EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR + PARTNER, BRAND NEW SCHOOL
NEW YORK NY AND LOS ANGELES CA
For more than a decade Jonathan has remained one of the driving creative forces in design. He is an acclaimed Creative Director and Director who draws inspiration from a broad cross-section of life’s influences to create his playful, yet classical perspective. It is this journey that led him to start bicoastal creative company Brand New School in 2000 with the intention of building an avant garde atmosphere for creating compelling forms of visual communication.Jonathan entered design from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), earning a position as an Art Director at famed Fuel/Razorfish, before eventually striking out on his own. Since then, he has emerged as an industry leader, setting trends across a range of disciplines including live-action, motion graphics, experiential installations, and web and mobile experiences. Jonathan has acted as the visual architect behind advertising campaigns for major brands, including Apple, Ikea, Budweiser, HP, BBC, Jeep, Samsung, Toyota, Jack Daniels and more. He has received recognition from the Art Directors Club, the Cannes Lions Awards, the Clios, the D&AD, the AIGA, PROMAX/ BDA, and the Type Directors Club, and is an ADC Young Gun.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?
When looking for a place to land, make the learning process a priority. I think this is important while you’re young, malleable, and maybe don’t have an enormous amount of laurels to rest on. I suppose this would boil down to landing at a company that has a nurturing creative atmosphere, without office politics, and with room to grow.
HOW DOES WHERE YOU WERE BORN, GREW UP OR LIVE NOW EFFECT YOUR DESIGN SENSIBILITY OR STYLE?
I was born in Los Angeles and for the last 10 years have resided in New York City. It’s an interesting contrast in influences from my surf/skate childhood to the present cultural melting pot that is New York, I’d have to say it certainly affects my design sensibility, but has expanded the way I think about design.
FAVORITE COLOR?
Orange
FAVORITE TYPEFACE?
Franklin Gothic
FAVORITE WEBSITE?
I use Google everyday
FAVORITE APP?
Huffington Post
FAVORITE TV SHOW?
Perfect Strangers
FAVORITE BOOKS?
Grid Systems In Graphic Design by Josef Müller-Brockmann
FAVORITE MOVIES?
Caddyshack, Airplane, Stripes
FAVORITE MUSICIANS OR BANDS?
Phoenix
FAVORITE FINE ARTISTS?
Ed Ruscha
GREATEST STRENGTH AS A DESIGNER?
Clarity of vision
WEAKNESS?
Aversion to compromise
TALENT YOU WISHED YOU POSSESSED?
Schedule management
IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
Surf shop owner
A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY?
Better, not more
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