Graphic Design Innovator Chris Fanelli Talks Winning Branding Designs, Creative Gifts & The Power Of Simplistic Beauty

Chris Fanelli of CFanelli Design

Chris Fanelli of CFanelli Design Graphic Design & Branding Solutions was born and raised in Philadelphia, and as far as he can recall, he was always drawing. Throughout his childhood he evolved from mimicking cartoons to full blown portraiture in pencil and charcoal. Chris shares: "I suppose you can call it destiny that I would be artistically inclined, as it was woven into my DNA. My grandparents, on my father’s side, are both artists." His grandfather working in the field of lithography as an illustrator since the 1940s, working on everything from ad campaigns to book covers for a Montgomery County company. His grandmother, a former art instructor, painted watercolor and created beautiful pastel landscapes, which she still continues to create and place in shows throughout Delaware County.

Despite his self-taught direction in illustration, and his ease at creating them, he always knew there was another direction out there that would speak clearer to him. Chris visited an uncle when he was about nine years old, and that was when a glimpse into his future would glimmer - Chris saw a brand new Apple Macintosh and discovered the world of desktop publishing and graphic design.

Heading off to study at the University of the Arts, Chris decided he would major in Illustration. Right before starting at the University of the Arts, Chris took a summer class there in Photography. Not once before had he picked up a camera, yet photography spoke to him loud and clear. Chris pursued a major in Photography instead. Over the years, Chris continued to explore his inherent photographic and creative talents, entering into a digital world with magical tools like Photoshop. Again, that technical aspect that captivated him as a boy propelled him to learn many software programs - all built to enhance the beauty and limitless creativity of his imagination. Before Chris knew it, he was waist deep in graphic design - finding a love for typography, color and the conveyance of idea and emotion through a visual medium.

Now 29 years after meeting his first Apple computer Chris owns a graphic design company, striving - and beautifully, brilliantly succeeding - to create visual appeal that people everyday see and appreciate, though nearly always in unspoken terms. 

Chris, tell us your thoughts on branding.

I have concentrated my work on the aspect of branding design. I love the idea of representing or reinterpreting a company’s identity to reach its full potential in the current time and space. Everything evolves, including a brand’s look and feel. Design is meant to change and progress, and if it becomes stagnant a brand dies the horrible death of obscurity. Logos have always been something of a fascination for me, even before grasping the power of what a brand name is. Brand recognition is first and foremost the ubiquitous association of a product with a brand, or brands. But before that association happens, the consumer must make the connection to the look of a company’s product. Only then will a consumer try the product, and if the product is valued by enough consumers, then the association is made. At the point the customer “asks for it by name”, the relationship between consumer and company becomes one of trust, and the indelible mark is made with the identity of that brand, its design, its logo. I find this relationship that people have with objects and products so interesting.

What branding mistakes are most common for businesses looking to build an identity?

My thought is that simplicity and consistency are paramount. One of the biggest issues I see with branding is overcomplicated design. Sometimes that connection with a consumer is completely lost when they’re trying to make a connection with an elaborate design, it’s too much work. The superfluous extras in design mask the message. The other problem is the lack of consistent usage of the logo. To build a brand you need cohesiveness in the representation of your brand. And one last cringe-worthy thing  I find – logos that are pixilated. Your logo should be created as vector art, meaning it should be scalable without losing detail and clarity. And when your logo is represented, make sure it’s as high a resolution as it can be where it’s being used!

Describe the branding process, from start to finish. How do you view not so much the tasks of the branding process, but the flow of creativity during a branding process. Share the thinking and sharing that make a branding process great!

Before you can create a brand logo, you and the client have to be crystal clear on the purpose and ideology of the brand. What does the brand represent? Why does the company exist? What is the purpose of the brand? Without the foundation and infrastructure for the brand, the logo doesn’t fit and falls short. Building a brand logo and identity is a true collaboration between a designer and the client, and the more communication happening the clearer the expectations become. That open dialog also welcomes critiques and discussions about what works and doesn’t. The whole process benefits greatly when it organically flows. When you know you’re almost there, you don’t want to force a finished product, but rather foster an environment where the logo and identity can become what it’s meant to be, and truly be fully realized.

You have done great projects with The asterism* Group and its branding division, Consumption Marketing. Why do you feel Consumption Marketing has a unique positioning when it comes to creativity in branding?

First let me say how enjoyable the process was in developing the identity of asterism* Group and its multifaceted parts. This branding project was one of my favorites. It was a collaboration that yielded an identity of which I’m most proud. Consumption Marketing is unique in the tremendous amount of talent behind it. Consumption’s biggest asset being the perfect balance it strikes between art and commerce. Being able to subtly inject emotion and character behind a brand is difficult task, but when you can do that, and lay down the architecture of a sound marketing plan; then you’ve got something special. Consumption has an almost superhuman ability to read and understand clients, and interpret this into a solid marketing plan. But of course none of this actually matters if you can’t implement it! Consumption Marketing expertly implements the roadmap it lays out to build a brand. Clients are lucky to be in such great company!

Chris, pick any company. Any celebrity. Any business in the world. That you would like to rebrand! What would, or who would, it be?

Wow, that’s a tough one to pin down just one. I would love to refresh a brand that’s gone a little stale and needs some love, like CVS Pharmacy or Staples. You know, something about Google’s logo looks like it’s in need of a rebranding, that would be an incredible challenge. I love where they went with Motorola’s new identity by the way. Speaking of mobile, T-Mobile has recently revamped their services across the board, and I think a new identity and fresh logo would benefit them greatly.