Hello! My name is Thiago, and I'm a designer and art director based in LA. Currently, I work at TBWA Chiat \ Day as a design director. Additionally, I have a side project called Spare Time Type™, where I design fonts in, well, my spare time.

Over 18 years of experience.

I was born and grew up in Curitiba, south of Brazil. I'm currently living in Los Angeles and working as Design Director at TBWA \ Chiat \ Day Los Angeles.

Former product design specialist at Pipefy (a startup from batch 14th of the Five Hundred Startups), making the processes for managers and their companies organized and controlled worldwide.

I'm a former business partner and creative director in a really cool hot shop called Candy Shop. At Candy Shop I worked hard to make Brazilian local brands strong with more significant results.

I have been fortunate enough to have my work awarded and featured in the Cannes Lions Festival, Clio Awards, Art Directors Club, Effie Awards, Awwwards, Latin American Design Awards, El Ojo, Lusos Awards, and many more. Beyond awards, my work has been published in Lürzer’s Archive, the Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial book, Brand New, and was recently chosen as one of the best ads of 2022 by both Fast Company and AdWeek.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from PUCPR (Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná) but I've studied design since I was a kid, trying to create websites at the beginning of the internet.

In my career so far, I've worked with worldwide brands such as Apple Music, Adidas, AMD, Prime Video, Hilton, Levi's, Gatorade, Sephora, the Recording Academy, 2K, Fisher-Price, and Jack in the Box.

I’ve been working since 2006 for agencies and studios as a graphic designer and art director in the advertising, design, and branding fields. My experiences include art direction, graphic design, illustration, type design, digital design, product design, and branding.

Feel free to contact me at thiagomatsunaga [at] gmail.com

Honors & Awards

2024 / LIA Awards, Gold
2024 / Cannes Lions, Silver
2024 / Clio Music, Gold & Bronze
2024 / One Show, Bronze
2023 / Behance, Best of 2023
2023 / Brand New, Reviewed
2023 / Art Directors Club, Merit
2022 / FastCo, Best Ad of 2022,
2022 / AdWeek, 2022 Best Ad of the Year
2022 / Clio Sports, Silver & Bronze
2022 / Clio Music, Gold & Silver
2019 / Latin American Design, Finalist
2018 / Clube de Criação de São Paulo
2018 / Effie Awards, Gold
2018 / Clube de Criação do Paraná
2018 / Lürzer’s Archive Issue 3
2018 / Young Lions Paraná, Shortlist
2017 / El Ojo de Iberoamérica, Bronze
2017 / El Sol Festival, Bronze
2017 / Colunistas Brasil, Gold
2017 / Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial
2017 / Young Lions Paraná, Shortlist
2016 / Prêmio GRPCOM de Criação
2016 / Prêmio Colunistas Paraná
2016 / Lürzer's Archive Issue 5
2016 / Lürzer's Archive Issue 3
2016 / Clube de Criação do Paraná
2015 / Bestadsontv, Art Director 1st Place
2015 / Bestadsontv, Creatives 2nd Place
2015 / Prêmio GRPCOM de Criação
2015 / Prêmio Colunistas Paraná
2015 / 14x Best of Week Bestadsontv
2014 / About, People's Choice
2014 / Meio & Mensagem Show Up
2014 / ProDesign Poster Design, Shortlist
2014 / Prêmio GRPCOM de Criação
2014 / Prêmio Colunistas Paraná
2014 / Awwwards Special Mention
2014 / Clube de Criação do Paraná
2013 / Lusos Portugal Award
2013 / Prêmio Colunistas Paraná
2013 / Clube de Criação de São Paulo
2012 / Prêmio Colunistas Paraná
2012 / Museu Casa Brasileira, +22 Selection

Jury, Lectures & Workshops

2024 / Brazilian Design Biennale, Grand Jury
2022 / New York Festivals, Grand Jury
2018 / Adote uma causa GRPCOM 2018, Lecture
2018 / Projetar.org Design Contest, Grand Jury
2017 / Comunica Talks, Lecture
2017 / Prêmio A. Fontoura de Design PUCPR, Grand Jury
2016 / Ponto Pasta UFPR, Lecture
2015 / FADEP, Workshop
2015 / Redhook, Design Portfolio Review
2015 / Charneira PUCPR, Lecture

Work Featured

Brand New
AdWeek
Creativity
Lürzer's Archive
Communication Arts
Style Frames NY
From Up North
Update or Die!
Brainstorm 9
Abduzeedo
The Daily Type
Betype