FEATURED GRADUATE
Jackie Clark- Miami Ad School Graphic Design Graduate 2007
I started at Resource Interactive in December, after two and a half agonizing months of playing the waiting game after my interview. Resource is an interactive (obviously) agency in Columbus, Ohio. So yes, I am crazy and moved from Miami to the frozen tundra of Ohio. (In reality, Columbus is also where I grew up so the jump was not that shocking.) One of the things that attracted me to Resource from the second I set foot in the elevator was its culture. They celebrate creativity in every molecule of everything in the building, they celebrate passion and individuality, and having fun and collaboration and innovation. And you can bring your dog to work, just like Miami Ad School. Resource has been a leader in the marketing and interactive world since the early 80s, and is unique because its female founded and has stayed that way.
Another interesting point about Resource is the thought leadership that we’re involved in. There are some amazing minds out there and the research they have done to understand today’s online consumer is astounding. You can check it out for yourself: http://www.resource.com/thoughtleadership/
Okay enough gushing about my employer. But I really truly love Resource. And my job, I still can’t believe they are paying me to do what I love, and that is design. The transition from mainly print to interactive has been quick and painless. I am not completely dismissing print though, I still have a love for all things paper and there is something so satisfying about seeing your work printed.
Designing for online is not that much different than designing for print. Except that there are endless possibilities to what can be done. You don’t have to worry about output, printing, paper, wrong spot colors, etc. But you do have to worry about the user experience and making sure it’s the best they can get.
I had to get used to working in Photoshop all the time (I jump at the chance to work in Illustrator now) and what kinds of transparencies work better for flash or html. Speaking of that, no, you do not have to be a pro at coding or html or ActionScripting. At least not at Resource where there is a technology department for making it work and Flash designers for making
it move. I have learned so much in such a short period of time, and I’m constantly learning. The clients I work with are mainly in the haircare industry: Pantene (http://pantene.com) and Herbal Essences (http://www.herbalessences.com), as well as Scotts Miracle Gro. (http://www.scotts.com)
Links to work that I have done that is online are here:
http://www.pantene.com/jsp/mariedigby/locales/en_US/index.jsp
http://herbalessences.com/us/faq/index.jsp
http://herbalessences.com/us/offers/news.jsp
Below are some emails that I have designed for Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Resource’s monthly newsletter and e-blasts.
My advice for all those graphic designers at MAS: Go to Amsterdam for Quarter Away. It changed my entire approach to design. Take the Interactive Concepting class if you are able. This class was the whole reason I was able to convince Resource I could hack it as an interactive designer. (many thanks to Jimmy and Juan-Carlos of iChameleon for enlightening us to the ways of the internets.) Absorb. Love thy design competition. Join AIGA.







