advertising

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small spaces
Newsprint and program ads, email messages, event teasers and even doorhangers: everyone wants to say a lot in a tiny space. It’s a challenge that requires compromise and creativity.

  • MIMI BRAATZ & ASSOCIATES,
    ADELLE GABRIELSON
    AT THOMAS KINKADE,
    MARK HANNAH AT SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION,
    SAN JOSE SHELTER FOUNDATION

solving the puzzle
Having worked at a small-to-mid-sized Silicon Valley ad agency for about a third of my career, I’ve designed and collaborated on many ads, large and small, print and digital. I really love the concepting and collaboration with copywriters, or coming up with ideas on my own. I also love solving the layout puzzle: in every ad, everything is important, but some elements are more important than others, and creating the visual hierarchy is an important and fun challenge.

  • COPYWRITERS & AEs POSSIBLY REPRESENTED IN THIS SECTION:
    PAUL CANTRELL
    TOM FAWBUSH
    DAVE DUMANIS
    SUSAN JOHNSTON MERCY
    MIMI BRAATZ
    MARK AULMAN
    MARK WAXMAN
    ADELLE GABRIELSON
    GARY DeMARTINI
    CHRIS CORNYN
    CHRISTOPHER SMITH
    ‍

ideas and comps
Just some layouts I created to present to clients of the ad agency—never published but so fun to do! Except for Sunrise comp, these are my concepts and headlines.

some awards
If memory serves correctly, these are a few of the ads I worked on that won awards, back in the day. I felt then as I feel now: it’s great to be recognized, but what feels the best and most satisfying is the collaboration, creative flow and seeing the project work just right in its environment. That’s the reward.