roles: UX & UI | design | creative strategy & direction

thelen

Challenge

When I began working at Thelen Advertising in 2011, the two new owners (although longtime employees) approached me to implement a new branding solution to its 40-year history.

Solution

I began with a deep dive into pinpointing Thelen's differentiators and values, after which a new identity evolved through a collaborative approach to become an incredibly versatile and timeless brand that can shift and reshape depending on its application.

ABOVE:The new identity retains Thelen's legacy yet sets it apart with a classic and customized logotype that can grow with the agency, and an icon so versatile it can become anything yet says one thing: Thelen is approachable. That message of approachability plays out through the collateral and stationery.

Role — Art direction and design.

BELOW:A playful approach to the logotype still retains a classic look.

BELOW:A new website further illustrates Thelen's approach by taking a seemingly different one — void of cliché design elements like homepage carousels but full of whimsical touches.

Role — Business strategy, creative strategy, art direction, design, front-end web development.

BELOW:Custom cookies reiterate Thelen's approachability as part of the new-business sales process.

discovery

After a thorough research stage soaking up the wisdom of Thelen's longtime employees, competitive insight, and digging through the archives of Thelen's 40-year history, several themes emerged:

These insights became the foundation for how we communicated Thelen. Bright colors communicate our belief in design but also our rich culture.

agency leadership

As Art Director, I've been instrumental in cultivating improved processes, developing the team's creativity and level of strategy, and pushing for improved approaches to client work and client interaction.

/ interjection / scandinavian

1 You’ve just taken in a lot! Some would call it “the end.” I, however, call it “the beginning” — perhaps of something beautiful. Let’s find out together.