Susan
Vitucci
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER, CHOWBABY ENTERPRISES, 2000-PRESENT
Currently I am the Chief Creative & Tech Leader (digital and print)
for ChowBaby Enterprises. ChowBaby is a GSA (Federal Government) Vendor,
in the "Advertising & Integrated Marketing Solutions"
sector. Additional clients include The New School, Green Street Films,
Amplus Mall Mortgage, and Manhattan Wardrobe Supply (www.wardrobesupplies.com).
My work includes interactive web-based products, film, television
and print. My skills have won acknowledgments throughout the industry
including the Echo Award, the Stan Winston Award, the Caples Award
and
the Invision Award.
EZIBA.COM, NORTH ADAMS, MA., DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE, 1999 TO 2000
Responsible for the content, design and production of all eZiba.com’s
presence in the market place. Supervising advertising agency for print
and online work as well as being extremely hands on with all major
graphics and Internet software.
FREELANCE CONSULTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND WRITER 1997 TO 1999.
Working with Byte & Run of New York City for Fortune 500 companies
such as Fidelity Funds and Scudder Funds. Also working independently
on various music sites. With all mentioned above, concentrating on
concept/design development and marketing/ media strategies.
OGILVY & MATHER INTERACTIVE, NEW YORK CITY, PRINCIPAL AND HEAD
OF
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT, 1992 TO 1997.
Direct staff of 25+ in the development and production of value-added
advertising and sales promotions. Supervised launches of new products
and services to combine traditional media with new technologies. Clients
included: American Express on AOL (Echo Award and Stan Winston Award),
IBM, USSB (ussbtv.com), Ingersoll-Rand (Invision Award), Absolut (for
TBWA), AT&T (Caples Award) and Scudder Funds.
SOFTAD GROUP, MILL VALLEY, CA., CREATIVE DIRECTOR EAST COAST, 1991
TO 1992.
Work directly with Fortune 500 companies (IBM, Parke-Davis, T-Rowe
Price, Michelin, Dean Witter, Chemical Bank, MCI, Cadillac, and Millipore
Waters) to create and produce advertising, sales promotions, new products
and services.
VIDEO 35 NEW YORK CITY, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, 1989 TO 1993.
Created and produced computer graphics for corporations, agencies,
feature films, and television. Clients included: Paramount, Warner
Brothers, Citibank, Mylanta, Bell Atlantic, NEC, and Ghostwriter for
Children’s Television Workshop.
WILLOW PERIPHERALS NEW YORK CITY, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, 1988 TO 1989.
Responsible for concept, design and production of all marketing sales
promotion and advertising projects for computer graphic hardware manufacturer.
DOSWELL PRODUCTIONS NEW YORK CITY, ART DIRECTOR, 1985 TO 1988.
Developed and produced trade shows, sales promotions, interactive
P.O.P. kiosks for new products and services. Clients included: IBM,
(five different promotions) NYNEX, MCI, Arthur Andersen & Co.
DOLPHIN PRODUCTIONS NEW YORK CITY, ART DIRECTOR, 1981 TO 1985.
Created and produced broadcast computer graphics for communication
companies, financial institutions, and consumer products. Clients
included: AT&T, Fiat Peugeot, Chase Manhattan, Manufactures, Old
Spice, Alcoa. Tylenol.
SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
eZiba
This site has the best product representation on the web today. I
am proud to set THE benchmark for product photography and image compression,
which has yet to be matched. (SEE Case Studies)
SWIM FAN
A completely fictitious WORKING web site was produced for a feature
film for the actors to use on camera. "Swim Gliders" web
site would have cost the production company $50,000.00 in post production,
but for the fact that ChowBaby Enterprises created a 'real' web site
that had the capability of "real time" on set updates. This
saved Green Street Films $40,000.00 plus in post production costs.
In addition to the theatrical value, the "Swim Glider" web
site is ready to launch online upon release.
GHOSTWRITER
This started as a good show with some special effects. It ended with
an "invisible" character with as much presence and personality
as the human cast members. I was Ghostwriter that lives and speaks
through the computer (among other things, but primarily the PC) in
the homes and schools of all the characters. We won our time slot
6:00 PM five weeks running with "Max Mouse-The Hacker" episodes.
I even received fan mail from these episodes.
EXPRESSNET ON AOL
When we launched ExpressNet, the mission was to raise AMEX’s
image to an innovative, progressive
Organization. Our mission was accomplished beyond everyone’s
expectations. We got an unexpected bonus of new card member requests
of about 10,000 in the first six months.
IBM SOFTWARE
IBM has over 40 gigabytes of information on the Internet. IBM.software.com
makes sense and organization of this overwhelming amount of information
for the varied target audience. In addition, we brought IBM’s
brand into the more obscure areas of their products. Traffic was increase
and we even generated excitement over OS/2 Warp in download and sales
activity
INGERSOLL-RAND
Taken about 75 pounds of sales promotion, advertising and technical
materials, turned it into a very hot laptop presentation/sales tool
and much sought after leave behind disk. We organized a daunting amount
of information, made it fun (great looking) and easy to use. Increased
sales 300%.
EDUCATION
Art & Design, School of Visual Arts, Parsons School of Design,
NYU Center for Digital Applications.
SOFTWARE CAPABILITIES:
Adobe PhotoShop, Illustrator, In-Design, Premier,
Macromedia Studio MX, plus Director MX
Quark
Microsoft Office Suite
Pro-Tools
Final Cut Pro
Case Studies
eZiba.com
As Creative Director for eZiba.com I, Susan Vitucci (currently Chief
Creative Officer of
Chowbaby Enterprises) was instrumental in the concept, development
and production of the eZiba experience. When first brought on by Ms.
Lisa Wanderman, Vice president of Sale and Merchandising and the CEO/CFO,
Ms. Deborah Jackson eZiba.com was just a concept and a few product
photos.
We needed to develop a methodology to bring handmade products from
around the world into the home computer of consumers around the world.
In other words, some one in Vermont would be purchasing a Yukata robe
from Japan the same time another person in Japan would be buying a
hand carved duck decoy from Vermont.
Our first step was to develop a design and user interface that would
be universally compatible with ALL browsers. This is always a challenge
for any site. eZiba was challenging because of
it's international scope. We kept the GUI simple and made the commitment
to create gorgeous products images, and compelling artisan stories.
We developed a process of checking in, photographing, digitally processing
and cataloging products. The products arrived at the photography studio
where they were check in by the production manager. Then the product
was handed off to the set dresser to set #1 to be photographed. While
photographer #1 was shooting #1 product, the set dresser was on to
set
#2 and #2 photographer, and so on to set #4. Since all photography
was digital we were able to upload the approved product images to
the network for the digital artists to process instantly. When we
were operating at full capacity, we would release 35 product images
a day, compressed and processed.
Then a process for creating the most beautiful images with the smallest
of file sizes was constructed. This recipe required an artist's eye
for subtly and detail. We could not just run the images through an
automatic digital processor. Although this sounds time intensive,
it was not. We were sensitive to families of color and patterns and
treated the images accordingly.
As the images were being created, our writers rounded out our message
with descriptions of the artisan and their products. This was especially
challenging. When you are writing successfully for the web, you know
that "less is more". We also know the web is about options.
For the audience that hates to read on the screen (studies indicate
most people do) we offered succinct paragraphs that conveyed the "flavor"
of the product and the region of origin. For the audience that wanted
more information, we offered it at click of a mouse.
After completing our images and text, Our programmers created a database
of text and images that the writes and graphic artist had upload access
privileges. When each product piece was completed and proof read it
was graduated and dynamically served to the site. The programming
for the GUI and presentation of the site was kept as simple as possible
so our product images were served swiftly with the greatest impact.
At peak capacity a staff of 25 people that included photographers,
set decorators, digital artists, digital librarians, and writers were
dynamically updating the site to the tune of 40 products and one full
blown feature story a week.
After the first flurry of getting 400-500 products plus special features
on the site was
launched, we adjusted our process to accommodate a less frenzied pace
and more austere budget. We had spent about 1.5 just for subcontracting
principal photography in the six months. I proposed a budget for digital
photo studio and decided that we could bring all principal product
photography "in house" with our own staff photographer.
Not only did we bring down photography cost 60%, it also was much
better for the creative staff to be able to brain storm together about
the upcoming products and features.
The New School University
The New School University was a completely different audience than
eZiba.com with some of the very same challenges. Our audience expects
a very current design and interface. In the same breath, they need
a GUI that will display properly on a variety of browsers. We found
that the New School site had to work perfectly on browsers (including
Netscape 3.0) of 3.0 and above. Many students and faculty will access
the site at a public library with browsers that are 7 old years.
The next challenge is to bring a unifying brand and look to a huge
web site with many
different personalities. Just under the New School University banner
there are 9 distinct branches, not including Milano Graduate School,
Parsons, Eugene Lang College, Mannes, Actors Studio Drama School,
Jazz BFA, Joffrey BFA, and Online University. Ms. Susan Pines, web
master of New School contacted us to begin this daunting task. We
began by establishing our technical lowest common denominator as I
mentioned previously. The first section of the site that was chosen
to revamp was the Student site, because of high traffic and it is
obvious importance in attracting new students.
We decided to try to use the least amount of technology so that the
user was not required to go to another site to download plugins. We
do not want to send our audience away. Very often, we achieve the
same effect using java Script.* We also made this same decision for
eZiba.com for the very same reasons.
After establishing our basic "truths" for this web site,
we built an information flow chart. This chart encompassed every piece
of information. We also created a scalable architecture to accommodate
the ebb and flow of information that changes by the school term. I
am strong believer in "three clicks and your out" user interface
philosophy. We created an architectural flow that never went more
than 3 clicks deep. I never want my audience to get lost and coming
or going.
Once our flow chart was completed, we started on the design. I used
color and fonts to give the site a current look and feel without taxing
the older computer systems. I then programmed a "working"
demo to be presented to the department heads along with an informational
flow chart. Once the department heads approved the demo, We gave the
demo to focus groups of New School students. The New School has a
ready supply of students for many focus groups.
After achieving a general thumb up from the focus groups, we started
production. Having done our homework thoroughly, this was the smoothest
part of the process. We created templates for all the lead sections
of the site. As the templates were completed I trained junior web
designers to "drop in" the content and automatically update
the site. The budget for Student section alone was $100,00.00. Once
the templates were created, and the staff trained, our work was done.
The New School's expenditure cut in half. The junior designers and
programmers are continuing to use the templates we designed and programmed
to gradually re-vamp the entire site. Some people say we did our work
too well. Our designs take care of themselves.
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