I'm a freelance Design Director / Senior Designer providing creative solutions in brand building and communication design. A design leader with extensive experience in digital, print, packaging, advertising, environmental graphics, presentations, project / studio management, team building and mentoring.
Conceptual thinking blended with technical expertise and creative vision for handling complex projects from development through completion. Builder of brand identities that generate positive client and user experiences with ability to clearly articulate moods, messages, concepts, and ideas into effective visual communications.
Mediaplanet is a global media company delivering nationally tailored marketing campaigns within key content verticals; health, lifestyle, technology, business and cause. Work with their Toronto branch as a freelance consultant on special and featured editorial campaigns distributed nationwide in print and digital. My scope of work involves creative strategy, layout, typography, art direction of illustration and photography, infographics, collaborate with creative team, liaison with publishers, deliver concept to final artwork.
Highlights:
My multi-page editorial campaigns have been published in; The Toronto Star, National Post, Maclean's, StarMetro, Montreal's Metro, Chatelaine, Readers Digest, and others.
Given the opportunity to participate and steer the creative direction on interesting and culturally relevant content.
Having fun while collaborating on assignments with their highly motivated project teams.
Artificial Intelligence // National Post
Movember // Maclean's
Cyber Resilience // National Post
Canadian Innovation // National Post
SBC Media is an independent Canadian publisher of action sport media and print magazines distributed nationwide. As an avid boarder, I was stoked for the opportunity to redesigned and relaunch all of their titles, which include; Snowboard Canada, SBC Skateboard, SBC Skier, SBC Surf, SBC Resort Guide, SBC Wakeboard, SBC Business, and SBC Women's Annual.
Highlights:
Collaboration with dialled-in editors and talented contributors from across the country specific to each title.
Manage that the overall design direction is on-trend for each title, all while delivering unique and visually appealing layouts for all editorial content.
Most covers incorporate into the design a spot printed clear gloss and/or die-cut effect that effectively enhanced their tactile appeal.
Coordinate and systemize the creative production of each issue from start-to-finish.
SBC Skier // Issue 15.1
Snowboard Canada // Issue 25.1
SBC Surf // Issue 10
Snowboard Canada // Issue 24.1
SBC Skateboard // Issue 18.1
SBC Wakeboard // Issue 18.1
SBC Business // Issue 19
SBC Resort Guide // Issue 2018
SBC Surf 11
Snowboard Canada 24.2
SBC Skateboard 18.2
SBC Skier 16.1
SBC Wakeboard 19.1
Nienkämper is a Canadian-based company globally recognized for producing some of the best corporate, institutional and residential furniture. Since 1968, they continue to being at the forefront of innovation; collaborating with forward-thinking designers; and pushing the boundaries of technology. Proud to have had the opportunity to create this corporate brochure for this iconic luxury brand.
Highlights:
Conceptualized the format and design, art directed of all non-product photography, and managed the production from inception-to delivery.
The outside of the cover incorporates a matte, rubber-like tactile treatment. The die-cut circle on the front and back shows through to select images on the inside of the double gate-folded. Both to enhance the user experience.
Continue acclaim from client and related industry on how well it connects with their international clientele.
Corporate Brochure
CJ's Skatepark is a not-for-profit, and one of Canada's largest indoor, skateboard park. Not only is it a year-around facility for developing rad skaters, they coordinate events for children in the community including at-risk youth and those with special needs such as kids affected by Cancer, Autism, Down syndrome, Deafness, Aspergers, ADHD, OCD, LDs or any other challenges. Gladly volunteered my time and creative expertise to this cause :)
Highlights:
I'm personally an avid boardsports enthusist, so felt good to give back to the action sport community and an organization with such a positive cause.
Created the new logo and visual identity system.
Developed the creative and brand guidelines for the many marketing materials in print and digital
The Lost Highway is a documentary film that paints an intimate portrait of life along a remote yet colourful stretch of the Trans Canada Highway in eastern Ontario. I was commissioned by the filmmakers to create a logo and website to expand upon the theme of their documentary film. The concept and site architecture developed is one which leads the visitor along a road with exits of interest. Each exit explores various stories and personalities through text, slideshows, video, infographics and audio clips. The side navigation buttons and arrows allow the user to jump between exit or one can simply scroll vertically to move between exit.
Logo
Website
This food company specializing in Italian-inspired prepared meals for retail sales and catering, pays tribute to the proprietors grandmother, Louise Prete.
I created the logo and visual identity program to blend familial tradition with contemporary vocabulary. And continue to work closely on all aspects of design and marketing for this growing brand.
Highlights:
Created and maintain the website to keep up with company's growth and development.
Developed packaging design for prepared foods which are sold at over a dozen specialty food retailers throughout Ontario including Whole Foods, Sobey's and Pusateri’s.
Design of point-of-purchase, product launches, event menus, and integrated advertising campaigns in print and digital.
Worked as Art Director on Canada’s most regarded and largest monthly motorcycle magazine. Redesigned the logo and magazine layout to meet objectives of attract a new and younger audience, while revitalizing the visual experience for exist readership. For two years, singlehandedly and under tight timelines, was responsible for all design, photo editing and production of each issue.
Highlights:
Met marketing objectives—growth in subscription and newsstand sales.
Also rebranded Moto Journal the publisher’s French market motorcycle magazine.
Provided all creative services for house ad campaigns, promotional and event marketing.
With winter season approaching, Nestle Carnation, one of Canada’s top hot chocolate brands, sought to remind us how deliciously therapeutic hot chocolate can be. The Melt Therapy activation was envisioned so Canadians can melt away the last few years of Covid lockdown.
A pop-up event was held where consumers were offered free hot chocolate and marshmallows so they could experience Melt Therapy for themselves. Each marshmallow was printed with quirky images of daily stressors and messages.
Highlights:
I was involved to visually transform an existed coffee shop into the event space. Printed vinyl applications were used to cover all exterior and interior surfaces to boldly captivate the patrons.
A fun environmental design project which harnessed many skillsets and specialized production processes for it smooth and successful execution.
Exterior Views
Interior Views
Marshmallow Display Case
Pop-up Event
The Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) is a national, not-for-profit association that since 1914 exclusively serves the interests of companies that market and advertise their products and services in Canada.
Contracted to revitalize their brand image. This ensued with development of a bold brand identity—logo, identity style guide, website, stationery, templates for internal and public documents, environmental signage, committee logos, award certificates, conference and event marketing materials.
Highlights:
Interacted with all levels of associates and staff to ensure that brand identity was fully engaged.
Surpassed all objectives and measurement criteria for success in terms of attendance, quality of program content, format, media coverage and marketing execution.
Gained personal respect, trust and recognition through many collaborations with the associations group of professionals and committee executives.
As a follow-up to the Cycle Canada magazine rebranding, its French version Moto Journal also received a full overhaul of its logo, magazine design and all collateral materials. Below is a Calendar that was used for marketing purposed to retain and attract new subscriptions. It featured repurposed images from one of the issues photo-essay entitled 'German Porn'.
Highlights:
Received much acclaimed feedback from subscribers on design of the calendar.
True to the motto of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe 'Less is more'.
A personal homage to a leasing brochure that I worked on years ago for the iconic minimalist Toronto-Dominion Centre.
Launched 1996, Recipeland is the first major large-scale recipe website on the Internet. It features over 53,000 recipes, a total of 13,000 photos, nutritional calculation engine, mobile application, API services, along with a wealth of analytic and data management tools.
Recipeland hosts over 1/4 billion recipes to millions of unique visitors from around the globe.
On the functionality back-end the website checked all the boxes, however the user-experience and visual appeal lacked greatly in converting new users to repeat visitors.
Highlights:
Contracted to enhance the website. Upon analysis gained the clients trust that a full rebrand was necessary to fulfill the objectives and long-term goals of the brand.
A creamy smooth new identity was created along with a colour palette that evoked a yummy, delicious, and fun-filled food loving theme.
The system design supported by the UI guidelines, worked to build assets and components that provide the visual ability for the users to navigate with ease and interest throughout the depth of the sites layers.
Identity
UI Styleguide
Website + Web App // Desktop
Advance United (AU) is a gold mining start-up whose business model is comprised of three unique integrated layers that complement each other: Au Marketplace, an automated pipeline, and our property portfolio.
Au Marketplace: is an open-source, AI powered, online platform connecting property owners with investors, developers, and producers.
Pipeline: Au Marketplace makes prospecting effortless with automated filtering of properties from a growing, global supply.
Portfolio: Create a comprehensive portfolio of all gold exploration properties in North America.
Highlights:
I was contracted to create the website and user-based app that would visualize the structure and provide functionality to the brand.
My information scaffold included; atomic design principles, a design system, UI guidelines, and design rules.
Provided a site with at-a-glance simplicity and focus, while delivering upon the in-depth functionality and user-experience.
Website // Desktop
Marketplace Web App // Desktop
UI Design Styleguide
Prototyping
Eva is an AI-based technology company that serves 40 of Fortune’s top 100 companies, 70 of Advertising Age’s 100 leading national advertisers, 10,000 local as well as 5,000 national ad agency customers. They provide advertisers with a single, managed platform that is the next generation of digital media buying, with a deeper contextual understanding of each consumer. Eva’s smarter AI continually learns, eliminating ad fraud, lag, and error to produce unmatched digital advertising optimization.
Highlights:
Contracted to drive the design development of their website and establish the visual guidelines for the brand identity.
Created a detailed UI styleguide, that was instrumental to developing the sites user flows, wireframes, and prototypes that effectively communicated design concepts for validation.
With simplicity at the core of the UX, designed the website with bold intent to drive usability and engagement.
Shaped the brand experience with a system design approach, to drive clarity, simplicity, and design for scale.
Website // Desktop
UI Styleguide
Prototyping // Mobile-mode
Prototyping // Mobile - iPhone X
Brainrider is a B2B marketing agency that provides content, web, and digital marketing services.
I was contracted to assist in the agency’s rebranding. The objective was to message their belief that through great collaborations, come great marketing results. Their people-first focus was driven by the sentiment, “we ride together.”
Once the concept, narrative, and visual style for the rebrand was formed, workflows organized the checklist of creative assets required for all their communication and marketing needs.
Highlights:
Collaborated with their various internal teams to create the visual tools and assets for their communication and marketing application.
Utilized new approaches and technologies to implement large-scale systematized assets
Structured all rebranded assets with a system design approach, to build a foundation of design rules that support variations and customization.
Email Template
Icons
Google Slide Presentation Deck Templates
Meta Workplace Banners
Capacibility Quiz App
Desktop Wallpapers
Zoom Meeting Backgrounds
Meta Workplace Banners
Ride Together Logo
Event Banner
Tveeco is a free Apple iOS Mobile App that provides users with curated listings of their favorite primetime TV shows, specifically when they are New Tonight. It’s intelligent UX design provides users with one-touch functionality and Tveeco does the rest: automatically features favorite shows when they’re new tonight, sets alerts for Premieres and Finales, and creates an Episode checklist of each users’ unique show selections.
I created the brand identity and user interface (UX) style guide for this entertainment product. Key objectives for the identity included; instant recognition, an upbeat attitude, and timeless simplicity.
Highlights:
The wordmark and App icon incorporate custom rendered typography and a bold graphic outline treatment to deliver a friendly and personable characterization.
For simplicity and quick recognition the logo is primarily made of three colours—Picton blue, black and white.
This colour palette was carefully selected to evoke a sense of ease and uniqueness, all while being cognizant in steering away from any existing TV related brands.
Beverley Abramson is an award winning photographer who has been documenting the celebration of dance in diverse forms and cultures.
Bawdy Language is a black and white photographic monograph/book that offers a visual expression of the erotic fantasies, ambiguities and carnal pleasures of exotic dance in Toronto’s world of adult entertainment. Published in both soft cover and limited edition box set.
In reflecting the seductive theme, I had the box set wrapped in a lush fuchsia suede, which when opened, a silk ribbon draws one to release the handcrafted hardcover book from its plush interior.
Highlights:
All one hundred limited edition box sets monographs were sold out.
Both the Limited and Softcover Editions and the series of photographs received numerous awards.
Provided much insight into the significance of presentation and product packaging.
A successful brand influences favourable performance. It serves two interrelated functions: impact awareness and understanding; and influence perceptions. If your target audience knows about you, they are more likely and willing to do business with you.
Great brands begin with great strategy and there is no cookie-cutter solutions to branding. When all elements of your business processes, culture and communications are aligned around a unified voice you can more effectively influence your reputation, increase your company’s reach, improve your brand’s power and ultimately improve financial performance.
I can provide analysis, solutions and brand marketing expertise to increase and enhance your brand perception throughout all your customer facing activities. Below are some key elements that I can provide as part of the branding process:
While a logo is often perceived as the most important part of a brand, it never exists in a vacuum. It is always seen within the context of other visual elements and in various environments and applications. Colour, typography, patterns, photography, illustrations — these visual cues are crucial to conveying a brand's values, attributes and personality to the world.
I specialize in developing visual programs to make your logo the cornerstone of a fully realized brand identity.
Identity guideline documents are recommended as they provide the distinctive qualities and representation of the brand identity as they are applied to a number of applications. They are useful for everyone who is directly involved in the development of marketing and communications activities and the brand. These may all be communications professionals: both internal and external.
The digital domain is the richest, most dynamic, complex and transient platforms for communication. It's methods and processes in reaching targetted audiences advance in a rapid pace.
My approach to development of digital projects is pragmatic, making sure the message is clear and presented effectively. That said, I'm always seeking out and experimenting with the implementation of the latest techniques. But as technology will always change, core design principles will not.
I offer experience with all aspects of the design and development process including planning, site architecture, design, prototyping, and development. My skills include;
Blocks of words can be merely a maze of information – without form, direction, or impact. Design adds the focus that directs the reader’s eye and creates the emphasis that clarifies your message.
Through my years of practising solely in print designing everything from magazines and annual reports to packaging and signage I have the experience to create effective messaging in the tangle form. Strategic purpose, creativity, graphic design and detailed production are highly developed skills I bring to any print project. My expertise includes;
Looking to start a new business, or have an existing business that needs to level up?
Let's connect and discuss how I may assist on your next project.
I'm open to considering contract work or a F/T position to join a great creative team. My resume is available upon request.
© 2023 FILIP JANSKY. All rights reserved.
