Subaru Christmas ad design

Here are some Subaru ads I designed during a recent stint at DDB. The client was looked for a more elegant, restrained treatment of the sales elements than they had been running up til then. These were produced under very tight time contraints and were greeted very favorably by the client. For me, as always, the challenge was to create a harmonious balance of elements that communicated the client’s message while creating a very functional composition. In other word, make it look good, and make it work.

NABS Calendar retouching

This is a good example of my retouching skills. The challenge was to create a Canadian version of the iconic Hollywood sign for a NABS Calendar paying homage to much-loved movies. I had to do a lot of rebuilding of elements, and creating a few from scratch. Overall the result is realistic and convincing.

Milk Money header

The challenge was to create something that would appeal to kids AND moms. The chocolate coin idea was mine, inspired by my Dutch background. My father emigrated to Canada in the fifties, and his family back home always sent us a Christmas giftbox full of classic Dutch treats, like chocolate letters, chocolate coins, etc. I did this one while I was working at Strateco.

DDB True Crime blog

The idea was to promote DDB’s crime fighting campaigns, like Crime Stoppers, using the authenticity of a true crime blog. It is an interesting idea, and I love the stark image of the handcuffs. I worked on this in the fall of 2006, while at DDB working on their new business RFPs.

WyldeLife cartoon strips

This is my attempt at a good old fashioned boy/animals daily cartoon strip. I have always loved cartoons, and used to do one for weekly newspapers years and years ago. Torstar thought there was some merit in it, but they thought it wasn’t quite funny enough. I might turn this into a series of children’s books. Not sure yet. It is an ongoing project.

Changers logo

This is an icon/logo for a newage therapist, a dear friend of mine named Berti Baker who now lives in Calgary. What she wanted was a logo that would portray how we are all always in a process of self-transformation, while also deeply connected to each other.

Movies To Go design

This is a storefront sign/wordmark for a company that delivers DVD movies to customers in their homes, along with snacks and whatever else they might want. The company is in St. John, New Brunswick.

BioAdvantex design

This is the identity of a health company in Mississauga which packages holistic vitamin and supplement formulas for the general public. I was seeking an identity that said both pharma, and also suggested targeting specific problems (such as enlarged prostate) which is what the company’s products are all about. I designed this while freelancing at The Marketing Store.

Megabites branding

In 2003 Maple Leaf was doing explorations for launching a new potato-based food bar to compete with the various pizza hand meals that had saturated the Canadian grocery freezer sections. This was one of the naming developments I worked on while at Strateco.

Indus Mutual design

The challenge was to create an identity (logo) and a series of newspaper and annual report templates for a proposed Green Fund. The focus was on creating simple yet effective visual stories to double the impact of the headline.

Allie the Eyeroller childrens books

This is a personal, ongoing project. It is the story of a little girl who rollers her eyes so much they jump right out of her head and take off around the world on wild adventures, learning a great deal about other people and cultures before returning home. This is the bookcover as it stands, and some of the preparatory sketches.

Mera Seasalt ads

The challenge was to create a series of print ads (magazine and outdoor) to launch a new seasalt product into the Canadian mareketplace. The concept I finally settle on was to exaggerate the absurdity of people attempting to get real sea salt flavour from the sea, rather than from the product.

Capital C NOISE newsletter

Capital C wanted a newsletter that they could use to both keep staff and clients up-to-date on the latest buzz, both what Cap C was doing, and general industry news. The entire project, from brief, to design, to execution, only look 2 days.

Moosecall chapbook

While I was a member of Moosemeat writers group I was involved in the launch of their chapbook. This was our first issue. There were a lot of struggles to come up with something that everyone would find acceptable (my original ideas was to have the female members of the group kissing on of Toronto’s famous fiberglass mooses, which seemed by risque and totally on-target). This was a last minute design which pleased everyone.