Welcome to Trajectory.
Stories, ideas and inspiration from a design studio in motion — featuring brand thinking, campaign breakdowns, client work and the occasional personal detour.
The Creative Director’s AI Toolkit
Creative leadership has always meant standing in the space between vision and execution, chaos and clarity, concept and craft. The arrival of AI hasn’t changed that — it’s just raised the stakes.
The Dispatch: A Year of Motion
A look back at a year of building, pivoting, performing — and a look ahead at what’s coming into focus.
Orbit30: Dave 1, Desgrippes Gobé 0
In 1999, I was a mid-twenties designer at Cleo when I got the chance to take on work usually reserved for a high-priced New York brand agency. With some bold pitches, a lot of goodwill, and a turtle graphic, I not only won the project—I beat Desgrippes Gobé at their own game.
DesignNova: I ♥ NY
Few logos can claim to define not just a brand, but a city itself. The “I ♥ NY” design did just that — transforming New York’s image from gritty to iconic with one symbol.
Rapid Reaction: Cracker Barrel’s Logo Facelift—Not Woke, Just Wise
Cracker Barrel’s latest logo redesign—ditching the beloved Uncle Herschel in favor of a sleek, text-only barrel form—isn’t a cultural capitulation. It’s classic creative logic: clarity, scalability, and strategic equity retention. Here’s why the outrage says more about cultural discourse than design.
Designing the Multiverse: IKEA by Wes Anderson
What if Sweden’s flat-pack furniture empire was directed by the king of cinematic symmetry?
Hand‑Drawn = High‑Tech: Why Imperfection Is the Ultimate Design Signal
In a world of AI‑polished perfection, human-made marks are the new flex. A look at why sketchy, scribbly, hand-drawn design isn’t just charming — it’s strategic.
Designing the Multiverse: Barbie, But Bauhaus
What if the world’s most iconic fashion doll graduated from the Bauhaus School of Design?
Chaos Aesthetic: Why Brands Are Embracing the Art of Looking Unhinged
In a sea of slick design systems, the loud, chaotic, and clashing are starting to win. Welcome to the aesthetic of overload — and why it actually works.
The Dispatch: Brand Currents & Creative Horizons
The studio recharges lakeside after a busy first half; fresh campaigns, personal commissions, and a dive into brand multiverses await.