Project Details
From 2018-2024 we’ve collaborated as a small team at proto.life to bring big stories to life on a weekly basis. Coming to the table as an expert in publishing, Jane brought me on to be a fully integrated partner: commissioning illustrations and photography, designing stories on a CMS on a weekly basis, customizing the newsletter to fit weekly content, preparing engaging social posts, and more. We also oversaw regular maintenance and designed enhanced features for the website as our audience needs grew.
On the brand identity front, the publication went through a rebrand from NEO.LIFE to proto.life in early 2023. This meant crafting a new name and designing a new logo all while keeping our audience of over 18,000 newsletter subscribers engaged and seamlessly transitioning the website. Additionally, we’ve hosted several events and activations, kickstarted a book, and gave presentations to audiences across the world.
Proto.life has won several journalism awards throughout the years including from the Association of Healthcare Journalists and the Medical Journalists’ Association Awards, as well as receiving recognition for several illustrations from the American Illustration awards. NEO.LIFE: 25 Visions for the Future of Our Species, also landed on AIGA’s 50 Covers / 50 Books list in 2020.
Disciplines
Naming
Logo Design
Brand Strategy
Publishing
Communication
Art Direction – Illustration and Photography
“Brad is a strong visual storyteller who consistently and intuitively presents our content with excitement, modernism, and authority. He has been absolutely key to developing our brand across all platforms.”
–Jane Metcale, Founder of proto.life, WIRED, and TCHO Chocolate
Nicolás Ortega – The future of placebos
As art director, part of the great pleasure of my work is collaborating with a roster of amazingly talented illustrators, photographers, and designers. At proto.life, our goal was always to communicate thought-provoking ideas through the use of bright color palettes and iconic imagery to relay complex story ideas in the clearest way possible. We help the reader along in their journey, but also sometimes ask them to take pause and question what they are seeing.
Paige Vickers – This illustration for our story on psychedelics and eating disorders won an American Illustration award in 2023.
Daniel Zender – Chronic pain
Winnie Wintermeyer – portrait of Eric Verdin, president and CEO of the Buck Institute
Athos Burez – Low-dose lithium for depression
Ben Hickey – Femtech venture capital
Patrick Leger – Q&A with Angela Chen on asexuality
Michael Hoeweler – Q&A with Daisy Robinton on female longevity
OMA Creative – Bulk book order campaign
Juanjo Gasull –Gene therapies for eternal youth