One hot September morning in Chicago, a young designer walked into the offices of Auto Transport Chicago, one of the largest auto-hauling companies in the United States. Despite its scale, Auto Transport Chicago was struggling with its branding. Its advertising was uninspired, its social media presence nearly nonexistent, and its visual identity fragmented. CEO Dmitriy Chebanenko brought in Alexey Kotolevskiy with a simple yet ambitious request: “Make us unforgettable.” Over the next two years, as the company’s Creative Director, Kotolevskiy pushed to do exactly that.
Today, Auto Transport Chicago stands out as a prominent player in its field, thanks to a complete overhaul of its branding and advertising strategy. From sleek promotional videos to a cohesive visual identity across platforms, Kotolevskiy’s work has turned an unremarkable logistics company into a household name. This transformation is emblematic of his career: taking on projects that others might overlook and turning them into cultural touchstones.
A Career Built on Reinvention
Kotolevskiy’s journey began far from Chicago, in Moscow, where he earned a Specialist degree in Graphic Design from the National Institute of Design. At the beginning of his career, he worked on design, creative development, and visual identity for Antares-Event, the largest event production company in Russia.. But even then, his ambitions extended beyond static visuals. “Drawing was not enough for me,” he recalls. “I began to animate, make comics — this was not enough either. Now I make films.”
This drive to expand his creative horizons led him to pursue postgraduate studies in Digital Media Design at Western Technical College in Wisconsin. By the time he graduated, Kotolevskiy had developed a multidisciplinary skill set that allowed him to seamlessly transition between graphic design, video editing, and storytelling. His coursework is still used in the college as an example during lectures on video editing.
His big break came when he was invited to serve as Art Director at the KGB Espionage Museum in New York. Tasked with designing interactive exhibits and marketing materials, Kotolevskiy transformed the museum into one of New York’s top tourist destinations within a year. “I was chosen to make art for a museum,” he says, “and it became one of the best.”
But Kotolevskiy never abandoned his pursuit of artistic innovation in the branding sphere. He was hired as a Creative Director for Holzman and Associates, d/b/a Holzman Leadership, a Global Management Consulting Company, a leader in the field, and based in New York. They were the preferred supplier to Fortune 500, FTSE 100, and Global 1000 companies. In his position, Kotolevskiy used artistic design for advertising and marketing proposals for the above-mentioned clients to accompany client presentations. He used drawings, paintings, graphic design, and videography.
The clients would buy Kotolevskiy’s ideas, and then his artistic productions became part of the company’s marketing scheme and were updated every few months. Moreover, he used graphic and video art as well as sketching and painting to promote the company. Kotolevskiy was also in charge of weekly artistically updating and animating the company’s weekly educational series entitled “Todd Talks,” involving various topics of business success.
According to Kotolevskiy, the innovative brand work tripled the company’s income in the first year of his creative work. But more importantly for Kotolevskiy, through the use of his own art, he was able to transform a successful consulting company into one that became known as the most creative in their field.
The Auto Transport Chicago Makeover
When Auto Transport Chicago approached Kotolevskiy in 2023, they were looking for more than just a graphic designer. They needed a creative director who could refresh their public image. Kotolevskiy took on the challenge with characteristic thoroughness, overhauling everything from its logo to its advertising campaigns.
One of his first moves was to create a series of high-quality promotional videos that showcased the company’s services in an engaging and accessible way. These videos were not just informative; they were cinematic, blending storytelling techniques with stunning visuals to capture viewers’ attention.
He also spearheaded the company’s social media strategy, transforming their previously dormant accounts into vibrant platforms that engaged directly with customers. Through a combination of striking visuals and clever copywriting, Auto Transport Chicago’s social media presence became an extension of its brand identity, a rare feat in an industry not known for its creativity.
The results were immediate and measurable. Within six months of launching the new campaigns, website traffic increased by 40%, and customer inquiries doubled. By 2025, Auto Transport Chicago had become synonymous with reliability and innovation in auto transportation, a transformation that Kotolevskiy attributes to his holistic approach to branding.
“Much of the company’s current visual presence comes from the work I contributed during the rebranding,” he says matter-of-factly. Indeed, experts in the field acknowledge that Kotolevskiy’s approach to branding is a significant and unique contribution to the world of art.
The Science of Branding
Kotolevskiy’s success at Auto Transport Chicago is not just proof of his artistic talent but also his understanding of branding as both an art and a science. Studies show that companies with strong visual identities are 70% more likely to be remembered by consumers than those without one. In an age where attention spans are shrinking — recent data suggests that the average person spends only eight seconds on a webpage — capturing attention quickly is crucial.
Kotolevskiy excels at this because he approaches branding as a form of storytelling. Whether designing a logo or directing a commercial, his goal is to create an emotional connection with the audience. “A good brand isn’t just about looking good; it’s about making people feel something,” he explains.
His ability to evoke emotion through visuals has made him a sought-after collaborator for major corporations beyond Auto Transport Chicago. Over the years, he has worked with Sony, HBO, and even “Dancing with the Stars”, creating visual projections and animations that elevated their productions to new heights.
Justinas Jonatis, the executive manager of the “KG Group,” one of the largest exporters of grain and poultry in Lithuania, had chosen Kotolevskiy from 100 candidates from around the world to spearhead their branding campaign to include everything from packaging design to posters and televised commercials. She states that Kotolevskiy’s leadership role as their artistic director had flipped branding on its head in Lithuania.
“It was the first time that branding was not approached through numbers in our country, but rather through art and the ability of the audience to connect to the story created through that art. Alexey did all of the artwork and cinematography himself, and to this day his work serves as the best example of how branding can be a significant contribution to the world of art, “ she says.
The companies for which Kotolovskiy has served in a leading role as their creative director could not be more different from one another. Museum, transport, marketing, grain, and poultry production are completely different spheres. Yet, one thing they all had in common was that each company had a distinguished reputation and was considered the best in its respective industry. They each had the choice of the best and most creative artists worldwide to play the critical role of artistic director. Yet, they each chose Kotolevskiy not only because he is the best of the best but also because his unique artistic approach to branding and the connection that he had to storytelling had the capacity to catapult them to a different level of distinction.
Trends Shaping Advertising
Kotolevskiy’s work comes at a time when advertising is undergoing significant change. According to industry forecasts for 2025, digital advertising spending is expected to reach $600 billion globally, a 10% increase from the previous year. This growth is being driven by advancements in technology, including artificial intelligence and augmented reality, which are enabling brands to create more personalized and immersive experiences for consumers.
Kotolevskiy has embraced these trends without losing sight of the fundamentals of good design. For instance, while many companies experiment with AI-generated content, Kotolevskiy believes human creativity remains irreplaceable. “Technology can enhance what we do,” he says, “but it can’t replace the spark of originality that comes from human imagination.”
This philosophy is evident in his work at Auto Transport Chicago, where he has used cutting-edge tools like motion graphics and 3D animation to create visually stunning campaigns while ensuring that each piece feels personal and authentic.
The Artist Who Finds Beauty in Every Project
What sets Kotolevskiy apart from other creative directors is his ability to see potential where others see limitations. This visionary approach has defined every stage of his career, from transforming museums into must-visit destinations to making short films that win awards at international festivals. Making it to the big screens of Los Angeles film festivals, and beyond, is no easy feat. To even be selected for competition, a filmmaker must stand out among nearly a thousand submissions, vying for a spot among the 50 lucky entries that will be screened by the jury. From there, only about 15 will receive official nominations, and just a few will ultimately take home the awards. Among those few was Kotolevskiy and his team, earning recognition with wins for Best Short Film, Best Director, and Best Editing.
In many ways, his work at Auto Transport Chicago captures his broader philosophy as an artist: “I want to do something new.” While revolutionizing auto transportation advertising may not seem as glamorous as making films or curating museum exhibits, it speaks to Kotolevskiy’s belief that every project deserves care and creativity.
Navigating the Road Ahead
As Kotolevskiy looks toward the future, his goals remain as ambitious as ever. He continues to explore new mediums — his latest short film has been accepted into 14 festivals and won seven awards — and seeks out projects that challenge him creatively.
But whether he’s directing films or designing ad campaigns, one thing remains constant: his commitment to excellence. For Kotolevskiy, success isn’t just about accolades or recognition; it’s about creating work that resonates with people on a deeper level.
In an industry often criticized for prioritizing profit over artistry, Alexey Kotolevskiy stands out as someone who refuses to compromise on either front. His story serves as both an inspiration and a challenge to creatives everywhere, one that invites them to rethink what’s possible when passion meets purpose.
And perhaps, most importantly, it is a reminder that even something as seemingly mundane as auto transportation can become unforgettable when seen through the eyes of an artist willing to take risks and deliver results worth remembering.
