Dana Lechtenberg is a Senior Art Director/Designer who has been with us since 2007. Outside of his day-to-day design work, Dana is responsible for all of the creative development and execution on our Department of Defense/Univ. of Northern Iowa account.

The below questions and answers are meant to give you an inside, intimate look into what makes a creative/designer, like Dana, tick.

Q: Do you have a daily routine or ritual for your workflow?

A: At first I was going to say: "No...I really don't." But after thinking about the question a bit more...I guess I do in the respect that there are certain design sites I like to look at every morning...that are inspirational. There is some amazing talent out there...some of which I would say I'm quasi-friends with (thank you technology) and it's just refreshing and exciting to see what they are doing day after day. That being said, I try to start out the day doing something new...rather than leaving something really creative until like three or four o'clock in the afternoon...that way it gets my juices pumping early (I also don't want to interfere with my three o'clock nap).

Q: As an illustrator, what stresses you out the most?

A: Well...to be honest...I don't consider myself an illustrator. "Technically"...I'm a designer that can draw. I consider my artwork to be designs that resemble illustrations. The stress comes from making sure that things are proportionate...that they have a similar feel or flow from piece to piece within the same project...and getting those darn shadows where they need to go!

Q: What inspires you?

A: That "amazing" talent I mentioned in the first question...that's my biggest inspiration. I get such a kick out of seeing something that just looks cool. I snag images from the internet every single day for my screen saver...I love being surrounded in great design. It's really an honor to consider myself part of that "scene." Other than that...music helps a lot (for inspirado)...and my family.

Q: How do you deal with failure?

A: Better than I used to (as a young designer). Frustration still happens (especially if someone isn't willing to be open-minded about going a different route)...but I tend to try and get it correct right out of the gates so hopefully failure doesn't even come up. Interacting with the client on the front end is critical...showing thumbnails of what you have in mind design-wise before spending numerous hours on a piece...both of those things really help...but can also work against you.

Q: What advice would you give to a designer just getting out of school?

A: Be passionate about the work you're doing...that is HUGE. You're not going to get your "dream" gig right away...if ever...and you need to focus on making the most out of the work you are doing and look for as many opportunities (freelance or personal) that allow you to do those "dream" type projects. Be a huge stickler on type treatments and placement...something so small can totally kill a design.

Q: What work are you most proud of?

A: The Rudy's Tacos brand development comes to mind first...mainly because of where it took me (as a local designer) and because it was just such a fun project. The current literacy work for the Department of Defense and University of Northern Iowa is also high on my list...again...because it just such fun work and it has such potential to grow and expand into so much more. My favorite "medium" to work in is music packaging...I've been able to design several CDs...which has been pretty cool.

Q: Where do you see print and packaging 5 years from now?

A: I'm hoping nothing is going to be different...but with everything going more digital...it's hard to say. It's really frustrating for me to see the whole "record cover" go the way of the dinosaur. Nobody seems to care about a record anymore...it's just the digital single you can put on your iPod. Part of the fun of listening to music is holding the physical product in your hand. There should always be some form or need for a package though...so hopefully it'll still be around in five years.

Q: Who's your dream client? Who would it be and why?

A: My absolute dream client would be doing a package design for Sub Pop Records. A full length album...seven inch...heck...even a press kit. I "know" the Art Director and two of their Designers...so maybe I can try and work some magic someday...HA! They really produce top notch design in the music field and they are just all kick-a** designers.

The Okoboji Tourism Committee recently launched their redesign website - Vacation Okoboji.  This site serves as the primary information source for the Iowa Great Lakes area, one of the leading tourism areas in the Midwest. With that in mind, we set out to create a site that had a modern look and feel yet would provide end users with an easy and convenient way of locating information on local recreation spots, shopping, nightlife and much more.

The site was developed in conjunction with our interactive partners, Spinutech and features their latest version of Spinternet, their custom content management system.  Utilizing this type of high-end solution enables the Okoboji Tourism Committee to create new pages on the fly, add new links to the navigation, and much more all on their own...and in a matter of minutes with little effort and technical knowledge.

Whether you’re on the account side or creative side, ad folks from all sides love to discuss what makes something “good” in the world of advertising. If your office is anything like ours, a day doesn’t pass without  receiving at least one URL from fellow coworkers showcasing insane work recently discovered. Most of the time, this new work includes some sort of out-of-home application or a viral YouTube video. It’s always great to share these campaigns and to view creative work, but what makes it good? Can a simple print piece be held to the same level of good as an interactive custom installed billboard?

Too often we look at “good” outside the realm of relevance to the clients. We all strive to push the envelope and create the stuff we come across through the Twitterverse. But we must also remember to maintain great creative through the practiced disciplines that we know best. We don’t need to be everything to everyone... We just need to be relevant and raise the bar in what we do best. We need to focus on an idea - an awesome idea - followed by solid design that communicates the message we’re trying to convey. This should always bring results to the client, no matter what the medium is and no matter how crazy the application may be. If the creative continually pushes the limits beyond great and produces results for the client, then consider it good and keep sticking to those guns.

“The process of understanding your clients’ needs and helping them discover the right application will always win in the long run,” says Joe Hahn, creative director. “It’s also our job to find innovative and creative ways to push clients into new realms of possibilities with great design and great ideas.”

The first component to consider is asking how this project will help your client’s business. Replicating The Bubble Project for a local bank probably isn’t the right medium to get more customers in the door. Developing a unified identity and brand campaign with print materials that tell the story of who the bank is and why people bank there is probably a stronger match.

No matter how cool you want your projects to look, they have to work. It’s worthless if it doesn’t create new awareness, retain consumers or bring in revenue. That is what we do. We help promote our clients brand and help them sell their products and services.  We stick to our guns with great design, great creative and ultimately, great ideas.