting work across Saatchi & Saatchi and Vega Studios, where we’re blending storytelling, culture, and technology in bold new ways. At Vega, I’m developing an AI-powered creative workflow that accelerates production while preserving the craft and emotion behind every idea. I’m also deeply invested in FUTR FWD, my mentorship platform, where I guide emerging creatives on navigating the future of design, branding, and technology. These initiatives allow me to shape the future of creativity, both in how we build and who gets to lead.

Do you have any specific practices you lean on to spark creativity?

Absolutely. I lean heavily on curiosity—constantly questioning the “why” behind ideas, behaviors, and trends. I’m most inspired when I’m pushing the boundaries of what’s considered impossible, reframing limitations as creative opportunities. That mindset keeps me exploring, experimenting, and ultimately unlocking work that feels fresh, bold, and culturally resonant.

What inspired you to pursue your career path?

What inspired me to pursue this career was the desire to express a creative perspective on a large scale to influence how people see, feel, and connect through storytelling. I’ve always believed we can share values while wearing different tinted glasses, and creativity became the universal language to make that possible. It’s about building bridges through visuals, ideas, and emotion that resonate across backgrounds and experiences

In your experience, what is a significant change you are seeing happen in the video, television, and/or film industry, and what insight can you share about how to navigate it?

One of the most significant changes I’m seeing in the video, television, and film industry is the rise of AI and automation not just as tools, but as collaborators. It’s reshaping how we concept, pitch, and produce at scale. I’ve seen this firsthand through the virtual production pipeline we built at Media.Monks, and now in my work with Vega Studios, where AI enhances the creative process without stripping it of soul.

The key to navigating this shift is to stay rooted in curiosity and not fear the unknown. Ask why things are done a certain way and then imagine what’s possible beyond that. Creativity doesn’t lose value in an AI-powered world it becomes the differentiator. It’s no longer just about output; it’s about intent, meaning, and how boldly you’re willing to challenge predictability.