Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Jeff Zwerner, graphic designer, talks about a design project with Nike that he has worked on at Wescoe Hall Monday evening. The image on the screen was a three-dimensional graphic of Nike shoes.
A guru of a design firm that works for big names like Apple and Coca-Cola delivered a hopeful message to an auditorium of fine arts students Monday night.
Jeff Zwerner, graphic designer at Factor Design firm, gave a presentation outlining the changes graphic designers are undergoing and showed examples of his work. Zwerner said graduating fine arts students at the University of Kansas have the preparation they need to be successful visual artists, but launch, renew and envision are the three areas graphic designers should focus on.
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Renewal is the time when the company updates their image as the market changes and envision is the last phase when companies look forward to future marketing and design.
Zwerner refered to launch as the beginning of the marketing process. Renewal is the time when the company updates their image as the market changes and envision is the last phase when companies look forward to future marketing and design.
“It’s nice to see that KU is training their students to think critically,” Zwerner said. “Everyone is looking for those kind of people and no one can find them.”
His impressive portfolio included Nike Plus, a product in association with Apple’s iPod Nano, and Firefly, a cell phone for kids ages 8-12 operated by T-Mobile.
“Firefly showed up randomly on our door with a terrible design,” Zwerner said. “We convinced them to let us redesign and eight months later it was sold to Target.”
Andrea Wertzberger, associate professor in the school of fine arts, invited Zwerner to speak on campus. She and Zwerner were former co-workers at Factor Design firm.
“He’s the best designer I ever met,” Wertzberger said. “He can make things glow in Photoshop.”
Wertzberger worked in San Francisco at the home office of Factor Design before coming to the University. They worked together on design projects for Apple when it was in “it’s dark ages,” as Zwerner recalls.
He said Apple, Nike and Coca-Cola are huge companies who have large graphic designer staffs. When these companies work with outside firms like Factor Design, they depend on them to execute every job.
“Everything has to be perfect or your fired because that’s how it is with Apple,” he said. “Editors, proofs, printers—they have to nail it.”
Zwerner recalled a time when his company failed to nail it. Last month, an Apple calendar was sent to a flagship store in Chicago with a glaring typo: Janruary. Factor Design hurried to correct the problem but not before Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, found a copy on his desk.
“I was on a plane to New York,” Zwerner said. “And I had a missed call from Apple saying, ‘Jeff, you’re in deep shit.’ ”
Gemma Bayly, Overland Park senior, said she spoke with Zwerner over lunch about a potential job opening at Factor Design.
“His firm is hiring and I really want the junior designer position,” Bayly said.
Bayly said she agrees with Zwerner that the University has readied her for a career in graphic design.
“I feel absolutely prepared,” Bayly said. “Students coming out of Cal Arts aren’t as prepared as we are.”
Kansan staff writer Bethany Bunch can be contacted at bbunch@kansan.com.
— Edited by Joe Caponio
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