PRESENTING
ALFRED BRANCH

​

For over three decades, I’ve been working with marketing directors and brand managers, some from top Fortune 50 companies, to foster their brand equity through the shopper marketing channels of package design and point-of-purchase vehicles.

 

What are my thoughts on the creative process? Well before the design acumen can begin, it is imperative to explore the “Ws.” Who Is selling? What is selling? Who is buying? What are the budgetary parameters? When does the promotion begin? What is the duration of the promotion? Where is the promotion to be placed? What logistical issues may arise?

 

The answers to these questions are the foundation for the creative process. The disciplines of color psychology, typography, imagery, and the literal and virtual narrative must then weave into a balanced canvas of spatial acuity. My design philosophy? Skills without wisdom, avail little. I view the “how” of design to be an external apparatus, but it must be driven by the “why”

of design, which is an internal amalgamation of accumulative wisdom and passion.

 

My rules of engagement are simple. The late, great, ”Father of Modern Advertising, David Ogilvy,” professed: “Keep it clean. Keep it clear. Keep it concise.” I know, I’m old school, but I’m proud of that fact. Mr. Ogilvy’s principles are just as relevant today as they were in the ’50s and ’60s. I learned design principles before digital became mainstream, and I think that learning the

long-hand methods gave me a deeper understanding of design infrastructure.

I’ve always been a creative spirit. I started drawing firetrucks, and freight trains when I was only two years old. I was the only student in my large kindergarten class to create an abstract the day we painted on large newsprint pads with watercolors. In first grade, I rendered The Mayflower, with an outboard motor. “Hey, back off, I’m an artist, right?” About that same time, I saw The Animals perform the classic, “House of the Rising Sun,” on television, and music became a passion. My wonderful Mom and Dad bought a guitar for me, and I’ve been playing since then. As a self-taught musician, I played professionally for seven years, instead of attending college after high school, to my parent’s chagrin. When I failed at rock star status and

bounced around in numerous jobs, I finally went back to school in the late eighties and

chose the commercial art field as my career path.

 

Here’s a small sampling of some of my creations, from diverse marketing sectors.

Please enjoy. If you think I can be of service to you, let’s get started!

 

Kind Regards,

Alfred Branch