"We need to update our brand and brand materials. While you're at it, it would be great to get a style guide so that everything looks consistent. And, can you design a brochure too? Oh, also a presentation folder to hold everything. And, of course, our show announcements and gallery artist cards." Why yes, [...]
CSAA Insurance Group
kerntoy@comcast.net2021-02-07T10:32:43-08:00Building excitement and energy for your brand always begins from the inside. Your people are your brand ambassadors. When they're excited to be at your company, they communicate that to everyone they come in contact with. So you have to keep your employees engaged and enthusiastic. CSAA Insurance Group does that by supporting their [...]
Autodesk
kerntoy@comcast.net2021-01-30T10:04:58-08:00Yes, working for this software company really IS as fun as people think! For a designer, Autodesk was a golden opportunity to do lots and lots of great work. The people were terrific to work with. Management was brilliant and totally supportive. We worked with every department. The size and scope of projects that [...]
Alterpop
kerntoy@comcast.net2021-01-29T15:51:34-08:00"Kern, you're like an automatic profit center. When you work on a project, we always make money." That's one of my funniest memories of working with Alterpop. One day, the bookkeeper said that to me in passing and I still remember it to this day. Alterpop is an award winning design agency run by [...]
University Games
kerntoy@comcast.net2020-06-12T08:33:10-07:00Mr. Toy designs... TOYS!!! In addition to designing the packaging for these University Games products, I also had the really exciting opportunity to design the game boards and work out the game play with the product manager. Does anyone remember ColorForms? ColorForms was a repositionable sticker that you could use over and over on a [...]
Automated Environments
kerntoy@comcast.net2021-01-30T10:14:30-08:00Changing the company name was a chance to rebrand and make the new logo more thoughtful. Automated Environments changed its name from Automated Electric. It's a small change, but it reflects how the company grew from being electricians to designing and installing complete automated systems for homes and businesses. Think automated lighting, shades, security [...]
Reliable Caregivers
kerntoy@comcast.net2021-01-28T12:00:37-08:00Rebranding one of San Francisco's premiere home care services means identifying the real users and marketing to that audience. Who's the real audience for senior home care services? Is it the seniors using the service? Their children? Their partners? For anyone who understands marketing, the adult children and partners are the real audience. Because [...]
Brownstone Furniture
kerntoy@comcast.net2020-06-12T11:55:31-07:00How do you design a furniture catalog that shows off a new lineup of wood finishes and textures? Of course, you start with beautiful photography. Luckily, Brownstone Furniture had David Duncan Livingston shoot all the images, so I knew the photography would be fantastic from the beginning. The front section shows the furniture in [...]
Discovery Toys
kerntoy@comcast.net2020-06-26T13:52:11-07:00How do you rebrand a line of toys that's already been very successful without losing the audience? For Discovery Toys, a direct marketing toy company, the line of toys aimed at the 3 months–3 years market segment was very successful. However, the packaging was very inconsistent up to that point. Yes, the solution would definitely [...]