HONEY JARS
Identity and labels for miel (honey) sold at The Brando Resort (Tetiaroa, French Polynesia)

The Brando is a secluded, upmarket resort on the private island of Tetiaroa, about 20 minutes off the coast of Tahiti. Around 200 kilos of honey is harvested from the island’s bees every two months for use in the resort’s bars and restaurants. Additionally, the honey is sold in the boutique on the island. Because the honey is not only harvested and processed on the island but also packaged there, the branding pieces needed to be easy to assemble. Jars were carefully selected for size as well as ease of labeling: the labels were designed to align with the contours of the jar. All pieces were printed stateside and shipped to be assembled, as needed, by the staff on Tetiaroa. Front label designs feature watercolors that were done for early marketing of Tetiaroa. Lids are adorned with a tabbed perforated label that feature a branded tattoo graphic of a bee. Packaging is finalized with a small booklet featuring additional information tied on with raffia.

ROLE
Art direction, design and production; Watercolors done by Storydriven

PRINTING
» ColorGraphics | 2,400 qty, 1st printing
» Labels: Indigo 4CP; Matte label stock permanent adhesive; kiss-cut and perforated
» Booklet: 4CP; Pacesetter Silk Cover 81# text; drill hole

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VANILLA BEANS
A branded give-away for top-tier travel partners

I worked with the packaging team at Colorgraphics to create a custom box to hold a vial of Tahitian vanilla beans. Design needed to pair well with the label that was already affixed to the glass vial. The design of the box and enclosed card features a rich brown macro texture of vanilla beans, which also resembles the wood carvings that are prevalent in the islands. Because this was a gift given to agents who were dedicated partners, the word mauru’uru (thank you, in Tahitian) is featured—as well as the French word for Polynesia (Polynésie). The package was finished with an enclosed card featuring a favorite recipe from the ship’s chef.

ROLE
Art direction; Production done by Jenny Joyce

PRINTING
» ColorGraphics | 1,000 qty
» Box + Product Insert: 4CP; Pacesetter Silk Digital 14.9 point
» Recipe Insert: 4CP; Pacesetter Silk Digital 100# text

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MONOÏ OIL
A branded give-away for top-tier travel partners

Monoï, or coconut oil, is one of French Polynesia’s most prized products. It can be unscented (which means it smells like coconuts), but it is often infused with other island treasures like vanilla or, in this case, the aromatic tiaré flower. The goal was to create packaging that was as rich and luxurious as the product within. Bottles and labels were chosen for their integrity at holding and dealing with exposure to oil; and the soft-touch deep brown card stock used for the box provided a velvety contrast to the silver-foiled type.

ROLE
Art direction, design and production

PRINTING
» ColorGraphics | 3,000 qty
» Labels: 4CP; 4 mil white flexible vinyl permanent adhesive
» Box: Neenah PLIKE® Brown 122C, 14pt.; Silver Satin Gloss foil; die-cut; glue 1-tab

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TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Sent to booked guests prior to their cruise date

I wanted the travel documents to be worthy of the excitement they inspire when they arrive in a booked guest’s mailbox. These miniature binders pack a lot of information—some of which changes depending on the itinerary the guest has chosen to embark on. For this reason, we chose a binder format, allowing us to customize sections and pages per guest. The paper stock was chosen with the wear and tear of travel in mind. And the coordinating water-resistant pouch that houses the binder serves as an excellent place to store a wet bikini (or anything else you need to tuck away) when it has outlived it’s role as a document holder.

ROLE
Art Direction and design; Production done by Kayla Wilkes

PRINTING
» Cenveo/ColorGraphics | 8,000 qty (1st printing)
» Binder & Tabs: 4CP + Flood Soft Touch Aqueous throughout; 24 Pt. Tango C/2S with Clear Foil (Binder) and 80# Titan Dull cover (Tabs), drilled
» Pages: Black and PMS431 (except for map pages which are 4/4); 70# Pacesetter Silk text, drilled

POUCH
» MaCher | 8,000 qty
» 8oz canvas body, 230t lining; #5 nylon coil zipper with rope string puller and logo tag
» 4/4 CMYK; matte laminate

I’ve been lucky to be tasked with capturing visuals for some incredible products and destinations. These in-house photo and video shoots allow me to run with my ideas, keep me thinking on my feet and continue to add to my exceptional experience in this arena. I play the role of casting director, location scout, producer and art director. I spend months planning each project and solving problems as they arise. When the date arrives, I am there on location. And weeks after it all wraps, I get to revel in the photography and videography output in my role as in-house Creative Director marketing a luxury small-ship cruise line.

2025 Boutique Crossing Collection — produced to announce a unique collection of sailings that the cruise line will feature in 2025.

2024 Open for Sale — an announcement of the 2024 line-up of itineraries for Paul Gauguin Cruises.

Celebrating 25 Years in French Polynesia — a branding piece celebrating the ship’s iconic longevity in the South Seas.

ROLE: Art direction
In collaboration with Ari Minasian (videographer), Jen Schott (copywriter), Tasia Valenza (voiceover)

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Moana Explorer Program — Video short utilizing still photography and text-on-screen to share the details of the ship’s onboard environmental and naturalist program for kids and their families.

ROLE: Art direction
In collaboration with Ari Minasian (videographer) and Jen Schott (copywriter)

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SOUL OF THE SOUTH SEAS
An event celebrating our partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

For several years Paul Gauguin Cruises (PGC) partnered with the WCS to manage two onboard programs: the family & kid experiential program, and a lecture series featuring ocean conservation scientists. To kick off the partnership I collaborated with the creative team at WCS to create a microsite promoting the union and offering a cruise give-away to one winner. In addition, members of the PGC marketing team cross-promoted at WCS events at the Bronx Zoo (“Run for the Wild,” featured here) and Central Park Zoo (“Sip For the Sea”).

ROLE
Microsite: Art direction and identity; Production and web design done by Wallop
Event deliverables: (Booths, banners, tattoos, t-shirts, flyer) Design

PRINTING
Jakprints (round flyer card); Tattly (temporary tattoos); CustomInk (t-shirts); J.M. Field (booth)

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CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
Annual campaign for travel magazines

Each year PGC rolls out an annual consumer advertising campaign on social media, email and in prime publications like Travel + Leisure, AFAR, Departures and Condé Nast. In 2020 the focus was on the adventures that are part of PGC’s inclusive pricing. The print ads drove consumers to unique URLs on the website and featured graphics that emulated those of the digital environment. Corresponding social posts and emails launched at the time of publication.

ROLE
Art direction and design; Production Kayla Wilkes

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CULTURE CORNER
Content creation for website, social media and emails

Tahiti and her islands offer up so many fascinating topics that we decided to create a special place on our website to feature subjects pertaining to the many facets of French Polynesian culture. This content became particularly useful during a period of time when PGC needed to stay on the minds of travel agents and consumers but had no sailings to promote due to the global pandemic. Topics are presented in brief, easy-to-read bites and are rolled out via emails and social media posts.

ROLE
Art direction, design and copy editing; Copywriting Ellen O’Rourke and Emily O’Rourke

ANNUAL LOOK BOOK (2017-2024)
for Paul Gauguin Cruises

The goal was to present this niche boutique cruise line in such a way that sets it apart from the competition, while providing the necessary and expected information that comes from an annual brochure. Most cruise annual brochures adhere to a rote format of bland itinerary descriptions, price blocks and sailing dates—but this layout is evocative of the editorial format of a travel magazine.

FEATURES INCLUDE
» Itineraries descriptions that are colorfully described in first-person by a travel writer who has sailed on the ship and experienced the destination himself

» Big topics like French Polynesian culture, onboard dining, the SCUBA and watersports program and the services that the staff provides in article-format, told through the eyes of past guests, travel agents, travel writers and onboard staff

» One-page “spotlights” strategically placed throughout the piece to call-out brand pillars and key benefits to sailing with PGC

» Special interest pages inserted throughout with bite-sized highlighted topics having to do with the destination

» Pared-down information blocks that don’t dominate the section, but provide the minimum necessary information (dates and pricing) with a drive to the website for further detail

ROLE
Design and Concept from start to finish; Assistance from Monica Sagisi (Project Management), Giordanna Queiroz and Kayla Wilkes (Graphic Design) and various copywriters and illustrators (details per issue and upon request)

PRINTING
Cenveo/ColorGraphics | 40K qty | (all years)

Cover: 4pg 4CP; 100# Utopia Two (or Sterling Premium) 2-hits Soft Touch Aqueous and spot gloss UV coating 2018

Text: varies from 68-80 pages; 80# Utopia Two (or Sterling Premium) web matte text; 4CP with spot gloss varnish

View Flip Books:

2024 | 2022/2023 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017

Each summer a small group of us sits down for a series of meetings where we discuss the next year’s round of travel publication advertising. We mill through dozens of ideas—good and bad—but I’ve always been happy with what has risen to the top.

The goal is to let the imagery speak volumes and to keep the copy to a minimum, with a focus on our brand pillars.

Recent years have focused on messaging carrying these key themes:

• 2020 » Choose Your Own Adventure No matter the type of traveler, a vacation with PGC offers the perfect adventure. We focused on the ones that are included in the price of the cruise and the layout emulated features seen on a website (cursor selecting an infographic) while the copy drove the consumer to a specific URL to learn more.

• 2019 » We’ve got the cure for wanderlust / Getting the blues never felt so good / A coconut a day… The average travel magazine reader has an ailment—and Paul Gauguin Cruises has got the cure. This series featured headlines suggesting that an all-inclusive luxury stay in Tahiti is the perfect cure to a life not being lived to its fullest.

• 2018 » This overwater “bungalow” sails! This layout featured imagery focusing on key selling points and honed in on why you should see the South Pacific on a small, luxury cruise ship (instead of say, a more stationary location like a hotel room or an overwater bungalow).

ROLE
Design and Concept from start to finish with assistance from Monica Sagisi (Project Manager); Giordanna Queiroz and Kayla Wilkes (Graphic Design) and various copywriters and illustrators (details upon request).

HONEYMOON QUIZ
Self-mailer directed at a younger cruising audience

A good portion of the younger passengers PGC has enjoyed were on board celebrating a honeymoon. This piece was directed at just that demographic. The layout features infographics and a series of light and spirited questions that are meant to help the reader determine which of four destinations they should embark to: the Caribbean, Europe, Tahiti or Central America.

ROLE
Art direction and design

PRINTING
» Cenveo/ColorGraphics | 15,000 qty
» Self-mailer: 6-panel, 18”x16” roll fold to 6”x8”; 100# Sterling Ultra Matte text
» 4CP + Spot Varnish

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SAILING ITINERARIES
Tabbed self-mailer featuring four core itineraries

Though there are sometimes up to eight different itineraries offered by the m/s Paul Gauguin, there are four core itineraries that are the mainstay. This self-mailing piece sums up each one of them in a series of staggered panels, differentiating between the sailings. The panel size increases with the number of days/nights offered on the sailing, allowing for a stepped design. The edge of each panel protrudes, and they stack up to serve as an index of what is inside. This economically-priced layout has seen several printings/mailings and the cover and overall look adjusts to what is contemporary in PGC’s branding at the time.

ROLE
Art direction, design and production

PRINTING
» Cenveo/ColorGraphics | 50,000 qty
» 6-page cover: 80# Titan Dull cover / 8-page text: 100# Titan Dull text; staggered
» 4CP+UV; folds to 6”x10.5”; scored, stitched and tabbed _________________________________

PAST GUEST OFFER INVITE
A special invitation to past guests of The Gauguin

This t-square die-cut, fold-out invitation is mailed in an envelope to past guests of the m/s Paul Gauguin. The invitation informs them of special sailing dates, like reunion cruises, and outlines offers that are available only to them as veterans of the cruise line. This piece has been done several times and though the details of the offer, the graphics and the palette may change—the key elements remain the same. Since the receiver is familiar with Tahiti, there is less emphasis on scenic photography and the focus shifts to their personal connection with the destination. The ship boasts a troup of Tahitian “Gauguines” (or Les Gauguine, young men and women from different islands throughout Tahiti) that serve as hosts and entertainers on the ship. Many guests relish their experiences interacting with Les Gauguine in the past so the design features either a male of female Gauguine, as well as the special “Paul Gauguin Society” brandmark, and an enlarged, watermarked tattoo graphic. The invitation is coated with a Soft Touch texture to evoke the luxuriousness the audience experienced on their previous stay on board the ship.

ROLE
Art direction, design and production

PRINTING
» Cenveo/ColorGraphics | 14,000 qty (1st printing)
» T-Cross Diecut invite and A6 Envelope: 81# Pacesetter Silk cover
» 4CP+2 hits Soft Touch Aqueous

• A die-cut, folded, layered greeting becomes 3D when the receiver pops a tab into place on the back » Art direction

• A holographic foil lends a celebratory feel to a traditional Polynesian tattoo motif » Art direction, design and production

• A die-cut, ornament detailed with silver foil becomes 3D when it is popped out and assembled by the receiver. A stop-motion video features this print piece on social media and on the home page during the holidays » Art direction, design

• A die-cut Polynesian dancer serves as a paper-doll, complete with a stand » Art direction, design, production

• Lagoon-blue is paired with silver foil highlights in this letterpress card featuring an embroidery design » Art direction, design, production

Polynesian tattoo USB drives: these give-aways were loaded with assets and marketing tools for the Sales Team to give out to Travel Advisors at trade shows and events. (Art Direction & Production)
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Custom Tattly tattoos are part of the Sales Team’s tool kit for attending events. These were also utilized at a sponsored event during Paul Gauguin Cruise’s collaboration with Wildlife Conservation Society / Bronx Zoo. (Art Direction & Design. Select designs were done by Kayla Wilkes)

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I produced cruise travel documents for the company that came in water-resistant pouches so that guests could utilize the pouch during their travels. I also printed an overage in this vintage Bora Bora photographic design so that the Sales Team could use them as give-aways at events. (Art Direction & Production)