Mackey Saturday: Crafting Visual Identities

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In this episode I talk with Mackey Saturday, he created some iconic visual identities such as Instagram, Oculus and Luxe. We talk about how he creates visual identities with his studio, what he learned from working with design legends Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv and much more.

Bio:Mackey Saturday (born 1985) is an American designer and typographer whose work includes logos for Instagram, Oculus and Luxe. He runs his own design firm and was formerly a principal at New York City design firm Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv.

We talk about:

• Mackey’s love of design


• How he stays creative even in the middle of a long work day


• What made Mackey decide to take the leap and start his own studio


• How Mackey became the expert in what he does


• Makcey’s process and workflow


• The changes that clients want, and why those changes might not be for the better


• Being cautious around changes clients want


• The important things to keep in mind first and foremost


• How Mackey makes sure that each project is unique and functional


• Dealing with the risks


• Deciding on what to keep and what to evolve


• The right questions you should be asking


• How many options you should give clients


• Preparing the client for your work


• How much does a logo cost?


• The differences in working for large and small brands


• What is changing in the world of branding, both for the good and the bad


• Holding yourself accountable for the work you do

Important Quotes:

• “You don’t have to be a starving artist.”


• “I took a risk, and it’s worked so far.”


• “There are core parts of the process that rings true all the time.”


• “Pride i"s a huge piece of identity design.”


• “Don’t just give them what they want, give them what they need.”


• “It needs to be good. Period.”


• “Do no harm.”


• “Show them good work.”


• “There are only certain parts of the situation you can control.”


• “Don’t let your pride get in the way.”

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