Today we’d like to introduce you to EME Design Studio. The team shared their story with us below:
EME Design Studio is as unique as its surroundings. We are located in El Paso, Texas, an American city with a desert landscape and a Mexican heart. This desert city we are proud to call home gives us inspiration from both sides of the border. We can have mouth-watering tacos al pastor served with all the fixings and enjoy them under the warm Texas sky, the best of two countries in one place. We are lucky to live in a fountain of inspiration that enables us to break any and every rule. However, here, we receive more than inspiration; the Mexican culture rooted in El Paso teaches us to treat people with warmth and sincerity, characteristics that we believe are fundamental to the philosophy of our studio. We are a small studio that believes that clear and constant communication and a true passion for design yield the most innovative and dynamic results. EME Design Studio specializes in growing and repairing progressive hospitality concepts through brand development and consulting. The principals of our Agency are proven marketing veterans who have worked extensively in the hospitality and entertainment sectors. We have world-class brand experience, working with national and international marquee institutions such as The Venetian, MGM at Foxwoods, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand Casino, Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, Hotel Indigo, Kimpton Hotels, to name a few.
Iris Morales received a BFA in graphic design and printmaking from the University of Texas at El Paso and, later on, a Master’s degree in Business Administration. After graduating, she moved to Las Vegas, where she did creative work for clients such as Planet Hollywood, Atlantis at the Bahamas, and MGM Resorts International. She has worked for SK+G in Las Vegas, where she did everything from venue logos and branding to concert and event campaigns. Joel drives the creative vision of the company and its clients. Trained as a Graphic Designer, he began art directing early in his career. He was able to leverage this to faithfully execute his original ideas in local campaigns and print advertisements and remain one of the city’s top brand designers. Joel has worked with Angel Music Group (now Hakassan Group), Movingsun Studios, and Fat Elvis Advertising in Las Vegas. In addition to The Venetian, he has worked for Sierra Mist, Bacardi, Right Gin, Trader Vic’s, N9NE Group, Dillard’s, Tenet Health, Hotel Indigo, and several local and international restaurants.
After a costume-only wedding in a Las Vegas Chapel, Iris and Joel left their jobs, spent all their savings backpacking for 6 months around the world, and have become passionate about traveling ever since. From couch-surfing in New Zealand to local hu tongs in China, they’ve had their share of experience in the hospitality industry.
Together, they had the distinction of creating the National American Advertising Gold Award winner brand identity for BOXHA Coffee House. Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it. Gratefully, our work has been published in books and magazines worldwide and has received numerous awards nationally and internationally. We’re the amp to your guitar. We’re always the loudest and last ones to leave. We’ll ensure your voice is loud and clear, and we won’t go until we get there.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life is full of struggles; we must adapt and learn to solve those issues. From learning a bit of accounting and bookkeeping to sales, client retention, etc., all of the non-creative, no fun is what we used to struggle with, but once you learn to deal with it, it becomes part of the deal. Unexpected situations like COVID-19 are also a huge part of struggles, but somehow, having a perfect relationship with clients and helping each other kept us in business.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
We are a diverse team of creatives from different backgrounds. We are avid travelers who are always open to new experiences. Our willingness to learn is a great asset for the studio. We share our experiences, teach and learn from our designers, and inspire and push them to be better and feel better about what they do in and out of the studio. We teach them the responsibilities that we have as designers. The studio is a full-service creative studio, but we specialize in branding and package design. We are known for creating successful brands for local and international clients. Clients usually comment about our unique style and concepts, that brands we create can create emotions when they first see it—a connection between the graphic work and the viewer. We are very proud of our heritage, where we come from, and being able to share our story.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up in the Bordertown of El Paso/Juarez. This is a fascinating region where you are neither from here nor there, where you share and mix stories, traditions, food, and experiences. I was born in Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the world. I moved to a tiny town when I was 9, then made to move to the border city at 10 years old. I got to experience the big city, the small city, and the border. My interest in art has been for me since I was about 6. My uncle would give me drawings he would copy from comics or books, and I wanted to learn to draw. He taught me the basics, but I always chose art as my elective as I grew up. I once received an award in middle school, pushing me to continue with art. I graduated from UTEP with a BFA in graphic design and ceramics. I do not recall anyone in my near or distant family being an artist, so I am unsure where my love for art was born.
Pricing:
- Every project has different needs. We can only estimate the cost per project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thisiseme.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisemestudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisisemestudio
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisemestudio
- Youtube: https://vimeo.com/thisisemestudio
- Other: https://www.behance.net/thisisemestudio
