Tyra Douyon - April 28, 2023
We are excited to have Lead Designer Beth Pruitt as part of our Rearview Advertising team!
Beth is considered a jack of all trades with her years of design experience and aptitude for creative projects. Her love of art was fostered by her mother, a professional portrait artist, who taught her how to draw and paint and encouraged her to go to art school to learn the fundamentals for a professional career. At the Art Institute of Atlanta, Beth studied Visual Communication which encompassed commercial art, graphic design, advertising, photography, and more. Additionally, she learned how to develop film, airbrush, and create original digital designs for her future clients.
As a designer, her passion lies in using her creativity on a daily basis to construct unique projects. She loves working on branding campaigns, collaborating with professionals who share her vision, and taking on a diverse range of clients at Rearview Advertising. Her professional aspirations involve both satisfying her client’s needs and contributing to the company’s growth. When she’s not engaged in client meetings, leading collaborative sessions with her team, or exploring innovative techniques to elevate her craft, you can find her planning her next beach getaway and spending quality time with her husband and rambunctious cats, Leopold and Loki. Beth sat down with Digital Content Editor, Ty Douyon, to tell us more about her favorites outside of the office.
BP: I love Apple’s website. Another one I like is called CasaAngelina. I love the way it’s done and it has a beach theme.
[Ty types in the website on her laptop.]
TD: Is it a hotel? Boutique hotel?
BP: Yeah, that’s it!
TD: It opens up to the beach on the landing page which is beautiful.
BP: Yes, and if you scroll down… I love the transitions. It’s very cool.
TD: Oh yeah!
BP: I used to work in real estate and we did a lot of advertising for the luxury division. I was researching luxury resorts to get some ideas and inspiration and I came across this one. I think they’re really cool, the way they function.
[Ty continues to explore the website.]
TD: I’ve never seen this before. This transitions here where it forces you to scroll side-to-side. That’s awesome!
BP: Yes, I love that. There are so many luxury resort companies that have really cool websites like that. I do like Apple as one that everyone knows of. It’s not as simplistic as it used to be… there was so much white.
TD: Yeah, I remember.
BP: A lot of people don’t design with a lot of blank space. They think they have to fill up everything, but I hate that. It’s jumbled. It’s like when you walk into an antique store and there is all this stuff everywhere.
TD: Yes, it’s overwhelming.
BP: You can’t focus on anything. So, that’s why I like Apple. Whatever they do is cool. (smiles)
TD: They are definitely an innovator, always trying to think of new things and beat the market. They want to be the face of the new…
BP: Technology.
TD: Yes. (smiles)
BP: Even though their stuff is more expensive… it’s almost like you don’t have a choice. (laughs)
TD: (laughs) Yeah, honestly it’s a universe. You have the phone, then you have to have the laptop, then the watch, then the headphones. I love that they created an ecosystem. Some people feel like they’ve monopolized the market, but when you have all these things connected it just makes your life easier, to be honest.
BP: It really does. My husband refuses to fall into the Mac world.
TD: My mom says that too, “Samsung forever.” (laughs)
BP: It’s been so long since I’ve used a PC. I don’t think I could do it. (laughs)
BP: Apple is one of my favorites. Was it the 80s or 90s? It was called “Think Different” and they used all these celebrities like Einstein…They would have print ads of an Apple with a worm or the Apple with different colors.
TD: Yeah, I vaguely remember that.
BP: Yeah, most of the campaigns that they come up with are good. I have a list of others. I have my favorite feel-good campaigns, Budweiser Clydesdale commercials that they showed during the Super Bowl. Those always made me cry. And the Publix commercials are really good!
TD: Publix? Okay!
BP: Yeah, that feel-good family thing. It’s one of those things that pull at people’s heartstrings. Working in real estate advertising, [homebuyers] need to see the lifestyle. It’s not just a house it’s a home.
TD: Right, I’m learning that too. I have to write about the family coming together for dinner after school, the husband is grilling in the back, they’re working on the car in the garage… you have to paint this picture. And it’s not just the house itself, it extends to the neighborhood amenities and then the community as a whole and what you can do every day. I did this one piece where I was talking about all the daily necessities you have to do, ‘This is where you can groom your dog, get your hair cut, go to the grocery store…’ and I built the idea of its not just you buying your house, it’s you buying your life.
BP: Exactly, and it’s true! That’s what people want, really. It sells it. Hmmm, what else? I have several. (laughs) I love Margaritaville’s campaign. They have resorts everywhere. And the regular website where they sell their blenders… the whole Margaritaville lifestyle…I love the design and the look. Maybe it’s because I’m partial to the beach thing. Corona did something too and they had images of the beer with the lime in it—
TD: On the sand—
BP: Yeah, the chair on the sand. I mean I want to be there.
(Both laughing)
BP: I love Cartier’s Panthére campaign from way back. They had leopards with the jewelry…
BP:…and Harry Winston did one. Was it in the 40s? I’m not sure what year. But it said, “When cats were Gods.”
TD: Ohhh, okay!
BP: It had this black cat with a diamond necklace. It looks like a tear. That was my favorite ad. I have a favorite in each category. I even wrote down the Allstate Mayhem campaign. (laughs)
TD: Oh my god, that’s my favorite! I was going to say that. (laughs)
BP: That’s hilarious. (laughs)
TD: All the car insurance commercials. I like State Farm and Jake…Progressive and Flo… of course ICONIC… Geico and the Gecko.
BP: It’s funny because my husband and I will be watching TV and whether it’s streaming or recorded on the DVR, if he sees an Allstate Mayhem commercial he’ll stop it. (laughs)
TD: Yes, because it’s so funny. (laughs) I remember when they rolled out that campaign and I thought, ‘This is good!’
BP: Yeah, I love it. I can’t pick just one campaign. (smiles)
TD: I think we’re going back to the days when we see more ads. When streaming started, having no commercials [on streaming platforms] was ‘in.’ Going on YouTube there were no commercials, but now it’s coming back because these companies are realizing they also can’t keep themselves going without ads. It’s interesting to see how advertisements are such a big part of our lives and they bring life to [other] companies too…so many different companies rely on these advertisements to push products and services that people need.
BP: It’s crazy.
TD: It just all connects.
BP: It really does. It would have been great to not have commercials, but how are they going to make money? They would have to charge us so much. (laughs)
TD: Yeah, Netflix recently had to change their policies and they offer some commercial-free accounts but you have to pay more for that. The cheaper account with commercials is six dollars and change. They realized they can’t sustain themselves without ads. They need revenue coming in.
BP: Well, I guess that’s job security.
(Both laughing).
TD: Yeah, we’re good to go for now!
BP: I don’t know. (laughs)
TD: I have a lot as well. (laughs)
BP: I mean, I love Italian food. There is a place called Frankie’s that’s really good. I guess that’s probably my favorite at this time.
TD: Is that in Atlanta?
BP: I think it’s in Marietta, but they might have a couple of locations. It’s been a while since I’ve been there since Covid. I’ve been slow to get back out.
TD: Do you like Thai food?
BP: Yeah.
TD: There is this place down the street called Soi 3. Best Thai food I’ve ever had. They opened around the pandemic and the owner and head chef is very personable. He used to come out to the tables and talk to the customers and tell us about his recipes and process.
BP: Oh, cool! I’ve got to try that.
BP: That’s hard too. The first one that pops into my head is Avatar. I haven’t seen the second one.
TD: It’s good, but you have to take a nap before you watch it because it’s long. (laughs)
BP: Is it over three hours?
TD: I think so. Maybe 3 hours and 30 minutes. It’s solid.
BP: Wow!
TD: At first when I heard that I thought there is no way. [The Director] is doing too much and he should have cut. But when I watched it there was nothing that he could cut. We needed every part. That’s pretty impressive that the story is so intricate that you need the film to be over 3 hours long. (laugh)
BP: I know, I can’t wait to see it! I can’t believe we missed it in the theatres but we have a big screen at home. I’m just so busy all the time.
TD: As long as you have a big screen you should be fine. You know they do a lot of running. (laughs)
BP: It was so cool and I love the movie. I’ve definitely seen it more than once. It was the story and the imagery… the color… the music too! I loved everything about it.
TD: You have to watch the second one. There was a lot going on. I cried at one point. (laughs)
BP: Yeah, it’s so emotional. The people are trying to take their homes away. And it mirrors what happens with the rainforest and they don’t realize what they are disrupting. It was the same in the movie.
TD: Yes, it’s a bigger message in these movies. And Zoe Saldana, if that woman can do nothing else, she can cry. The way she acts in the movie breaks your heart. You should see her in the TV show on Netflix, From Scratch. It’s a limited series based on a true story about a woman falling in love with an Italian chef and taking care of him while he fights cancer. I had to pause the show to sob. She can really act!
BP: Oh wow, I’ve got to watch that for sure!
BP: That’s another hard one. It depends on the day! (laughs)
TD: Are you more comedy or drama?
BP: Hmm, I would say my favorite comedy is Schitt’s Creek.
TD: A lot of people say that one. I’ve got to finish it!
BP: It is so hilarious. I like Yellowstone. It depends on the mood I’m in, but we binge-watch a lot of different things. I like Outlander too… The Vampire Diaries. It’s a wide range. (smiles)
TD: I loved The Vampire Diaries! I was going to apply to be an extra on the set when they were filming in Georgia, but I decided not to because I felt it would be too much for me. I was a super fan. (laughs)
BP: That’s so funny, oh my god. (laughs) I do love it. I could watch it again and again.
TD: It’s a feel-good show for sure!
BP: I would have to say the Braves. It used to be the Falcons, but they’re disappointing. (laughs)
TD: After that one year? Never again.
BP: The championship game they hosted here?
TD: Yeah, it was embarrassing.
BP: It was.
TD: I was talking smack to some friends I knew from Boston for days and during the first half of the game! When [the scoreboard] switched I got so silent. (laughs)
BP: After that game, I just couldn’t anymore. (laughs) I used to be so into sports, but now I don’t have as much time to watch each week. My husband is a big Alabama fan and always wants me to watch it with him.
TD: I get you there. I usually just watch the championship games. (smiles)
BP: Right now would probably be Netflix. They have so many good originals.
TD: Yup, that’s their bread and butter. (smiles)
BP: It’s amazing because there are a lot of stars on there who end up doing a lot of the movies and tv shows. It’s kind of surprising.
TD: When that started happening I knew Netflix had cemented itself into the industry. When Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler [were on there] and then when Brad Pitt made a film? He was in a Netflix movie last year… my family watched it during Christmas…. he was on a train…. Let me look it up real quick!
[Ty starts typing into her laptop to find the movie title.]
BP: Yes, I’m going to have to see that because I missed it.
TD: Bullet Train! You’ll need to add that to the queue. It’s really good. For shows there’s a new one that just came out with Ali Wong, it’s called Beef. It starts with a road rage situation. The other guy that’s starring opposite her is Stephen Yeun.
BP: I’ve got to check it out! Another one on Netflix is with Rob Lowe and it’s called Unstable. You should check it out. It’s hilarious. (smiles)
TD: I think I know the answer. (smiles)
BP: I do like cats better. (smiles)
TD: Yes, they’re really calm and sweet. My cat just meows for food and sleeps all day. (laughs)
BP: Really? Mine climb the walls.
TD: Wow, they’re little right?
BP: Yeah, they just turned one. But Loki, the orange one? He’s huge. I have to weigh him.
TD: Orange cats are always big and fat like Garfield. (laughs)
BP: That’s what everyone tells me. Our vet even said he was going to be huge because his paws were big.
TD: I’ve always wanted a big cat. My old vet had a Maine Coon. And the first time I saw him I actually jumped back. (laughs). He was humongous…looked like a Cheetah or something. It was the biggest cat I’ve ever seen in real life.
BP: I used to have a Bengal. He was a cross between a wild Asian spotted leopard cat and a domestic cat. And it’s usually Abyssinians and Siamese that they’re bred with, so they’re a little nuts.
(Both laughing)
BP: He would talk nonstop. He was sweet and very pretty, but he would not shut up. (laughs) He would hang from the molding on top of the ceiling too.
TD: That’s what your cats need!
BP: You get them all the toys and climbers and they just want to play with a box. (laughs)
TD: My cat is happiest with a piece of thread. She would be busy all day with it. (laughs)
BP: That would be my Twin Palms brochure I created for Brock Built. Again, it’s the beach theme. (smiles)
TD: These are great, Beth!
BP: Thanks, it was a fun project! I also did the logo for them.
TD: I love that it looks more like a book than a traditional vertical 3-fold brochure. This is very creative!
BP: Thank you! (smiles)
TD: And you said you paint as well..watercolor and oils? I’d love to see some pieces. (smiles)
BP: Sure! I’ll have to look some up for you.
TD: The watercolor paintings are beautiful! Do you commission any pieces?
BP: I do sometimes when I have time. (smiles)
BP: I love fonts that look handwritten. There was one called Dear Joe or Dear Sarah…
TD: That’s a cool name for a font. Is that on a different software?
BP: You can probably Google it. I’m not sure who makes it.
BP: When you want to use handwritten fonts, it’s actually hard to find one you really like. I can spend hours looking for fonts for [my projects].
TD: Something that was really profound for me and made me think more about typefaces… I watched this commencement speech Steve Jobs presented at Stanford University and he talks about how he was able to get his Apple products to revolutionalize the industry… it was when he created different typefaces that looked less like a machine and more like handwriting. He went on from there and that’s what set Apple computers apart from the other manufacturers and software companies because they didn’t have that feature.
BP: I actually didn’t realize that.
TD: Yeah, I thought that was cool. He was in college and he decided to take a calligraphy class. Years later he had the idea to create typefaces for the Macintosh computers and that catapulted him to create Apple.
BP: Oh, wow!
TD: Yeah, it was a commencement speech. I can send you the link. (smiles)
BP: Okay! I know they created the first computer out of a garage. I think it was called the Lisa… in 1976. Wow.
BP: I guess Instagram. Because Facebook is a time suck.
TD: When I go on Facebook it has very long-form posts and it has a throwback feel to it. You’ll see people on there you haven’t seen in forever.
BP: And I don’t need to know that you went to the doctor today.
(Both laughing)
BP: Some people put too much on there, too much information… I’m like “Dude.” (laughs)
TD: I think Facebook still has that old-school social media vibe where you overshare and Instagram doesn’t. I think it’s more… aspirational and Facebook is more real.
BP: I hardly ever get on there these days because the format changes constantly.
TD: I’m trying to post less on Instagram now and treat it more as a photo album.
BP: That’s the way I look at it! I don’t post anything anymore. I just don’t take the time to do it. (laughs)
TD: You have to rest. You need a beach trip, Beth! (laughs)
BP: I really do, but I’m taking one in May to Madeira Beach.
TD: Oh, that’s great. (smiles) I always say as long as I have a good beach chair, an umbrella, and reflective glasses I can sit on the beach from sun up to sundown.
BP: I just love it. I can definitely live on the beach. I even saw sea turtles hatch last year with my niece. (smiles)
TD: That’s incredible! I’ve always wanted to see that. (smiles)
BP: Can you buy anything for $1?
TD: Everyone has asked that. (laughs).
BP: I don’t even think you can buy a lottery ticket for a dollar. (laughs) Maybe gum?
TD: That’s like 3 or 4 dollars now. Okay, maybe an aspirational dollar. (laughs)
BP: I really don’t know. (laughs)
TD: Okay, I’ll tell you mine. Back in New York, there were shaved ice vendors that would walk around. I loved eating those!
BP: Maybe popcorn. I love movie-theater popcorn.
TD: You know what me and my sister used to do? We used to put maple syrup on our popcorn when we were kids. We said it was our version of caramel corn. (laughs)
BP: I used to put mine in a frying pan and mix it with butter and garlic and cheese—
TD: Cheese?!
BP: Yeah, it was disgusting. It was a failed experiment.
(Both laughing)
TD: Do you know the brand Jiffy Pop? Now that’s popcorn!
BP: Yeah, I also had a Whirley Pop. You would put it right on the stove and turn it to heat the kernels.
TD: Was it a dollar?
[Beth shakes her head no.]
TD: Okay, well a dollar in spirit.
(Both laughing).
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