Karsh Hagan is approaching its 50th anniversary as Colorado’s premiere advertising agency. The agency needed a fresh new look to step into the future of creative media. KH’s 1970s-Colorado-roots inspired a lot of my initial graphics and design. My art direction was this: Vintage rainbow-striped Colorado ski jackets, the heart of Coloradan’s love of the outdoors, RMNP, epic white-capped mountains, The Gateway to the West... All with an eye toward the future. I designed all brand elements, edited and created motion graphics for a new brand mantra video, and provided graphics and design direction for the agencies sharp new website – karshhagan.com
We all have defining moments in our lives. And so do brands. . . but what if we didn’t have to wait for those moments to happen? What if we could make them happen? Elevate them. And tap into their power.
Using MidJourney’s AI illustrative capabilities, I created images with the future of the brand, the future of Colorado, and the future of the industry in the prompts. These are composites of several different images, and a little design work added in.
Human-caused climate change is the biggest problem facing humanity today. It’s been warming Earth’s winters for decades now. Which means it’s beginning to affect the millions of annual skiers and snowboarders who visit Aspen Snowmass for its fresh white-powder runs, crystal-clear views, and snowy escapes. If you love powder days, bluebird skies, and goggle tans – if you love earning turns, helmet hair, and apres ski – if you want to protect your passion, then it’s time to take action. It’s time to Give a Flake.
Each component of the campaign was actionable. Print ads in national magazines featured tear-out prepaid postcards for readers to sign and mail to three carefully-selected on-the-fence Senators (Senator Collins from Maine, Senator Portman from Ohio, and Senator Murkowski from Alaska), urging them to change their stance on climate change.
Social videos populated feeds with climate change myths being busted. The posts use cheeky graphics and choppy editing styles to match the energy and raw feeling of the Mantra video.
Our job was to tell the story of a destination that is so much more than Mount Rushmore or one-stop wonders, and transform it into a place people want to know. Hidden gems became South Dakota's biggest strengths and differentiators in the market. From the Tatooine-esque Badlands, to the Lakota peoples and their roots, the cinematic footage rolls across the state, exhibiting its beauty and thrill.
The new brand has an adventurous look, and utilizes many hand-done illustrations and line-work. Adding in custom drawing and illustrated animations on top of the footage accentuates moments, giving them emphasis, while tying beautiful footage back to the other brand work.
This cut shows the heartbeat of the Native American culture in South Dakota – a beautiful powwow ceremony, beating drums, singing, and dancing. All coming together to show a sense of community. We got to work with the talented Mato Wayuhi (musician for FX/Hulu's Reservation Dogs) who provided both the music and voice-over talent for this spot.
Today, we live in a connected world. Robots do our surgery. Drones drop off our groceries. Cars drive themselves. But something got left in the dust - Heathcare. I was tasked with bringing to life both the technological realities of today’s world and today’s healthcare communication problems. Vital Engine’s digital solution pulses throughout their story, breathing new life into our connected world.
I had the privilege of creating the brand, brand website and brand collateral for Gusto Mexico, a Mexican travel experience. Gusto Mexico offers eight beloved locations to captivate your senses, enrich, and ir a una aventura. I intentionally created graphics evocative of Mexican heritage as well as current Mexican cultural motifs – vivid colors, earthy texture, an element of history, and an elegance in forms and shapes. Visit the travel site I designed at gustomexico.com
