Associate Creative Director and Designer Alex Pierce On Dieter Rams, Side Projects, And His Hurricane-Survivor Dog, Butters.
Who is the one person, living or dead, in your profession who you most admire?
Dieter Rams. Pretty cliché, but he’s at the top of a lot of designers’ lists for a reason. His philosophy, minimalist design aesthetic, and work has influenced multiple generations of designers, brands, companies for the last half-century. His work with Braun was, and is, iconic.
What advice would you give to a young(er) person who wants to do what you do?
Don’t wait for people to tell you to be creative. Don’t expect your job to solely nourish your creativity. It’s not often some magical, career-defining assignment falls into your lap. Make your own opportunities too. You’re allowed to design, make stuff outside of your regular work. In fact, I’d encourage it. That is the best way to grow and refine your craft.
A good majority of the work I’ve done that still sticks with me was done outside of my regular job. And it made me a better designer and creative for it. I was able to pour what I learned back into my agency work. Be hungry, always continue to learn. Stay on top of things.
What would you do (or pursue) if money were no object?
Nothing. I’d do...nothing. There’s something to be said about having idle time to do nothing but just enjoy living and discovering more about myself without the financial burdens of capitalism looming over my head, LOL.
But I’d guess I’d get bored with that soon enough, so a close follow up would be something with food. I’d like to use my skillsets in the design/interactive space to pursue my passions there. I love cooking and exploring new cuisines. And for me, it’s just another form of creating and making. I’d love to learn everything I can about cooking and cuisine and find a way to merge these two passions of mine
Do you have a pet?
Yes, I have a weirdo of a dog named Butters. A project manager interrupted a meeting with my creative director four years ago and dropped an abandoned puppy she was fostering that was displaced from a hurricane into my lap. I thought, “sure”. And we’ve been together ever since. Loves people, never barks, likes staring at me in the dark, verrrry food motivated, and is terrified of the dishwasher.
What’s your favorite desktop/office item?
So if you know me in the real world, you know I have a large collection of design toys and objects from various artists, big and small, at my desk and around my home. Some from Kaws, Ron English, Mondo, and a bunch others. I enjoy collecting these little mini pieces of art; it’s a small addiction I have. Hard to pick just one favorite, but I just got a recent figure that was the result of a collaboration with comic artist KC Green, the “This is fine” guy. An absolute mood booster for anyone recovering from the last 2 years.
When Alex and I were at Publicis Hawkeye, I noticed this terrific side project. It was the first of many times I would encounter his work—work featured in The New York Times, Adweek, Communication Arts, and, perhaps most importantly, his mom’s Facebook feed. His projects have been honored with numerous Addy’s and Webby’s. Besides doing great design (including Hawkeye’s website), he’s given some serious thought to how to use design for the greater good.
