aniko hill

A natural curiosity and a passion for the new. That's what makes Aniko Hill such a versatile, accomplished conceptual designer and creative director. Before founding The Kitchen Collaborative, the Burbank CA firm that she serves as a creative director, the summa cum laude graduate of the Pasadena's Art Center College of Design cut her teeth working for numerous highly regarded firms and clients. She gained expertise in large-scale branding projects through work on such prestigious accounts as The Boeing Company, The Walt Disney Company, Masterfoods USA, Sony Corporation, Ketel One Vodka and Red Bull. Hill founded The Kitchen Collaborative in order to enliven the traditional methods of design and branding; the all-women boutique branding agency produces award-winning work in a variety of categories. Hill's work for premium lifestyle brands for sophisticated female consumers has been featured in top trade publications like Print and Package Design Magazine.

Is graphic design a growth industry? Yes and no. Creative people are inherently excited by change and learning. With technology and media changing rapidly, creative professionals have more and more possibilities to develop their skills. However, technology is also diluting the tradesperson aspect of our industry. The computer allows the everyday person to instantly become a designer, web developer, photographer and printer. Although most clients are savvy and understand the value of quality work, our industry is flooded with material that lacks substance and a fundamental understanding of visual communication.

Do graphic designers have a special responsibility to promote a green society? Absolutely! Although the idea of sustainable design is new and designers are still learning how to implement green practices in our work, our real power is our ability to encourage clients to be more responsible. Current research shows that consumers are becoming more interested in supporting companies that care about the environment. Even something as simple as using FSC certified stock, although only a small gesture, can make a huge difference in communicating that concern to consumers.