CEO, SOULSIGHT, CHICAGO IL
Jim Pietruszynski is honored to be the CEO of Soulsight, a full service brand design agency, that utilizes an empathic mindset to motivate consumer connections with brands emotionally, keeping brands relevant and evolving with culture. With over 3 decades of experience in iconic brand design, Jim has worked in every category and channel, and is driven not only by creativity, but understanding true human needs, turning brands into artifacts of our culture. He has spent the last 25 years at Soulsight with roles as a Designer, Strategist, Account Manager, and CMO.
Jim’s passion for the creative process begins with the formation of an environment where a strong strategic vision can truly thrive. Collaboration and honesty have been important factors that have fostered breakthrough innovation and game-changing creativity. Jim’s inspiration comes from insights grounded in basic human truths and an empathetic approach. His focus on strategic insight and design allows him to contribute compelling creative thinking for clients and colleagues. Jim has experience in working with global and iconic companies such as Kraft Heinz, Coca-Cola, Molson Coors, General Mills, Pfizer, Unilever, and Hershey’s, and his work has been recognized by major US and international design and packaging awards programs.
As we pivot into a post-pandemic era marked by societal challenge and change, are you optimistic about the future of Graphic Design to support and shape commerce, culture and causes? Why do you feel the way you do? Are you optimistic about the future of your own firm?
I have always believed that design will continue to define our culture and the world we live in. The core essence of solving needs has always been emended in what we do with design. The next chapter I see as an exciting time where we have the opportunity to build needs with the intention of creating better opportunities to enhance living. I feel with the desire to continue to grow and evolve it will be essential to lean in with more intentionality to provide solutions that are unanticipated and drive a new dimension of experiences. These experiences have the ability to express the values that are concrete, meaningful and supportive to humanity.
We are seeing an increased focus on Package Design to advance the brand, tell the story, amplify the experience, forge an emotional connection. Do you agree with this observation and, if so, what advantages does packaging have over other graphic communications?
Some have heard me say that the package design of a brand is the artifact that engages human connection. Empathy, transparency, and emotional relevancy is what is needed for package design and graphics to be effective and engage choice selection. Studies have revealed that anywhere between 70-95% of our decision making is made by our subconscious. In the subconscious, emotion and brands that exude an emotion will always connect and be relatable. All of the tools we use to tell a story, color, typography, image, texture, and form are intentionally selected to represent an emotional reason to believe. Successful design understands how to bring these elements together to illustrate, and act out the brand purpose and support the brands function.
