Approach
Being a designer means being able to bring an emotional connection to something. Identity or Website. Packaging or Product. I believe in the power of a strong brand to better develop and grow an organization—and I love working with my clients to help create that connection for them.
Research
If a project needs brand strategy this can be some of the most cost effective valuable work we can do together. We figure out what you need, who you want to be talking to and what tone we want to project.
Conceptualization
Inspiration. Let’s talk about what you like. Let’s sketch it out before we waste your time and money on the wrong design direction. You have more of a sense of what you want then you may think.
Design
The heart of the work. Visuals are presented. You get to say “I like this. I don’t like that.” I don’t bring a lot of ego. It’s you I am working for. I listen. Revise as we need. And we get there. 100% of the time.
Production
The nuts and bolts. Size. Formatting. Crops. Bleeds. Dimensions. Vendors. Pricing. Press checks. Installations. Hosting. Domains. We’ve got you covered.
About Ellen
Prior to starting her own firm Ellen worked on the design team for West Office Exhibition Design, Wired Magazine and Esprit Clothing company and as a consultant for large multi disciplinary firms such as Gensler, Skidmore Owings and Merrill, and IDEO. She works implementing large company brand guidelines such as UCSF, Samsung, and Chevron regularly. She has worked directly with the likes of Meg Whitman, while at ebay, helping to evolve the creative brand at innovative companies.
The team at Ellen Manerud Design is scalable and accessible. It includes writers, photographers, illustrators, website developers, videographers, printers, stylists and casting directors for any of the complexity of what projects may require. We believe getting the best product means a specialized team able to work under the direction of a good art director. Our team offers clients the quality of work from full scale design agencies while maintaining the personal attention of a boutique design firm.
Ellen holds a BFA in Graphic Design from California College of Arts and a BA from UC Berkeley in Art History and Architecture.