Hailey Fox
Hailey began her journey into art and design in high school, inspired by her best friend’s brother, who was taking graphic design courses. Intrigued, she enrolled in classes offered at her school’s career center and quickly discovered her passion for visual storytelling and creative problem-solving. This early exposure solidified her desire to pursue a career in design, leading her to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. After graduating, Hailey gained hands-on experience working with smaller, family-owned businesses, honing her skills in graphic design and learning the importance of adaptability and collaboration. Her dedication to her craft and willingness to embrace new challenges helped her transition into art direction, where she could guide creative vision while still engaging directly with design work. Since 2022, Hailey has been an Art Director at Mars United Commerce (formerly The Mars Agency), specializing in retail and commerce media. She thrives in an industry that is constantly evolving, valuing creativity, adaptability, and candid feedback. Passionate about her work, she enjoys the opportunity to blend visual design with strategic thinking, helping brands engage their audiences while continuing to grow and refine her own creative skills.
• Certificate of Graphic Design
• BFA in Graphic Design
• William D. Ford Career Technical Center
• College for Creative Studies
• Best in Category: Graphic Design, Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, 2016
• Golden Key Portfolio: Graphic Design, Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, 2016
• Academic Scholarship, College for Creative Studies, 2016
• Business Practices Academic Writing Scholarship, College for Creative Studies, 2019
• Mars United Commerce Global Citizenship Day
• Relay For Life Volunteer Walk
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice for my career field, especially because it's creative work where we're doing designs and ads and coming up with fun ideas, is to not get too comfortable or cocky in my abilities. I've always been told that while I should value the skills I have, I should always be willing to learn and keep learning. Otherwise, I'm going to grow stagnant in the agency and in my career. If I'm always hungry and willing to learn, open to feedback and being receptive, that is going to make me the best version of myself in my career. This advice has definitely stuck with me the most, and I'm always trying to be that sort of flexible, adaptable person in my work field. It not only makes me better and gives me skill boosts, but it also helps with my confidence because if I don't know something, I am willing to learn it.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
For young women specifically, I think it's easy for us to lack confidence when it comes to professionalism or being in the workforce, just because there is a baseline discrimination against us. The advice I would give to young women in this field is to be confident and sure of yourself, and know that your voice and your ideas are valuable. Don't be afraid to speak up and share and create and do what you want to do. Obviously, be receptive to feedback, but within reason. Don't let any sort of rejection or feedback tear you down. Keep that level of confidence in your own skills and abilities, and know that you've made it this far because of the skills you have. Pretty much, take your feedback and kick butt with it.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges right now is that everything in commerce media is changing so rapidly that the industry's a little bit unstable and fickle at the moment. But it gives you the opportunity to think quick on your feet and adapt, and come up with new ideas that are going to keep people engaged with the brands that we're working with. So it's kind of both a challenge and an opportunity, all in one. For me, the biggest personal opportunity is that I just love that I get to do something creative that pays my bills. I don't really have to worry or hate my job. I'm doing something that I love and that I enjoy. So for me, a really big thing with this field is just being able to create and be that creative person and creative thinker, and get paid to do it.