DOLLOP DENTAL
ART DIRECTION / BRANDING / PACKAGING / 3D
Dollop is an enthusiastic and hopeful oral care company that believes a bright, healthy smile should be good for you and the environment. With a mission to completely flip the dental industry upside-down, Dollop ditches wasteful plastic and harmful chemicals for 100% planet-friendly products and packaging so that every time you use one of Dollop’s quality bamboo dental products, there’s always something to smile about.
To challenge concerns of climate anxiety and deceptive greenwashing, Dollop embraces authenticity and a high-spirited attitude, communicating optimism towards positive change for your mouth and the future. These ideas go even further with the brand’s refreshingly bright and energized identity system and delightful packaging experience that can’t help but make you smile.
Project Roles
- Completed as a solo project
Recognition
- LogoLounge / 2023 / International
Published Trademark
- National Student Showcase / 2023 / National
Judges Choice, Best Use of Paper, Best Innovation
- Graphis New Talent / 2023 / National
Silver (Packaging Design)
- AAF Addys / 2023 / San Antonio
Gold (Packaging Design)
By recognizing the gap between traditional dental products and a growing demand for greener product alternatives, Dollop aims to transform the industry by offering 100% environmentally friendly products and packaging that empower their consumers.
Dollop’s concept and mission to flip the dental industry upside down comes alive with its ambigram trademark that allows it to be read consistently from different orientations.
The brand deviates from traditional toothbrush and other eco-friendly products with a saturated, warm color palette and a lively, casual typographic treatment.
Custom icons of teeth, squiggles, and smileys were crafted with a shape vocabulary reminiscent of the Dollop trademark and typography, and capture the upbeat, playful energy of the brand’s personality in a signature dental pattern.
Double-ended, recycled craft-paper tubes with the brand’s signature vibrant color palette puts its money where its mouth is. Dollop’s quality bamboo brushes are accessible from both ends of the package, letting users experience the brand’s flip concept firsthand. Soy-based ink and removable/reusable bamboo handles make Dollop’s product and packaging truly 100% compostable and recyclable.
A secondary set of packaging was designed for toothpaste tablets with the same objectives. Continuing to lean into Dollop’s flip conceptual strategy, the orientation-less packaging receives the same playful treatment as its bamboo toothbrush counterpart.
Diverse, candid smiles along with flipped type and positive, feel-good messaging play the primary role in Dollop’s advertising to promote the brand’s commitment to authenticity, inclusivity, and mission to a healthier smile and planet.
Project Takeaways:
In addition to learning to design for three-dimensional surfaces and spaces, Dollop taught me that adopting a concept-first mindset is instrumental and imperative in ensuring a cohesive visual narrative that can be used across the brand’s entire communication strategy. I also learned to carefully consider the way materials and design choices impact how a user experiences a brand, and how to leverage those design choices to create strategies for unexpected interactions that meet consumer wants and needs and strengthens their relationship to the brand. With More Time and Resources:Toothbrushes and Toothpaste Tabs are just the start. With more time and resources, I would love to explore expanding Dollop’s product line and packaging to include more sustainable and planet-friendly dental products such as floss, mouthwash, refill packs, and more. Currently Dollop exists for in-store shopping experiences, but I would love to consider how the brand could be extended to include a subscription-based delivery service for their dental products, and expanding the art direction and branding for those spaces (delivery packaging, promotional materials, web experience, etc.)
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HOUSTON AQUARIUM
ART DIRECTION / BRANDING / EGD
The Houston Aquarium is the city’s leading underwater adventure destination and aquatic learning center, and is committed to instilling a sense of curiosity and passion for marine life and the ocean environments they call home. Through conservation leadership and transformative educational programming, the Aquarium is dedicated to safeguarding the wonders of the ocean for Houston’s communities for generations to come.
For over two decades the existing Houston Aquarium has focused primarily on entertainment and amusement. The proposed rebrand positions the Houston Aquarium as a community leader in coastal preservation and conservation transparency. The Aquarium’s updated branding leans heavily into the conceptual ideas of transparency, utilizing it to craft assets like the dynamic trademark and in the materials used for the Aquarium’s environmental graphics.
Project Roles:
- Completed as a solo project
Recognition- Graphis New Talent / 2023 / International
Silver (Branding Design) - National Student Showcase / 2023 / National
Finalist (Branding Design)
The proposed dynamic trademark gives the Aquarium a modernized update to bolster the brand’s positioning as a trusted leader and resource in innovation and climate education. Two transparent waves overlap to form 9 unique compositions used for the brand’s dynamic trademark, with an inconspicuous dorsal fin in the negative space of each variation as a nod to the Aquarium’s playful personality and commitment to curiosity.
A type pairing of Fat Frank Heavy and Transat Text are used for establishing a sense of expertise and confidence, all while leaving room for playful experimentation and exploration.
Three distinct shades of blues define the Aquarium’s primary color palette to allow for a sense of depth in the brand’s identity. This same treatment was given to a secondary set of daring reds and earthy greens to balance out the overall palette.
A simplified fish pattern was created to emphasize the Aquarium’s values for community and environmental stewardship.
The Aquarium’s physical space was also updated to reflect the brand’s core values and contemporary approach.
Branded colored acrylic plays a primary role in the Aquarium’s environmental design as a material representation of the brand’s transparency, and to inject a sense of wonder as visitors navigate throughout the exhibits. A series of branded icons were designed for each of the Aquarium’s attractions and facilities for improved accessibility and wayfinding.
PROJECT TAKEAWAYS:This project is one of my first full brand systems that I’ve enjoyed watching evolve over time as I’ve revisited it a few different times for various design purposes and challenges over time. It taught me that no design project is ever completely over, and that revisiting old projects can spur new (and sometimes unearth old!) ideas that I can tap into for my work. It was also the project that taught me how to design graphics for an identity system that could be used to leverage the brand’s positioning in an impactful way, and how to communicate those ideas in a more strategic and conceptual way.WITH MORE TIME AND RESOURCES:
I would really like to explore more print and analog touch points for the Houston Aquarium, as well as strengthen the brand’s digital and social presence. I see plenty of potential for additional deliverables like exhibit and community outreach brochures, an updated aquarium map, and more motion for digital pieces. I would be interested in exploring more how the brand communicates directly with their target audiences, and explore how that could further influence the overall art direction and position of the brand.
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JOLT GUM
ART DIRECTION / BRANDING / PACKAGING / 3D
Jolt Gum is the unapologetic, cooler, and significantly more chaotic distant cousin to your regular ‘ol cup of Joe. As a caffeinated gum brand, Jolt is on a mission to energize your wild side with a no-bullsh*t ideology and passion for getting sh*t done. The brand prides itself on giving like-minded go-getters a reliable energy source that tastes just as good as it feels, so, naturally, electrified flavor drives every aspect of Jolt’s high-spirited identity and positioning.
An invigorating visual palette was designed to capture Jolt’s in-your-face personality, tapping into bold and unfiltered identity and messaging strategy that’s nearly impossible to ignore. With a vibrating color palette and expressive typo-/photographic treatment at its disposal, Jolt is all about showcasing exactly what it feels like to chew their shockingly energized and delicious gum.
Project Roles
- Completed as a solo project
Recognition- Graphis New Talent / 2023 / International
Silver (Packaging Design) - AAF Addys / 2023 / San Antonio
Silver (Packaging Design), Bronze (Trademark Design) - AIGA Flux / 2022 / National
Finalist (Packaging Design)
The newly proposed Jolt trademark deviates away from the current logo’s rigid and compact lockup to inject a newly-found dynamism and liveliness to the brand. Subtle highlights add a sense of depth to the custom wordmark for an even sweeter nostalgic bubbly goodness.Billowing bubble illustrations are contrasted with animated lightning bolts and a gritty material and typographic treatment to emphasize the brand’s wild essence.
Jolt’s packaging takes full advantage of the brand’s off-the-wall personality and energetic visual palette for a shockingly engaging packaging experience. The brand’s saturated colors and dynamic iconography emphasize Jolt’s USP, and are used to segment each of Jolt’s flavors.Two rectangles cut from the packaging’s backside reveal Jolt’s colorful caffeinated gum chiclets. When paired with battery iconography and language, the chiclets serve both an aesthetic and functional purpose of communicating just how much energy is left in the pack, perfect for Jolt’s on-the-run target audience.
Jolt’s e-commerce and social presence maintains the brand’s bold and absurd personality and iconography for an energized digital experience.
Little is left to the imagination with Jolt’s unfiltered advertising. Dynamic depictions of everyday people in extreme situations captures exactly what it feels like to chew Jolt Gum, and humorously warns of the wild side effects (or consequences) that come with it.
Project Takeaways:Jolt taught me that the first idea is likely never the best idea, and how to iterate a brand system more efficiently and strategically. It is also a project that taught me how much I’ve grown in technical and conceptual skill as a designer. This was a project I began early on as a student, and I’m happy to have returned to it with a more refined skillset to see it develop and grow into a more exciting and engaged end product. With More Time and Resources:
This a project that I’d really like to add motion to. It practically begs for it with the brand’s off-the-wall, energized tone and voice, and I’d like to explore how it would impact the rest of the identity system and improve the brand’s dynamism. I’d also like to explore the brand even further beyond the product’s primary product and shopping experience. From promotional marketing materials, a robust social media presence, and in-your-face POS displays, there’s plenty more I would like to add to the Jolt brand and strategy.
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UNPARALLELED
BRANDING / ART DIRECTION
The Texas State Communication Design Exit Review is a bi-annual portfolio showcase for graduating designers preparing to enter the workforce. The purpose of the event is to invite local design professionals to network, review portfolios, and for selected design professionals to identify Portfolio Award Winners. Students are divided into five committees to collectively conceptualize, produce, and promote the event, and each semester the event is branded with an identity system that uniquely reflects the skillsets, creative talents, and personality of the graduating class. Of the 36 graduating seniors, I was selected by faculty to both serve as Chair and assemble a select team of student designers for the semester’s Exit Review Brand Committee.
As part of the Brand Committee, our task was to conceptualize the Art Direction and Identity system for the Fall 2023 Exit Review. We centered the direction around Unparalleled, a system inspired by the wide array of individual design strengths and perspectives that make up the graduating class and the unique journeys these backgrounds will lead us on as we prepare for the next chapter. Unparalleled embraces the multifaceted identities that shape our design practice, and celebrates the various ways our paths interact and relate to one another as we become the next generation of designers.
Project Roles
Winding, overlapping lines paired with a dynamic and comprehensive color palette were conceptualized to serve as an abstracted yet literal representation of the diverse journeys our design paths take us.
An editorial typographic treatment and pairing was designed to give the system both a sense of structured legibility with an informal, humanistic touch–a testament to the ways we’ve learned, worked, and designed throughout our education.
Individual identities are celebrated through subtle pin-points along our lines/paths that highlight the multifaceted backgrounds and experiences shaping the way we see the world and approach our work. Specific directional vocabulary was chosen to compliment and further the system’s active and conversational tone.
We use the system’s distinctive color palette throughout the photography to further highlight our respective and unique identities. Headshots are given a warm, clear treatment to communicate professionalism and authenticity, while environmental shots inject more energized and playful representations of movement and individual personality.
A comprehensive series of digital graphics were created to generate excitement for attendees, and to aid in the promotion of the event through lively Instagram posts and reels and email marketing blasts.
All promotional pieces direct to the official Communication Design Exit Review website that showcases and links to each graduating senior’s design portfolio. Filters are included to help professionals and employers narrow their search to more specific designers with particular specializations or paths.
Name badges were systematically designed to give each person a unique treatment while maintaining brand consistency. Lines were created to work with small, medium, and large name lengths for proportionality while a color system was established for Graduates, Faculty, and Volunteers to help quickly and easily identify prospective connections.
Custom wayfinding was created for natural movement and flow throughout the event, and to ensure attendees are able to connect with designers spread throughout the event space.
Project Takeaways:
Unparalleled taught me how to effectively navigate an agile design sprint and how to quickly ideate, prototype and pitch to a large number of stakeholders. I was able to learn how to prepare a comprehensive identity system and art direction campaign with formalized design rules and specifications for hand-off to other designers to streamline collaboration processes and maintain consistency (and how those rules develop and change over time!). The project underscored the importance of working across diverse teams to maintain brand and messaging coherence for me, while highlighting the dynamic nature of conceptual ideas in real-world practice.With More Time and Resources
With added time and resources, I would like to continue to explore refining the overall design system to avoid some of the "line overkill" we experienced, and introduce additional conceptual design elements for visual variety while ensuring consistency. I’d also like to enhance the system by introducing a more refined and energetic motion palette to better leverage Exit Review’s digital-first promotional strategies. I believe there’s also interesting opportunities to expand Unparalleled’s system to other print and analog mediums for a more engaging experience.Deliverable Credits:Deliverable Credits:
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COLORADO RIVER ALLIANCE
ART DIRECTION / PUBLICATIONFounded in 1994, the Colorado River Alliance believes that a healthy flowing river is imperative to the well-being of our communities and state. Their mission is to champion the long-term vitality of the Texas Colorado River through education and engagement, and by partnering with the LCRA, they provide river stewardship and are champions for the people, ecosystems, communities, and businesses that depend on this essential natural resource.
To commemorate their 30th Anniversary, the CRA came to us for an updated graphics system as well as to strengthen their overall educational outreach strategy with updated interactive learning materials for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade. In order to accommodate both the CRA’s distinct asks, we conceptualized and designed two unique campaigns: the River Hero and Every Drop Counts campaigns.
Project Roles
- Art Direction: Colin Morris, Tristan Renteria, Isabel Cordero, Fallon Russell, Emilee Lerma, Joseph Maxfield
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Copywriting: Colin Morris (Activity Book), Joseph Maxfield (Activity Book), Isabel Cordero (Water Plan), Fallon Russell (Water Plan)
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Design Research: Isabel Cordero
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Illustration: Ellie Peña, Tristan Renteria (Activity Book)
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Layout: Colin Morris (Activity Book), Fallon Russell (Activity Book/Water Plan)
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Merchandise: Emilee Lerma (River Hero), Joseph Maxfield (Every Drop Counts)
The River Hero campaign invites the CRA’s younger target audience into the world of river conservation and protection through an interactive activity book and a map-poster hybrid.
We created the character, Ripple, as the River Hero mascot to engage younger audiences on their journey. Ripple's design features a simplified, cartoon-like appearance with rounded edges and exaggerated features to foster familiarity and a sense of excitement.
Original, tailored activities and content were created to align with CRA’s and Texas’ state curriculum standards. Readers engage with a series of challenging puzzles and vibrant illustrations aimed at equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to become the ultimate River Hero.
Learning materials were produced in both English and Spanish to accommodate Texas’ bilingual landscape and to expand reach.
River Hero apparel was created to expand messaging and reach beyond the page on a series of t-shirts and superhero capes. We expanded the CRA color palette to introduce a bold and daring red and yellow, reminiscent of traditional superhero iconography.
A foldable map-poster hybrid was created to adapt the Texas Water Development’s complex data and information found in their 2022 State Water Plan into an an engaging and easily digestible graphic more suitable for the younger target audience.
The Every Drop Counts campaign leans into and expands upon the CRA’s existing brand mission and messaging around community-driven environmental impact to celebrate their 30 years of service. We gave the existing CRA trademark a dynamic temporary 30th Anniversary graphic update, adding in flowing layered lines and an emblem-like container to resemble currents and a lively, healthy river.
A flexible and versatile drop pattern was designed to compliment the system’s Every Drop Counts messaging and concept. A collective of water drops in various sizes, colors and orientations were crafted to capture feelings of movement, progress, and cohesion.
Project Takeaways:While working on the CRA project, I was able to gain a stronger understanding of working within an already established identity and brand communication strategy. I learned to conceptualize diverse Art Direction strategies while maintaining brand consistency across various campaign objectives and stakeholder needs, and how to break down real, complex data into a campaign narrative that is not only age-appropriate but also formatted for ease of understanding to convey impactful information to diverse audiences. Additionally, I was able to hone and improve my skills in project management and team leadership, providing valuable insights into collaboration and organizational efficiency when working with real-world clients and design teams.With more Time and Resources:
Although we successfully delivered on the CRA’s specific asks for this project, I believe there’s a lot of opportunity to continue to expand our River Hero campaign and the “Ripple Universe” for more comprehensive, consistent, and engaging resources for the CRA’s educational outreach strategy.
I would also like to expand the Every Drop Counts campaign further on the digital front to include a special-edition landing page and a limited social media run to highlight and promote the CRA’s mission and accomplishments to respective educators, potential donors, and local communities to bolster support.
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SPINDRIFT:
HAPPIER HOUR
ART DIRECTION / BRANDING / PACKAGING
Spindrift Sparkling Water is a beverage brand that delivers authentically delicious flavor, squeezed straight from the source in the form of bubble-fied juice. Using simple and honest ingredients for their products, Spindrift is devoted to providing a healthy soda alternative that actually tastes like what it's supposed to – even if it means there are a few (and quite literally, only a few) calories in every can.
Tasked with developing a limited-run Dry January campaign for the brand, we created The Happ(ier) Hour, an ode to Spindrift's never-settle-for-less ideology and unwavering commitment to quality taste and experience. The Happ(ier) Hour taps into the nostalgia and glam of the Art Deco era and spins it with contemporary New Year's aesthetics and flash photography for an equally stylish and tasteful approach. Applied to a collection of custom-crafted mocktails and kits, empowering social messaging, and an interactive mocktail quiz experience, the result is a playful yet tasteful campaign identity that's true to the target audience's hopes for an elevated, uncompromising beverage experience during Dry January.
Because why settle for essence when you can have the real deal?
Project Roles:
A special color and type treatment were designed to contrast Spindrift’s primary identity system for the limited run in order to achieve the Happ(ier) Hour’s luxurious look and feel.Custom mix-kits were designed to bring Spindrift’s Happ(ier) Hour straight to your doorstep and serve as the campaign’s primary product. Each kit includes everything one needs to craft one of Spindrift’s original limited-edition Dry January mocktails.
The Happ(ier) Hour experience only gets more enticing upon opening each one of the five custom mix kits. Consumers are greeted with a positive and clever play on Spindrift’s mocktail messaging, and a colorful interior to generate excitement and contrast the kit’s moody exterior.
Five of Spindrift’s signature flavors were selected to be highlighted for the campaign, with a unique craft mocktail recipe developed for each one.
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