Visual design is the strategic combination of typography, color, imagery, and layout—ingredients I use to solve communication problems across any medium and support the story we're trying to tell. It's strategic thinking made visible.

Case Study
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Changing Reader and Market Perception

Maxim emerged in the late 1990s as a cultural force in men's lifestyle publishing, commanding significant market influence and premium advertising relationships. However, by the mid-2010s, public perception had shifted dramatically—the brand was viewed as outdated and lowbrow, causing luxury advertisers to distance themselves while readers questioned its cultural relevance. This created an urgent need for perception transformation: repositioning Maxim as a forward-thinking, culturally sophisticated brand that could attract premium partnerships while rebuilding credibility with a discerning, digitally-native audience.

Currently Under Construction

Consumer Reports
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Maxim
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Bon Appetit

Maxim

Creative Director

Key Takeaways

Challenge: Transform reader and advertiser perception of a brand that had lost its editorial direction and market positioning.

Objective: Shift editorial tone toward pop culture sophistication and luxury advertising appeal to attract premium brand partnerships.

Strategic Approach: Comprehensive brand repositioning through visual moodboarding and editorial tone development.

1.
Strategy

Transform reader and advertiser perception of a brand that had lost its editorial direction and market positioning.

Objective: Shift editorial tone toward pop culture sophistication and luxury advertising appeal to attract premium brand partnerships.

Strategic Approach: Comprehensive brand repositioning through visual moodboarding and editorial tone development.

2.
Solution

Developed cohesive visual direction across print and digital platforms, requiring investment in premium photography, fashion content, and luxury brand relationships.

Key Innovations: Elevated photography standards, established fashion house relationships, created unified visual language for premium advertisers across all digital touchpoints.

Team Process: Directed team on evolving visual direction while building digital design capabilities and continuously refining cross-platform brand strategy.

3.
Rollout

Brand transformation executed over 6 months with iterative refinement.

Collaboration: Close partnership with Editor-in-Chief Kate Lanphear to align visual direction with editorial strategy across print and digital platforms.

Challenges Overcome: Successfully integrated print and digital workflows while balancing editorial tone evolution and maintaining reader engagement across platforms.

4. Benchmarks

Performance Indicators: Advertisement commitments materialized, achieving first profitable issue with Idris Elba cover.

Industry Recognition: Society of Publication Designers medal for redesign plus multiple awards for photography and illustration art direction.

Team Development: Enhanced premium digital design capabilities, streamlined print-digital workflows, and developed award-winning expertise across team.

Legacy Impact: Successfully repositioned brand for premium market appeal across all platforms, establishing integrated digital-print advertising model.