Take pride in your identity.

Be proud of your brand. If there was one idea or concept that got me hooked on design, it was the power of branding. I've always been enamored with the power of simple, clean brands like Nike and Apple. So much so that I'd read books just on branding.

I'm absolutely convinced that a strong brand, and an enforced brand, is absolutely critical to any company's success. I love the challenge and the reward of composing an image that everyone can be proud of.

Logo Design

here are some brands and logos i have been fortunate to develop.

Kayak411.comCobornsDelivers.com This is an online home grocery delivery company which serves Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surround metro areas in Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin. The company changed ownership in the summer of 2008. There was strong brand affinity in the market with their previous shopping bag logo, but the new ownership strongly wanted a new look for their online division. The end result shows an outline of the previous logo, but updates the brand in a fun, fresh way.
Circle logo
The Marshall CupThe Marshall Cup This is an organically grown golf tournament in Minnesota that was badly in need of a makeover. I decided to start from scratch and incorporate the fun, young, golf crowd that this group entertains. The resulting logo shows a lot of movement, mimics the swing path of a golf club, and clearly takes ownership of The Marshall Cup brand.
Wasau WhitewaterWannabe Riders Against Cancer A close friend of mine came down with a rare form of cancer in the summer of 2008. The following Fall, he asked me to ride with him in the Lance Armstrong Challenge. I was honored. As things progressed, he asked me to design a jersey for the team. The design I settled on combines the recognizeable yellow of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the pink of breast cancer. The bike itself is confident and exhudes movement, riding beyond the pink dots behind which form the shape of a deformed cancer cell.
Wasau WhitewaterWasau Whitewater ICF Junior Slalom World Championships This is my first submission into a logo contest. The Junior Slalom World Championships is a canoe and kayak event, next being hosted in Wasau, WI. It is truly a global event, so it was important to incorporate some national affinity for the United States, hence the red, white and blue. The logo is modern, a little grunge to reflect the youth movement, has the movement of the waves in the whitewater, and in the center shows a slalom kayak in the negative space.
Kayak411.comKayak 411 I attended a membership meeting at the Philadelphia Canoe Club and there was a presenter there who had built a social networking site for paddlers. I was blown away at the commitment this guy had to increasing the social aspect of the sport, as well as documenting the rivers we all paddle. As a designer, I could tell this needed some strong branding to support his well-developed site. I put together this concept to freshen up the brand. This logo is designed to separate itself from other social networking sites, but also incorporate the idea of whitewater kayaking. The URL is prominent in the logo, the profile of a whitewater kayak appeals to enthusiasts, and the color scheme and gradient reflect the trend.