DESIGN DIRECTOR, BEARDWOOD&CO, BROOKLYN NY
As an experienced Design Director, I bring a unique blend of creativity and strategic thinking to the world of branding and packaging. With a background in the liquor, beauty, personal care, and innovation sectors, I’ve had the opportunity to work with brands like Johnnie Walker, L’Oréal, Dove, George Dickel, and Penfolds Wines. My approach is centered around powerful storytelling that resonates on an emotional level, expressed through creatively excellent design solutions. Some of my favorite projects have entailed the development of brand worlds – comprehensive visual expressions that tell rich stories spanning from packaging to video, interior to experience design. I am currently at Beardwood&Co, a branding agency that illuminates possibilities for brand growth with big ideas made to thrive in the real world.
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? Are you optimistic about the future of your own firm?
A resounding yes! We live in interesting times marked by rapid change, and I believe graphic design has a unique responsibility to shape our societal landscape. Challenging as that may be, I do believe that as a community of creatives we can use design to lift up underrepresented voices, bring awareness to crucial issues, and cut through visual noise with clarity and purpose.
It’s impossible to discuss the future of graphic design without grappling with the implications of generative AI technologies. As the digital landscape fills up with AI-generated content, I think we are going to see just how important human brilliance, human perspectives and human craft are when it comes to creating impactful design.
Along with humanity, I think resilience and flexibility will help both individuals and organizations adapt to the rapid pace of change. None of us have it fully figured out, and that’s okay – so let’s keep talking about it! I am optimistic about our future at Beardwood for two key reasons – in addition to our strategic and design chops, I value our emphasis on having open, honest and human conversations, and our commitment to our shared values.
We are seeing an increased focus on Package Design to advance the brand, tell the story, amplify the experience, forge an emotional connection with consumers at the moment of truth. Do you agree and, if so, what advantages does packaging have over other graphic communications?
Packaging design has the distinct advantage of being allowed into the most intimate and personal spaces, from the fridge to the bathroom. This access gives packaging the ability to impact people’s routines and daily experiences, and to build brand love throughout repeated interactions. Of course, with access comes responsibility to be a good “house guest” – to fit seamlessly into the consumer’s lifestyle, to make their routines a bit smoother, and to bring them a bit of joy.
And, unlike digital media, packaging has the ability to tap into haptic memory by providing a tactile experience. From the ergonomics of the structure to the materials used, packaging can build brand loyalty in a multisensory way.
After a long period of brands leaning into minimalism to the point of becoming bland, I’m glad to see brands embracing maximalism and expressiveness with bright colors, groovy type and more immersive on-pack storytelling. In terms of production, something I’ve personally loved to see is more and more brands moving away from unnecessary plastic and embracing 100% PCR.
