Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Goldstein.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Eric. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In 1990, I received my Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Shortly after graduating, I moved to Atlanta and started designing fitness products and consumer electronics. Around that time, I started to take on graphic design projects designing gas station logos, promotional brochures, then started to do a lot of photography. A few years later, I began a design partnership in Boston (Vivid Design Group). We designed packaging, identity systems, product design for First Alert, Brookstone, Honeywell, Reebok and Speedo. After two years in Boston, I moved to Portland, Oregon where I started my own practice called Olive Studio. We were a small full-service agency specializing in brand strategy, identity and graphic design.
During that time, I took a break and became Design Director at an interactive web agency called Emerald Solutions where my primary role was to inspire a wonderful team of designers, writers and programmers. We worked on a variety of web and interactive projects for clients such as: Hasbro Interactive, Barbie, Intel and FedEx. After the dot.com bubble popped, I went back to my practice at Olive Studio and opened another office in Atlanta where I relocated. For ten years, we ran two offices handling a diverse set of accounts including: Acuity Brands Lighting, BetterWorldBooks, Tersen Lighting, Banjo.com, Unicycle.com, The Nour Group, Lens Baby, Rich Robinson from the Black Crowes, Ted’s Montana Grill and HOK Architecture.
In 2007, I formed a Brand Activation company called Toast & Jam. Our team was located in Atlanta, Denver and Portland, OR and we produced immersive events and product launches for Google’s Map division including Google Ocean (California Academy of Science) and Google Moon (Newseum in Washington DC). One of the most exciting activations was the Terminal Kings, a 3200 sq ft mural which was on display at the Denver International Airport featuring the world-renowned street artists, David Choe, Sam Flores and Highraff. The exhibit was up for five years during construction at the various terminals and we created over a week of live programming including live music and dj sets.
In 2012, I rebranded as EGD+, providing brand strategy, design (graphic, print and website) as well as video production, motion graphics, 3D modeling and animation, exhibit and tradeshow solutions, copywriting and brand activation.
Over the last few years, I have had the pleasure of working on accounts with Georgia-Pacific, Skully (motorcycle helmets), AAL, Under Armour, InterfaceFlor, Targetti Lighting, Grin + Beam, Charlie’s Soap, Georgia Ophthalmologists, Newton County Office of Economic Development, PeachFest, Charlotte’s Web CBD, University of Pennsylvania, Oxford College/Emory University, Rocket Farm Restaurants, No Architecture and Taste of Atlanta.
I get my inspiration from my family and my two pugs, along with frequent exploits to Burningman. I travel often to visit some of my other favorite places in Asheville, Austin, Denver, San Francisco and New York. I love collaborating with other artists, designers, photographers and musicians and have enjoyed the rich experiences Atlanta has afforded me in a very welcoming and creative community.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part, working for myself has served me better than when I worked for an agency. Because my background is so diverse, I found myself feeling underutilized and I’m not comfortable settling into a role with very defined boundaries. On the other hand, the challenge when working for yourself, as you might know is you need to wear a lot of hats and are always thinking about the business, the clients and their projects.
I don’t know if it’s my age or just having had a lot of experience in the creative industry, but it’s gotten a lot easier over the years to attract the types of people/projects we want to work with/on. I also enjoy the flexibility of being able to work hard and to be able to enjoy a more flexible schedule when the time is right. (In 2016, I took a month off to film a documentary called “The Happiness Ride” with a friend of mine while we each rode on vintage motorbikes from Atlanta to New York City back filming hundreds of people and seeing the more generous and giving side of humanity).
EGD+ is a multi-faceted creative agency. We specialize in building brands, defining brand strategies and ultimately designing many, if not all of the supporting marketing tools, from logo to graphic standards to video production and website design. I also serve as Creative Director with The Pineapple Agency, in Denver, CO, an experiential marketing agency, where we connect consumers with the products and culture of our clients in immersive activations, pop-ups, mobile tours and festivals.
Because we are an intimate team of 4-6, depending on the project, we get to work with a diverse creative community, each with a unique set of styles and capabilities to complete our creative arsenal for any particular project. We do not lock ourselves into any one industry or type of client which keeps things very, very fresh and challenges us to be better at listening than speaking. (It’s amazing how much easier it is to help your clients when you just listen to them!).
One of the things that set us apart is our size and experience. The two seem to work well at appealing to small company’s to fortune500’s as well as agencies who need additional creative resources.
I would say that I am most proud of the fact that we’re doing our best work ever these days and excited to see where things go over the next few years.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Being a good listener has changed the way I show up for my clients compared to being just a designer. There is a lot more you can to support your clients when you listen to their ideas, needs, pains, vision and goals.
I no longer feel I have to be the creative force behind every solution, but rather, thrive (and so do the projects) when I take on being a Creative Director to the fullest and work to communicate with my team the strategy, goals, and vision for our clients and work to see those to fruition.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.egd.agency and ww
w.thepineappleagency.com - Phone: (404)668-3458
- Email: eric@egd.agency
- Instagram: @egd_agency
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