Robyn Kanner
Creative Director
Instagram • Twitter
Contact:
robyn.kanner@gmail.com
Robyn Kanner
Creative Director
Instagram • Twitter
Contact:
robyn.kanner@gmail.com
If you live in America, you have seen Robyn Kanner’s work.
It’s design, yes, and art. But what she does is make stuff that makes us feel fresh and timeless, whether it’s movie posters and album covers, websites and presidential campaign logos, clothing and even fly swatters.
When it comes to Robyn’s work, the what has always been much less important than the why. Sure, kerning is cool, but what makes Robyn’s design stand out is the story behind it. Her life experiences — good and bad, high then sober, from the most rural corners to the most crowded centers of this country — that shaped her into the person she is today.
After bouncing around colleges, Robyn gave up school to start her design career in consumer and tech, where she did work for everyone from Staples and New Balance to Amazon and Etsy, learning fundamentals and flexibility.
With clarity gifted by sobriety, Robyn began her next chapter with a new, confident vision. She was proud of her previous projects, but wanted to pursue the ones that could make a difference. More than anything, she wanted her design work to have meaning.
Robyn went to Jigsaw, an incubator within Google, where she helped make this tool to help journalists spot misinformation. It not only helped people, but proved to Robyn that good design could also do good in the world. She pushed further, leaving New York City for El Paso where she became the Director of Creative and Product for Beto O’Rourke’s presidential campaign — leading design on various viral t-shirts (This Is F*cked Up), making Beto cry in an interview (sorry), and after the shooting, creating the “President of the United States is a White Supremacist” website (not sorry).
It’s design, yes, and art. But what she does is make stuff that makes us feel fresh and timeless, whether it’s movie posters and album covers, websites and presidential campaign logos, clothing and even fly swatters.
When it comes to Robyn’s work, the what has always been much less important than the why. Sure, kerning is cool, but what makes Robyn’s design stand out is the story behind it. Her life experiences — good and bad, high then sober, from the most rural corners to the most crowded centers of this country — that shaped her into the person she is today.
After bouncing around colleges, Robyn gave up school to start her design career in consumer and tech, where she did work for everyone from Staples and New Balance to Amazon and Etsy, learning fundamentals and flexibility.
With clarity gifted by sobriety, Robyn began her next chapter with a new, confident vision. She was proud of her previous projects, but wanted to pursue the ones that could make a difference. More than anything, she wanted her design work to have meaning.
Robyn went to Jigsaw, an incubator within Google, where she helped make this tool to help journalists spot misinformation. It not only helped people, but proved to Robyn that good design could also do good in the world. She pushed further, leaving New York City for El Paso where she became the Director of Creative and Product for Beto O’Rourke’s presidential campaign — leading design on various viral t-shirts (This Is F*cked Up), making Beto cry in an interview (sorry), and after the shooting, creating the “President of the United States is a White Supremacist” website (not sorry).
After Beto, Robyn joined the Biden campaign as Senior Creative Advisor, creative directing everything from brand to web, including: merch, ads, social, stage, web, planes, buses, trains, oppo strategy — basically, the whole show. She even made the logo. When President Biden won, she did much of the same for the inauguration, leading multiple efforts, including creative directing the digital experience.
That’s when Robyn founded Studio Gradients with some of her core campaign staff including Aja Nuzzi, Anna Impson, and Eric Ziminsky with support from Arc Initiatives. Clients included Spotify, Showtime, Fenway Strategies, and The White House. Robyn’s work also took her abroad to Chile, where she led the creative for Maite Orsini’s campaign. She was responsible for the first major brand refresh of the DNC since President Obama took office over a decade ago.
After 18 months, Studio Gradients was acquired by Studio Mosaic, where Robyn is currently the Creative Director, leading on similar clients as she did at the studio, plus helping out folks like Lambda Legal, Governor Josh Shapiro, and Mayday Health — a non-profit designed to educate folks in America on the safety and accessibility of abortion pills.
The world of design taught Robyn that good work could align with a strong sense of purpose, and she wanted to give that back to another generation. So she teaches on the side — a college dropout from Maine, now a visiting professor at MECA&D and Cooper Union.
That’s when Robyn founded Studio Gradients with some of her core campaign staff including Aja Nuzzi, Anna Impson, and Eric Ziminsky with support from Arc Initiatives. Clients included Spotify, Showtime, Fenway Strategies, and The White House. Robyn’s work also took her abroad to Chile, where she led the creative for Maite Orsini’s campaign. She was responsible for the first major brand refresh of the DNC since President Obama took office over a decade ago.
After 18 months, Studio Gradients was acquired by Studio Mosaic, where Robyn is currently the Creative Director, leading on similar clients as she did at the studio, plus helping out folks like Lambda Legal, Governor Josh Shapiro, and Mayday Health — a non-profit designed to educate folks in America on the safety and accessibility of abortion pills.
The world of design taught Robyn that good work could align with a strong sense of purpose, and she wanted to give that back to another generation. So she teaches on the side — a college dropout from Maine, now a visiting professor at MECA&D and Cooper Union.
The Democratic Party
The DNC’s brand refresh comes with expressive typography, lively colors, and a fresh new energy. We Are Democrats, and that’s something to be proud of.
Studio Gradients worked with the DNC to enrich The Democrats’ visual presence across print and digital channels with a revitalized Donkey brand that is filled with excitement, vibrance, and is also deeply human.
The DNC’s brand refresh comes with expressive typography, lively colors, and a fresh new energy. We Are Democrats, and that’s something to be proud of.
Studio Gradients worked with the DNC to enrich The Democrats’ visual presence across print and digital channels with a revitalized Donkey brand that is filled with excitement, vibrance, and is also deeply human.
Governor Josh Shapiro
Inauguration & Inaugural Ball
Creative direction for the inauguration of Governor Shapiro and Lt. Governor Davis featured branding for the ceremony itself and the after party — which included a custom basketball court for Pennsylvania artists such as Meek Mill, Wiz Khalifa, and Smokey Robinson to perform on.
Inauguration & Inaugural Ball
Creative direction for the inauguration of Governor Shapiro and Lt. Governor Davis featured branding for the ceremony itself and the after party — which included a custom basketball court for Pennsylvania artists such as Meek Mill, Wiz Khalifa, and Smokey Robinson to perform on.
Mayday.Health
Mayday Health’s mission is to share info about access to safe abortion pills in any state. They hope to help empower people to make their own decisions. Its message has been advertised on billboards across the country and by atheltes such as Sue Bird. The brand is bright and filled with hope, as it should be.
Mayday Health’s mission is to share info about access to safe abortion pills in any state. They hope to help empower people to make their own decisions. Its message has been advertised on billboards across the country and by atheltes such as Sue Bird. The brand is bright and filled with hope, as it should be.
In The Lavender Haze
Out of the loneliest days and nights of the pandemic comes In The Lavender Haze. A collage of floral, photographed on location at a botanical garden in Maryland, brightly rests on the arms and back of these Frosted White and Caviar Black fleeces. Each garment is ethically sourced and has been dyed and comes with a custom twill tag.
Photographer: Aundre Larrow
Shop online and in person at The Men’s Groomer in Venice, California.
Out of the loneliest days and nights of the pandemic comes In The Lavender Haze. A collage of floral, photographed on location at a botanical garden in Maryland, brightly rests on the arms and back of these Frosted White and Caviar Black fleeces. Each garment is ethically sourced and has been dyed and comes with a custom twill tag.
Photographer: Aundre Larrow
Shop online and in person at The Men’s Groomer in Venice, California.
