Creative Lead, Marketing Designer & Maker

I'm Michael Kelly, a Wellington-based creative leader working across design, strategy and marketing. I've spent twenty years in the creative industry — leading teams, building brands, and shaping experiences across digital, print, social, and time-based media.

What I care about most is the thinking behind the work. Understanding why something needs to exist before deciding how it should look or feel. The projects I'm most proud of are the ones where strategy and craft were genuinely connected — where there was a real reason behind every decision, not just a deadline.

Alongside that, I’m studying towards a Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing at the University of Canterbury. I’m also developing a quieter creative practice through botanical drawing, printmaking, and rebuilding creativity after burnout.

Three-dimensional sculptures of Huia birds are suspended from the ceiling, creating a large mobile. There are 28 birds arranged in formation, all pointing in the direction of the last known sighting of a Huia in the Manawatū.

Teaching us all to become kaitiaki to our native manu

Features a map of New Zealand displaying data points across various locations, with colours arranged in a traffic light system. This colour-coding helps users identify which rivers, lakes, and oceans have good water quality for swimming.

Making a splash with one of our largest environmental data platforms in Aotearoa

An illustrated image features a young smiling Māori girl with freckles standing outside her marae. She is wearing a red top, a pounamu necklace, and bone-carving earrings and has long, curly hair.

A strong appetite to build a future of change

Kāhui Irarau logo, flashing in various bright colors. The colors were selected for the brand and nod to a rainbow-like selection, making the brand very vibrant and appealing to university students.

Empowering rainbow and takatāpui communities

A mock-up of a banner featuring two cheerful Māori students playing their guitars while sitting outside near their university marae. The text on the banner reads, "That moment you feel the manaaki."

Crafting compelling visual narratives for academic success

Mock-up of three TikTok screens showing various scenes from the promotional video of the Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours.

Rethinking A Social-First Strategy to reach Gen Z

A man stands between four brightly coloured signage pillars. Each pillar is colour-coded (red, green, yellow and blue) and guides visitors to various sections in the Discovery Garden at Wellington Botanic Gardens.

An amazing living classroom where curious minds can explore

Various pages from a publication are laid out flat, showcasing the blend of information design and typographic layout. Includes several graphs, tables, and section dividers featuring hero images and reversed-out titles on a solid-coloured background.

Expert knowledge for initiatives across multiple government agencies

I produced and co-hosted a podcast – which interviews young New Zealand emergent design thinkers.

Open Lab the podcast is a space where we open up conversations about the transition between University life and the creative industry. Join us for real-talks with creatives who are sharing their experience and the choices they made. We also dive deep into side hustles, passion projects and the importance of selfcare and wellbeing.

Grab your AirPods and let's go! Open Lab, the podcast