Art Direction · Publication Design · Advertising Design
When the publisher of SouthTowns Lifestyle approached me about its second issue, he was looking for more than a designer to assemble the next edition. The inaugural publication lacked a cohesive visual system and a consistent approach to layout, advertising, and brand presentation. My role was to rebuild the publication from the ground up and create a professional foundation that could carry forward into future issues.
I established a reusable publication template, refined the overall visual direction, and developed a look that felt polished and elevated while still reflecting the warmth and character of the SouthTowns community.
A significant part of the project involved designing advertisements for local businesses, many with limited brand assets and tight production timelines. Each ad was developed individually, using the business's existing identity, audience, products, and services as the foundation rather than applying a one-size-fits-all design approach.
The result is a publication that feels cohesive as a whole while allowing each local business and story to maintain its own personality. The work below showcases the completed magazine along with a selection of advertisements I designed and recreated from the ground up.
To flip through the magazine digitally, Click Here!
To flip through the magazine digitally, Click Here!