VFACTO – Graphic Design & Team Leader (1999 – 2002)
My first full time job was with a dotcom startup called VFactO, based in Lanark who I joined after the record label that my friend and I started up didn’t really get off the ground. At VFactO I furthered my working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator (which I began at University doing inhouse posters and suchlike when a board member of Glasgow University Union, and QM Union). I also began my journey with photography, Macromedia Flash, and a wee bit of 3D work (Lightwave 3D).
FREELANCING (GLENMUIR) (2002 – 2003)
Then when I was made redundant, I went freelance doing work for a friend who was also a freelancer who tended to be very busy, primarily doing design for print work in the clothing industry. He had contacts with Glenmuir in Lanark who produce the sweaters for the European Ryder Cup golf team, but also make custom sweaters for golf clubs. These sweaters invariably required custom swing tickets displaying the golf club’s name and livery for hanging in the clubs Pro shops, and this represented the majority of my work there.
LB GROUP – Graphic Designer (2003 – 2005)
Then I secured a role with LB Group, a toy importer in Cambuslang who produced own branded products, but also produced licensed lines with Hasbro such as Action Man and My Little Pony, and also had dealings with the Merlin Group – thus I produced branded products for Chessington World of Adventure, Thorpe Park and Alton Towers as well as a myriad of inhouse branded products. I also would produce a twice yearly catalogue.
H. GROSSMAN – Creative & IT Manager (2006 – 2020)
When LB Group unfortunately folded, I was back to freelancing with my friend, and through him I was offered the position of Creative Design and IT Manager with H. Grossman Ltd., another toy company, this time in Rutherglen. By this stage my friend was getting quite a bit of work via Rocket Media who were Grossman’s show stand designer and builder. I was there for 14 or 15 years – until Covid came along, amidst the company being acquired by Tobar, who were a toy company based in Norwich. Due to the Covid shock, Tobar took this opportunity to restructure, and I was made redundant. When I was there however, I carried out work related to anything digital. Graphic design was my bread and butter – ie logo work, packaging layout, instruction manual creation, product photography and trade advert design. Beyond graphic design I would also be the liaison with web developers, IT suppliers, sculptors and illustrators, photographers and videographers and licensors such as Hasbro (again), Lucasfilm, Chad Valley, and major retailers such as Argos, Tesco and Asda. Here I also started to do some video work and a wee bit of basic web design. At Grossman’s the list of responsibilities and type of work was very extensive – I can’t remember it all!
FREELANCING, AGAIN (2020 – 2021)
After I was laid off with HGL/Tobar, I did some more freelance work.
ADSR.com: I created hundreds of graphics for ADSR’s woocommerce store – ADSR are in the audio production realm and sell sample packs and software plugins.
Epigenetica: was a new tech startup in the botany realm. They required branding, and additional bits and bobs like slide decks and graphics for inclusion in these decks.
Generation Media: They were in the toy trade too, and required adverts and web banner ads for the trade press: Toys’n’Playthings, Toy World and Toy News.
Giraffe Insights: again, in the toy trade, but more from the marketing and TV perspective. They required adverts again for the above toy press.
Beauty at the Salon.com / Beautalis.com – website build using Squarespace.
Scotlog.com branding and website – this site will shortly be undergoing a major facelift, with a new theme and updated content.
E&O LABORATORIES (2021 – )
I then was given the role of Marketing Manager at E&O where my remit again was very broad. This role was a step outside of my comfort zone, where I could test the skills I developed thus far in a more marketing focussed position.
E&O are in the clinical industry producing microbiological media for use in laboratories across the UK and the rest of the world. E&O’s products are sold across several industry sectors: Clinical, Food and Water, Pharmaceuticals, Industrial and Cosmetics. Very high quality product, with very tight QC and QA.
Here I have carried out a myriad of work – document creation, branding, photography (product and events), WordPress/WooCommerce website administration and some development, videography, drone work, assisting the sales team prepare for exhibitions, and LinkedIn social media content. Primarily working with with the Managing Director, but also working with other company-wide stakeholders and customers.