David Fernandez
Reliable design support that keeps things moving
I’m a graphic designer who supports marketing and creative teams with campaign production, templates, and day-to-day design work. I step into existing workflows, handle volume, and keep assets organized so teams can focus on what’s next.
How I support teams
Campaign Production
Design support for active campaigns and promotions.I help teams execute campaign work clearly and efficiently. I’m used to jumping into ongoing initiatives, working within existing brand guidelines, and delivering a steady flow of on-brand assets under real deadlines.
Templates & Assets
Make future work easier.When the same work keeps coming up, I create clean, production-ready templates that teams can reuse with confidence. These are practical, easy to maintain, and designed to hold up under real use.
Asset Cleanup & Organization
Structure removes friction.In many environments, assets are scattered or inconsistent. As part of my design work, I often help bring order where it’s missing without turning it into a big initiative.
How I Work
My goal is to make design support feel dependable and low-maintenance.• I step into existing workflows and tools
• I follow the brief and clarify when needed
• I keep work organized and easy to review
• I communicate clearly and adjust quickly
• I focus on consistency, reliability, and throughput
Craft
Role Illustrator, Graphic Designer, Art Director
Tools Pen & pencil, Adobe Suite
I enjoy shaping expressive, story-driven visuals that feel alive with bold forms, lively lines, and emotional color. I look for the energy or rhythm behind an idea and use it to create moments that draw people in.How I craft visuals →
Systems & Scale
Role Creative Lead, Creative Manager
Tools Box, Canva, ServiceNow, Adobe Libraries, Figma
I design systems that make creative work easier to understand, use, and grow. Strong frameworks, asset libraries, and workflows bring structure to teams and ideas so everything else can move with clarity.My approach to brand alignment →
I also built a unified asset ecosystem across multiple platforms when no formal DAM existed. It cut duplication, reduced friction, and gave every team a reliable source of truth.How I built an asset ecosystem →
Digital
Role UI, layout, branding, usability
Tools Figma, Adobe CC, Invision, Squarespace, Carrd, Flash
I care about making digital experiences feel natural with clear layouts, thoughtful usability, and visuals that match the story a brand is trying to tell. I’ve built sites for private schools, fashion labels, and small businesses, learning how to balance structure and style with clean developer handoffs.
That same approach now shapes my work on larger platforms, where alignment, accessibility, and consistent brand expression make the biggest difference.See how I've improved digital experiences →
Production & Operations
Campaign production at scale
Balancing speed, scale, and consistency
Executive Summary
This project reflects how I operate inside complex systems: stepping in to keep work moving while quietly strengthening the structure beneath it. I helped teams manage constant change by introducing just enough clarity, shared tools, and process to reduce friction and protect quality. The result was a campaign engine that could move fast when needed, without burning people out or flattening local nuance.
Background
Grocery Outlet operates as a highly decentralized retailer, with hundreds of independently operated stores across multiple regions. Campaign production needed to support national initiatives, regional variations, opportunistic offers, and local store needs — often all at the same time.Over the course of several years, campaign production evolved into a year-round system rather than a series of one-off pushes. Annual campaigns like the July food drive, seasonal wine sales, and holiday turkey and ham programs sat alongside strategic digital campaigns, twice-monthly ads, opportunistic item pushes, and internal initiatives like conferences, ESG reports, and app launches.At different points, I served as the sole production designer, then later as a manager responsible for scaling output, maintaining quality, and protecting both the brand and the team as complexity increased.
The Challenge
Campaign production was inherently reactionary.Priorities shifted late. Ownership around item selection, offers, and campaign importance was often unclear. A small design team supported a large and growing organization, which meant other teams occasionally filled gaps with rushed briefs or off-brand materials.Design frequently became the pressure valve — expected to absorb ambiguity, urgency, and misalignment while still delivering consistent, on-brand work across print, digital, in-store, and app channels.As the company grew, the risk wasn’t just inefficiency. It was erosion of trust, burnout, and a fragmented customer experience.
My Approach
I focused on getting the immediate work out the door while quietly building structure underneath it.Creating prioritization guardrails
I worked with my director to establish a clear decision lens: prioritize campaigns with the widest store impact and firm deadlines. Region-specific or limited offers dropped in priority when timelines collided. This gave the design team a defensible framework to navigate last-minute changes without constant renegotiation.Moving upstream into intent
I built direct relationships with buyers to better understand their goals, recurring needs, and timing pressures. That context allowed me to anticipate work, prepare evergreen assets, and reduce last-minute scrambles — even when strategy remained fluid.Compensating for missing infrastructure
I advocated for a formal DAM for years. When that effort stalled, I built practical alternatives: structured Box folders for internal teams, store-accessible campaign folders, and shared asset libraries that worked within existing constraints.Designing systems for varied skill levels
I developed templates aligned to a defined campaign taxonomy — in Adobe tools for designers and Canva for marketers and non-designers. This reduced off-brand work while empowering teams to move faster without relying on design for every request.Formalizing quality and accountability
Working with the team, I introduced clearer review and approval steps. This reduced rework, minimized retracting letters, and created shared expectations around what information buyers needed to provide — and when.Throughout, I balanced execution with system-building, knowing the work still had to ship while the foundation slowly improved.
Outcome
The system didn’t eliminate ambiguity — but it made it manageable.• Campaign and item priorities remained fluid, but clear guardrails helped teams navigate decisions with confidence.•Designers, marketers, department leads, and stores gained faster access to approved assets, reducing friction and repeated requests.• Brand consistency improved across most stores, while still allowing highly independent operators to express their local voice.• Rework decreased as review and approval processes clarified expectations.• Buyers better understood why timelines and item details mattered, creating mutual accountability rather than friction.• Designers and marketers were able to work faster and more efficiently, freeing up time for higher-value work.• Stores felt supported, not constrained — and appreciated having the flexibility to personalize materials in ways that felt neighborly and local.Most importantly, having assets ready created space: space to listen, to respond to individual store needs, and to maintain the human side of a large retail system.
Takeaway
This project shows that I’m especially good at jumping in and being flexible enough to get the immediate job done, while also holding the long-term view and building systems that support an organization as it grows.I don’t wait for perfect conditions to improve how teams work. I meet organizations where they are, stabilize what’s urgent, and quietly lay the groundwork for something more sustainable.
Let’s connect
Other Projects
Art Direction • User Interface & Experience • Creative Systems • Visual Style
Systems & Scale
Brand System Alignment
Executive Summary
I led a rapid brand refresh and creative systems alignment, uniting teams across marketing, digital, and communications to rebuild consistency across 530+ stores. We clarified what the brand stood for, modernized its creative infrastructure, and refocused on the audience.The work delivered a 200%+ rise in social engagement, a stronger creative foundation, and scalable tools—from asset libraries to a makeshift DAM. It set the groundwork for a long-term system teams could trust and grow with.
Background
I led a brand refresh and creative systems alignment for Grocery Outlet, a 530+ store retail chain. The goal was to realign the brand and modernize its creative systems to ensure consistency across all stores, within a scope that shifted each quarter.
The Challenge
The challenge was bringing visual and strategic consistency to 530+ stores while aligning key stakeholders across the organization. It mattered because our brand presence had become fragmented, off-brand here, confusing there, and often illegible to customers.The difficulty wasn’t simply about looking “cooler,” but about defining what the brand truly stood for and building systems that made the brand accessible across the entire organization while maintaining version control and brand stewardship.
My Approach
I brought together key stakeholders - CMO, VP, and Directors of Marketing and Internal Comms - to clarify goals and align on purpose. As the Creative Lead, I facilitated a rapid brand-alignment workshop to get everyone on the same page.Along the way, we learned that our “fun grocery” positioning had splintered into many expressions. We also uncovered that our brand systems were scattered across a tangled tech stack, patched together over time.
Examples from the brand guidelines.
Outcome
The alignment and updated audience segments helped grow our social engagement KPIs by over 200% month-over-month, strengthened our creative foundation, and paved the way for scalable systems like shared asset libraries and a future DAM.
Takeaway
Despite shifting timelines and scope, I adapted quickly—running a rapid alignment workshop, updating brand guidelines, and creating makeshift asset libraries with existing tools.I learned that lasting brand change requires cross-org ownership, not just marketing buy-in. Next time, I’d secure clearer resources and bandwidth before tackling a national-scale refresh. The project reshaped how I view creative work: we need a seat at the table early.It also deepened my understanding of corporate politics and the importance of socializing ideas before execution.
Let’s connect
Other Projects
Art Direction • User Interface & Experience • Creative Systems • Visual Style
Art Direction
Introducing the app
Executive Summary
I directed Grocery Outlet’s mobile app TV ad, translating a small budget and undefined audience into a clear, on-brand message. By moving from lifestyle footage to motion graphics, we created a flexible, value-focused spot that delivered clarity on a tight budget.The project became a model for future broadcast efforts and reinforced a key truth: clarity and resonance connect more deeply than any joke or punchline.
Stylized logo in a 8-bit gaming theme.
Background
I led creative direction for a TV ad introducing Grocery Outlet’s mobile app. The goal was to communicate the app’s benefits quickly while staying true to the brand’s playful tone.
The Challenge
We had a limited budget, no defined audience, and no existing TV guidelines. The deeper challenge was understanding what resonated with customers and presenting value clearly beyond simply saying “we save you money.”
My Approach
I reviewed previous TV ads, identified gaps, partnered with a production team, and directed the visual style. Motion graphics became the most budget-friendly and on-brand solution. Audience insights revealed that direct value messaging would be more effective than aspirational storytelling.
A 30-second storyboard.
Outcomes
The ad was clear, fun, and under budget. It became a reference point for future broadcast work.
Takeaway
Clarity beats cleverness. Customers want to know how their lives improve. Next time, I’d strengthen voiceover cues. This first broadcast project reshaped how I think about value-driven messaging.
Let’s connect
Other Projects
Branding • User Interface & Experience • Creative Systems • Visual Style
User interface & Experience
Improving the Digital Experience
Executive Summary
I modernized Grocery Outlet’s digital experience by improving accessibility, search functionality, and design consistency across web and app. By documenting ADA best practices, refining prototypes, and updating key pages, we created a more cohesive and user-friendly experience.
Background
The digital ecosystem lacked consistency and accessibility, leading to frustration and fragmented brand expression.
The Challenge
Missing search functionality, poor accessibility, and no unified documentation made the experience difficult for both users and internal teams.
My Approach
I improved ADA compliance, documented best practices for developers, and helped prioritize and prototype a new search feature. Redesigning the Careers page became a strategic example of how refreshed UI could improve usability and brand alignment.
Adjustments for the mobile app.
Outcomes
We saw increased engagement post-launch, stronger usability scores, and established clearer documentation for future work.
Takeaway
Small UX improvements can create large impact. Accessibility builds trust and is foundational, not optional.
Let’s connect
Other Projects
Systems & Scale
Creative Asset Systems
Executive Summary
I built a functional multi-platform asset system during a period of rapid growth. With no budget for a formal DAM, I aligned Box, Adobe Libraries, Canva, and our intranet into a unified ecosystem with structure, naming standards, and accessible templates. It reduced search time, cut duplicate work, and gave teams a reliable source of truth, demonstrating the value of centralized asset management.
Background
As Grocery Outlet grew to 530+ stores, the volume of creative work increased. Files lived everywhere, and I became the unofficial gatekeeper for logos, templates, and guidelines.
The Challenge
There was no single source of truth. No naming standards. No consistent process. Leadership hesitated to invest in a DAM despite clear need.
Pain points my team discovered throughout this process.
My Approach
I built a practical DAM alternative using existing tools:• Created predictable folder architecture in Box
• Established naming standards with designers and marketers
• Organized reusable elements in Adobe Libraries and Canva
• Built an intranet landing page to guide teams to core tools
With a DAM, all are routed into one system built to store, serve, and keep the brand clean.
Outcomes
The system reduced search time, cut duplicate work, and improved rollout consistency across hundreds of stores and multiple departments. It also strengthened the long-term case for a proper DAM.
Takeaway
Systems don’t require perfect tools. They require clarity, structure, and a shared source of truth. Building intentional systems help teams move faster and work with confidence.
Let’s connect
Other Projects
Branding • Art Direction • User Interface & Experience • Visual Style
Craft
Visual Style
Overview
Over the years, I’ve developed a visual style built around energy, rhythm, and storytelling. These samples span illustration, identity explorations, narrative sketches, and graphic compositions. What ties it all together is a focus on clarity, personality, and creating visuals that feel alive.
The Challenge
Great visual work needs personality and intention, but also needs consistency and clarity. The challenge was developing a visual language that could express:• energy and movement
• emotional tone
• playful experimentation
• narrative depth
• bold, approachable compositionI wanted to understand what makes my work distinct, how I arrive at certain stylistic choices, and how this style can support a range of technical, emotional, playful, or conceptual storytelling.
Early sketches and drawings.
My Approach
To shape a visual style that feels both expressive and grounded, I focus on several core principles:Energy first Begin with rhythm, mood, or movement.Shape as foundation Bold forms and silhouettes anchor the work.Expressive linework Lines feel human: textured, imperfect, alive.Emotional color Choose palettes that carry atmosphere and feeling.Story is central Even simple pieces are grounded in narrative cues.Playful iteration Let ideas evolve organically to create surprising outcomes.
Sticker graphics I made one year for my relatives' Christmas stocking stuffers.
Process & Exploration
Reviewing my work surfaced some clear patterns and themes that show how my visual language has developed over time. I’m drawn to rhythm and movement, using arcs, flow, and dynamic shapes to create a sense of energy and momentum. My pieces often build from line and atmosphere, where expressive strokes, texture, and narrative cues bring emotion and human presence into the work. I also rely on color and mood to set tone. Together, these themes form the foundation of how I explore ideas and bring them to life visually.
Graphic posters exploring movement and color to bring my favorite soups to life.
Illustrated posters for my band's shows.
What I learned
Through this analysis, I gained:• a stronger sense of how to use rhythm and energy to guide composition
• clarity around how color supports mood and narrative
• a more confident hand in expressive, human-centered linework
• a toolkit I can bring to brand identity, storytelling, and community-focused design
Takeaway
My visual style is built on movement, story, and emotional clarity. It blends bold shapes with expressive lines and color that carries feeling. By applying my craft to branding and storytelling, I've gained a flexible and distinct visual language I can adapt to any context.
Let’s connect
Other Projects
Branding • Art Direction • User Interface & Experience • Creative Systems