TRAFFIC
Branding&Design | Artist Representation
THE IDEA
We’ve got what you need. We’re a Creative Agency like none other. A creative hub. An industry resource. A multi-armed juggernaut of expert branders, creative matchmakers, gifted talent and artists’ management.
We are a collaborative collective of creative individuals – an evolving group of people – with a spectrum of perspectives on this everexpanding space. We know the rules. We also know how to break them. We’re here to help you refine, define and express your point of view on beauty and branding. We’re the voice who can help you communicate your vision – through stories, words, faces, and illustrations – that make you unique.
Cover: Sam Wilde has worked extensively with Palladio Fabrics, Liberty, and Svenskt Tenn (founded the architect Joseph Hoffman)
Left page: Still life by Rich Begany, Illustration by Cecilia Lundgren, pattern art by Monsieur Z, Illustration by Amelie Hegardt © 2024
OUR CAPABILITIES INCLUDE:
Brand Positioning
Corporate Identity
Product & Packaging Design
Website Design
Catalogs/Brochures
Magazine Design
Print & Digital Media Advertising
Social Media
Motion, Animation, and Film
Sound Design
Photography Production
Art Buying
OUR STORY
Imagine Soho, New York, 1995—A creative hotbed of artists, writers, photographers, designers, gallerists, and entrepreneurs breaking out in the iconoclastic spirit of the times. That’s where our doors opened, on Spring Street, with a vision of a new type of creative agency. Representing independent art directors, copywriters, and all the components of a traditional advertising agency was an innovative idea. It quickly proved itself to be the zeitgeist, as more amorphous relationships between talent, agencies, and clients became the optimal matchmaking plan for the best creative talent with the most compelling corporate campaigns and identities. And, all this without the overhead costs of a large agency.
We represent the top echelon of brand name talent while always unearthing artists, illustrators, photographers, and writers you’ve never heard of who are tapped by some of the world’s leading creative directors.
Today, more than ever, we remain true to our original mission—to bring exceptional talent and creative solutions to brands, and to work in a dynamic and flexible way, constantly evolving with the industry and culture as a whole. We as an agency and as creative individuals are continuously growing and engaging with the world around us. Our tenacity and curiosity are what makes our work and collaborations exciting.
OUR CLIENTS run the gamut from fortune 500 companies, luxury brands to start-ups. Our multicultural perspective enriches our vision, and our combined expertise offers seasoned and groundbreaking guidance in branding, design and strategy. We work in multimedia and multi-channel advertising, developing influencer and idea-oriented content, licensing, publishing, along with invaluable referrals for public relations. Given our wide array of clients across diverse sectors of the market we can facilitate co-branding and multi-level collaborations with ease.
Clients include AERIN Beauty, ALLURE Magazine, Aramis, Aveda, Avon, Awake Cosmetics, Balenciaga Florabotanica, Bath & Body Works, Bloomingdales, Calvin Klein Beauty, Chanel, Clinique, Coty, Conde Nast, Diesel, Estee Lauder, Hearst, Henri Bendel (20+ years), Lancome, Laura Mercier, L’Oreal, MAC Cosmetics, Matrix, Maybelline, Neutrogena, Nordstrom, Noxzema, Redken, Revlon, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, Shiseido, Tiffany & Co., Vera Wang, Victoria’s Secret, Vogue Scandinavia, Weleda and more.
In lifestyle, design and hospitality we have worked with Andre Balaz, Architectural Digest, Champalimaud Design, Durst Organization, Hunter Douglas, Kohler, Morgan Hotel Group, Mondrian Hotel, Ralph Pucci International, Rockwell Group, ServCorp, Starwood Hotels, Stephen Sills, Svensk Tenn, Michael J Smith, Tino Zervudachi, Design Pop and more.
From top left: Photography by Rich Begany, Illustration by Alicia Malesani, Pattern Design by Traffic, Photography by Rich Begany © 2024 Following Page: Illustration by Alicia Melasani © 2024
MICHELLE EDELMAN
Michelle Edelman FOUNDER is all about the story of the brand. Her journey started with human psychology, wandered through the world of art, magazines and photography, and culminated with branding and art. Having been raised in Scandinavia and the Middle East, thrived on the east coast and the west, she brings her insight to branding, design, and a global understanding of culture and trends on human behavior. Her career has traveled equally effortlessly, from designer, editor, agent, agency executive, and gallerist at places like the Village Voice, CDB Gobé, Lister Butler, Mirabella, and Allure magazine. Eventually, she forged her own path by founding TRAFFIC–the groundbreaking agency and first to represent the individual components of traditional advertising agency, while also representing artists bridging the commercial and art worlds.
Together with her husband, a financier and art industry insider, they created M&A Arts SArl focused on the business of Art and Finance. They are also committed to collecting art and shepparding emerging artists.
SHEREKA EVANS
An industry insider with over 20 years at TRAFFIC, as Executive Vice President, Shereka oversees business operations, marketing, artist relations, and account management. She plays an invaluable role in bridging the relationships between clients and artists. She is strategically minded and solutions-oriented. Culturally attuned and new media savvy, she has a keen understanding of the shifts in marketing, media, and culture as a whole. On a personal note, she is a keen writer, poet, and taste-maker. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology from John Jay University. Shereka is Jamaican/American, embodying the best of both cultures.
She holds a BA in Social Psychology & Communications from University of California Santa Cruz. Michelle was born in Olso, Norway and spent her youth in Norway, France, England, Germany, and Egypt.
michelleve@traffic-nyc.com IG michelle_edelman
shereka@traffic-nyc.com IG xaymacabird
CREATIVE DIRECTION
MICHELLE EDELMAN
MICHELLE ROQUE
ADOLFO CORREA
ERIKA PERRY
DEANNA FILIPPO
CREATIVE/COPY
AMEENA MEER
AMY SWIFT
DIMITRI EHRLICH
BRENDA CULLERTON
FAYETTE HICKOX
MICHAEL GROSS
ILLUSTRATION
ADOLFO CORREA
CECILIA LUNDGREN
CHARLOTTE SMITH
IZAK ZENOU
SAM WILDE
PERRYN RYAN FORD
LUCILE PRACHE
MARCO GALLOTTA
MAREN ESDAR
MIA MARIE OVERGAARD
MONSIEUR Z
RIKKE JØRGENSEN
SOPHIE GRIOTTO
WENDY PLOVMAND
FINE ART/ GRAFFITI
BRITT BOUTROS-GHALI
MOYOSORE MARTINS
MIRANDA PISSARIDES
ERIK INKALA
MOTION ANIMATION FILM
DANIELLA LIGUORI
ADOLFO CORREA
IZAK ZENOU
CHARLOTTE SMITH
MONSIEUR Z
SAM WILDE
STEFANO DE BELLIS
MICHAEL MUNDY
LIONEL DJAOWE
SOUND DESIGN
JEREMIAH BORNFELD
CHRISTOPHER EDELMAN/PRODBYGEKKO
DIMITRI EHRLICH
BRANDING. HOW WE WORK.
For us, everything starts with research. Our Visual Research methodology, honed through years of development, brings clarity for the best strategy forward. We help you define who you are, what makes you unique, who your audience is, how you can best reach, speak and engage with them.
It’s how we break down your brand DNA, while also delving deeply into your consumer, as well as the market as a whole. We look at visual iconography and trends. Then we then provide the creative solutions to help you maximize your brand’s true potential. It’s the roadmap to
At the completion of each project we create a brand book (both printed and digital) that brings together the complete vision of the brand.
VISUAL RESEARCH INCLUDES:
Brand Assessment
Lifestyle Audit
Category Sweep
Brand Personality Profile
MARCO GALLOTTA DECOUPAGE © 2024
CHANEL
Creation of a series of bottle designs for “Les Exclusifs” Collection
BRANDING + DESIGN
“What is a brand but a wonderful idea made manifest? We dress it in story, experience, and sensuality. We bring that story together to give the brand a character, a voice, a style, and a direction. Like a character in a film or a novel, a brand must be credible, likable, and authentic – true to itself and the products that evolve from its genesis. As seasoned creatives, we understand iconography and the cues that consumers unconsciously look for, we understand how to find the perfect white space for your brand in the marketplace. We are steeped in visual language and words that invoke the emotional connection consumers crave. It’s an art form that requires intuition, balance, and attention to detail. Our goal is to help you create a brand with resonance, synchronicity, and a little magic to make it irresistible.”
—AMEENA MEER, Creative Director/Writer
At TRAFFIC we are creatively led and strategically driven. With a fully integrated approach, we curate the best team for each project. Pairing a copywriter whose unique voice and expertise pairs seamlessly with an art director and creative team with a vision and together create an optimum collaboration and result.
We achieve the highest level of creative execution through our strategic insight. And, we do this while working hand-in-hand with our clients.
We have developed successful branding, print, and digital campaigns for clients in the fields of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, consumer goods, tech, interior design, and art.
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS THE WORD IT’S THE IDEA THE IDEA UNDERNEATH THE EMOTION THE IDEA THAT DRIVES THE STORY THAT PAINTS THE PICTURES THAT MAKES US BELIEVE BRING BELOW-THE-LINE TO ABOVE-THE-LINE VIRTUAL TO REALITY THE IDEA THAT MOVES THE PRODUCT INTO OUR MINDSPACE THE IDEA THAT CLOSES THE SALE AND OPENS UP A WHOLE NEW WAY OF BEING
Ameena Meer
COPYWRITING.
Copywriters, like artists—each with their own unique style. Not only are they seasoned wordsmiths and communicators, but they have the unique gift to fully encapsulate an entire brand vision and experience. Our skill is the keen understanding to pair you with the right copywriter that meets your specific need and vision.
WORDS ARE
IMPORTANT.
Audiences are inundated by media, so the right words make an image unforgettable. Without copy, even beautiful images become interchangeable. Our seasoned writers can define and speak a brand’s language, how to give the brand story depth and resonance. They are the conceptor who can see the big picture and bring it all together.
COPY GIVES A BRAND A VOICE AND A SOUL.
Our copywriters develop brand voices, clarify brand missions, create brand and product stories, and reawaken brand histories and mythologies, as well as brand positionings. Words, ideas, and concepts bring advertising, promotional campaigns, and websites to life. They understand the importance of the perfect brand or product name, along with the exact words to describe its benefits. The right words matter in ads, promotional materials, scripts for video, TV and radio spots.
NAMING. We offer the unique possibility of working with one of our seasoned copywriters to mastermind your naming strategy and development. We also run naming groups with a writer/creative in the lead. This “round table” of individuals is curated based on the clients’ industry sector, and overall experience. Extensive lists of names are generated, then distilled, and returning to the creative process multiple times until we arrive at a shortlist of names that can be trademarked. We can provide legal support if needed.
Balenciaga / Florabotanica
Calvin Klein / CK One
CK Shock
CK In 2U
Calvin Klein /Euphoria
Calvin Klein / Beauty
Calvin Klein / Encounter
Christian Lacroix / Absynth
Marc Jacobs / Blush
Tommy Hilfiger / Dreaming
Tommy Hilfiger / True Star
Coty / Sara Jessica Parker / Lovely
Coty / J. Lo / Glow
Coty / J. Lo / Still
Donna Karan / Cashmere
Eve / Fetish
Shiseido / 5S (5 Senses- Retail Concept)
Kama Aruveda
Shania/Starlight
Artemus LLC (Art Finance)
Café D’Nile (Hospitality)
Greendog (Children Apparel)
Oronco (Liquor)
AERIN Beauty
As AERIN Beauty’s digital agency, it’s all about teamwork. We work hand in hand, lending our expertise in visual storytelling, digital marketing support, consumer engagement, search engine optimization, and production.
The in-house creative team produces all campaign assets, and we design the Instagram feed while also creating additional assets for lifestyle photography, motion graphics, reels, and developing innovative strategies across multiple new media platforms. We also serve as their out-of-house creative production team, implementing the brand toolkit for their retail partners.
As always, our mission is to make the creative process seamless for the AERIN Beauty team. We are there to help out with anything they might need at a given notice.
We took a deep dive into the rebranding of Weleda for the US market. Ameena Meer, our beauty guru, led the team. We developed the brand vision, tone, and messaging, as well as seasonal campaigns. We created a cohesive brand guideline to align all creative partners. The undertaking embraced all aspects of the brand’s communications, from how they spoke about themselves to what they looked like. Additionally, there was oversight on in-store POS, PR initiatives, and social media strategy. We delved deeply into photo research, concepting, graphic design, and day-to-day project management.
The goal was to build brand awareness for Weleda and create an emotional connection between U.S. consumers and one of the oldest wellness brands in Europe. Moreover, we aimed to position Weleda dominantly in the natural skincare sector, leveraging its long European history with deep roots in natural products and incorporating biodynamic and anthroposophic practices.
During our three-year tenure, Weleda’s sales at Whole Foods increased by 68-77% per year, sales in other natural lifestyle stores increased by 65% per year, and sales in mainstream stores such as Target, Walgreens, Wegmans, and Walmart increased by 100%.
LINKS
https://www.weleda.com/
https://www.weleda.com/about-us
Manifesto
Celebrate your beauty. Feed your body, mind and soul with products that do us good, that do good on the earth, Immerse yourself in words, actions, objects That have beautiful meaning. Let the trees, plants and flowers Connect your body To it’s healing powers. Let the sea and sky soothe your soul And the ground quiet your mind. Because when you are in balance with nature, you shine brighter. Live your inner nature.
IZAK ZENOU
X ESTEE LAUDER
We began working on Estee Lauder’s Holiday 2020 campaign for the instore and packaging program in 2019. However, in the spring of 2020, with the Covid lockdown in full effect it became clear that executing a traditional photoshoot for the holiday campaign was impractical. In response, we assembled a skilled team and dedicated three months to crafting an animated experience that would capture the essence of a magical holiday season
Drawing inspiration from the illustrations featured on the packaging, we seamlessly integrated them to form a cohesive concept. The end result was a joyful and inspiring animation, providing a muchneeded lift during a time when people had endured prolonged periods of isolation. This project not only served as a thoughtful gift to our customers but also proved to be a rewarding experience for our team. The success of the campaign was evident in its positive impact on sales.
Click to View Animation
IZAK ZENOU ILLUSTRATION
Over the last two decades, Izak has forged a reputation as one of the globes most prolific fashion illustrators. His love of women, fashion, and style icons such as Audrey Hepburn and Ines de la Fressange inspire his whimsical and enchanting view of life. Whether his distinctive characters are meeting for cocktails with girlfriends, taking a stroll through the park, or shopping with their puppies in tow, each vignette boasts Izak’s optimistic and confident vision of the world.
LINK TO BRAND BOOK
Brand research, analysis and positioning for guiding the company ‘s evolution into a cohesive brand with products in multiple categories in the Interior and Lifestyle sectors of the market. The project included extensive Competitors and Market Research, Visual Reseach and devloping a Brand Positioning Strategy.
Branding and Design: Michelle Edelman Copywriting: Ameena Meer
CHAMPALIMAUD DESIGN
ILLUSTRATION
IZAK ZENOU
SAM WILDE
CHARLOTTE SMITH
ADOLFO CORREA
CECILIA LUNDGREN
PERRYN RYAN FORD
LUCILE PRACHE
MARCO GALLOTTA
MAREN ESDAR
MIA MARIE OVERGAARD
MONSIEUR Z
RIKKE JØRGENSEN
SOPHIE GRIOTTO
WENDY PLOVMAND
MARCO GALLOTTA DECOUPAGE © 2024
CHANEL
Creation of a series of bottle designs for “Les Exclusifs” Collection
TRAFFIC
14 East 77th Street
New York, NY 10021
First Floor
T. + 1 212 734 0041
E. info@traffic-nyc.com
www.traffic-nyc.com @traffic nyc
Contact: Michelle Edelman michelleve@traffic-nyc.com
Shereka Evans shereka@traffic-nyc.com
Copyright Notice: This book and all of its contents/images is copyright of the individual artists and Traffic, Inc. © 2024. All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited and punishable by law.
