CREATIVE DIRECTOR
COHO CREATIVE, CINCINNATI OH
Mike has over 20 years of global brand design experience leading design and innovation programs for brands such as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Gillette, Kraft, Expedia, Intuit, Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Hornitos, Skinny Girl, and Courvoisier. In the process, he has won multiple design awards for the likes Hershey’s, New Holland Brewing, Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon, and Beam Suntory. Educated in Graphic Design at The Pratt Institute, Mike is a second-generation designer, and spent much of his youth in his father’s studios learning the craft of Design. An advocate for the power of creative problem solving, Mike has taught the practice of Design Thinking to companies from Tech Start-ups to Fortune 500 Companies.
THE FUTURE OF THE GRAPHIC DESIGN BUSINESS?
This is an exciting time for design and visual communications — we are on another great curve in the industry — between access to information and social media, we are really having to solve problems quite differently. Design Thinking and creative problem solving are being well-adopted by culture and industry. On one hand this puts designers in a heightened position, but on the other hand, it places greater responsibility on us to strive for the highest levels of authenticity and transparency in our clients and ourselves.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?
Grand Haven MI / Newport KY
A DESIGN HERO?
Reid Miles, his work for Blue Note still blows me away.
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA?
Instagram
FAVORITE TELEVISION BINGE WATCH?
If Ken Burns made it, I’ll watch it
FAVORITE PODCAST?
Serial
FAVORITE BOOK?
Anything Christopher Moore, Lamb is probably my favorite
FAVORITE MOVIE?
Royal Tenenbaums
FAVORITE FINE ARTIST?
Mark Rothko
FAVORITE CAUSE/CHARITY?
I Love Bali Dogs, a rescue organization that fights for the cause of street dogs
FAVORITE FREE TIME ACTIVITY?
Traveling with my wife, racing my car, riding a skateboard, daydreaming … this list could go on and on.
IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER?
Automotive or product Designer
