When I joined a small digital design agency nine years ago, neither they nor I knew what Brand Strategy was. I’d been brought on to assist them with copywriting, but with my background in research and writing, the designers started coming to me in search of rationale for the brands they were designing. They asked me to help them research and articulate intention behind those brands that could inform, even drive, the design process. The evolution of that became a robust and time-tested Brand Strategy process that would inform every brand design element that we touched at that agency, with over 100 projects/brand being served by that strategy. While that evolution was taking place, a similar evolution was taking place across the design industry: the launch and great success of strategy-led, intentional brands. Agencies that were leading the charge with Brand Strategy were creating meaningful, compelling brand experiences. And the world took note.They took note of the small agency where I was pushing strategy, too. That agency more than tripled in size and profit. We began working with large and reputable companies, changemakers in their industries. And I continued to hone my skills to impact a visually-driven market with words, foraying into Communications Strategy and beyond. Today, strong strategy is table stakes for design agencies. Gone are the days when “clean and friendly” brand visuals are sufficient to connect with consumers in the world. The global community is overrun with products and increasingly desensitized to brands. Without great strategy we cannot responsibly create relevant brand systems that will thrive. Which is why I’ve decided to channel my passion, experience, and expertise into teachable curricula for design teams: to help them streamline a more strategic design process, and to design better, more intentional brand systems for their clients—systems that inspire consumers globally, and design that resonates.
Listed skills include Writing, Social Media, Publications, Magazines, and 29 others.