Rodney Abbot
- Senior Partner, Design
- New York
Expertise
- Identity creation
- Two- and three-dimensional design systems
- Multi-channel execution
- Brand management tools and guidelines
Connect
Work
Rodney has extensive expertise in aligning visual identity with brand strategy via the development, implementation and management of visual identity programs.
His experience includes 18 years at Lippincott where he has created numerous identity and environmental design programs for clients including the American Management Association, Citi, Cordant Technologies (Thiokol), Daewoo Motors, Dell, Deloitte & Touche, Dyneon (3M and Hoechst), eCornell, Holland & Knight, IBM, Infiniti, LG Electronics, Lucent Technologies, Marsh & McLennan Companies, McDonalds, Nissan, Power (IBM and Freescale Semiconductor), Sabic (GE Plastics), Sprint, Sysmex, TACA Airlines and United Rentals.His clients have included Citi, Dell, GM, IBM, Infiniti, Johnson Controls, LG Electronics, Lucent Technologies, Marsh & McLennan Companies, Mayflower Transit, McDonald’s, Nissan, Power (IBM and Freescale Semiconductor), Sabic (GE Plastics), Sprint, Sysmex, TACA Airlines, United Rentals, United Van Lines and USG.
Most recently Rodney has led creative development of a global visual identity system for Dell, product merchandizing strategy and design for Infiniti and brand cue channel alignment for Sprint.
Musings
"I had an art teacher in high school who recommended I study graphic design. I had no idea what that meant, or why he thought I might be suited to it. But I took his advice. I was immediately taken with the process of design: looking hard at a problem, working within the constraints of the assignment and coming up with a creative solution. It engaged both sides of my brain in a way I found deeply satisfying. That’s what I’m still doing today, only now I get paid."
Five things you are passionate about? "My family, design, swimming and surfing...four is all I handle right now."
When you were little, you wanted to be..."A carpenter or National Geographic photographer."
Etcetera
Rodney’s work has been featured in leading design publications and books, including The Design of Dissent by Milton Glaser et al and Pacific Rim Design by Wei Yew. He has received numerous awards including an international design award from iF Hannover for his work with IBM.
Rodney also produced Sense: The Art and Science of Creating Lasting Brands (Rockport Publishers, 2004).
Rodney has been a guest critic at Yale University, as well as a senior lecturer at the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, where he taught senior projects in interactive narrative and corporate identity.
A native of New Zealand, Rodney holds a B.F.A. from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and an M.F.A. from Yale University.