Jim Woods is the Creative Director of United Pet Group’s Aquatic division, makers of pretty much everything related to fish, aquariums, ponds and reptiles. If you’ve ever bought a Tetra, Marineland, Instant Ocean, Jungle, or any of another half dozen other brands of fish stuff, you’ve bought the work of Jim and his team. He and his department create the collateral surrounding United’s entire myriad of industry-leading aquatic brands. They also contribute to research & development, influence product design and consult on business decisions outside the traditional role of graphic designers.
Sessions
Skunkworks: Changing Culture Through Design
Thursday, May 7 • 10:15 – 11:00am
In this session, you’ll find out how your In-House design team can add tremendous value to parts of the business that you may not have been involved with before.
New product development was one of the areas the In-House team at United Pet Group was not participating in. Getting a chance to participate is never as easy as asking or waiting to be invited; learn how the UPG In-House team showcased their talents and gave the company a competitive edge by creating a small but passionate team to develop new products. You’ll learn how their partnership with marketing helped transform the team, and how that team is changing the way United Pet Group looks at product development.
3 Main Take- Aways:
- Learn how to leverage your talents in areas outside the traditional role of a graphic designer.
- Develop strategies to build partnerships with key talent within the company.
- Understand the risk and reward of changing corporate culture and stepping outside your comfort zone.
