Brand Direction
Brand Direction
About
Alana managed regional teams of freelance designers, providing art direction for all content campaigns, as well as creative services, working with advertisers from concept
to execution.
How It Started
After graduating from the School of Visual Arts in 2010, Alana began her career with a passion for editorial design and visual story-telling. She worked as a freelance designer for two prestigious publishing houses giving her first-hand experience in editorial and print production. Shortly after, Alana had the opportunity to enter a design role in television. The fast pace of a daily talk show gave new meaning to the term, “quick turn around.” A barometer for efficiency that would make her an asset in her next role.
Content Marketing
Alana made a homage back to editorial at a content marketing agency. She published niche, trade-journal-style, print campaigns within major newspapers nationwide. Alana managed regional teams of freelance designers, providing art direction for all content campaigns, as well as creative services, working with advertisers from concept to execution. She designed a graphic language and style guide that would be implemented globally and set the stage for an exclusively print-centric business to reach online audiences for the first time. Finally, she implemented a digital media management strategy aimed at automation, before pursuing work in the non-profit sector for a cancer research organization. There, she unified messaging across literature, collateral, and event materials, while collaborating with agencies on web, video, and social media content.
The Sales Side
After establishing herself as a graphic designer for almost a decade, she looked to diversify her tool belt. Harnessing an interest in iconic furniture and interior design, Alana saw the very direct impacts that marketing and graphic design have on consumer behavior and the bottom line, from the POV of sales. She worked with residential and trade clients, designed custom floor plans, and managed installations. A distinction that positively sets Alana apart, is her command over both the business and the creative.
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Solar
In 2019, bigger changes demanded to be made in the world. The climate crisis was looming in the forefront and Alana sought ways to interrupt cycles of planet-harming norms. One of the biggest changes currently available: Solar. Alana joined one of New York's leading solar installers with a mission to enhance regional market reach and rebrand the company, casting a wider net. Alana assembled a talented design team and led the project in it's entirety, creating a timeless brand identity, full library of creative assets, and a new website featuring a targeted lead generation tool.
Recycled Paper
In 2020, the pandemic began. A lot changed. After a while, people answered a calling from the sofa to the great outdoors—Alana was one of them. Discovering this connection to the natural world, sans concrete, pulled focus in a new direction. Alana used packaging from grocery items and paper recycling, to produce sheets of handmade paper, and small staple-bound notebooks. A cathartic respite from the world of consume-and-discard, she rears a unique canvas for both artists, wordsmiths, and list-makers, alike.
At the Moment
Alana continues to produce recycled paper and notebooks while refining her process and technique. Currently, recycling is an eco-friendly hobby that she hopes to share with the world through more sustainable products and recycling education programs. In the meantime, Alana is doing what she does best: working with businesses to elevate design and market effectively. She takes a holistic approach to professional challenges, and continues to be an advocate for the power of design.