Tyra Douyon - April 13, 2023
We are excited to have Designer, Meghan Nichols, as part of our Rearview Advertising team!
Meghan has always had a keen eye for color theory, symmetry, and typography, but her unlikely career in graphic and UI-UX design began when she was taking accounting courses as a business major in college. She later realized that accounting was not her calling and on a whim decided to take a computer science class. It was when she noticed she liked the presentation aspect of the class and not the mathematical and analytical components of the subject that her desire for design truly took shape. She changed courses again and enrolled in a design-focused class that allowed her to teach herself how to use Illustrator and Photoshop applications and the rest is history.
Meghan is a proud graduate of Kennesaw State University with a B.S. in Interactive Design and a minor in Technical Communication. Here, she learned computational thinking, front-end coding, and how to develop design plans using specialized computer software that give the best possible user experience. In the future, she plans to focus on strategic design informed by marketing strategy and development.
When she’s not honing her presentation skills and monitoring product performance, you can find her hanging out with her precious cats, Ashes and Rusty, viewing wedding venue properties, and rewatching Disney classic films. Meghan sat down with Digital Content Editor, Ty Douyon, to tell us more about her favorites outside of the office.
MN: Apple
TD: Apple.com? Where you buy… phones?
(Both laughing)
MN: Yes.
TD: Okay, why? I’m going to go on there right now.
[Ty opens the website on her laptop.]
[Meghan starts pointing out the website features on a specific page.]
TD: It’s really sleek, I give them that!
MN: Yes! See, I like how they inserted all the videos and they start playing automatically.
TD: That’s your designer’s eye right there.
MN: Yes, it’s one of my favorites. They’re just so clean.
TD: I never thought about it, but that’s cool. I haven’t been on the Apple website in years. They definitely rebranded, but I like it!
MN: I have to say Torrid. This is from like 6 years ago and they had this campaign called “Hashtag These Curves.” One of the reasons that I liked it is because Barbie Ferreira from Euphoria was in it.
TD: Oh she was? I love her. (smiles)
MN: It was all about body positivity and for someone who is more plus-sized it was nice to see people my size be featured. And on their website, in pictures, they used real people. Real people who actually use their bras, underwear, and clothes. They were on the website rather than models and I thought that was pretty cool.
TD: You know what’s interesting? I feel like all the brands that are more inclusive and offer plus sizes go for [showcasing] real women and real people, but the [other brands] still show a lot of models with “aspirational bodies.” Smaller women would benefit from seeing ‘real people’ too because not everyone is skinny. Do you know what I’m saying?
MN: Yeah!
TD: Even if you’re a medium, you could have a stomach pouch or something. You know?
MN: Yeah, I feel like Target has done a good job with it in the last couple of years.
TD: Right, the mannequins. My jaw dropped. And they’re in the fitness section too.
MN: I love that. I think Old Navy has done that too.
TD: But yes, I like Torrid.
MN: I just wish they’d go down on their prices. (laughs)
TD: There’s this argument about it– more fabric so more money– but everyone deserves to look nice and feel good and there are other ways to cut costs rather than giving it to the consumer.
MN: That’s true.
TD: Hot take!
(Both laughing)
MN: I’m not really sure. I didn’t know how to answer this one when I was thinking about it. (laughs)
TD: I have this website.
MN: Okay. (laughs)
TD: Because I was thinking, ‘I have to do design-specific questions and I don’t know anything.’ (laughs)
[Ty proceeds to show Meghan an article that features the most popular design styles of 2023.]
MN: I’d have to say retro line art. I love retro stuff. I’m trying to make my house very mid-century…retro.
TD: Yes, I do like that style of furniture…how it looks. It’s simplistic, but it still has character!
MN: Yes, yes! I’m trying to think of something else…
TD: Take your time. (smiles)
[Meghan proceeds to look up a website to show Ty.]
MN: Like this stuff!
TD: Yeah, this looks like the Target brand… Wild…whatever.
MN: Wild Fable.
TD: (laughs) Yeah, I love that brand.
MN: I like retro line because a lot of the time it’s used with bright colors and I’m very much in the part of my life where I love bright colors! The retro art just makes it feel like the words are jumping out and create a positive vibe.
MN: If we’re talking fast food then Chick-fil-A. I actually used to work there.
TD: Chick-fil-A employees are super hardcore and loyal to the brand.
MN: I did not want to quit. (laughs)
TD: Right, they say, ‘This was my favorite job and the best time in my life.’ (laughs)
MN: I don’t know what it is, but once you’re there you can’t leave.
TD: Is it just the people and the environment is friendly and upbeat?
MN: Yes, my team was pretty awesome. Restaurant? Probably the Vortex.
TD: I just went there for the first time like three weeks ago. They have really good moonshine. I only needed one!
MN: I went two years ago with a bunch of friends and it was the best night. I’m going this weekend with my bridesmaids after we go [wedding] dress shopping.
TD: Are you excited about dress shopping? So you’re getting your dress too and everyone else’s?
MN: No, I already have my dress. We’re looking for them because I have a specific look that I’m going for.
TD: Are you a Bridezilla?
(Both laughing)
TD: Be honest!
MN: Just a little, just a little. (laughs) They can choose whatever dress they want, it just has to be the right color.
MN: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
TD: That’s deep. Did you read the book?
MN: Yes, I did. The book was really good too.
TD: What did you like most about the movie?
MN: The way they all connected. It was such a deep movie, and if you weren’t really paying attention you didn’t see the underlying message. When I first watched it I was like, “What happened?” But I watched it again and— “Oh!”
TD: I had the same reaction to the book. I said, “Wait, what happened to him? This just jumped. This doesn’t make any sense.” But it’s like… what is it… a metaphor, a paradox?… for how mental health issues can manifest in people and you may not see it at first, but the signs were always there.
MN: I also liked Emma Watson in it. I think she did really beautifully.
MN: Strangers Things
TD: I didn’t watch season 4 so no spoilers! (laughs)
MN: No spoilers, no spoilers! [smiles]
TD: I heard it was scary. People said not to watch it at night.
MN: I don’t get scared easily so—
TD: I do! (laughs)
MN: If you thought the first season was scary, it does bring back a lot of that.
TD: The first season terrified me.
MN: Really?
TD: Yeah, I was watching it at night. I binged it and when he was in the walls? I was overwhelmed. (laughs) It was scary to me.
MN: I didn’t watch it at first because it was so hyped up. I was at the point in my life where I didn’t like hyped-up things… trying to be edgy.
(Both laughing)
MN: But finally my mom wanted to watch it and we binged seasons 1 and 2 in two days.
TD: I love child actors that can really bring it with their performance. It’s endearing. Have you seen the movie Room with Brie Larson?
MN: No.
[Ty proceeds to tell Meghan the synopsis of the movie.]
TD: It was riveting and Brie Larson won the Oscar for Best Actress that year. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s really good. I feel like you like deep things…drama. I’m more of a comedy person.
MN: I do, but I like comedy movies too. My comfort movie is Daddy’s Home 2.
TD: The one with–
[together]
TD: Mark Wahlberg! —- MN: Will Ferrell!
(Both laughing)
MN: I do like things that make you think though. (smiles)
MN: Alabama. College football.
TD: Roll Tide?
MN: Roll Tide! All the way! Born and bred.
TD: In Alabama? When did you move here?
MN: When I was really little. I don’t remember a lot of it, but my mom kept it.
TD: Yeah, it’s like that for me too. I moved here when I was 10 from New York and I think, ‘Do I even say I’m from there anymore?’ But my family says, “Yeah, you have full memories from that time and went to school there.” So it’s ‘Go Knicks…Yankees!’
(Both laughing)
MN: I have to say both. I like…hmmm… I like Hulu in the fact that they have a lot more stuff on it that I know of.
TD: It’s current.
MN: Yeah, but Netflix has a lot of good originals.
TD: I think that’s what saves it honestly. Because if there were no Netflix originals they couldn’t compete without the binge-watching factor… people would have to wait 2-3 years for them to put anything on the site.
MN: Exactly, exactly.
TD: I’m a huge Bridgerton fan. That’s my show!
MN: I couldn’t get into it.
TD: I just love romance. (laughs)
MN: I want to get into it, but I never could. (laughs)
TD: It’s so good. Give it another chance!
TD: I think I know the answer.
MN: I’m actually a big dog person.
TD: Really? Are you going to get a dog?
MN: I want to! My fiance and I are waiting until we move to a bigger place.
TD: I raised my dog in an apartment. She’s okay because we go to the park every day, but it is hard. Just don’t get them when you have carpet. It was horrific. (laughs)
MN: Oh yeah, oh yeah. (laughs)
TD: I was in agony. (laughs)
MN: (laughs) I love my cats. I got the first one when I really needed him. I was in college and it was good to go home, pet my cat, relax…but I’ve always been a dog person. That’s why when Maizey’s here [in the office], it’s the best day ever.
(Note: Maizey is a co-worker’s puppy.)
MN: I would have to say it would be this design because I had to make this from scratch.
TD: Wow! How long did this take you?
MN: Let’s see… 13 ½ hours! It was nice having the ability to start and finish it. This was fun.
TD: This is one of the most intricate housing maps I’ve seen. You have the landscaping, the trees… the other buildings in proximity to it.
MN: And the roads are like this thin. [Points to the map graphic] That was the worst. (smiles)
TD: You love it!
(Both laughing)
MN: Tik Tok, hands down! It’s been a hard almost 40 days.
TD: Oh, you stopped using it for Lent?
MN: Yes.
TD: I can’t go on it because I have an addictive personality. It would ruin my life.
(Both laughing)
MN: It has been rough. I’m ready for Sunday to be here. I’m ready to be done!
MN: What can you buy for $1?
TD: I know right? In this economy?
(Both laughing)
MN: A lottery ticket honestly. I’ll try my luck. (smiles)
Copyright © 2024 Rearview Enterprises, Inc. Privacy Policy