Read what Erinn has to say about designing strategic brands, working at Idea Kraft and her reuben pierogi recipe.
You’re Idea Kraft’s Head of Art Director! What does that mean and what do you do?
I work on everything creative, including logo design, brand naming, illustrations, collateral design, video storyboarding and planning, website layouts and so on. Anything creative, I’m in. I also provide final approval on all creative projects to make sure that everything going out the door meets or exceeds our standard.
Where were you before this?
I ran my own graphic design shop. I worked on a wide range of projects, from branding and collateral design to higher ed event marketing.
How do you balance design and strategy?
Before we start any project, we take a deep dive into the client’s needs and assess exactly what they need us to accomplish. Branding is not just about making things look pretty. It’s also about problem solving to help the client go to the next level. We always strive to create brands that are not only visually appealing but also flexible and multifaceted.
What’s a recent project you’re proud of?
Our recent branding project for AMT. I love full rebrand projects that cover all the aspects of visual branding— from logo and color palette to marketing collateral and website. The logo was a successful transformation of the outdated old look, and the web design is engaging and breaks the norms of what’s expected in the manufacturing industry.
What’s one thing that has surprised you in your career path up until now?
I would say the amount of talent we have right here at Idea Kraft! I’m always so impressed by my coworkers’ abilities and talents.
What makes working at Idea Kraft unique?
Every day at Idea Kraft is unique! We have such a variety of clients, so I’m always kept on my toes. I can toggle between designing for a cat litter, bank and martini bar all in one day. I love the challenge of meeting the different needs of our clients.
Do you do any creative projects off-the-clock?
Food is my love language— I love being in the kitchen! Getting hands on with complicated recipes, seasonal food and heritage recipes is my jam. No, seriously. I just made my mom’s strawberry rhubarb jam with berries from a local farm and rhubarb from my garden. I also love taking old family recipes and tweaking them. Reuben pierogies are a recent creation!
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