Brian Edlefson

Brian Edlefson Email and Phone Number

Director of Creative and Digital Services @ University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business
Kalamazoo, MI, US
Brian Edlefson's Location
Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, United States
Brian Edlefson's Contact Details

Brian Edlefson personal email

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About Brian Edlefson

Right now, there are approximately 1,075,135 people named BRIAN.* I am the only one who participates in academia and professional design—bridging the theoretical and the pragmatic.I'm a creative director with a track record of leading design teams in various settings: global Fortune 100 companies, academic institutions, independent agencies, and cultural organizations. My work has earned awards and recognition for its creative innovation and business impact. I believe in the power of design to connect people and ideas, and I've dedicated a significant part of my career to teaching and mentoring the next generation of designers. I've held positions as a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Notre Dame and as Adjunct Professor at Western Michigan University and Andrews University.Currently, I run Thesis, a design practice focused on linking product manufacturers with critical audiences in the architecture and interior design industry. I also author design campaigns to promote healthcare reform, support design education, and encourage civil political discourse.My areas of expertise include visual identity, brand development, design strategy, typography, iconography, experience and exhibit design, and print publications. I also have a strong background in illustration, product development, website and UI design, and directing photography, motion, and video content. My approach combines strategic thinking with creative execution to deliver compelling visual narratives.I'm passionate about using design to address complex problems and find innovative solutions. Whether through leading a team, teaching, or my practice, I aim to make design that matters and resonates.Let's connect if you're interested in working together or if you're looking for a lecturer, critic, or someone to lead college workshops.* Based on the analysis of 100 years worth of data from the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Baby Names database

Brian Edlefson's Current Company Details
University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business

University Of Notre Dame - Mendoza College Of Business

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Director of Creative and Digital Services
Kalamazoo, MI, US
Brian Edlefson Work Experience Details
  • University Of Notre Dame - Mendoza College Of Business
    Director Of Creative And Digital Services
    University Of Notre Dame - Mendoza College Of Business
    Kalamazoo, Mi, Us
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  • Haworth
    Lead Art Director, Photo And Video Content
    Haworth Mar 2023 - Present
    Holland, Mi, 49423, Us
    Develop storytelling content for Haworth owned and partner brands through the direction of photo, video, and motion design. Inspire and engage architects and interior designers to plan and specify product environments.
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  • Thesis
    Founding Principal And Creative Director
    Thesis Jan 2008 - Present
    Saint Joseph, Mi, Us
    As the Principal and founding partner of Thesis, I lead a pioneering graphic design practice renowned for innovative solutions that transcend traditional boundaries.Strategic Focus: We specialize in forging meaningful connections between product manufacturers and critical architecture and interior design stakeholders. Our approach addresses the unique needs of our clients and influencers, ensuring their visions come to life with precision and creativity.•Systems Thinking: Thesis stands at the forefront of strategic planning and design vision, offering unparalleled marketing concepts for our diverse clientele. Our portfolio spans the Consumer Goods, Contract Furniture, Education, and Healthcare sectors, where we address complex challenges with elegant and thoughtful design solutions.Award-Winning Excellence: Our work is recognized for its creativity and effectiveness, winning accolades for various projects from print and packaging to video, environmental installations, and interactive digital experiences.Social Advocacy: We are passionate about leveraging our skills and resources to advocate for critical social causes. Our studio-initiated campaigns aim to promote healthcare reform, advance design education, and encourage civil political discourse. We are committed to making a difference through design and inspiring positive societal change.Strategic Focus: Connecting product manufacturers with architecture and interior design clients and influencersSystems Thinking: Providing strategic planning, design vision, and marketing concepts for complex clients in the Consumer Goods, Contract Furniture, Education, and Healthcare sectors.Award-Winning: Lauded creative solutions that span print, packaging, video, environmental installations, and screen-based experiences.Social Advocacy: Studio-initiated campaigns to promote healthcare reform, design education, and further civil political discourse.
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  • Ithaka
    Senior Art Director
    Ithaka Nov 2021 - Jan 2023
    New York, Ny, Us
    Led design initiatives to make ITHAKA brands more dimensional—including comprehensive storytelling through video and image-making. I supported product teams to increase the reach of key platforms (JSTOR, ARTSTOR) and develop creative strategies to align brands with key audiences (ITHAKA S+R, Constellate). Most importantly, I assisted the Brand Creative, Marketing, and Product Design teams to further ITHAKA's mission: to improve access to knowledge and education for people around the world.
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  • Kitchenaid
    Global Creative Manager
    Kitchenaid Dec 2017 - Nov 2021
    Benton Harbor, Michigan, Us
    I led a team responsible for stewardship of the brand across all media and customer touch-points: brand strategy, the global packaging design system, art direction of imagery and video, development of recipe content, retail and event environments.Brand Design: Contributed strategic direction and design vision for new, consistent brand communications—including creative best practices, naming and nomenclature policies, design and editorial guidelines, social media and campaign rulesManagement Experience: Led an internal team of designers and project managers; direct additional agency partners and contract staff to augment skills and bandwidthContinuous Improvement: Structured the existing team to boost 2019 deliverables more than 60% over 2018 resultsGlobal Collaboration: Partnered with retail marketing teams to ensure design solutions are on-brand and appropriate for established and emerging markets around the globe Financial Experience: Responsible for a multimillion-dollar annual budget to manage projects with both internal talent and external partnersResearch Participation: Influenced study to improve the post-purchase experience of customer facing product packagingIndustry Trends: Developed initial concepts and visual direction of the Color of the Year program—building KitchenAid’s reputation for color leadership through digital marketing campaigns—increasing impressions more than 4x previous goals
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  • University Of Notre Dame
    Assistant Professor (Tenure Track), Visual Communication Design
    University Of Notre Dame Jan 2016 - Dec 2017
    Notre Dame, In, Us
    Taught visual communication design courses and developed curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students. Course topics in design fundamentals, typography, environmental design principles, packaging, and product development. Academic research in cross-department collaboration in Digital Humanities; type history culminating in the evolution of letterforms—including emoji.Instructed students to align the strong verbal communication skills attained in a liberal arts environment to the problem-solving skills needed to address design challengesCoached graduate students to investigate ideas that intersect personal, social, and commercial interestsConduct personal design research influence collaboration among academic departments and institutions
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  • Whirlpool Corporation
    Lead Graphic Designer
    Whirlpool Corporation Dec 2006 - Jan 2008
    Benton Harbor, Michigan, Us
    Contributed to the conception and execution of brand elements that differentiate the corporation’s mass-market appliance brands–including user-interface design, custom typography and iconography, art directing photography, and promotional concepts.
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  • Target
    Senior Designer
    Target Jun 2005 - Nov 2006
    Minneapolis, Mn, Us
    Develop design solutions that extend the Target brand–product packaging, in-store marketing, and advertising.
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  • The Museum Of Modern Art
    Graduate Fellow
    The Museum Of Modern Art May 2004 - Sep 2004
    New York, Ny, Us
    Developed promotional materials and designed print collateral for Membership, Education, and Curatorial departments.
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  • Herman Miller
    Senior Desginer
    Herman Miller Jan 1997 - Jul 2003
    Zeeland, Mi, Us
    Responsible for creating and maintaining the Herman Miller corporate image. Solutions included: a new corporate identity and brand strategy, a range of brand applications–from business cards to truck fleet graphics, the design direction and execution of all print collateral, collaboration on product naming and positioning. Additional duties: mentoring and supervising design staff, selecting and directing external design and production resources, and conducting field research.
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Brian Edlefson Skills

Corporate Identity Graphic Design Brand Development Packaging Concept Development Graphics Design Strategy Typography Brand Architecture Art Direction Creative Direction Adobe Creative Suite Indesign Branding And Identity Logo Design Collateral Product Development Environmental Design User Interface Brand Management Interaction Design

Brian Edlefson Education Details

  • Yale University
    Yale University
    Graphic Design
  • Western Michigan University
    Western Michigan University
    Graphic Design

Frequently Asked Questions about Brian Edlefson

What company does Brian Edlefson work for?

Brian Edlefson works for University Of Notre Dame - Mendoza College Of Business

What is Brian Edlefson's role at the current company?

Brian Edlefson's current role is Director of Creative and Digital Services.

What is Brian Edlefson's email address?

Brian Edlefson's email address is br****@****aka.org

What is Brian Edlefson's direct phone number?

Brian Edlefson's direct phone number is (574) 631*****

What schools did Brian Edlefson attend?

Brian Edlefson attended Yale University, Western Michigan University.

What skills is Brian Edlefson known for?

Brian Edlefson has skills like Corporate Identity, Graphic Design, Brand Development, Packaging, Concept Development, Graphics, Design Strategy, Typography, Brand Architecture, Art Direction, Creative Direction, Adobe Creative Suite.

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