Product Design Professional at The Associated Press
Greater New York City Area
- Current
-
- Product Design Professional at The Associated Press
- Interactive Consultantat USA Self Employed (Self-employed)
- Past
-
- Art Director at Accoona
- Art Director at Exchange Place
- Art Director & Co-Founder at Gesso
- Art Director at Hearst Interactive
- Art Director, Associate Designer at TV Guide
- Creative Freelancer at Skitch TV
- Education
-
- Pratt Institute
- Recommended
-
22 people have recommended John - Connections
-
175
connections
- Industry
- Design
- Websites
John Barrow’s Summary
I have been working as art director and interactive designer since 1995. I have worked for major media companies, including TV Guide Online and Hearst Interactive on such products as TVGuide.com, Hearst-Argyle Television, CosmoGIRL!, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, ESPN Zone and Esquire. As creative director at Gesso, an interactive agency I co-founded, clients included Sony Home Entertainment, Estee Lauder, the NBA Store, ConsumerSearch and the Smithsonian Institution.
I have extensive knowledge of cross-media design for interactive, film/video and print. I also have a solid understanding of designing within the parameters of languages such as HTML, XML, DHTML, Flash and JavaScript. My online portfolio, which highlights the full range of my expertise, is available at www.john-barrow.com.
Previously, as Art Director for Accoona Corp., a global internet company, I developed creative plans for new product initiatives, employing an iterative user-centered approach that produced scalable and flexible design solutions for search, lead generation, social networking and e-commerce products.
In my most recent position at the Associated Press, I am responsible for high-profile interactive news and information products and services for the global newspaper, broadcast and commercial online markets.
John Barrow’s Specialties:
• Art director and interactive designer since 1995
• New business development and operational planning
• Forecasting, budgeting and cost management
• Iterative user-centered approach for scalable, flexible designs
• Highly proficient in all creative suite applications
• Expert in design for HTML, XML, DHTML, Flash and JavaScript
• Extensive knowledge of interactive, film/video and print
• Integration of online and offline platforms
• Training, development and management of staff
John Barrow’s Experience
-
Product Design Professional
The Associated Press
(Publishing industry)
June 2008 — Present (6 months)
The largest and oldest news organization in the world, serving as a source of news, photos, graphics, audio and video to thousands of daily newspaper, radio, television and online customers.
• Develop design concepts and systems that support the business goals, user goals and AP brand
• Design and implement visual design systems for AP products including page comps, site grids, icons, graphical assets, animated GIFs, interactive flash modules, mobile, desktop applications and various distribution channels
• Develop and maintain style guides and standards of usage that describe product user interfaces
• Create interactive prototypes for usability testing
• Contribute to the Product Design group’s knowledge base of user-centered design (UCD) -
Interactive Consultant
USA Self Employed (Self-employed)
(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Design industry)
December 1995 — Present (13 years)
Full-service art director and hands-on interactive designer available for full or part time interactive projects from conception through launch.
-
Art Director
Accoona
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)
December 2005 — June 2008 (2 years 7 months)
A global Internet company with search, lead generation, social networking and e-commerce products
• Directed and mentored a team of 13+ designers, production artists, content strategists, copywriters and IAs to inspire excellence, excitement and productivity
• Collaborated with stakeholders from the executive, technology, marketing, sales and product development teams in the conception, visual development and execution of ROI-driven interactive products
• Guided programming team in the translation of visual design to technical implementation
• Developed, integrated and maintained guidelines ensuring company-wide branding and style standards while staying ahead of industry design trends
• Developed creative plans for new product initiatives, employing an iterative user-centered approach that produced scaleable, flexible design solutions
• Spearheaded the conception, execution and deployment of all business, product, marketing, advertising, sales and promotional initiatives -
Art Director
Exchange Place
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Consumer Services industry)
December 2005 — April 2008 (2 years 5 months)
Establish brand identities, voice and personality, design logos and symbols; create brand style, standard and usage guides; provide project management, product development, business analysis, usability analysis, user interface, information architecture and quality assurance in the conception, creation and ongoing development of multiple online properties; direct and manage creative department internal and external resources; collaborate in the conception, execution and deployment of all marketing, advertising and promotional initiatives, including print and banner ads, direct mail and direct marketing pieces, e-mail blasts, SEO, SEM, CPM, CPC strategies, online landing pages, trade show booths, promotional collateral, one-sheets, brochures, multi-media packaging and sales presentations; formulate strategies to raise and strengthen brand awareness; coordinate cross-functional tasks with creative, marketing, quality assurance, sales and technology teams
-
Art Director & Co-Founder
Gesso
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Design industry)
June 1999 — December 2005 (6 years 7 months)
An interactive agency with a portfolio of global media corporations, international consumer brands, distinguished nonprofits and high-profile federal agencies
Clients: Sony Home Entertainment | NBA Store | Estee Lauder | ConsumerSearch | National Cancer Institute | Smithsonian Institution
• Co-founded an interactive agency and co-managed operations including branding, marketing, business development, contracting, recruiting, budgeting, accounting, facilities and vendor relations
• Produced creative, strategic, user-centered solutions for all media—interactive, film/video and print
• Directed cross-functional project teams of designers, developers, IAs, usability engineers, business analysts and content strategists
• Collaborated on all business development and client relation efforts, including RFPs, proposals, presentations, budgets and project schedules
• Assisted in the application and administration of multiple federal General Service Administration (GSA) contracts -
Art Director
Hearst Interactive
(Privately Held; 10,001 or more employees; Publishing industry)
March 1998 — June 1999 (1 year 4 months)
A global media corporation with a roster of international consumer products and properties spanning print, online, television, radio and real estate
Products: Harper's Bazaar | Cosmopolitan | Esquire | CosmoGIRL! | Hearst-Argyle Television | Motorboating & Sailing | King Features | Avon Books | ESPN Zone
• Directed a team of 10+ designers, producers and programmers in the conception, design, development and technical execution of multiple cross-platform projects
• Collaborated with corporate stakeholders from all media divisions to translate business goals and strategy into innovative ROI-driven interactive products
• Established, diversified and extended single-media brands into multimedia brands
• Created online brand extensions and online business models for existing and new Hearst properties
• Developed, integrated and maintained guidelines ensuring corporate-wide branding and style standards -
Art Director, Associate Designer
TV Guide
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; GMST; Publishing industry)
June 1994 — March 1998 (3 years 10 months)
TV Guide Online: Art Director, 12.95 - 03.98
• Conceived and designed the creative direction of the first version of the interactive complement to TV Guide magazine
• Collaborated with content, design and technology teams
• Directed a team of 8 designers in the daily production of interactive entertainment news, features, videos, games and communities
• Spearheaded, conceived and developed innovative e-commerce and sponsorship opportunities
• Maximized cross-promotion of other News Corp. properties, including HarperCollins Publishing, 20th Century Fox and the New York Post
TV Guide Magazine: Associate Designer, 06.94 - 12.95
• Prepared design materials for the weekly production of the editorial well
• Designed weekly feature stories and departments
• Collaborated on a full-scale magazine redesign
• Designed in-house ads and ad-sales support materials
• Assisted in original photo shoots
• Collaborated on special stand-alone projects -
Creative Freelancer
Skitch TV
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Broadcast Media industry)
January 1994 — January 1997 (3 years 1 month)
A live-action and broadcast design company that specializes in creating and developing youth-based marketing campaigns by translating its knowledge of urban America into workable vehicles for television, print and radio. Some projects include:
HBO | Second Assistant Director
MSNBC | Logo, Graphic & Motion Designer
EMI | Graphic & Motion Designer
The Atlantic Group | Prop & Graphic Designer
John Barrow’s Education
-
Pratt Institute
BFA, Graphic Design, 1991 — 1994
John Barrow’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- business deals
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
