Kamikaze
UH West Oahu Academy for Creative Media
BEHIND THE SCENES
Supporting the Next Generation
One of our favorite things to do at Stacey Leong Design is support the local design community and help up-and-coming graphic designers with their future careers. We truly believe in giving back and making time to inspire the next generation of creatives. After more than 25 years in the business, we look forward to opportunities of sharing our experience and knowledge with local students interested in pursuing careers in graphic design, marketing, and communications.
Over the past several years, I’ve been invited to speak with Dr. Vera Zambonelli’s creative media class at the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu in Kapolei. Dr. Zambonelli is an Emmy™ award-winning filmmaker, educator, researcher, and founder of Hawaiʻi Women in Filmmaking, an organization that promotes gender equity in the film industry. She teaches her class of content creators and artists about the legal landscape of the creative industry and about the licensing and use of existing and commissioned content.
I look forward to speaking with Dr. Zambonelli’s students whenever I can, and I always come away inspired by the students and their passion for design excellence. The class also gives me an opportunity to reaffirm some of the major tenets we live by at Stacey Leong Design. The advice I offer to the students are things I’ve learned over the past 20 years and values we live by every day at SLD. Some things I’ve shared with Dr. Zambonelli’s students are:
“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.”
We work hard every day to listen to our clients more and talk less. Taking the time to really listen and reflect on what we’ve heard allows us the opportunity to truly understand our clients’ goals and more effectively determine creative solutions that directly address their needs.
“Don’t half ass it, Always use your full ass.”
At SLD, we put 100% effort into everything we do. We never want to have regrets and the only way to do this is to put forth our best effort for every project. We treat our clients’ needs as our own and make it a personal responsibility to give everything we’ve got.
“Stay simple. Stay true.”
We don’t use every tool in the box for every project on purpose. To create a visually interesting design that shares a clear and compelling message, we focus on what is most important and make sure that message emotionally resonates with the primary audience and directly aligns with our clients’ core values.
“Never stop learning.”
Actively seeking opportunities to learn and grow allows us to continue to be inspired and maintain our passion for innovative, creative work. One of our favorite parts of finding opportunities to learn is meeting new people in the process and becoming inspired by their work and expertise.
“Use your creativity to do better for society.”
Using our creativity for the benefit of society has made our lives meaningful and fulfilling. At SLD, we love using our skills to make the world a better place. It sounds corny, yes, but over the years we’ve learned that it’s not corny at all. It’s why we do what we do and why we constantly choose projects that allow us to say at the end of the day that we helped people. It allows us to say that what we did, mattered.
watch interviews:
Student Reflections
The first thing I remember from Stacey is her definition of graphic design and how it is about sending a message and the process is a lot of it is creative problem solving. Another piece of advice that stood out would be to stay as simple as possible and that messages become easier to understand when you stay simple. As a creative, sometimes we feel that our work is underappreciated or that it doesn’t feel like we have any sort of influence. However, Stacey brought up the idea that as creatives we have a “social responsibility.” We can make a difference with our work especially if we share it with others. I learned a lot from her presentation and appreciate her taking the time to present and answer our questions.
— Brandon
I am so happy that Stacey Leong was a guest speaker for our class. Seeing her work and what she produces is so inspiring! Aside from graphic design, I could relate to Stacey on a cultural level as well. As a Native Hawaiian, being deeply rooted in my culture has a big impact on what I create and how I go about creating it. Seeing how Stacey uses her own roots in her professional work is something that I hope to do one day. One thing that stood out to me the most during her presentation was when she spoke about her experiences working at an advertising agency and how it is much different from a traditional graphic design job. As a student who is double majoring in Marketing and Creative Media, this was very enlightening to know. I am happy Stacey was able to speak to us and her words will definitely stick with me wherever I go.
— Lea
Stacey Leong’s visit was inspiring as it provided me with a new perspective on being a successful creative professional in the field of Graphic Design and how to implement those skills for Hawaii-based clients.
— Andrew
I really liked her saying on making a difference: “I think creatives have a social responsibility…you should always try to use your creativity to do better for society…Work for a cause, not applause. Live to express, not impress.” Sometimes, I fear that my passion for creating will be overshadowed by doing whatever to make ends’ meet. When that was brought up during the Q&A, she said that it’s just a fear and to remember what you truly love doing. I think it’s amazing how she was able break away and take on projects that have cultural significance. What makes her brand so successful is her authenticity, passion, and commitment to doing projects with purpose.
— Kevin
After the discussion with Stacey Leong, once again I felt inspired by her work and how she was able to collaborate with so many different individuals and companies to create their visions. It’s refreshing to see someone successful who didn’t have to leave their home state and it was cool that she actually got to experience being on the Hokuleʻa.
— Jade
On Monday we were visited by Stacey Leong who owned her own graphic design company. It was interesting learning about her background and hearing how she originally wanted to be a marine biologist. Hearing what it took to become a graphic designer back in the day was interesting in how they had to get accepted into the program because there wasn’t enough of a demand for work in that field. How she worked with all these companies and one of the biggest graphic designers on the island was interesting to hear.
— Jonathan
My favorite quote that she showed was “Don’t half ass anything. Always use your full ass”. I really liked this quote because it was direct and honest. Stacey talked about how many times, we say that we will go back to a project and better it for our portfolio. But, we most likely won’t. This is why it is important to work hard and put your all into your design projects, especially if you want them on your portfolio.
— Karen
Stacey was very personable and a well of knowledge. It was wonderful to hear about her path from youth to business owner. It is always nice to see locals not just excelling, but really holding a positive place in the business world in Hawaiʻi. I did look through her website and must say that the work they do is amazing. On a more personal level I really like that she is able to incorporate so much of the Kanaka culture into her work and that focuses on the Kanaka culture. There is so much of my ancestor’s culture to share, and as long as it is not becoming just a commodity, I feel that it can be used positively.
— Tris
Stacey has been inspirational in her message today that I can live by especially when I start getting into my career in art. She’s someone who has to work on multiple projects for clients and all are expecting the best from her. The lesson I learned from her was the duality of simplistic but whole in commitment to your work.
— David
Stacey Leong is an example of someone from Hawaiʻi who can become successful. Although Stacey’s accomplishments in design are impressive, what impressed me the most was her view on work ethics. Thank you, Stacey, for your words of knowledge and inspiration. I shall apply your mentality for my ambitions in life.
— Sean
I really enjoyed listening to Stacey’s story about how she came to be a graphic designer. I liked that she talked about how she was a lazy student in high school. Stacey was honest about that because it was something I could relate too as well. I also liked that she talked about how she discovered graphic design and didn’t even know it was a career choice. It was cool to hear about how her mom was the one that kind of helped her to figure out what she ended up being later on. What I took away from Stacey’s story was that do what makes you happy. You might be hesitant about it at first but don’t let that stop you. Don’t be afraid to discover new things in life.
— Sage
I was inspired by Stacey’s story and can relate to having big goals for my career but having to take small, practical steps. Seeing her success reassures me that I can achieve those big goals even if I need to take the small steps and take the opportunities that are right in front of me. In Hawaiʻi, we are often taught to be humble. Stacey mentioned that we need to be humble in the sense that we should listen well and improve on the job, but when looking for a job or internship, it’s important to be impressive and show what you can do.
— Jonah
Listening to Stacey Leong’s talk was very interesting and informative. The point that stood out the most for me during her talk was the information that she gave on what it is like to find a client and keep them. It really made me realize how many different hats a business owner needs to wear and perfect in order to stay in business. Along with doing the actual creative work, a business owner may also need to search for clients, build positive relationships with them, and communicate effectively from casual phone calls to business contracts with clients in order to make sure that they have a good experience. Altogether I thought that Stacey’s conversation was really helpful to know more about the day-to-day of someone who owns a successful business in this specific creative field, especially from someone who not only works with clients but also has some employees, partners, and interns as well.
— Seve
Stacey Leong’s presentation was truly valuable to watch. As she stated, I not only learned business/creative professional insights but also life lessons that I can surely use in my day-to-day living. One of the clearest points made during Stacey’s presentation was having to work hard and work your way up. She stated that she was and still is constantly learning. I liked her advice of “listen, take notes, and take instructions well.” Hearing that, I definitely will strive to be humbled and continue to work hard on my craft.
— Kaui
I appreciated Stacey Leong’s time with us, sharing her journey as a graphic designer. As I grew to appreciate designing, I found her story intriguing. What I found most interesting from her visit was her origin story. The message I got from her journey was that it’s never too late to figure out what you want to do and that life has a way of making unexpected things happen.
— Latisha
ʻŌiwi Journal — Ka Manaʻo o ka Hakulau
BEHIND THE SCENES
ʻŌiwi Journal
Ka Manaʻo o ka Hakulau (Graphic Designerʻs Note)
I was 25 when I designed my first published journal, the ‘Ōiwi Volume 1. Fast forward 25 years, and once again designing ‘Ōiwi Volume 5 has been a true honor and privilege. The time between that first publication and now has flown by but I’m happy to share that my passion for innovative, culturally sensitive design remains strong, and my years spent concepting and creating have been full and meaningful. I’m truly grateful for this opportunity to once again contribute to ‘Oiwi and to honor its talented Native Hawaiian artists, writers and creators.
Getting the Shot
BEHIND THE SCENES
Getting the Shot
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we shot all executive photos individually and then pieced together the group image. That year was particularly interesting but every year, due to meticulous planning, we’re able to complete the photo shoot quickly and efficiently (less than 10 minutes) which works well for these very busy executives. It’s also super fun for us to see the final product come together exactly as planned.
SLD Celebrates 20 in 23
BEHIND THE SCENES
SLD Celebrates
Twenty years ago, Stacey Leong Design opened its doors. And from the beginning, we have been incredibly blessed. Every day, for 20 years, we have worked with a profound sense of pride and purpose to serve our community.
We love what we do and our passion runs strong after 20 years of doing business in Hawai‘i, for Hawai‘i. To our incredible clients, contributors, family and friends, a heartfelt thank you for your 20 years of dedication, trust and partnership. We are eternally grateful. E holomua kākou with love and intention for the next 20 years and beyond!
Enjoy these photo galleries of behind-the-scenes photos and a collection of past works throughout the years.
HPH Employee Giving
BEHIND THE SCENES
The Gift that keeps on Giving
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(I was thinking that the above photo gallery would be of current or any wall graphic installations)
Be Maui Strong
BEHIND THE SCENES
Be Maui Strong…
As I write this, it has only been a week since the wildfires ripped through the sleepy towns of Lāhainā, Kula, Olinda and Kīhei. Since then, I have had trouble sleeping. As more stories unfold of that horrific night, I find myself obsessing over what happened and of the welfare of the survivors.
Many know, some may not… but I am a product of that island. I grew up in Upcountry, Makawao. I am a Maui girl. The flattening of an entire town and the mass loss of lives on the island that I still consider home hurts in a way that is difficult to put into words.
The one thing that I cling to is being “Maui Strong.” Maui people can be characterized as warm, friendly, loving and at the same time we can be tough, rough around the edges, gritty with a quiet resilience that is ingrained from childhood. It is also a way of taking care of others even when you are facing hardships yourself. It is the kind of mentality that doesn’t allow self-pity or wallowing. It is the automatic, all hands on deck kind of thinking that binds the community together. And that is what we all witnessed as the people of Maui took matters into their own hands. They were doing what they were innately taught to do.
There is a strong desire to help my home island during this difficult time. Like many, I have sent donations to specific families in need rather than taking them to mass donation sites. Sending requested supplies via cargo to ‘ohana seems the best way to quickly fulfill their immediate needs. But, let’s be realistic, it is going to take years to rebuild Lāhainā and in the meantime, so many people need immediate help. I realize that many of you may not have family or know people on Maui that have been displaced and would still like to help in some way. I urge you to please donate to either:
Hawaii Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund (they provide funds to vetted nonprofits)
and/or the
Maui Fire Store — Maui Firefighters and Ocean Safety Officers Fund for those who lost their homes (the only legit fundraiser specifically for Maui’s first responders)
As a thank you from SLD for donating, we will send anyone who donates to either or both of these funds our “Maui Strong” sticker (until we run out). Please email me your mailing address and proof of donation for one or both of the mentioned funds (receipt) and we will mail your sticker at no charge.
Me ka mahalo nui,
Stacey
sll@staceyleong.com
– – – –
The Maui Fire Store is operated by active Maui Fire Department Fire Fighters and this fund is approved by MFD. The donations received are used to help their affected fire and other first responder families’ needs. Each family has different needs and they are working with each family individually to provide for them. They are proud and humbled by the amount of support they have received thus far.
The Stars are Radiant
BEHIND THE SCENES
The Stars are Radiant
Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners at this year’s award show held at the Hawai‘i Theatre on July 1, 2023. SLD has been proudly designing for the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts (HARA) since 2007!
Through the years, weʻve had the great opportunity of working with HARA—some of Hawai’i’s best recording artists, producers, song writers, recording engineers, musicians and contributors—all of them staunch supporters and volunteers of music here in the islands.
Each year, the organizers work their magic in such a compressed amount of time… we are always so impressed with their ability to produce such a great show that is broadcast live for the world to enjoy on TV and online.
Where does SLD come into play? We take the vision and theme of the show and design the program for the awards show! Itʻs so exciting to see all the nominated artists and honorees… but attending the show, seeing the artists and being surrounded by so much talent takes it over the edge! Itʻs like Hawai‘iʻs Grammy Awards! Everyone is dressed to impress—showcasing the best local fashions—and accessorized with pikake, ilima, pakalana or maile lei. Now the actual show… we are treated to the best island music and entertainment all throughout the night! Guarantee youʻll be moving to the beat after the first song.
A big mahalo to HARA and the board for being such gracious hosts and for putting on a show to remember!
It’s in the Can!
BEHIND THE SCENES
It’s in the Can!
We might not be known for creating Public Service Announcement Videos, but itʻs something we have experience in and have exercised over the years. Most recently, we were contracted by the State of Hawai‘i and the City & County of Honolulu to develop a series of PSAs that increase public awareness and understanding of special management area (SMA) and shoreline setback regulations. That was definitely easier said than done. This has been a very controversial topic over the years!
In our initial meeting with our client, we learned that there was a host of issues and public misconceptions about shoreline setbacks. We put on our trusty “problem-solving” hats and encouraged the client to get to the root of the matter. Using the same process when working on branding campaigns, we identified their target audience, issues and problems, and developed main message points and call to actions. It took our team a mere 2.5 hours. It needed to happen within that time, the parking meters were ticking! Those C&C parking attendants really have no mercy.
This project was eye-opening. I have never felt so depressed after an initial meeting. As they say, “Ignorance is bliss.” I didn’t know just how bad sea-level rise is. I mean, I have heard about it in simple terms… but it was never put into context and backed with data from leading experts in front of me. From that moment, our team felt a deep sense of purpose and responsibility to be as effective as we possibly could through our PSAs in hope that our communities in Hawai‘i will be informed about the inevitable decrease of our beaches due to sea-level rise.
Whenever delivering a message, I believe it has to be relatable, relative and have resonance with the audience. That meant assembling the right team to make this happen. From the start, longtime friend and expert copywriter Julie Funasaki was enlisted. Technical scriptwriting extraordinaire is something that she can now list on her long list of capabilities. Another longtime friend was roped in—Shawn Pimental of ‘Upena Production Network. A notable musician, producer and sound engineer, Shawn was crafty and pivoted many times over during the pandemic, creating a production company that collaborated with many in the video production industry. He introduced me to Bryson Hoe, Executive Director of ‘Ōiwi TV. My stress level instantly lowered now that I had a solid crew I could count on.
In storytelling, it’s not just the message being delivered thatʻs important, but who is delivering that message. Our team had a very short list of individuals that would be perfect for these PSAs. We felt deeply that these individuals needed to be recognizable, trustworthy, and exude mana. Lemme tell you, this was the most stressful part of the whole project… seeking and requesting these people that I had no prior contact with. With help from friends, I was able to connect with the incomparable Robert Cazimero and the captivating Paula Fuga. I have fan-girled over both of these artists for quite some time and was thrilled that they both had a sense of duty and urgency to participate in this project. After reading the scripts and background both Robert and Paula agreed that our message was one that needed to be heard.
One afternoon during my sunset walk with my son, I shared with him my latest project, how elated we were with the progress and of our new messengers. I told him we were actually missing one more voice… one that represents our future. He looked at me and asked, “You mean someone like me? Do you want me to do it? Because I know about sea-level rise…” Before agreeing to his volunteering, I made sure he realized he wouldn’t get paid and once he says he is gonna do something, he canʻt back out because a whole crew needs to be organized and assembled to shoot the scene. He vehemently agreed and I was happy. The client was happy, too. We had a wise man, an inspirational woman and a Kamehameha School sixth grader willing and ready.
Weeks of scriptwriting and copy editing were finally done. Then the arduous process of location selection and scouting and shoot planning. Shoots done in Hawai‘i are always so dicey… the weather is always the most unreliable crew member. For the most part, we were extremely lucky to have such great weather during the rainiest months of the year. Some shoots took longer as we had to wait out rain dumps and we were blessed with multiple rainbows that gave us the sign that everything was turning out perfectly.
We hope that you learn something from these PSAs. Please take time to share them with others whether they live near the shore or not.
~ Na Stacey
