> USB PORT PACKAGING

USB PORT WINE PACKAGING : The first wine label/packaging that I had an opportunity to work upon at 6westdesign has been released to the public by lodi based peltier station winery.

The client was eager to find a clever way to play off the word "Port" without actually using the word itself ( due to recent TTB regulatory changes which forbids the use of the word “port” for any non Portuguese based wine), which gave birth to “USB ( port).” The imagery screenprinted on the front label shows an old vine built out of binary code that translates as "Peltier Station", and has roots that form the recognized USB computer symbol. The back label leaves it to the viewer to fill in the letters "port" in underlined slots (i.e. im____ant for "important") to unravel the message.

The label has caused a surprising storm of buzz online in a matter of days ( which resulted in a dramatic influx of inquiries and sales for the winery ) and has been showcased on the likes of the dieline.com, wired.com, and a host of other tech based sites. The label also recently won a Silver at the 2008 Davey packaging awards.

The project was great to work on, and I believe we were able to take a mediocre brand concept ( which the client was set upon ) and shape it into something with some substance, meaning, and purpose, and yet still be aesthetically appealing at a multitude of levels. We’re pleased with the results, as is the client and audience, and hope the hype will result and transition into sales for the winery. I’ll keep you posted.

> KLINKERBRICK PACKAGING REDESIGN

KLINKERBRICK OLD VINE ZINFANDEL : This was the second label that I worked upon at, 6west that has been recently produced, and is now on shelves. Essentially a brand re-design of an existing label ( which didn’t do the contents any justice, a highly rated old vine zinfandel ), we executed a painstaking full screenprint wrap of bricks ( with tonally contrasting highlighted klinker bricks ) that framed and emphasized the brand.

The result is a visually stunning label that undeniably redefines the package and brand, and also foreshadows the complex nature and characteristics of the wine. The package has been received with great feedback, and has also recently won a Silver at the 2008 Davey packaging awards.

> WINNER : CKKA LOGO AND COLLATERAL

WINNER OF THE 08 ORIKDESIGNS BRAND IDENTITY PRO BONO MAKEOVER : CLINGANS KOREAN KARATE ACADEMY !

We were looking to push two components with this piece. Firstly to give the historical northern Californian based martial arts studio a modern, fresh, eye catching face lift ( to reflect it’s decade long transition into mixed martial arts ); and secondly, and perhaps more importantly, to sell the man behind the art, 8th degree black belt GrandMaster William D. Clingan. There’s an old saying that goes “it’s not what style you receive a black belt in, but what school you receive it from that counts” which ultimately reflects the teacher, which in this case speaks volumes. The image of a young ( I believe 23 at the time ) virtuoso breaking through 4 concrete tiles with his finger tips ( let me repeat that for you, his finger tips! ) paved the way for the concept. The man did things physically at that age ( harnessing internal energy ) that were unnatural, he was, and still is ahead of his time, as a practitioner and teacher. I felt it was essential to transcend this massage in the brand re-design at both a marketing and business standpoint, which I believe we achieved by leveraging the iconic image and mock signature ( bringing focus to the teacher not the art, touching upon his legacy and stoic past ) and yet still tapping into the modern application and applicability of the art through the overall look and feel. I was pleased with the results, and hope this will bring a much deserved interest to the studio and the man behind it for the past 37 years.

> D30 TEE

DIRTY30 VEGAS TEE : I was fortunate enough to celebrate my 30th birthday earlier this year in vegas with my boys ( who absolutely took care of everything ). I wanted to thank them with a little gift, so I ran a small print of “dirty 30 tees” to say thanks, and also let them know how appreciative I was to have such amazing friends surround me. Hands down one of the craziest trips in my life, it was insanely fun, thank you boys.





The drink of choice of the 3 day massacre ( great packaging also, which is why I had to throw it up ).



The crew... top to bottom, left to right : JD, Sunny S, kiro, kage, $, manny, lois ( missing in action : deep, lakh and sunny ). I dont want to see you guys for at least a year, thanks.

> CRITICAL EXPRESS LOGO

CRITICAL EXPRESS DELIVERY SERVICES CORPORATE LOGO : The concept stems from fusing the symbolic feel of the word critical ( represented by the signature E.K.G. line ) with the delivery component ( represented by a barcode ). The client, Tom Sayles, wanted a serious, dynamic, visually potent mark that would both instantly be recognizable as a delivery service ( mainly pharmaceutical products ) and also separate the company from the competition, which I believe we delivered upon with this concept.