[DESIGN] Marketing Needs During a Pandemic

I realize that I wrote so much about design at the onset of this blog, but have tragically fallen off what actually matters here: design.

I haven’t truly had a moment to sit back and analyze some ways that one can stay an effective designer during the pandemic, but to be honest, I’ve been living it.

One day you realize how pertinent digital design is, but sometimes comes with a learning curve for your clients. For example, I work as an art director in real estate marketing. If I have a broker who relied heavily on print marketing and in person interactions, they were perplexed at how to conduct their business remotely.

Our team had to swoop in and find solutions in providing a large suite of assets that they could use; but, if they weren’t used to hosting webinars, Instagram lives, using landing pages, Teams meetings, etc—then what gives? How do you bridge that gap for your client to where they don’t feel absolutely overwhelmed by the overhaul in their business?

The answer to that question isn’t simple, but what it involves is a comprehensive review of your client’s skillset. Now, we deal with literally 1,400+ individuals with marketing needs so we blanket a lot of those needs via usage of marketing specialists who assist them, but if you’re a freelancer, chances are you don’t have someone to assist you and your client in bridging that gap. So, depending on the client needs, a review of what they need is in store, firstly.

Stay tuned for a continuation of this series.

Kindly,

Alisa Longoria

[PERSONAL] Girl Gone Corporate

It’s been well over a year.

I think at this point I write just for myself; I haven’t taken on clients in a while because every day of my life is filled with client work via my gasp office job! And giving a rundown of the state of the world is a moot point, considering. Yes, the globe is on fire and the United States has proven to be especially alarming.

It’s been over a year since I’ve left Europe. Do I miss it? Of course I do. I had a video chat with a dear friend of mine, one who I met my first night in Belgium. He asked, “how exactly is the United States treating you?” And because I am who I am, it felt existentially triggering; internally I scream, “I’M FINE.” I sipped my coffee and just smiled.

Here’s the thing: no matter where you are in the world, everything is kinda a dumpster fire, so let’s relish in personal little victories. My personal victories:

• I haven’t gotten COVID-19 (although family members have; that’s another stressor, but I digress)

• I absolutely adore my co-workers. I couldn’t have found a better group of people to work with, and I look forward to the day we can sit in the same department space and pester one another with the latest news on the ducks down the stream from our windows. Also, miss Filthy Fridays that end in tequila shots by the Salt Lamp!

• Even though sometimes it feels like I’m working SO MUCH, in actuality, it’s worth it if my marketing work helps sustain someone’s livelihood. I have to remember that when I want to crawl in a ball and await the chariots of the apocalypse (I’m being dramatic here)

• I was platinum blonde for a month of quarantine and my hair is still all intact; it was flattering, but a little too Elle Woods for my more serious disposition

• Salmon is a steady lunch choice; bye bye, delicious teriyaki

• I live in a gloriously beautiful area in the Evergreen State; additionally, the heritage of serial killers in WA keeps me on my toes!

• My dog has lost a good 3 lbs, so he’s close to his pre-quarantine weight thanks to my loving boyfriend, who simply adores my little rat dog

• My stepmom makes the best face masks

• I may be a Gemini Sun, but my Ascendant in Capricorn/Moon in Sagittarius makes SO MUCH SENSE and I’m glad to take up this useless hobby of examining my natal chart

• Tennis. Tennis is back on the table, y’all

I know it’s a rattling off of very small things, but I find that holding onto the small things is immensely important right now. My mom was all nerves about the world, and I had to remind her to ground herself. It’s hard, but it’ll get better.

[PERSONAL] Catching Up

With a whirlwind last few months, I’m settling into a routine. Promises of exciting designs and projects that are in the production process, those are always cool to be working on. However, I want to focus on something personal.

I’m currently in the United States. I have long-term intentions of staying, but we have to make this a better nation for everyone here. It’s weird to be here scouting out what life could be, especially when everything is tinged in politics, taking sides, and an ever-growing socioeconomic disparity.

So, I’m catching up on all things American. It’s quite interesting, and I look forward to being able to contribute in a meaningful way to organizations and causes that I think are important. In this catch up phase, I am currently working on putting together a personal project’s website; further details will follow, but the site is about 75% done, and this project is one that I’m quite happy with. I’d be lying if I said I did this all on my own. There are people, one in particular, who was vital in making that happen. I’m forever grateful for that. I’m excited to see how the physical manifestation of this project will roll out and how that will give some brevity to a perspective that needs more representation in our world.

It’s been quite a challenge re-immersing myself in American culture, I will not lie. After 4 years abroad, I know that I have changed quite a bit—for better or worse. And my expectations have changed so much in being abroad…it’s daunting, scary, and I honestly at this moment can’t wait to see my old friend Europe again.

Un saludo,

Alisa

[Designers] Entering a New Year

A new year dawns, and it somehow seems the same—of course, with design trends being an exception. As a person, I still love mulled wine, dogs, and doodling on any given surface. But as a designer, trends that I favor have shifted. Perhaps it’s an indicator that I am too caught up in trends or not enough; below are some things that I have started appreciating more than ever.

Texture: I have always been a fan of flat, sleek design when going digital. However, I enjoy that even the smallest amount of texture can amplify different elements within a design.

Relaxed typography: I feel like the last few years have beckoned an era of font appreciation; the market exploded online with tons of font marketplaces offering a place to find variable, refined typography from artists around the world. But the more I worked with different font creators and customers, the more I realized how much I enjoy a simple, nuanced approach to font combinations and compositions in projects that I personally work on. No shame in the beauitful script game, but I think that those styles should be kept for the most special and elegant of projects and only sparingly so.

Lo-fi: Man, what a year for lo-fi goodness. This is most apparent in motion graphics and photography, but I leaned hard on manual, low resolution styles purposely. This year was the year of carrying a 35mm camera around my neck for all occasions, including photoshoots. The beauty is in spontaneous frames and relying on beauty outside of precise execution. #rollwithit

Referential material: The most amazing part of working within the design sphere is when old trends reappear; even more than that, I love to use references to certain trends, artists, or pieces and invert their intent. So with something high brow and refined, reinventing it into something low brow and campy. Something campy into something highly nuanced and restrained. It has made me open up more as an artist and makes that creative eye open up to a world of possibilities.

I hope that everyone enjoys the new year incoming, and don’t forget to reflect on all your accomplishments, lessons learned, and relished moments of 2018.

Hasta luego,

Alisa

Madrid

My first time in Madrid, I was nervous. I had abnormally high expectations for what is ultimately just another city. At that point, I was knee-deep in work, a tad socially isolated, and exhausted. I would wake up, thinking, "It will work; I can juggle these workloads today and I'll have time to myself by 10 pm." Never happened. I needed a break. My boyfriend suggested a trip, and the flight from Amsterdam did seem intriguingly short and cheap in comparison to heading back to the States to see family. So, I went to Madrid.

My expectations, as previously stated, were quite high. I needed a respite from life, a guarantee that things weren't all that overwhelming after all. And although Madrid wasn't a cure-all for my overloaded plate, I did immensely enjoy having the opportunity to eat tapas, speak Spanish once again, and meet some amazing people if only for a weekend.

Barcelona

“The shops were well illuminated and there was movement and life… I did not decide to go to sleep, even though I wished to, so I could rise early and contemplate, in daylight, this city, unknown to me: Barcelona.” – Hans Christian Andersen

Barcelona is a beautiful, weird little city. It stunned me, the amount of character and sharp edges it has congruent to it's quirk and slow nature. I had never gone, but as a kid always dreamed of being there--someday. My dad was in the military and traveled Spain in the '70s, and I remember this old, tattered briefcase he had filled with letters and blurry photographs; there was such a nostalgia to the items, something I couldn't quantify through my own narrow experiences. 

I think I most enjoyed the things I found most familiar to me; they shattered this romanticized illusion of the city I had previous to my visit. Instead, there were skateboarders abounding. It is a cool little place with hip eateries and cafes, and I can't wait to go back.