ASHLEY HOUSTON
mktg & design
Design Samples
Pageant Flyers
February 2014 - present
Delesia Watson, Miss Virginia Dogwood 2014 and former Miss Bronx is a personal friend and a great philanthropist. As a titleholder, she will be competing to be Miss Virginia in hopes to represent that title in the 2015 Miss America Pageant. These flyers are a visual representation of her platform and appreciation to her supporters, family, and sponsors. Both are similar to remain consistent, yet different for their usage.
Miscellaneous Projects
January 2010 - Present
Design samples from miscellaneous projects that were done as favors to friends and family or as assignments from clients (i.e.: logos, invitations, flyers, etc.)
"When nothing is going right ... go left."
This is a project resulting from a class challenge to redesign a poorly designed magazine. College Gentlemen is a soft porn magazine that lacked style and an effective layout. My version of the magazine is more like GQ magazine on a college level.
CG was actually my second attempt at the project. The first one is further down on this page (the Cookbook). It was challenging, but a pleasure to create a more sophisticated version of the magazine. I think the overall solution is effective and much better than the original product.
CG Magazine
September 2009
Challenged to create a company and design branding materials using the specific, assigned term “volpe,” I opted to design a logo and campaign centered on a combination of edge and elegance for the fictional company, Volpe Energy. The Italian term “volpe” means fox, and what better way to relate foxlike characteristics than to create an energy drink? Energy drinks have names that convey strength, power, speed, and sexuality; all attributes of a fox. The color scheme of black, red, and white are used as the primary palette for this project because it exudes simplicity with vibrancy.
The logo is comprised of a bold, sans serif font that subtly uses a foxtail for the curvature of the letter P. The placement of the logo intrigues the consumer to know what is behind the tail, or in other words what the energy drink is all about.
For the branding materials, it’s important for Volpe to express to its consumers that the energy drink is not only attractive (pertaining to its overall look and effects) but also efficient, regarding the ingredients. This is evident through the design of the can and the Volpe brochure, as well as all written material within the brochure.
Volpe
September 2010
Overall, I wanted to create a product that had a strong brand awareness and positive image to its target audience if this was not a fictional company. Volpe would be a fresh, playful, but memorable way to market an energy drink. This concept highlights the fictional company’s mission to making every consumer feel alive, alert, and ready for whatever the world or their daily life has in store.
"Creativity is intelligence having fun."
- Albert Einstein
KAPsi, MuMu Marketing Materials
September 2010 - December 2011
The MuMu Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. at George Mason University needed marketing materials for various on campus events. The organization consists of educated gentlemen who are known for their suave demeanor and promotion of scholarship and service. The marketing materials display that character and are prominent with the organization’s official colors crimson and crème (often substituted with red and white for print purposes).
DST, Omicron Rho Marketing Materials
February 2010 - January 2013
The Omicron Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is an organization at George Mason University that promotes and executes programs proving scholarship, sisterhood, and service. Promotional and marketing materials were designed to help bring awareness to these events in the school community, as well as the charisma of the chapter.
Cookbook
April 2009
As previously said, this project resulted from a class challenge to redesign a poorly designed magazine.
The original verison of Cook's Illustrated is a cookbook magazine that is mainly black and white with no excitement. Both the and pictures depicted in the magazine are plain.
My recreation of the magazine is full of color and interesting facts and pictures. What differs from the original product is that I tried to enable readers to easily navigate through the magazine and maintain interest.
