Nathan Plaisted, MDes

Master of Design (MDes) in Brand Design and Strategy supporting proactive brand growth in reactive markets. Increased client qualified leads by 25x, revenues to 7-figures, and profits by 368% YOY.

Idealistic systems-thinking brand designer with a Master of Design (MDes) in Brand Strategy. From graphic design in marketing and clinical departments, and through healthcare and hospitality sectors, to brand design—I've developed effective solutions that support business results. This includes a 25x rise in qualified leads, reaching 7-figure revenues, and a 368% increase in profits year-over-year. By blending a forward-thinking, evidence-based planning approach with design I help brands navigate change on their terms to reach ideals. • Brand strategy and identity • Futures thinking • Design • Adobe Certified Professional in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign

Projects

Brand strategy, identity, and design for Avatar Coffee

In 2019, Avatar Coffee Roasters set out to carve their niche in the premium specialty coffee market. Unlike brands that cater to like-minded audiences, Avatar Coffee embraced a more inclusive ethos—eschewing like-minds for all minds. With roots in both India and Brazil, yet firmly grounded in Southern California, Avatar Coffee Roasters’ cultural influence and diverse team became integral to their identity. But, despite their background, they struggled to establish a cohesive long-term vision. Leadership’s lack of clarity led to incoherent branding, haphazard category assimilation, and low-quality creative execution, resulting in two years of declining sales. Recognizing these challenges, I stepped in to help redefine their path forward with the goal of turning their fragmented identity into a unified brand capable of driving both consumer engagement and business growth. In the end, what started as a brand in decline evolved into a comprehensive brand design and strategy project spanning a seven-month period that aligned their team around a clear and lasting vision. This new direction produced tangible results: a 3× increase in Units Per Transaction (UPT), over 1,000 products sold during a 14-hour grand opening event, and recognition through prestigious industry awards, including a Graphis Inc. Design 2024 Silver Award, GDUSA’s Best of the Year, and publication in Packaging of the World.See More

Work History

Brand Consultant

PlaysteadApr 2020 - Jul 2023 • 3 yrs 4 mosFounded Playstead to form actionable strategies toward effective creative solutions that support business results for my clients’ brands. Highlights: → Increased a client’s year-over-year profits by 368% by guiding their startup through 7-figure revenue growth in three years. → Refreshed a struggling business's image and sales through a rebrand that resulted in award-winning creative and 1,000+ products purchased at their 14-hour brand launch. → Developed a client's brand communication strategy with a flexible core identity attracting over one million views on YouTube in six months. ‡ “Nathan’s ability to capture our mission and purpose exceeded all expectations. From distilling a complex company culture to a simple and easily recognizable logomark while also creating the ability to expand with robust brand identity elements are undoubtedly major contributors to our increasing and growing success.” —Luke Hales, cofounder Hacea Coffee Source Skills: systems thinking, brand strategy, brand design, strategic foresight, design research, creative development.

Marketing Coordinator | Graphic Designer

L3 Healthcare SolutionsJun 2019 - Nov 2021 • 2 yrs 6 mosBRANDS: Abbott | Beta Bionics | BioPorto Diagnostics | Prima-Temp | IFCC Collaborated with the founder and partners of a clinical research organization to develop branding that met strict FDA standards for over 15 clients. Designed and produced multichannel marketing collateral, including posters, brochures, flyers, web and social assets, email newsletters, instructions for use (IFU), quick-start guides (QSG), and environmental and trade show graphics. HIGHLIGHTS: → Organized and executed the highest-performing webinar series in the client’s history, connecting with an audience of over 45,000 and increasing client leads by 2,526%. → Created hundreds of technical illustrations that increased accessibility and enhanced usersafety by clarifying complex information. → Onboarded and mentored new team members and developed digital asset management standards to ensure productivity, contributing to quarter-over-quarter growth.

Development and Communications Specialist

International Rescue Committee Sep 2024 - Feb 2025 • 6 mos→ Conduct brand and competitive audits gleaning insights on clients, donors, and staff to inform content strategies. → Identify opportunities for donor engagement and resource mobilization. → Track, analyze, and manage social media activities to support effective ideas and campaigns. → Create compelling content and social media assets to increase engagement. → Collaborate on social media strategy, creative content development, and campaign execution. → Assist in the planning and execution of fundraising events to increase sales and attendance.

Education

ArtCenter College of Design

Master of Design (MDes), Brand Design and Strategy2022 - 2023

California State University Channel Islands

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Studio Art emp. Graphic Design2016 - 2019

California State University Channel Islands

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Art History2016 - 2019

California State University Channel Islands

Business Management Minor, Business Management Minor2016 - 2019

Fullerton College

Associate of Arts - AA, Studio Art2016

Fullerton College

Associate of Arts - AA, Art History2016

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Master of Design (MDes) in Brand Design and Strategy supporting proactive brand growth in reactive markets. Increased client qualified leads by 25x, revenues to 7-figures, and profits by 368% YOY.