During my time at e-commerce start-up PureHome, we covered so much ground that the media created could really warrant its own distinct portfolio. They had been developing their business over the course of three years, and while they had a whole host of designers pass through their doors during that time, none had truly owned the creative.

So, as their new creative director, I hit the ground running, essentially starting from scratch, building the look and feel of the branding, website, and every shred of promotional material that was born from that moment on. Over the course of 21 months, I re-branded the company’s aesthetic, developed a style guide for print and digital media, re-designed the email and social media marketing templates, re-skinned the website completely, developed numerous new areas of the site, and even produced, directed, and edited video content.

The departure I made from previous designers was to work towards a disciplined, clean aesthetic, ensure that the branding was consistent, and to take special care to not allow the design of the site or any of its pages exist as a distraction from the actual product, which should always remain the main focus.

In creating the pages, I sometimes followed a UI/UX design approach, starting with flowcharts, but depending on the section of the site, sometimes moved right into wireframing stage. I developed the comps for each and every page on the website, including interactive elements, such as a room design module and interactive account back-end for users. Very little of this was in place when I arrived.

Lastly, I was involved in the producing, directing, and editing of two promotional videos for the company. We worked with a very lean team to create two different marketing pieces, one in narrative format, and one more documentary-style.