aaronpowersdesign

Thesis book and ad campaign for better dog breeding practices

This 140 page book—written and designed by me—details the process of my graduate thesis work on a hypothetical ad campaign known as Breed Awareness. It features research, theory, and design exploration.

The ad campaign is intended to bring awareness to reckless dog breeding habits. With today's 400 dogs breeds being creations of man, each one has been manipulated to accentuate certain qualities that, while some find desirable, exacerbate health conditions and compromise quality of life. With influence from the American Kennel Club and consumer demand, breeders work to 'perfect' each breed, causing further genetic destruction.

Hypothetically partnering with the Humane Society of the United States, this ad campaign would be paired with an event to provide the knowledge and materials necessary to drive change.

Manipulation of type and image communicate the destructive nature with which we engineer dogs through breeding.

In my fourth year of designing this publication for Haemonetics, there was a strategic initiative to incorporate more storytelling through photo groups, quotes, and custom illustration, diagrams, and graphs. Additionally, some of the product photography is part of a larger photography shoot I’d art directed at Haemonetics’ headquarters.

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates

In Residence is VCFA’s alumni magazine. The second issue designed at SBA, it was the first I’d designed using the initial issue as a starting point.

Having flexibility in designing this second issue gave me an opportunity to work with the existing visual system while pushing components and adding to the visual language of the publication and brand. This was especially the case in designing the feature stories.

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates

Hypothetical rebrand of Tealuxe in Boston.

Tealuxe is about the organic, personal experience of drinking tea. It's about tea in the human hand. These elements needed to come through, so the logo—a typographic teapot—was hand-rendered, infusing it with human touch.

These backgrounds were created for the Writing & Publishing pages of VCFA’s website. They use the design elements and visual system I'd previously developed for their associated print materials including use of collaging illustration, texture, pattern, and typography.

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates

annual report microsite - 2015

logo + selected pages from brand book + signage + welcome kit + website

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates

Being the event’s second year as well as my second year of designing for it, it was an opportunity to introduce new color and typographic palettes while maintaining a visual connection to the inaugural year for which I’d designed the logo and initial visual system. This invite package consists of main envelope, invite, RSVP card, and return envelope.

In addition to the invite package was a Save-the-Date, event program, remittance envelope, recipe cards, various photographic banners, table numbers, signage, and tote bag. I worked closely with event planners to coordinate design efforts.

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates

This project was an opportunity to be very graphic in pulling inspiration from fashion design and its associated publications. This invite package consists of main envelope, invite, RSVP card, and return envelope.

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates

Moving away from photography of beneficiaries in favor of something engaging on a lighter level, I was charged with creating a holiday card with custom illustration of children at a winter farmer’s market.

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates

2015 season brochure

Several spreads of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's 2015 season brochure.

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates under the art direction of Alex Budntiz.

Designed and illustrated for use in Haemonetics’ headquarters, this poster illustrates their connection to three of their business lines: plasma centers, blood centers, and hospitals.

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates

Program brochures for the Master of Arts in Teaching and Writing & Publishing programs at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Logo + brand guide + The Search magazine

This logo for a leading genetics research institute is an abstracted double helix that builds on the equity of The Jackson Laboratory's often-used nickname, JAX.

Included are a few pages of the brand guide.

Also included are a few spreads from JAX's publication: The Search

Designed at Sametz Blackstone Associates under the art direction of Alex Budnitz.