LEGENDARY OUTLAW

Chief Creative Officer

Creative Director

Marketing Executive

Product Developer

Artist

CLINT
ERICKSON

858-729-4777
clintmerickson@gmail.com

PERSONAL BRAND

SECONDARY

Nothing good happens after midnight, except that one thing

There’s no place like home unless you’re a bird, then there’s no place like sky

To the deep end of the pool and

other childhood frontiers

A fantasyland where pumpkins are fashionably flammable

PRIMARY

BREAK THE RULES

MAKE THE RULES

Welcome wonderful people of HR!

The button you’re looking for is right here.

The moment I knew I was really into this was an Abe Lincoln class project when Adobe was pimping their version of ‘The Birth of Venus’, Illustrator 10, which ironically looks like it was ai-generated.

I grew up in the least populus US state and lived in the house we built, twice. I worked for the family construction business and learned how to design and dream and plan and do and fix and do and change and plan and fix and do. I grew up in a makehouse. Problems were fixed and created by grabbing a hammer out of the toolbox. Mostly accompanied by a measuring tape, but not always. We saw what things could be and relentlessly persued that elusive could be.

Chemistry was just one step on the path to greatness. I was super okay-ish at it in High School, but I wanted to further torture myself and go to Law School as well. Essentially a bold, I-can-do-anything, howl-at-the-moon decision that if mother-art hadn’t called me back, I could be in that corner office I saw in my dreams. Your dreams might not be what you actually want.

A Chemistry Degree???

Yep. An artist with a chemistry degree. I see my experiences, not as a distraction, a slight detour maybe, but as an asset. My brain works differently and I’m proud of that. I like the idea of the frankenstein-era lab cooking up a badass idea from all that the world has to offer; color, shape, space, movement, vibes, fonts, icons, art, and all the tools and elements I can get my hands on.

CLICK HERE

My ability to think in 3D is my speed advantage. I can craft a concept, a logo, a house, and built it in my head before I ever even touch paper. Of course working through my idea with a pencil in my hand or a mouse under my palm is when the real work starts, but the spacial awarness my brain was blessed with is my superpower.

ME AND MY WORLD

If I fail, it will be for lack of ability, and not of purpose.

- Abraham Lincoln

GRAND PURPOSE

Good branding is fast. It’s clear, understood, comprehensive, efficient, intuitive, and a-picture’s-worth-a-thousand-words stuff. When a magician slows down and reveals the secrets of their craft, a visual solution has been presented and comprehension is attained in seconds. A design that unlocks the mysteries of confusion and overcomes ignorance, wins. Always. Applied to businesses and organizations, good design and branding can align operators and consumers toward a shared vision or purpose. It can eliminate costly confusion within the entity and shortcut obstacles found in the pitching, purchasing, or permanence measured by user adoption. The best brands are intuitive and intoxicating, therefore bypassing persuasion or unnecessary communication.

Good branding is sticky. It is memorable, recognizable, routine, and share-worthy. Meta. Brands with staying power crack the surface and imprint themself into the public lexicon. Megabrands that supplant their respective nouns are the deities of the design and branding world. If it’s not recognizable and memorable it is no more than a seedling to a tree. As a brand is introduced into the world it must be adopted by the user as customary, normal. We welcome good brands into our homes, our pantries, and our closets. A well-established brand becomes as reliable as a friend. Brands with a compelling story to tell are told.

While speed, tenacity, and emotional resonance, are the cornerstones of a strong brand, ultimate power lies in fostering loyalty. Loyal customers are brand advocates, returning for repeat purchases and organically spreading the word. Imagine a brand that aligns with your values, becoming an extension of yourself – Patagonia = adventure and environmentalism. Building this connection takes time and consistency, with every touchpoint reinforcing the brand message. By fostering this emotional connection, a brand transcends the transactional, becoming a trusted companion. Loyal customers then become brand ambassadors, their positive experiences turning into organic marketing gold, making loyalty the most valuable asset a brand can possess.

Good branding breathes. It is alive, growing, exciting, satisfying, and impactful. Branding is an art. To do it well is to create and give life to something that goes beyond the face value idea. It could be in its innate simplicity or a profound riddle that persuades us to think like a traveler in a foreign land. It causes us to question our beliefs or entrenches our values deeper within our hearts. Of course not all brands to this for the better, but the power a good brand carries truely can move a mountain or move the hearts and minds of entire generations.

I'm a businessperson that speaks fluent branding (and design). I’m not here to make things pretty, though attractive is most certainly the goal. My purpose is to generate and communicate ideas that solve business problems. Human problems. Life problems. Among the mediums of human communication, visual is the fastest, clearest, and arguably the most enriching. A venture that sidesteps visual fluency exposes themselves to slower adoption, hampered satisfaction, and ultimately threatens its ability to be remembered, frequented, or best, shared.