Adrián Gustavo Pierini

I define myself as a professional of design and communication, with a vast experience, based on 18 years of practice in the world of massive products. I graduated with honors from Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and I started working freelance. Then I was employed as a junior designer, after as a senior, and finally as director, in a prestigious local agency. For 14 years, my practice has been uninterrupted, so I had the opportunity of developing over 400 projects for leader companies, many of them for different markets and countries, such as Mexico, Brazil, USA, England, Belgium, Thailand, and South Africa. Five years ago, I founded my own agency, which has currently 20 people working in it. It has become one of the most important visual communication companies in Argentina, with a great possibility of growth. Regarding what causes me becoming a designer, I could say it was a mix of love for the illustration, the desire of creating, and the emotion of knowing there was someone out there who could interpret my vision and value it. It was impossible to think in being a designer when I was a child and teenager, as the profession was not establish yet, and the activity was restricted to a select group of architects, artists and interior decorators.

Pierini Partners is dedicated to branding with a strong bond with strategic packaging. My experience with leader companies has given me more knowledge, which I can now apply in future launchings and create real and concrete solutions, according to the necessities current marketing teams have. My agency aims to establish a field of stratetic debate, which can enhances the client’s needs, giving them solutions based on suitability. The basic aspect is demand; we look to achieve the best quality and the proper combination between reason, aesthetic and emotion.

It is the possibility of transforming the reality, it is the ability of simplify the communication between people, the amazing chance of improving life quality.

I prefer those which imply an important challenge, in the conceptual and formal aspect, which demand an extreme care in the selection and application of the graphic resources.

I believe Rexona V8 packaging was one of the most important works in my career. Its creation has a very positive repercussion in the market, it has changed my bond with the client (causing the company the desire of a solid and strategic relationship), and it represented the beginning of my professional growth and my agency’s.

I choose Macintosh and the basic design programs. I do not need anything else.

Generally at night, when I’m at home, alone, completely focused on the problem or challenge I have to face with.

I focus on the capacity of communication. I give priority to the strategic function of the resources, above all.

Joy, intrigue, challenge, sometimes nervousness and desperation, jaja!

If the result fulfills the aims and the client is satisfied, then I’m completely satisfied too, and I want to keep on creating, to design even better pieces that the ones already launched.

Effectiveness, a clear message, the resources applied in the proper way. Basically, the correct fulfillment of the brief.

I do not believe designs are good or bad. For me, there are designs that work, and others that don’t. If the piece accomplishes the commercial aims proposed by the client, then for me, it is a "good" design. The aesthetic aspect must be subordinated to those commercial aims.

Designer, as a communicator, has the obligation to create messages ethically correct, to create a better world, simplifying consumers’ life and, why not, making their sales actions happier.

Design is playing a more and more important role. People see in it an important added value, they understand that plus ti gives. Future is eager for new creations and challenges. As far as technology is concerned, there is a noticing evolution, which will drive, undoubtedly, to a more and more virtual way of relation. And design has a lot to offer to that environment.

Projects are exhibited in each of the workshops I give, all around Latin America. The lasts one were in Mexico and Bolivia, and the next one will be in Colombia.

Inspiration comes from the desire of playing, of breaking with what is established, of imaging how I would like things to be. I use my imagination, my life, what I watch from my environment and others.

My style is primarily classic and very rational. But this does not mean the results are extremely formal or boring. Instead, behind every piece, there is a structure that allows me to get to the public in a simple, direct, and absolutely functional way.

I live in Buenos Aires, the provincial capital of the Argentina. It is a rich province, in which a lot of different cultures coexist, as a result of the immigration, at the beginning of the last century. Architecture and all the artistic manifestations express a combination of European and Latin-American styles. From this mix my inspiration comes. My works are the result of both styles, and that may be the cause of it global effectiveness.

I work in a close way, looking for their participation, their integration in the different projects. A Pierini Partners’ design has always a quote of projectual vision and from the client’s market.

It is a very complex task. I believe a good designer is one who feels passion for his work, who fights daily to improve himself, and who not only thinks in the money and the future recognition.

It is simple. I could divide it in phases: Brief decoding, application in concrete objectives, investigation, interpretation, conceptualization, and, finally, creation.

My house is a strange combination of designs and cultural manifestations. It is full of gifts from colleagues and institutions from Latin America. They are presents made with affection, and that is what I see on them. My interest for its design, in these cases, is put aside.

I wake up early, I go to the agency, I check my emails, I talk to my accounts executives about the projects we have to work on, I supervise constantly my creative teams. I sit on my desk and design all the special projects I have. Then I speak to my clients, regarding different situations, until night. All these steps implies adrenaline, tension and fun.

They should simply study, prepare for a career which is pleasant but dangerous at the same time, as it seems simple when actually implies great challenges and knowledge. I would tell them to listen and watch a lot before acting, to think more in the consumer than in themselves. And above all, I would tell them to understand they are not artists, but fundamental pieces that should act in the consumption and strategy system.

The positives one are the capacity of expressing oneself, of making oneself known, of enjoying the fabulous phenomenon of visual communication. The negatives ones are, in my case, the daily stress of having to get on time with the clients’ deadlines. And another one is the difficulty of establishing a proper balance between personal and professional life. I could not solve this problem yet.

I think they are the capacity of learning and the ability of becoming a more and more effective communicative piece. Patience and the power of observation are also worthy.

I use all the knowledge available. Nowadays books continue to be a mandatory material to consult, but the Internet allows us to extend our vision and keep on with all the innovations.

I do not handle it properly yet. Some days I do not sleep and others… I do not sleep either, jaja.

It depends on the level of complexity, the client’s urgency, the clarity of the brief, etc. There are projects that last two days, others 4 months, a year, or even 3 years.

I remember once a student at University asked me: “At what age you start understanding how to design?” That necessity of creating an automatic, easy, effortless way is a typical characteristic of new generations. Regarding this desire of “magical solutions”, I answered them they will never be ready enough. The constant practice and the approach to different problems will cause a more and more solid base, which will help them to face challenges. But this growth demands a permanent feeding. Ignore that base provokes shortcut and decadence.

There are many cases, but I think that working in the USA and in Mexico were very enriching opportunities, which have changed the way I think and which placed me in a more global situation.

Unilever (England, Brazil, Argentina), InBev (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Dominic Republic, Paraguay). Sherwin Williams, Pernod Ricard, Pepsico, Kraft, among others.

Packaging design totally passions me. I love it capacity of interacting with the consumer.

We plan to keep on growing, having clients all over the world. We also mean to optimize our operative systems, and to establish a quality standard. We want to be recognized for having an unique service, which integrates speed, quality and a great price.

The projects which mean a fundamental strategic value, or the ones which implies a major challenge, are developed by me. In some occasions I work the basic aesthetics and, once they are approved by the client, my team continues the process, under my strict supervision, of course.

They can write an e-mail to info@pierinipartners.com, or they can visit our website www.pierinipartners.com and leave us a message in “Contact” section.

I would like to thank the jury, and all the people working in A’ Design Award, for the price they gave me and for living my agency the opportunity of becoming an example of creativity among South-American designers.