Continue reading “Branding the Peoria ‘Whiskey District’”

“The biggest thing we’re noticing in America’s pantries is that there doesn’t seem to be a target demographic for single-serve packaging. Everyone is using them to some degree. Empty nesters. Single adults. Even families, the supposed raison d’etre for large sized multi-serve package designs.

Single serve packaging is fulfilling an unmet need to manage waste and to acknowledge our increasingly individualistic eating patterns in a highly fragmented, fickle culture of eaters who think that every day is a good day to try something new in the world of food.”

So, the challenge was to select a meal that consisted of at least three items and required little or no prep time, could be eaten anywhere, but was leaning more towards gourmet quality than fast food. The packaging had to be secure, environmentally considerate, but unique in its look (yet still stackable). Here are a few of the students solutions to this fun packaging brief.

Continue reading “Gourmet Single Serving Food Packaging”

The Illinois Women Artists Project gathers information about artists who worked throughout Illinois between 1840 and 1980 and promotes the appreciation of their work and experiences. Until now, little has been known about many of these artists.The IWA is interested in their work—paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and photographs—and in how they managed their creative lives. They are curious about their experiences, and the roles they played in the history of Illinois and the Midwest. To learn their stories, look at their work, and recognize their strengths enriches our cultural history and supports the value of women’s art and the integrity of their experience. The IWA Project is a unique, not-for-profit, educational endeavor.

Although Bradley University has developed and houses the website and the archival materials, the IWA was in need of a rebrand to reflect the true nature of the organization, its vision and to take it forward. The students were challenged with creating a brand mark (six each, actually). and presenting a variety of key touchpoints connecting the IWA with its audience(s).

Here are the four favorite selections from the client.

The 2016-17 Season of wonderful plays is going out with a good old Shakespeare masterpiece – Twelfth Night. This particular rendition is set around the early twentieth century, in New Orleans. With these two ‘prompts’ and some good discussions between myself and the director, here is the promotional piece we arrived at. Playful interaction between words from the script itself, Mardi-Gras, and Feste, the Jester. With just a subtle ‘nod’ to the era through the surrounding border.

To compliment the new brand mark for the society, (designed by Taylor Ackerman, a Bradley University Graphic Design alum, now setting the design world alight at the Simantel Group), the students, working in small teams, were invited to 1. apply the new brand identity across a range of key touch points, and 2. also consider a launch campaign strategy to promote awareness of the organization to a new, younger, demographic while retaining the loyalty of existing members.

Continue reading “Peoria Historical Society Branding Project”

Alan Aldridge was a celebrated English graphic designer, artist and illustrator. He created the cover art for Who’s second album A Quick One. Moreover, he held the position of an art director at Penguin Books. His densely-packed illustration revitalized the paperback publisher’s business and culminated in skyrocketing sales.

Continue reading “THE MAN WITH KALEIDOSCOPE EYES: ALAN ALDRIDGE”

I’m a big fan of our junior graphic design students designing a resumé package, (cover letter, resumé, work ‘teasers’), aimed at one specific person at one specific company. Leap frogging HR – land something so wonderfully crafted on the desk of the Creative Director/Studio Manager that they can’t help but respond. Here are a few of this years wonderfully varied results with hopefully a good few heading out for possible summer and fall internship positions as we speak:

Continue reading “The Resumé Experience”