OCD | The Original Champions of Design
About
Studio Size
Small (1-5)
Year founded
2010
Borough
Manhattan
The Team
OCD | The Original Champions of Design has 5 people. Of those, 2 are studio heads and 0 are managerial.
59% of studios are small-sized (1-5 people).
Gender Breakdown
60% male
40% female
Average height
5’10”-6’
Shortest: 5’3”
Tallest: 5’11”
Average age
26-30
Youngest: 25
Oldest: 36
Studio Disciplines
Breakdown of Work
Strategy/Execution
49% Strategy
51% Execution
Primary Specialties
- Books (50)
- Brand Strategy (40)
- Branding & Identity (73)
- Editorial/Publication Design (50)
- Environmental Design (36)
- Exhibition Design (32)
- Experience Design (32)
- Information Graphics (39)
- Interaction Design (34)
- Print (73)
- Web Design (57)
Clients’ Industries
- Education (39)
- Fashion (43)
- Healthcare (18)
- Media & Publishing (57)
- Restaurants & Food (29)
- Retail (41)
- Sports (22)
- Technology (36)
- The Arts/Cultural Institutions (70)
OCD | The Original Champions of Design’s Clients
- ArtPlace America
- Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
- Friends of the High Line (3)
- Girl Scouts of the USA
- MC Kitchen Miami
- Museum for African Art
- NBA
- NYU Reynolds Program for Social Entrepreneurship
- School of Visual Arts, MFA Design
- St. Bartholomew's Church
- The Studio Museum in Harlem (3)
- WNBA
Bobby C. Martin Jr., Founding Partner
Demographics
Male, from Yorktown, VA, USA, now lives in Flatiron, New York, NY. Formal education is graduate degree, primary design education is school (School of Visual Arts, MFA Design).
What’s been the biggest influence on your design career?
My dad introduced Jacob Lawrence. Alex Bostic built up confidence. Steve Heller encouraged authorship. Brian Collins taught storytelling. Paula Scher set an example. Wynton Marsalis stirred the soul. Jennifer Kinon makes it all possible.
Years in Design Industry
13 years
Average: 17 years
Previous Design Employment
- Ogilvy & Mather, Brand Integration Group (4)
- Jazz at Lincoln Center
- Nokia
Teaching Design
- Cooper Union — 1 years
- School of Visual Arts, MFA Design — 1 years
- School of Visual Arts — 2 years
Board Member on Professional Design Organizations
- AIGA/NY — 2 years
Time spent designing
50% actual
100% desired
Jennifer Kinon, Founding Partner
Demographics
Female, from Mendham, NJ, USA, now lives in SoHo, New York, NY. Formal education is graduate degree, primary design education is school (School of Visual Arts, MFA Design).
What’s been the biggest influence on your design career?
Steve Heller welcomed me into the profession. Michael Bierut gave me the confidence to do the work. Drew Hodges, Stephen Doyle and Jake Barton surprised me with professional support. But none of it can happen without Bobby C. Martin Jr.
Years in Design Industry
12 years
Industry before design
Consulting
Previous Design Employment
Teaching Design
- SVA MFA Design — 7 years
Board Member on Professional Design Organizations
- AIGA — 4 years
Time spent designing
50% actual
50% desired
Location
The Space
The studio is about 750 square feet. It’s rented and they’ve been there for 1 year, 6 months.
Number of times moved
1
Total people in space
5
Amenities
- Coffee maker (53)
- Freezer (43)
- Garden (8)
- Library/book collection (67)
- Pin-up board (43)
- Private bathrooms (34)
- Whiteboard (23)
Number of conference rooms
1
Client meetings held in studio: Less than half
Number of plants
0
Type of chair
Eames(ish)
Decorations
Books and bookshelves, Our work, Process materials for ongoing projects
Desk Policy
To each their own: some keep their desks tidy, while others like it messier.
Space Satisfaction
We love it, it’s perfect
Working Days
Working week
The work week is 60-69 hours/week, core hours are 9:30-6:30, with the first in at 9:00am and the last out at 9:00pm.
8% of studios work 60-69 hours/week.
The average is 40-49 hours/week.
Paid Vacation
6-10 days
26% of studios in this range
Paid Holidays
11 days
Average: 7
Work Weekends?
Once a month
Take Summer Fridays?
Every once in a while
Busiest Time of day?
It’s high intensity all day
Favorite Typefaces:
- Battersea
- Cyclone
- Knockout (10)
- Titling Gothic (2)
Culture
Music
Plays music for 50% of the day at a quiet volume.
Biking to work
1
127 bikers across all studios
Pick your poison
Wine
Overall Noise Level
Average
59% of studios are average
Studio pets
1 dog
32% have pets at the studio
Working groups
Work from home?
Never
Encourage freelance work?
Indifferent
Internal studio meetings
Once a week
Lunch Habits
Eats in small groups
Favorite delivery/take-out: The Smith
Eat out for lunch?
Once a month
Favorite sit-down lunch: Northern Spy
Critiquing Process
Studio Outings
Attend conferences, Drinks after work
Favorite Place(s): Northern Spy, Pouring Ribbons, Momofuku