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Trendway
Every June the contract furniture market elbows their way to the Merchandise Mart for NeoCon. It's no different for Trendway, but they have a unique problem. Their showroom is across the street from the bustling Mart. And with lots of restrictions for redirecting traffic to the other side, how do we get people there? And once they're inside, how do we convince their dealers and reps that they're more than just systems?
Concept development included visual and verbal exploration around the theme "1000 ways." The extension of this theme addressed audience benefits of service, price, quality, breadth of line, and good clean fun.
1000 ways…
…to make you look good.
…to great service.
…to a new space, fast.
…to say hello.
…to make you look.
…for people to start working.
…to keep a promise.
…to take a break.
…to be worry-free.
The list could go on and on; and presented some nice contextual opportunities.
Trendway is lucky enough to have some great internal designers, so my role was to explore this concept and sketch some specific tactics. And they hustled to implement!
2012
Creative Direction
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izzy
This folksy movie explores the playful history and values of izzy; a young contract furniture company in Spring Lake, Michigan. They make furniture, but their motivation is to make life better, easier, and simply delightful.
This piece is only one component of a large body of work that helped establish a position of wit, smarts, and energy in an otherwise ordinary market.
Design Direction
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UICA
UICA (The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts) is Michigan’s largest contemporary arts center. In 2007, they began a capital fundraising campaign to raise awareness and gain support for plans to build a new facility in an untapped area of downtown Grand Rapids. With a hefty goal in mind, and the backing of the community, their goal was realized.
Design Direction, Production Management, Design
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Herman Miller
Herman Miller relaunched a select offering of old and newer classics into the popular retail store Costco. The in-store packaging resulted in a billboard for the product inside. Modern, crisp photography helped the audience understand how the product could fit into their lives with quick-read copy highlighting product features. The monochromatic approach to color produced a box that leapt from the shelves in a visually crowded warehouse. Supporting tools included product overviews, hang tags, shipping boxes, and assembly instructions.
Design Direction, Design, Photography Direction
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InterfaceFLOR Hospitality
This program was designed to reintroduce the Interface Hospitality brand to architects, designers, specifiers and hospitality brand managers attending the 2011 HD Expo show in Las Vegas.
“Design Your Floor!” speaks to the variety of options that modular flooring provides designers, giving them freedom to make floors a core element of their interiors, as opposed to traditional wall-to-wall carpeting. These event materials included advertising, a movie that looped during the show, top-down photography, a promotional website and printed handouts.
Design Direction, Design, Photography Direction
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The Center for Childhood Development
The Center for Childhood Development provides occupational, speech, and psychological therapies for children and families in West Michigan. After 5 years in business they had a sterling reputation, but a visual identity that didn't support the goals and future of the organization.
It didn't take long to realize that parents making choices about therapy services for their children are exhausted. The time commitments are high. Costs are just now being covered by insurance companies. And parents just want what's best for their kids. They're searching for relief. Something that will make them smile again. And reassure them that their children will have the attention they deserve.
This identity was created to provide that relief. To delight. It should feel like a hug. The process of therapy is work, but it doesn’t need to look like it.
2012
Creative Direction, Graphic Design, Photojournalism
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ArtPrize
ArtPrize: the world’s largest art prize voted by the public. This popular event was devised in 2009 and launched six months later. This sprint to the finish included everything from the logo, street signage, event guides, amenities, artist packets, brand guidelines, street posters, special event invitations, special edition posters, street banners, you name it.
Design Direction, Design
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izzy
izzy = cool, affordable, and personal office furniture. This communication program helped establish izzy in a position of wit, smarts, and energy in an otherwise ordinary market. The challenge? To be certain that every component illustrated the importance of “simple pleasures”. And to live life with fun, thoughtful, office furniture that makes you forget you’re at work. Elements ranged from advertising, library tools, product literature, showroom design, catalogs, amenities and more.
Design Direction, Design, Photography Direction
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Guilford of Maine
Guilford of Maine needed a fresh start after years of ownership changes. A clear new direction has set them on the path of being the leading performance textile provider in the areas of Education, Healthcare, and Office environments. Program materials range from advertising, library systems, product literature and showroom design. All with the same goal in mind: Convincing designers that these time-tested products provide designers with the freedom to make bold choices by starting with the classics.
Design Direction, Design
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Fiat USA
This is a small sampling of sketches that were the result of a furious scramble to launch the Fiat Cinquecento in the United States. The agency officially tasked with the launch reached out for help in a state of panic. And although the work that they've produced to-date barely resembles our deliverable, I occasionally see something familiar.
Design Direction, Design
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Herman Miller Healthcare
Herman Miller’s growing healthcare business has existed solidly for several years. But when competitors stepped up their game, they decided it was time for a brand reposition to remind the field about the unique advantages they held over other contract furniture companies, supporting the claim of a trusted resource and expertise in the industry.
Design Direction, Design, Photography Direction
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Priority Health
People expect health insurance to be confusing, expensive, and boring. Priority Health is anything but those things, so we set out to change minds.
The manufactured word "unexpectations" provided a platform for an awareness campaign intended to surprise. And of course tell stories about the benefits of being a Priority Health member. Things like affordability, rewards for staying healthy, and outstanding customer service.
2012
Advertising, Creative Direction, Graphic Design