MARCUS HEWITT

Marcus Hewitt is the Chief Creative Officer of Dragon Rouge in the US. Hewitt has been a design leader for more than 20 years, building teams for several of the world's leading agencies. Prior to Dragon Rouge, he was Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner of Sterling Brands. Born and raised in the UK, Hewitt started his career with Pentagram in London, and helped to establish the Michael Peters Group in London, New York, Toronto and Los Angeles. He has been responsible for major identity and packaging programs for clients including: Burger King, Givaudan Roure, ElPaso Energy, the American Architectural Foundation, The Getty Museum, Toyota, Unilever, Cablevision, Wal-Mart, Colgate Palmolive and Pernod Ricard, to name a few.

With Dragon Rouge, Hewitt is able to work cross-category, cross-discipline and cross-Atlantic in the entrepreneurial style he believes in. An active member and past board member of AIGA/NY and an adjunct professor at FIT and the School of Visual Arts, he shares his passion for witty solutions and intelligently simple design. His design work has received numerous

Where were you born, where do you live, did this effect your design style or sensibilities? I was born in St. Albans, just north of London. I've lived and worked in London, New York, Toronto, LA and, of course, back to NYC. Recently, we finally made it to the center of the universe: Brooklyn. Over the years I've been lucky enough to work with several design greats. I also think that anyone's work you admire influences your own approach. Being able to tap into different "sensibilities" helps me solve a wide variety of design challenges and it helps when the client wants twelve routes.

If you were not a designer, what would you be? I can't imagine not designing something; an alternative dream job would have to be architect. House collecting would be fun, too.

What is your design process, do you sketch first, go to the computer, take days off to get inspired? Not much sketching — I don't think a pencil is anymore creative than a mouse. I rarely approach two projects the same way, that's why I love what I do. Often the best ideas come when you walk out the door — other times it's after six hours hunched at your desk. One trick is to let mistakes happen. Sometimes that's when something new appears, if you know how to spot it. Finally, when you hit the mark, get rid of everything you don't need.

What is one thing you have done to help weather the economic downturn? Businesswise, we keep it very lean. Everyone at Dragon Rouge works on projects. We welcome short deadlines, we have an amazing team, but it is small — so getting a project out the door makes room for the next one!

What is your greatest strength and weakness as a designer? think a strength would be speed of concept and productivity. Weakness would be ... the second martini.

YOUR DESIGN HERO?
Brockmann (Joseph Muller that is)

WORST HABIT?
Slouching

FAVORITE COLOR?
The Whitestone Bridge

FAVORITE TYPEFACE?
There's a very good reason Helvetica is used so much...

FAVORITE TV SHOWS?
No television, but I do download Breaking Bad

FAVORITE BOOKS?
Chandler, Kerouac, Nabokov, Amis and John Kennedy Toole

FAVORITE MOVIES?
The Conversation, Bullitt, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (the title alone gets my vote), The 39 Steps. Oh, of course, Magnolia!

FAVORITE MUSIC?
Currently The Wild Beasts and Jens Lekman — long term, it has to be Radiohead and Stone Roses

FAVORITE FINE ARTIST?
I wouldn't say no to a Rothko

FAVORITE GADGET?
Makita 24v

BOOKMARKED WEBSITES?
Wikipedia. I'm a biography junkie, it's my guilty time-wasting pleasure.

BEST GIFT YOU EVER RECEIVED?
Kids

ONE THING YOU NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT?
Something to read (I've been known to fish newspapers from subway trashcans)

ONE THING YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT?
Susan, George and Halle (my wife and kids)

TALENT YOU WISH YOU POSSESSED?
I'd love to play piano. One tune would do, maybe an Eric Satie piece?