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Yamamoto Moss Mackenzie
By: American Design Awards
Yamamoto Moss Mackenzie (www.ymm.com) is a brand agency. We create brands with identities, naming, positioning, packaging, and environmental design. We grow brands with advertising, direct marketing, interactive, collateral systems, sales support programs, and annual reports. We believe great creative and smart strategy work together through everything we deliver.
Consumers and business people are exposed to hundreds of logos, brochures, television commercials, radio commercials, and newspaper, magazine, direct and outdoor ads every day. Unless your message is different, notable, remarkable, or amazing, no one will pay any attention to it. And spending more money for more exposures is futile; a thousand invisible things are no more noticeable than a hundred invisible things.
We do most of our work outside, even in the middle of a Minnesota winter. When it gets down to 15 below, as it is in this picture, the hardest thing is keeping the Macs working. A few years ago we killed a designer when the tube in her monitor imploded; luckily, flat screens have put an end to that kind of problem.
Front Row (left to right): Steve Pederson, Kristen Siegle, Viera Hartmannova, Miranda Kennedy, Abby Liljequist
Back Row (left to right): David Wegman, Mike Ringler, Jason Wibben, Michele Jones, Carolyn Olson, Shauna Block, Phil Bolinder, Hideki Yamamoto, Miranda Moss, Alan Tse, Tim Naylor
Once you’ve got their attention, you have to say something that resonates. You have to solve a problem, resolve a tension, introduce a new idea; maybe even add meaning to their lives. Otherwise, why should they bother; they have thousands of other messages to choose if they’re looking for irrelevance.
Like all good stories, good brand communications touch people’s emotions. They make people feel good about your brand; they make them want to read or see or listen again. They’re entertaining as well as functional, and they’re functional because they’re so entertaining. The more likable the work, the more serious it is about accomplishing its goal.
The best creative ideas are outgrowths of the best strategic ideas. And the best strategic ideas aren’t random nuggets. They’re the direct result of a strategic problem-solving process. Ours yields excellent results for our clients.
In 2006, Yamamoto Moss, which was founded more than 27 years ago by designers Hideki Yamamoto and Miranda Moss, merged with Minneapolis advertising agency Mackenzie, founded by Andrew Mackenzie, to create YMM. We work with clients like Ameriprise, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Hospira, Inc., Imation, Inc., John Deere, Frango, Northwest Airlines, and Transamerica.
Our next generation of creative leadership at Yamamoto Moss Mackenzie, Kristen Siegle, vice president of creative services, and Alan Tse, vice president of creative services, answered these questions:
Who is your inspiration?
KS: I have had many mentors along the way, including, of course, the designers Hideki Yamamoto and Miranda Moss. They created our firm more than 25 years ago and are always elegant. I love Rodney Smith, the photographer, as well, and how he incorporates natural beauty into his work.
AT: Hideki and Miranda. They’re not only inspirations, they’re like parents. Our agency is also my inspiration. The people, all the talents. We learn from each other everyday. We have a diverse culture here; our designers are from all over the world.
What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?
KS: I’m a maximizer and always remain positive, encouraging good design in the team. My weaknesses are to find time to keep up to speed with technology, and trying to make everyone happy.
AT: I like to be challenged and create solutions in different formats or dimensions. My weakness sometimes is trying to do too much – I’m always designing up to the last minute when something’s due.
If you had a word of advice for an up-and-coming designer, what would it be?
KS: Always place yourself around smart people.
AT: Explore and experiment... If you can get people to think one thing, remember one thing, do one thing, change one thing, you’ve succeeded.
Do you prefer to use a PC or a Mac? Why?
KS: A Mac. I always have; I love how easy it is, especially in our industry.
AT: Is this a trick question? Of course, a Mac! What is this PC of which you speak?
How do you deal with creative block?
KS: I get out of the office for a walk, go to the bookstore, or take a walk along the Mississippi River, which is practically outside our agency door. If it’s summer, and sometimes in Minnesota it does get to be summer, I head out for an ice cream in my convertible and that usually takes care of it.
AT: I like to listen to music. All kinds of music can help me relax and think differently. I also like to dance. At the end of the day, when I have a creative block, I go take a dance class. Ballet, hip-hop, modern... It always helps get the creativity flowing.
What is your favorite snack food in your office?
KS: With every snack food imaginable within arm’s reach, it’s hard to choose. Sweet or savory? Breakfast-y or dessert-y? I guess I’d have to say peanut butter, though. Ramen is always a staple on the crazy days when it’s 10 below, and lately it’s Girl Scout cookies.
AT: Oh, chocolate. I admit it, I’m a chocoholic. Good thing we have two chocolate clients: Chocolat Céleste and Frango.
Are large companies easier to work with, or small ones?
KS: They’re all difficult and all easy; it depends on the perspective. If we’re doing our jobs right, they’ll all allow us to do good work. Right?
AT: Exactly. Yeah. Well said.
Did you major in art or graphic design in college?
KS: Well, I started in architecture, but after one class in calculus, graphic design sounded like a better route. I have loved it from the start and every day in between.
AT: I studied graphic design at Hong Kong Polytechnic and at Iowa State University. I was thinking of becoming a fashion designer when I was in high school, but graphic design seemed more practical and I'm glad I went this route. Whew.
What is the motto of your design firm? What does it imply?
KS: Ignite your brand. We don’t just create brands, we grow them, which is why we now call ourselves a brand agency. It’s more than just arranging stuff beautifully on the page, it’s having the big idea. And we also have a lot of fun. This can be seen in our monthly company meetings. Pretty much everything revolves around food, like our cooking contests featuring chili or Minnesota hotdishes (um, what the rest of the world calls casseroles).
AT: And it wouldn’t be a party without our YMM band, with our CEO and COO on electric guitars.
If you could do it all over again, would you?
KS: Absolutely.
AT: It has been 13 years just here at Yamamoto Moss Mackenzie, and it feels like no time at all. Of course I would.
 Editor's Note: Yamamoto Moss Mackenzie has displayed outstanding ethical practices and design concepts throughout the years, impressing our judges time and again with innovative, modern, and clean executions.
 YAMAMOTOMOSSMACKENZIE
252 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA
ymm.com
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