About Me

Donald Crossland

6103 Barrows Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
602 770 7399

Visual Designer

Talented graphic design lead with over 15 years experience in print and web design who is highly motivated, creative, and versatile. Especially skilled in creating and directing editorial design for consumer print publications. Adept leader with proven communication skills, creative vision and a proactive thinker with an entrepreneurial spirit. Strong track record of developing and enhancing brand image and awareness through traditional and new media creative and marketing.

Core strengths:

  • Managing the creative team/team leadership
  • Print publication design/creative direction
  • Hands-on direction with expert knowledge of Adobe CS apps
  • Ability to innovate with existing branding and style guides
  • Brand design and development
  • Deadline-oriented
  • Project management and multi-tasking
  • Strong written and verbal communication

Professional Experience

Creative Director/Designer  |  2009 to present
zenzino | design, New York/Los Angeles

Consulted with companies regarding creative direction. Emphasis on creative and strategic direction for design and branding. Clients include:

  • Beamz Interactive – Revamped company image through print and online creative. Directed design for marketing collateral, packaging and trade show efforts. Split divergent vertical market to design secondary brand identity for the DJ market. Established multi-tiered approach to support digital marketing including tradeshows, outreach and artist endorsement.
  • Tangoe, Inc. – Directed complete brand identity design to introduce and build the Famzee app brand image. Worked with focus groups to ensure creative aligned with product strategy. Created style guide for marketing collateral and communications. Consulted with engineering team to ensure Famzee product launched on time.
  • Interior Design Magazine – Directed design of a new blog free of the constraints of the outdated corporate website template bringing the blog creative more in line with the style guide of the current print magazine. Blog traffic surpassed parent site within six months.
  • Nomadesk – Brought in on a 9-month contract to take ownership of design and branding. Redesigned site from the ground up to improve company image, site architecture and user experience. Emphasis given to explanation of complex offering of Nomadesk, including video tour on homepage.

Creative Director  |  2005 to 2009
Contact Media, Phoenix, Arizona

Conceived and launched kontakt magazine, a regional publication focused on contemporary architecture, interior and industrial design. Created a visually appealing brand for a design-focused audience. Directed design to an upscale level to attract high-end luxury advertisers. Managed strategic and tactical operations of creative, editorial and sales staffs. Developed key strategic partnerships with sponsors and advertisers to build brand through acclaimed design related events.

  • Doubled circulation and advertising revenue each year from 2005-2008 by building a strong brand identity and online presence to support the printed publication.
  • Conceived and directed design of unique and innovative special edition covers for subscribers to increase subscription base from less than 1% to over 11%.
  • Managed successful identity rebranding of kontakt magazine to kontaktmag.com in a transition from print to online magazine in late 2008 through redesign of website creative and architecture.
  • Strengthened kontaktmag.com identity using branded email newsletters, social media, video podcasts, online applications and a brand-customized iPhone app.
  • Created the brand identity for Phoenix Contemporary Design Fair (PCDF), an annual design show drawing local, national and international exhibitors and several thousand attendees, tripling size and revenue in three years.
  • Established PCDF identity through branded website and comprehensive advertising campaign including print and online advertising, direct mail and social media creative.

 

Creative Director  |  2001 to 2005
zenzino | design, Los Angeles/Phoenix

Managed team specializing in online marketing, building brand awareness and print magazine design. Grew client base, improved customer relationships and maintained creative collaborations to provide support for in-house marketing of clients.

  • Created corporate identities through website and collateral design and messaging.
  • Strengthened clients’ overall brand identity and consistent messaging for national advertising campaigns through creative direction and media planning.
  • Designed and produced several glossy print magazine titles monthly.
  • Clients included Kenneth Cole, SKB, Samsonite, Ambir Technology, Rugged Notebooks,
    GFI Publishing and SNK Media.

 

Art Director  |  1998 to 2001
CNF Mobile Solutions, Inc., Scottsdale Arizona

Developed brand identity and marketing communications strategy with a multi-channel approach to support direct, enterprise and retail sales objectives.

  • Reinforced branding through web site, packaging and collateral design consistency.
  • Developed creative for national advertising campaigns and channel marketing efforts.
  • Managed branding efforts for national and international trade shows including ComDex in Las Vegas, TechXNY in New York and CeBit in Hanover, Germany.

 

Graphic Designer  |  1995 to 1998
Glasswater Studios, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona

  • Lead designer, specializing in corporate identity and branding.
  • Managed workflow to effectively meet client’s deadlines.
  • Built and maintained relationships with key clients including Allied Signal, Honeywell
    and Motorola.

Education

Graphic Communication 1986 to 1990
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

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