Victoria Pearson Esser

I am a creative designer with nearly 20 years of commercial experience, currently acting as senior brand creative designer and brand ambassador for Elsevier Publishing. I lead design initiatives that shape and elevate brand identity, liaise with various agencies on outsourced projects and work on both digital and print mediums. I lead multi-disciplinary, inter-professional and cross-departmental teams on in-house research projects surrounding brand identity and outwards-facing consumer brand strategies. My approach is straightforward: listen, understand, and provide thoughtful solutions that meet both business objectives and creative standards.

ELSEVIER – Senior Brand Creative Designer - Nov 2014 - present

• Responsible for maintaining in-house the branding guidelines and standards.
• To be a brand ambassador and promote any internal campaigns in-house.
• To develop and create a wide range of assets including books/digital covers, brand implementation, social media graphics, logo design, web banners, infographics, journal layouts, and materials for conferences, events, and campaigns.
• Continuous professional development in line with changing markets and job requirements to maintain high standard outputs personally and for the wider team
• To develop and promote external employee, experience campaigns via LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
• Assist and collaborate with all other departments and external agencies with any brand requests related to promotional campaigns, including those for designated charities and other internal initiatives.
• As the CX (Customer Experience) Advocate, I ensure that all projects prioritise the customer experience, maintaining a customer-first approach in every design decision.

SKILLS

• Creative Concept Development -generates concepts that align with the company’s vision, values, and target audience.
• Brand Identity Design – follows guidelines and creates cohesive brand identities, including logos, colour palettes, typography, and other visual elements that represent the brand’s essence and can be used consistently across various media.
• UI/UX Design Understanding - knowledge of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design principles is essential to ensure that brand designs are user-friendly and provide a positive digital experience.
• Typography and Layout – An understanding of typography, spacing, hierarchy, and grid systems to create aesthetically pleasing and readable designs that communicate the brand’s message effectively.
• Visual Storytelling - Ability to translate a brand's narrative into visual elements that resonate with the target audience, making the brand memorable and emotionally engaging.
• Proficient in Design Tools - Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Figma, Canva, Everyone Social, Microsoft etc
• Collaboration and Communication - Strong interpersonal skills to work closely with marketing teams, copywriters, and other stakeholders to ensure the brand’s message is communicated clearly and consistently across all touch points.
• Adaptability and Attention to Detail - The ability to adapt to various project requirements and quickly pivot, when necessary, while maintaining a high level of detail and ensuring that designs are polished and aligned with the brand’s standards.

­­­AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Branding / Illustration / Story boarding / visualisation for animation
• Advertising/ Marketing asset design
• Exhibition design 
• Working to deadlines
• Team player – collaboration with others is essential

SCG Advertising Agency – Creative Designer May 2014 - Sept 2014 - made redundant – went into administration

Create, develop, and prepare artwork for a diverse range of clients, including:

• Advertising materials
• Sales literature development
• Brochure design
• Design for websites (e.g., banners) and online platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter)
• Presentation materials (internal and external)
• Logo development for new start-up companies
• Provide design solutions and act as a point of contact for client communication
• Notable clients include Filippo Berio, Milwaukee, and Cooks and Co.

Staples HQ- Senior Graphic Designer - 2011 - 2014

Implemented the Staples brand across both retail and direct business channels, including:

• Brand development and consistency
• Packaging design
• Print and press materials
• Digital assets and campaigns
• Point of Sale (POS) promotional campaigns
• Brochure, flyer, leaflet, and voucher design
• Collaborated with Staples' clients to implement their branding by following their brand guidelines within the Staples framework, including brands such as: HP, Canon, Apple, Brother, Toshiba, Sharpie, Nescafé

Past Times HQ - Graphic Designer - 2007 - 2011

In my first role after university, this position provided me with a well-rounded foundation in both design and branding, allowing me to contribute to various aspects of the creative process. I gained hands-on experience across a wide range of creative disciplines, including:

• Branding and identity development
• Designing brochures, packaging, product design and Point of Sale (POS) materials
• Front-end website design – uploading products – working with web designer
• Contributing to the development of Past Times’ new brand identity – (2010)
• Storyboarding and executing window displays for Visual Merchandising
• Leading photoshoots for product and marketing assets

WORK EXPERIENCE

Bounce Design - Agency – Branding –2006 

Taylor & Francis publishing – Journal editing – 2006 

The Market Place Agency –2005

Osprey Publishing – 2004

C.P. Printing Group – 2004

Mark Warner – Swimming teacher and Lifeguard – Kos, Greece –2003

Club La Santa – “Green Team” Member - Lanzarote –2001

DEGREES

BA (Hons) Graphic Design & Illustration – De Montfort University (2003-2006)

BA (Hons) Sports Development & Coaching – Northumbria University (1999-2002)

Courses at ELSEVIER

CX Essentials - Forrester online course - Customer Experience - ELSEVIER - 2023

Gender Equity Programme - 2021

AWARDS/ Recognition

2024 - Top Employer Brand Ambassador (EBA) – Elsevier. This prestigious award is a result of your commitment and exceptional contributions to showcasing the purposeful work we do at Elsevier.

2016 - Strategy Recognition Reward – Elsevier. Organisational Optimisation”. Working on her own she has set up and maintained the Design newsletter expanding the profile of the GBP design department throughout the company.

2014- Staples’ - ‘Living Values’ Award Awarded for: Thinking of the customer first: Designing the Back-to-School logo (BTS) 2013. 

2006 - Nominated for D&AD award (London Billingsgate) at graduate show

Coaching Qualifications

2016 - ASA - Level 2 Swimming Teacher 

2010 - BTF - Level 2 British Triathlon Coach (Open water Coach)

SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS

2016 – Challenge Roth – Raising money for pancreatic cancer research

2014 – Ironman 70.3 Majolica

2012 – Ironman Austria 

2010 – World age group triathlon –Budapest – 6th sprint distance

1998-2003 – National Standard swimmer – 5th in UK at age 17 for 200m Butterfly