A man with a shaved head and glasses, wearing a white t-shirt with a circular logo, crossing his arms and standing against a black background.

Rafa Melo is a Dominican creative strategist and entrepenueur living and working globally from Santiago de los Caballeros.

Currently leading Shift Branding Studio for brands like Visa, Goya, Cadillac & Others.

About

I’m a Creative Director with over 22 years of experience helping brands build meaningful connections with their most passionate audiences. I specialize in turning brand purpose into compelling creative ideas that engage consumers, strengthen loyalty, and drive cultural relevance.

Career

Formerly at J. Walter Thompson, BBDO, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, Mindshare, and TBWA.

I have worked with brands across a wide range of categories, including consumer goods, beverages, banking, retail, telecommunications, automotive, entertainment, food & dining, media, health, energy, lifestyle, and events. My work spans integrated campaigns, brand platforms, activations, content, and experiences designed to connect with audiences in meaningful and relevant ways.

Selected Brand Experience
Visa International · Banco Popular · Distribuidora Corripio · The One Beer · Presidente Beer · Cervecería Nacional Dominicana · Malta Morena · Malta Löwenbräu · Barceló · Brugal · Jumbo · Supermercados Nacional · Casa Cuesta · Santo Domingo Motors · INFINITI · Grupo Martí · Sunix · Volvo · PAV Events · Electric Paradise · Barbarella · Johnnie Walker · Chivas Regal · Nestlé · Coca-Cola · Pepsi · Gatorade · Löwenbräu · Verizon · Orange · Tricom · Viva · Pizzarelli · 3 Mariachis · Mustard’s · El Catador · San Pellegrino · Wendy’s · Diario Libre · Scotiabank · Banreservas · Ferquido · Mitsubishi · PALIC · Cap Cana · The Body Shop · Nissan · Pepto-Bismol · Vicks VapoRub · La X 102 · among others
Collage of various images and text, including a black and white tiger head with a red tongue, children hugging, vintage architecture, and cut-out letters forming the phrase 'A little bit of hell never hurt anyone.' The background features a red and o
Colorful artificial bird with rainbow feathers perched on a branch, surrounded by flowers and green leaves, with two yellow butterflies flying nearby, all set against a bright blue background.
Pink and blue tropical beach scene with palm trees, ocean waves, and a sunset. Text reads 'The Paradise' and additional smaller text 'CAP CANA, D R. MUSIC & ARTS.'
A blurred nighttime photo of a winding road with red and white light trails from moving vehicles, with the Cadillac logo and the text 'Step into true luxury' overlayed.
A bottle of Stolichnaya vodka with splashes of water around it on a red background with the Stolichnaya logo and brand information.
Colorful amusement park with a train ride, Santa Claus waving, children, and festive decorations, including snowflakes and Christmas trees.
A person with short hair holding their collar, with colorful light projections on their face, hair, and clothing, against a black background.
A promotional poster featuring a night scene with a unicorn and a woman riding it, against a starry sky with a full moon. The text promotes a beer event called THE ONE MEKED;EPICO happening on October 26-28, 2012, encouraging finding a unicorn and ce
Vintage-style poster with red decorative border and text in Spanish. It talks about healing the wounds of midnight darkness, hunger, and despair, with references to raising the dead and ending the journey, with the phrase 'until the cargo of consciou
A woman with dark hair and sunglasses reflecting a sunset, surrounded by travel tickets, a globe, beer bottles, and a large speech bubble with Spanish text that reads 'Coleccina Primeras Veces.' The image contains various travel and drink-related ite
A cartoon illustration of two young men near a stove with a fire, surrounded by exploding rocks. One man wears a face mask and holds a phone, the other is reaching out. The background has a pink and white abstract design. Text in Spanish reads '¿CHIM
A cartoon illustration of a person with goggles on their head riding a missile-shaped aircraft inside a simplified human stomach. The background is pink with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol at the bottom right corner and text in Spanish asking if the stomac
An animated cartoon of an older man with gray hair, a beard, and a wide grin, wearing traditional Middle Eastern clothing and holding a device connected to his stomach. The background is pink with white, abstract shapes resembling the human stomach.
A pink fire extinguisher with a black nozzle mounted on a white wall near the entrance of a building. The view includes part of the doorway, a metal frame, and a glass door with a parking lot visible outside.
An outdoor advertisement billboard with a large image of a woman with closed eyes and a facial expression suggestive of deep breathing or relaxation. The billboard has a sign that says "Respi real profundo" and a small image of Vicks VapoRub in the t
Black and white winter scene with graffiti-covered soda cans, snow-covered buildings, and a small clock showing 12:05. The text says 'Dile Lloyd a la lata' and 'The One and another one, and another one.'
Multiple pizza boxes with colorful handwritten and illustrated designs, including tomatoes and pizza slices, featuring text in Spanish and the Pizzarelli logo.

Experiments

I’m always working on music.

Currently recording Jazz record (wish me luck).