Today we’d like to introduce you to David Deal.
Hi David, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Graphic designer by trade, fine artist by passion. I have been in the creative field since 1990. I learned early on that, in the design industry, what matters most is what you make, not where you come from, how old you are, or who you know. Your work is what matters. At age 19, I was an art director with a staff of three designers who were all older than me. And, I earned respect because I didn’t try to lord over people. Instead, I just focused on the work–making is the best it could be. And that approach still serves me well.
In the 1990’s I was part of the Internet boom. I worked for various tech companies as creative director for products and marketing campaigns. I was part of the team that invented texting (by accident) as part of the AirMedia Internet Broadcast Network team that developed the first wireless internet services called AirMedia Live. After the dot.com bubble went dot.bomb (as was very fashionable at that time) I migrated into brand design for retail products and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), working for agencies, company brands, and as a freelancer. In 1999 my wife, Nancy and I, started our own agency, Deal Design. Since then, we have developed hundreds of brands, thousands of packaging designs, and a similar volume of websites and advertising campaigns, both traditional and digital.
Today, Deal Design remains one of the longest-established brand design agencies in Southern California. We have won numerous awards and a long list of 5-star ratings from clients across most every industry including consumer electronics, software, skincare, healthcare, construction, and retail product manufacturers. Our 100% USA based team operates right here in San Diego as a full-service branding and creative marketing agency. We build brands from the ground up and help launch them into profitability.
Our services include brand development, logo design, packaging design, catalog design, website design, digital marketing, print and digital advertising, and user experience design (UX). With more than 30 years of experience, I find that not much has changed. We still focus on the work–making it the best it can be. Developing brands that stand out from the crowd as leaders. We don’t copy others. We go in new directions. And, for bold company leaders that value standing out from the crowd, we deliver creativity that accelerates brands.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The biggest challenges to staying in business have come in lockstep with the technology fall-out of 1999 and the financial crisis of 2008. When markets drop, new business does too. And, as a business that relies on creating new things for our income, we get hit hard. Thankfully, we survived both recessions while many other agencies evaporated. I think it often comes down to tenacity. Just not giving up. Our clients can’t afford to give up on all their financial investments–all the blood, sweat, and tears they pour into their companies. So, we don’t give up on them either.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At Deal, we know what we don’t know. When we begin a brand design project, we don’t know where the winning concepts will come from. So, we have to develop many designs to allow the champion to emerge. A typical logo design project will involve a team of four designers all developing many concepts so that we can select the top 10 to present to our client. It’s a collaborative process with team members working together, pushing each other to produce the best, most innovative and creative concepts we can. By staying focused on the work, we serve our clients the best. This approach cascades through everything we do. Packaging, Advertising, Website Design–you never know where the killer concept will emerge. So, you have to trust the process and let the creativity flow and allow ourselves to be surprised.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love San Diego’s diverse business community. We have a strong community of world-class innovators across software and hardware technology, consumer electronics, biotech, medicine, and beauty. San Diegans have a quiet tranquility about us. Probably due in part to living in one of most beautiful places on Earth.
Pricing:
- Hourly Rate $150/hr.
- Project-based estimates
- Monthly Retainers with discounted pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: dealdesign.com and dealdigital.com
- Instagram: dealdesigninc
