All These Things I’ve Done

Tight deadlines, ambitious objectives, too much caffeine, always a break for mid-morning yoga — all in a day’s work.

identity & brand design

Logos are my jam. Branding is my butter. Jam & Butter Sammies are good, just go with it.

CLIENT: Halling & Cayo Attorneys at Law

PROJECT: Identity & Brand Design

The Phoenix: A powerful bird that re-emerges from what it once was. A new chapter. Spirit of renewal in the face of a challenge, a struggle, even a tragedy. Whether seeking legal guidance for a business, planning out an estate, resolving a family dispute, or even facing serious charges, each and every one of Halling & Cayo’s clients wants to take an informed step toward a successful outcome. Attorneys, associates, and staff are invited to take part in this renewal, sometimes every day. To mentor, support, guide clients and fellow teammates in an industry that can often feel unforgiving and relentless: This is a powerful role that requires unconventional innovation and mindful perseverance.

CLIENT: Tosa Tonight Summer Concert Series

PROJECT: Identity, Brand Design, & Website

Along with a full rebrand, I jumped on refreshing Tosa Tonight’s old logo. What would a Summer Concert Series in a beautiful park do without some mighty fine amps? Let’s turn this up to a family-friendly 11.

Jump to the full case study

CLIENT: North Shore Congregational Church

PROJECT: Identity, Brand Design, & Website

North Shore was ready to take their digital footprint into the 21st century and I was ready to make it super colorful. Inspired by a large stained-glass window at the front of their church, the rest fell beautifully into the place.

Check out the new website

CLIENT: Alpha Transitions

PROJECT: Logo Design

Alpha Transitions facilitates the development of customized transition life-maps most specifically for young individuals with varying levels of disabilities. The core focus of each plan is centered around the individual’s goals and interests, not his or her deficit or perceived capabilities.

The goal of this project was to ensure the logo exemplifies the essence of Alpha Transitions as a professional business entity and service provider for teens and adults who may not always feel empowered or have the tools to forge their own path. The mountain symbolism and bright creative colors embody that Empowerment, Resourcefulness, Hope, Action, and Creative Problem Solving.

In the end, I helped Alpha Transitions lay the groundwork to press forward with the company website and other marketing materials.

CLIENT: UNITED EXPR3SSIONS APPAREL

PROJECT: Logo Design

Because I literally can’t write it any better than they did, here’s the essence and the soul of United Expr3ssions Apparel:

“We believe that America has always been great from the outside in. It is the diversity of each culture that created the infrastructure of our society. It is the struggles of the men and women that came to this country in search for the American dream, that inspired the men and women beside them to work twice as hard. Those struggles are the core attributes that contribute to our strengths! We are, United Cultures, United Styles, United Expr3ssions.”

David, the owner of United Expr3ssions, revealed his backstory to me as we chatted over coffee one cold afternoon at Colectivo. I was most touched by his history with the military and reasoning behind the number 3 in the company name. He expressed that it would be interesting if I could work it into the logo somehow. So I represented Air Land Sea by lines inside the logo (with “3” turned on its side) and give it a seal or patch quality. The final logo design exudes quality and class. It’s clean but with depth, polished but not bright, rich but not overly extravagant and untouchable. Above all else, it acts as a symbol of the company’s essence and the emotion behind their brand: Empowering, Thought-Provoking, and Inclusive.

I helped David with the foundation he needed to press forward on his own to develop his website and other marketing materials.

recent client project snapshots

My favorite client work from the few couple years. There’s lots here, just let it wash over you. Absorb. Reflect.

CLIENT: SafeNet Milwaukee

PROJECT: Brand Refresh & Website Design

SafeNet Milwaukee is renowned for supporting the best companies in the industry, by providing to them brilliant and talented experts, with a go-getter, collaborative spirit. All they needed was a brand and digital home to reflect all that awesomeness.

Whether it’s a business searching for a expert to help solve a complex problem or a talented job-seeker in the tech-space who wants to push his or her career, the SafeNet online experience needed to be modern, quick, easy to use, and device-friendly. And SafeNet’s digital design had to exude their unique team culture: the piece de resistance that puts SafeNet at the top of everyone’s list as soon as a prospect utters the words “technical or business consulting.” And, above all else, this new space would act as a flag proudly flown by the SafeNet team itself: an experience everyone would eagerly share with friends, colleagues, and clients – amping brand advocacy in a whole new way.

CLIENT: Tucker’s Raw Frozen & Treats

PROJECT: Freezer Magnet Design

To take their in-store marketing to a new level, Tucker’s approached me to design three large-scale magnets that adhere to full-size freezers as eye-catching signage for their dog food/treat products. My key direction: Make them super retro realistic and include “trompe l’oeil” objects like magnets, postcards, grocery lists, Polaroids, Tucker’s packaging, and other vintage bells and whistles. Or basically: “here, do this dream project for us.” Yes, please!

Check out the details – click inset to expand!

Check out the details – click inset to expand!

Check out the details – click inset to expand!

FREEZER BROCHURE

After the magnets were created, my next task was to design a two-sided brochure that would feature the new Tucker’s freezer specs, Tucker’s product contents, new retro magnet styles, and customer order form. This piece would act as the perfect accompaniment to the rest of their materials for tradeshows.

CLIENT: James Pellizzi – Strategic Digital Marketing

PROJECT: Logo + Website

After bidding the agency world goodbye, James ventured onward to start his own business as a Strategic Digital Marketing Consultant. I created his new professional brand with a core essence of expertise, trust, personability, and a touch of tenacity.

For the logo: just clean, simple text would do, nothing outrageous.

For the website: crisp white plus rich, dark imagery, with just a touch of Michael Mann flare.

Along with WordPress.com theme set-up, I also made UX recommendations based on James’ overall content strategy, and provided some copy-editing and copywriting services.

CLIENT: James Pellizzi – Strategic Digital Marketing

PROJECT: DIY Digital Roadmap Guide

To introduce his strategic vision to potential clients and serve as a call-to-action, James needed a robust DIY Digital Roadmap step-by-step guide for marketing managers and teams to map out and complete their path to a successful marketing automation initiative. With James’ content in hand, I designed the guide based on my website branding initiative.