Virgin Voices | by Maura Curley
Norma Krieger has produced and managed multi-million dollar advertising projects for worldwide brands and Fortune 500 companies such as IBM. Now she’s back home in her native St. Croix, bringing sophistication to her island-based agency, Krieger Creative Group.
Krieger, a graduate of New York’s Pratt Institute worked for 14 years as a senior art buyer and print producer at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising in New York, one of the most prestigious advertising agencies in the world. During her extensive art career she has also been a curator, instructor and museum director. Her keen understanding of the creative process led her to found Krieger Creative Group in 2011.
“It’s not a traditional advertising agency,” says Krieger, explaining that KCG is more encompassing. The agency offers all the elements of a full service ad agency, while providing the enhancement of fine art acquisitions and commissions.
Krieger Creative Group is comprised of a hand-picked consortium of award winning and internationally known fine artists, photographers, filmmakers, copywriters and brand marketers. These seasoned professionals provide expertise tailored to the diverse needs of a variety of small and large-scale clientele.
Krieger runs her office in St. Croix, galvanizing a team of professionals in the Virgin Islands and the United States. She says this global village approach trumps a brick and mortar location, because it reduces operating costs and heightens international appeal.
One observer recently suggested that KCG bill itself as “ a little Madison Avenue in St. Croix.” Krieger smiles at the slogan, and hastens that she wouldn’t even consider the linkage if she and others in KCG didn’t actually have experience on New York’s Madison Avenue.
Krieger has appointed Faith James, a brand strategist and former advertising manager at Ogilvy & Mather who worked with Krieger in the 1990s, to be president of the Krieger Creative Group board. James, says she and Krieger bonded over Olgilvy & Mather’s IBM account and have been friends ever since. James says she believes in Krieger’s vision, professionalism and creativity, which she describes as “unparalleled.”
Krieger says she wants to create a heightened awareness of the power of marketing, design and art in a company’s branding message. She also believes more businesses can benefit from adding incredible art to their company’s environment, both in personal and professional spaces. “ Art promotes a higher conscious” she asserts, “and makes every business better.”
Krieger possesses a strong sense of allegience to the Virgin Islands and wants them to benefit from her global exposure and savvy connections. She says “ Great creative branding and marketing are not exclusive to Fortune 500 companies.” She stresses that KCG can provide creative solutions to any business that needs to make an impact in the marketplace –“ regardless of where it is located.”
