Get to know our newest designer, Shelby:

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up, your childhood memories, ya know, the early years.

I am originally from Hubbard, Ohio. My summers were spent outside riding dirt bikes, swimming and playing basketball. In the winter I spent most of my time playing video games.

Where did you go to school?

I went to Youngstown State University for Graphic Design.

So now 427 has two penguins!

Three words to describe you:

Honest. Hard-working. Independent.

Favorite Quote:

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — Winnie the Pooh

What do you like to listen to?

I listen to everything except country usually on Pandora or Soundcloud.

What was your first impression of 427 Design?

“I want to work here.”

What do you hope to have accomplished in five years? Ten?

To continue becoming a better designer and keep learning new things.

 If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation.

Favorite word?

Guacamole!

Least favorite word?

Can’t.

What sound do you love?

When a basketball swishes through the net.

What sound do you hate?

When people talk with a bubble in their throat.

What is your favorite curse word?

The bad ones.

What is your favorite Seal song?

Kiss from a Rose.

What is on your “Bucket List”?

Attend the World Cheese Dip festival in Little Rock, Arkansas.

What inspires you, and why?

Good design because it makes me want to become a better designer.

 

 

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I grew up in Hudson, Ohio but my fondest memories were taking trips to South Carolina and driving around in golf carts and spending time with family.

What is your educational background?

I graduated from Hudson High School in 2014 and I’m going to enter my senior year at Ohio University next fall where I’m majoring in Interactive Design through the School of Visual Communication.

Three words to describe you:

Dedicated. Loyal. Calm.

Favorite Quote:

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”- Socrates

What’s on your iPod?

Every one of Beyoncé’s albums, and a lot of pop and rap.

So, what brings you to 427 Design?

Webtern for the summer!

What was your first impression of 427 Design?

“This is a really cool space.”

What do you love most about being an intern for 427 Design?

Being able to collaborate in big projects starting from day one.

Favorite Movie? Food? Book?

Favorite movie: 13 Going on 30

Favorite food: A pick-two cup of chicken noodle soup and Thai chicken salad from Panera.

Favorite book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Shapeshifting, that way I can shift into any super hero I want.

Favorite word?

Cool!

Least favorite word?

Righteous

What sound do you love?

A Keurig making my tea in the morning.

What sound do you hate?

Obnoxious laugh tracks on TV shows.

What is your favorite curse word?

Any of them will do when I’m mad.

What is something that no one would ever believe to be true about you?

I absolutely love musicals.

What inspires you, and why?

I’m inspired by people who have succeeded in the design/tech industry. It’s reassuring to look up to someone who has been in your shoes as a student and see them come so far creatively and professionally.

What is a major life dream you hope to accomplish?

Be happy and successful in my career choice.

What is on your “Bucket List”?

Practice my French skills abroad.

So, you win the award for the intern with the longest commute. Tell us about where you’re from and how you ended up here with us.

I am from a small town called Penmaenmawr in Wales which is in the United Kingdom. (Not England). I was looking for graphic design companies to intern with and stumbled across 427 Design. I have friends in the Akron area so it really all just fell into place.

What were you like as a child? Any great stories worth sharing with us?

As you know, I grew up in Penmaenmawr, a village of 2,000 people. I was a quiet child never really making a scene and often keeping to myself. There is one story that I could never forget. My mum is from Barbados so we visited there every few years. One time on the beach it was a peaceful and sunny day when out of nowhere a large fish landed on the sand with a great thud. A bird had dropped it from the sky. Then what must’ve been 10 seconds a man walked up to the fish and took it.

Outside of having an amazing internship experience, what are your plans while you’re here? What do you want to do? Where do you want to go?

Well recently I have started dating a woman from the Akron area, she has all these secret plans for me. So I’m not really sure what I’ll be getting up to. I’ve actually been to Akron before so I have seen all the sights.

The sights? Maybe you can show us around one of these days. 

What is your educational background?

I attend Bangor University in North Wales. In the UK the standard degree is a three year program. I am halfway through my second year and study Product Design which is a very broad degree. We touch on every aspect of design and every discipline. We do three internships, one every year, and these internships really direct the student into the area of design they want to enter into. I want to be a Graphic Designer so, I looked for an appropriate internship.

Sorry you couldn’t find one…

Three words to describe you:

Kind. Willing. Calm

Favorite Quote:

“Story is always King” – Casey Neistat

What’s on your playlist?

A bit of everything really. Jack Garratt, Walk Off The Earth, Lecrae, Ben Howard, Gawvi, The Oh Hellos, Owl City, Paramore.

What is your early impression of 427 Design?

A super cool company. It’s got a sweet industrial design look to it with a lot of cool reused furniture. It’s like the Tardis here. It’s bigger on the inside.

Favorites:

My favourite movie is either Tron Legacy or The Incredibles. Both amazing. My favourite food, anything Italian really. Pasta is too good. In the UK we don’t have grape flavoured anything but I really enjoy grape soda. I have to say my favourite book is the Bible but that’s technically more than one.

“Favourite.” “Flavoured.” Adorbs.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

The Flash’s powers definitely. Super speed is the best type of superpower. The Flash can move at mach 2942… that is so fast. He can phase through walls and objects, travel through time, heal rapidly, think faster. Basically he’s the greatest superhero and speed is definitely the power I would have.

Favorite word?

Ffrwchledd. Welsh for Banana. Try pronouncing that.

Nope.

Least favorite word?

I treat all words equally and love them all.

What sound do you love?

The sound of silence… I like a cat purring.

What sound do you hate?

Polystyrene. The WORST.

What is your favorite curse word?

There aren’t any I use really. We have some great British ones. Like Tosser.

What did you call me?

What is something that no one would ever believe to be true about you?

I speak Welsh. No one ever believes that I do. And that my middle name means White.

What inspires you, and why?

People who have started their own company. There is so much work that goes into that and it’s something that I would like to do one day. Seeing their determination to get stuff done. It keeps me in the right mindset.

What is a major life dream you hope to accomplish?

I hope to move to the US of A and be a graphic designer here.

Check. Check. 

What is on your “Bucket List”?

Travel to South America and Oceania, the remaining two continents I haven’t been to.
Learn another language.
Get married.

I mean, we just met. But, okay. <3

Once again, AAF-Akron hosted a varietal Who’s Who of the Akron advertising professionals and students. This year 427 Design received six Silver ADDY Awards from AAF-Akron at the aptly presidential-themed celebration of the Akron creative community on February 12th – Abe Lincoln’s Birthday.

At the close of each awards season we like to take the time to thank those who make it possible for us to do what we love. Our clients entrust us with their brands, engage us in overcoming their challenges and allow us the opportunity to produce and implement creative, in some cases award-winning, solutions. A few of the silver statues we received were awarded for work we did for Neil Zaza, Diversified Digital and St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

 

.  .  .

2016 Akron ADDY Awards

St. Vincent-St. Mary High School 2015-2016 Admissions Guidebook
Client: St. Vincent-St. Mary High School

Diversified Digital Managed Services Sales Collateral
Client: Diversified Digital

Album Art: Neil Zaza Peach
Client: Neil Zaza

Poster: Meow.
Client: 427 Design

Open House IX Invitation
Client: 427 Design

Open House IX Campaign
Client: 427 Design

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2016 ADDY awards. The work produced by the greater Akron creative community last year was outstanding and, as always, we are proud to be surrounded and challenged by each of you. Cheers to you, and here’s to another outstanding year.

Tell us a little bit about your background. Where did you grow up? Fond memories…

I’m still a kid who likes kid stuff, like finger painting and cartoons. But my fondest memories are of running barefoot through my backyard in Ashtabula with my siblings.

So you don’t go to Ohio’s Polytechnic University?

No. I graduated from Jefferson Area High School in 2013 and am currently enrolled at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University where I study Art Direction. I have also studied at NYU where I earned a certificate in blogging. This spring I’ll be studying at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Austalia.

G’day mate. 

Three words to describe you:

Optimistic, adventurous, calm

Favorite Quote:

“Can’t you see the stars more clearly when standing in places far off the beaten path? And isn’t the ocean deeper, the further out you go from shore? Even where it’s dark, there’s both beauty and life.”

-J. Raymond

What’s on your iPod?

Fleetwood Mac… with a little bit of everything else.

So, what brings you to 427 Design?

Wintern… at your service.

Wintern. See what we did there? 

What do you love most about being an intern for 427 Design?

Good vibes, cool people, big ideas and collaboration. An atmosphere that includes acoustic guitar and mini basketball games doesn’t suck either.

Favorite word?

Unique.

Least favorite word?

Slick & Touché

Touché.

What sound do you love?

Cracking knuckles

What sound do you hate?

Morton Salt containers opening (I just got goosebumps typing that.)

What is something that no one would ever believe to be true about you?

I’m fluent in Greek. I’ve gotten pulled over while driving over 10 times. I’ve been to 14 countries. There’s two lies and one truth… guess which.

What is on your “Bucket List”?

Travel to every country at least once.

Road trip from the most eastern point in the US to the most western point.

Meet Stevie Nicks.