All posts tagged branding

Heather Hunt-Casper

Meet Heather Hunt-Casper

Hello I am Heather Hunt-Casper. I am a co-founder of Open Haus Studio, a boutique creative agency located in West Chester, PA. I have over 24 years of experience in building brands and developing relevant creative strategies for a wide range of clients from consumer to B2B both nationally and locally. I am a creative who has worked on both sides of the business—agency and in-house which gives me great perspective on successfully partnering to build a brand. My business partner, creative collaborator and best friend is also my husband. When we aren’t working, we enjoy time exploring with our son Sammy and Boston Terrier, Menu. Check us out at www.openhausstudio.com.

Now, our 12 Questions:

1. What kind of kid were you?

Curious. Why?

2. What influences have shaped you?

Being the daughter of an engineer was an early influence. It pushed me to want to know how and why things work. Apple in the early 90s made me discover my inner tech geek. Living in center city Philadelphia for 22 years really influenced me to be myself and stay open to change. Traveling gives me perspective and inspiration.

3. Ever done anything really dumb?

Once I had a meeting and printed something for it but the toner exploded. I didn’t want to get my hands dirty so I blew the toner off the page. During the meeting, the man I was talking with kept leaning in and looking closely at my face. Afterwards, I ran to my car to look in the mirror. Much to my horror I had a dusting of black toner around my mouth and lower jaw. It looked like a 5 o’ clock shadow. I was awarded the work but I am sure he always wondered about my gender— I am almost six foot tall, too!

4. How’d you learn to do what you do?

I’ve learned by being curious about the how, why, when and where of things.  You have to try something to really know if it feels right and you learn so much in the process. Listening to those around you helps you learn and hone your gut instincts.

5. What are you working on now?

We are working on lining up two new web projects and diving into a website and branding redesign. We also have some on-going client work that involves trade shows, sales collateral and a campaign.

6. Walk us through a typical day at work.

It will vary but there is usually a mix of coffee, emails, phone calls. Then more coffee, more emails, work and a few conference calls. Our days encompass everything from research, planning and strategy to coming up with and presenting work to then execute.

7. Who do you love?

Its hard not to first say my family, friends and dog, but I also really love old people. You can learn so much from their experiences. I also admire—Luke Sullivan, Alex Isley, Sally Hogshead.

8. What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about the people and things I love. In addition to #7: technology, design of all kind, creative problem-solving, history, traveling and cheese.

9. What are you proudest of?

Besides my family, it would be Open Haus Studio. It has grown and succeeded through some tough and challenging economies. I am proudest that we have been able to build and maintain strong relationships by doing great work with great people.

10. Describe a great night out.

A night out for sushi with my husband, son and some friends at a great local BYOB and not being the designated driver.

11. So what’s next for you?

We just revamped our website so we got some great buzz and interest. Next up will be working on some new projects!

12. What will your epitaph say?

Always support finding your truth.

12 Questions: Fred Shamlian

Fred ShamlianHi, I’m Fred Shamlian.

I live and work in Media, PA, a tiny mecca of creativity and America’s first Fair Trade Town. Shamlian Creative is a close-knit team of strategists, designers and storytellers who create beloved brands. Our mission is to engage our client’s customers in ways that make a difference in their lives. As Creative Director, I contribute strategy, concepts, copy and designs. Branding and marketing are core skills, while 25 years of service to credit card issuers has stoked our passion for card design (over 1,000 and counting). Clients include leading banks, a major retailer, real estate developments, professional firms, restaurateurs Michael Wei (Yangming) and Marty Grims (Moshulu); our new invitation design studio, TorahDor; and a pro-bono program in collaboration with Temple Sholom in Broomall to encourage acts of kindness.

You can reach Fred at:

Shamlian Creative
105 West Third St, Media, PA 19063
610-892-0570
fred@open-inc.com
http://shamliancreative.com
http://www.torahdor.com

And now, the 12 Questions.

1. What kind of kid were you?

Chubby, smart, adventurous, loved, happy.

2. What influences have shaped you?

Raising a family…living in a fraternity (PiKA) …Apple…Sensei Tsomu Oshima, who led karate special trainings at Carnegie-Mellon…fellow Love Agent Caldwell Davis, who beamed brightly…the Jersey shore…Chekov…Beethoven…Woody Allen…nature…and being a Fred.

3. Ever done anything really dumb?

Who, me??

4. How’d you learn to do what you do?

I created my first ad at Msgr. Bonner High School, for a Creative Writing Contest. More ads followed for the Carnegie-Mellon Karate Club, sparking 7 weeks of heated discussion in the school paper about sexism…and my first advertising awards.

In his first job after college, my dad became the entire marketing and creative department at Barr’s Jewelers (now Zales). He did it all: strategy, media planning, concepts, copy, design, and production. I learned from him, and I’m grateful for the gift he gave me: a 360º view of client opportunities.

Many other teachers followed. Al Goldman of MARC and Company taught me the poetry of simplicity and the joy of puns. Henry J. Kaufmann – founder of the Washington DC agency HJK&A, my first employer – taught me grace in the face of adversity; Victor Sonder, my CD at SonderLevitt, showed me how to live large. And smart, generous clients at Chase, Barclays, Bank of America and Discover taught me the fine points of data-driven lifecycle marketing.

5. What are you working on now?

  • A campaign for the built-to-order homes at Haverford Reserve
  • Brand identity and site design for a new mobile payment product
  • Credit card designs for Bermuda-based Butterfield Bank and  their partner American Airlines
  • Corporate identity and a new website for Niyonu Spann Associates, organizational transformation specialists

6. Walk us through a typical day at work.

 7:30 am email, project/vendor coordination, strategy (“What questions do we answer today?”)
 8:45 am meditate
 9:00 am creative team briefings, goal-setting, critiques, brainstorming
10:00 am CREATIVE TIME
12:30 pm lunch (usually at my desk, keeping up with new technologies)
 1:30 pm progress reviews and direction
 2:00 pm client communications + proposals, meetings
 4:00 pm CREATIVE TIME
 6:30 pm where did the day go?

7. Who do you love?

Everyone – at least, that’s my goal. Highly aspirational to be sure, but I know that the more beauty I see in people, and the more I can be a force for good in their lives, the richer my life and my world will be. At Shamlian Creative, a compassionate love for the customer has brought a powerful new intelligence into our work. Love asks different questions and illuminates the most meaningful ways to engage and delight. In an age where marketing means engaging, better relationships begin with love.

8. What are you passionate about?

My family and friends, my team, my clients, the future of our country, the need to preserve nature, the status of guys in the world today. I love bold ideas and great product design…theatre and architecture…old cameras and books… exploring great cities like New York, Seattle, Tokyo and London. I love body-surfing, zooming down a winding road on fresh asphalt, cooking on an open fire, chili chocolate, the dumplings at Yangming, my son’s music, my wife’s pottery, and playing ping pong with my son Chase, who really should let me win.

9. What are you proudest of?

#1.  My sons, Forrest and Chase.
#2:  The America West “Surprise & Delight” in-Flight Experience.
#3:  Our interns. For 24 years, we’ve been blessed to work with hundreds of passionate, talented young people from all over the world.

10. Describe a great night out.

A warm night, a full moon, friends, a pristine lake, and a waterfall.

11. So what’s next for you?

The ultimate Love campaign.

12. What will your epitaph say?

Fred loved us very much.

 

Know somebody who should be featured on 12 Questions? Tell us!