MilesHerndon is not an organization that fears change—as a branding agency, we’re technically in the change business. Over the past year we have transitioned from two firms mostly focused on project engagements, to a unified agency dedicated to solving complex, meaningful problems. As part of our expanded approach, we needed to expand our team with talented individuals who aligned with our way of thinking. 

Introducing our newest additions: Senior Art Director, Cody Thompson and Jenn Mansell, Designer.

From the first time I sat down with Cody Thompson, I knew he was a great fit for our organizational needs. Not only did he have a great aesthetic that our design team would love, he understood the other side of the coin as well. He had just spent two years working for an eCommerce company where conversion is king, so his understanding of how design can drive business results was unparalleled. Combine him with Jenn Mansell, an impressive designer in her own right, and you have a lethal combination ready to make some serious noise in the agency world.

Cody Thompson - Senior Art Director, MilesHerndon

Trying to find a top-quality Art Director is hard work. You want someone who can be client-facing, while understanding how to nurture and develop your design team. You want someone who has an artistic vision for your brand, while still having the practical know-how to understand your business. You want someone whose brain doesn’t skew too digital, but you also want someone whose brain doesn’t skew too analog. You need someone who’s got it all, and that’s what we found in Cody Thompson.

With a decade of design experience, ranging from in-house to agency work, Cody came to MilesHerndon prepared to make an impact. In the past, Cody has worked in B2B and B2C environments, ranging from eCommerce to nonprofits. He has launched several brands and has an aesthetic that fits really well with the team we have assembled. Moreover, Cody understands the why of design, focusing every aspect of his design on how to solve problems. His goal isn’t to make you a pretty logo, it’s to solve your problems.

The power of print in a digital age.

His entire life, Cody has collected ephemera. From buttons to movie posters, he’s always had a passion for physical designs he can hold in his hand. Today, that passion lives on in his work. In his spare time, Cody designs posters. Some for work, some for pleasure.

To some, the poster represents a dying art form. To Cody, however, the poster represents something much more poetic. How can something so permanent—a durable, heavy piece of paper—also be so ethereal?

“A good poster should enter through the eye, and explode in the brain.”  A.M. Cassandre

When you design an eCommerce site or a banner ad, you’re only competing with the other things on a screen. When you design a poster, however, you compete with the real, three dimensional world. In a matter of seconds, you can capture someone’s interest or fade into the background. You can either speak to someone or you can end up in the trash. This challenge is what draws Cody to poster design. You can check out his poster designs here and keep an eye on the MilesHerndon blog for more of his work in the future.

Jenn Mansell - Our Newest Designer

Jenn’s biggest secret? All of her best career moves have happened by accident. Don’t believe me? Just look at her first internship. Before working with the Indiana Pacers, she never really cared much about designing for sports. Once she became immersed in the culture of the team, however, she was hooked. Suddenly, her role transformed from “trying to make the players look cool,” to capturing their passion and drive in a pure, visual medium. Within days, Jenn became consumed with the spirit of an athlete, embracing the competitive nature of the athletes on her screen.

After her internship with the Pacers, she joined the team at One Click as a designer. She enjoyed the culture and experienced rapid professional growth. Jenn’s design work started to transcend aesthetic choices, instead focusing on the problem at hand. 

Coming out of college, Jenn really wasn’t interested in working for an agency. Her college program was focused almost exclusively on the concept and process of design, not the actual production of great design. After spending a year at One Click and running with passion projects, she’s ready to apply her skill set on bigger, more holistic branding projects.

Two great additions to our already talented team 

Personally, I have to say that I am very excited about these two hires. I think they add a dimension and depth to our team to tackle big, holistic branding and marketing challenges. 

Over the next few months, you are going to see a lot of very impressive work coming from these two, as well as the rest of our growing team.