Carmen GAGE Ackert
Branding & Marketing Design Professional
I’ve worked extensively in the home improvement and remodeling sector, from freelance design and marketing campaign development for small businesses, to in-house creative and marketing team management leadership for regional and national corporations.
I understand the mindset of both the price-conscious and the luxury-seeking homeowner who strives to enhance lifestyle while increasing the value of their investment. Macro- and micro-economics and industry trend fluctuations can greatly impact the consumer behavior of this discriminating demographic. My experience has taught me the importance of an adaptive marketing strategy and execution to align brands with changing consumer needs.
Home Improvement
INDUSTRY
PORTFOLIO
HomeWorks & KitchenWorks
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
HomeWorks Inc. offered industry-leading Renewal by Andersen replacement windows and entry doors, as well as kitchen cabinet refacing and remodeling under their sister company, KitchenWorks. These California companies served upper-income homeowners for more than two decades across the entire San Francisco Bay Area. I was brought in to start and manage an in-house ad agency and hire a diverse team to meet the ambitious marketing needs of the companies, serving as Creative Director for three years.
14-page, 5-color product brochures
Customer loyalty mail campaigns
Event marketing booth & displays
Tradeshow event contests
Direct mail campaigns
Websites
Animated display ads
Photo art direction
Employee rewards programs
Magazine ads
Newspaper wraps and inserts
Home & Leisure
A subsidiary of HomeWorks
HomeWorks Inc. wanted to create a shared direct-mail advertising program for businesses in the home improvement, furnishings, and leisure entertainment markets targeting upscale homeowners in the San Francisco Bay Area. A resulting contemporary signature and clean brand design evolved, including a HomeWorks wrap to hold advertiser inserts. I art-directed and contributed to design, content development, and print production from start to finish.
Stationery
Media kit with stepped inserts
Advertising mailer wrap
Advertising format example cards
Plumbline Mechanical, Inc.
Elko, NV
Plumbline has been a long-established, trusted residential and business resource for plumbing, HVAC and commercial construction and refrigeration for the remote mining community of Elko, NV since 2004. I was hired to assist building a cohesive brand design and messaging for each of their individual services across company collateral, advertising, social, and other marketing components.
Billboard
Service capabilities folder
social graphics
web banner
Trifold brochure
Unseen Screens
Fort Meyers, FL
Print ad campaign
EDDM direct mail postcard
Unseen Screens has been the exclusive dealer for Phatom retractable screens for over 25 years. The client desired a fresh advertising campaign approach and message that would successfully communicate the luxurious yet practical benefits of Unseen Screen’s retractable screen products to its high-end customers. I was responsible for content writing, design, print fulfillment, media placement, and print vendor management.
Onelawn • Good Nature Company
Marin County, CA
Tri-fold brochure
Onelawn produces a product that offers the authentic look of a lush, green lawn without the time-consuming and costly maintenance required. Homeowners in the North Bay region of Marin County, CA found this especially appealing due to water-use draught restrictions and the popularity of an environmentally conservative mindset. My consulting services were acquired to produce compelling brand messaging and brand design focused around these concerns and benefits. The project required shaping disjointed sales verbiage into clear, meaningful communications and exclusive offerings to position Onelawn as a smarter alternative to natural grass.
Photo editing
Before
After
“SurStay” trademark name development & installation diagram illustration
