Justin Brown

Senior Art Director

The official stuff

Justin earned a B.F.A. with an emphasis on Graphic Design from Ball State University.

Current Assignment

As our Senior Art Director, Justin’s job at dgs is to apply our clients’ strategic goals and objectives in the context of compelling creative design. Justin works his design magic on projects ranging from advertisements and catalogs to brand identity and web development. The dgs creative department dabbles in pretty much everything in our office. Justin mainlines coffee, and will stay to get the work done. He claims that he never really use to drink coffee…

On his current assignment

As designers, we’re really problem solvers. When our clients have requests, questions, challenges, our job is to help them find graphic answers. I see this as an important part of what we do as an agency. We push multiple, complex projects out each day, and it’s our responsibility to make sure those projects have the graphic impact and brand integrity that we know our clients deserve and expect. Aside from that, I must also say that I like having little pieces of my ego plastered all over the world. Makes me smile.

On what it’s like to work at dgs

dgs has a sweet stocked kitchen full of black coffee, donuts, candy, bagels, crackers and sugar packets. There’s also a small stuffed mouse that floats around the office, appearing in random areas scaring people. Watch out, it’s behind you! By the way, what happened to the red twizzlers?

In all seriousness… Believe it or not, I really like the crazy deadlines and high expectations. As with anything, things get intense around here, we work hard. But quite honestly, that’s the way we work best. It’s true that we are a close-knit team, and we enjoy working together, but when it comes down to it, what’s most important is that we are a talented bunch. And, because we’re so specialized, we’re all very focused. Basically, when you work with dgs, you’re dealing with some seriously talented, “type A” personalities. It’s really only fair that we warn you.

On life outside of work

I use to have personal hobbies until I got married. Now I have the hobbies my wife wants me to have. They’re not too bad – like bike riding, softball, exercising, shopping, cleaning, mopping, laundry, hosting jewelry and cooking parties, etc. Fun stuff like that. Sometimes I yell at the cat because she sleeps, eats and sheds too much. We also have two toy poodles who love to lick inside noses and ears. I think I’m just jealous of all three. I like to watch monster trucks crushing cars, a pastime I picked up as a youngster. Someday I hope to have one and possibly drive it at the fair. In middle and high school, as well as in college, I wrestled. Not WWE style, just folkstyle and freestyle. I have the ribbons to prove it. I am a member of AIGA and the Indianapolis InDesign Users Group. My iPod is stocked with music from all genres. I do a pretty good job of growing weeds in my yard. My wife and I are expecting our first child (a little boy) in December 2010. I also play a mean air guitar, and dislike the abuse of commas, and exclamation marks!