Brand design firm Hornall Anderson announces today that it is opening a New York studio to enhance its service offering for a growing list of East Coast and global clients. The studio will be led by new hire Kathy Soranno, a 20 + year creative industry veteran.

Kathy Soranno has been named the new Executive Creative Director and Managing Director of Hornall An ...

Kathy Soranno has been named the new Executive Creative Director and Managing Director of Hornall Anderson’s recently opened New York studio. (Photo: Business Wire)

Founded in 1982 by award-winning designers John Hornall (retired) and current Chairman Jack Anderson, Hornall Anderson specializes in the ideation and creation of brands, products, digital endeavors and experiences that ignite a universal desire to play, learn, consume and share. The Seattle-based firm later added offices in the United Kingdom and now partners with a host of international clients that include PepsiCo, Unilever, Starbucks and Aryzta.

Hornall Anderson New York joins the firm’s UK and Seattle offices in bringing a globally-renowned brand intelligence, design pedigree and client experience to a market and region where it’s played for decades, making huge impacts for clients like Madison Square Garden, General Electric, Empire State Building, Ocean Spray and many others.

“We are happy to see Hornall Anderson bring their creative passion and client service to New York City,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, Empire State Building Observatory’s Director. “We have been collaborating for several years now and we look forward to their approach to our partnership and shared commitment to great work here on the same coast, and in the same time zone.”

“Hornall Anderson creates truly thoughtful and emotional customer experiences," said Michael Guth, Madison Square Garden’s Executive Vice President. “They’ve been instrumental in our brand and arena transformation, helping us evoke a sense of reverence for all The Garden represents and elevate our legacy here in New York. I believe they have a lot more to offer this city, and their permanent presence here is warmly welcomed and long overdue.”

As the new Executive Creative Director and Managing Director of the New York studio, Soranno brings to Hornall Anderson not only a shared ethos with the global team, but a visionary talent and celebrated track record of outstanding work. With more than two decades of senior-level branding and design expertise, Soranno was most recently Executive Creative Director for Wallace Church in New York, and prior to that, Creative Director for LPK in Cincinnati. From 2002-2009, she led and managed her own award-winning creative shop, Minneapolis-based Bamboo, which Graphic Design USA recognized as one of the best and brightest U.S. design firms. Throughout her career, she has worked with both specialty and powerhouse brands including Target, Olay, General Mills, Kohl’s, Best Buy and 3M.

“Kathy’s drive for success, her passion to do and be better, her spirit and style are true to all that’s made Hornall Anderson great, and key to fueling our achievements moving forward,” said John Anicker, Hornall Anderson’s President and CEO. “She will lead a studio that is intimate in its scale, but global in its impact, and will reveal new ideas and forge new answers for our clients in New York and beyond.”

Soranno and her team will work directly with Hornall Anderson’s Seattle and UK offices, but will have the capability to scale to global branding projects directly from New York as well.

Hornall Anderson’s New York studio will be located at 200 Varick Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10014.

About Hornall Anderson

Hornall Anderson (www.hornallanderson.com) specializes in the design and execution of customer experiences that bring meaning to brands and consumers. We use design to create branded experiences from print, to digital and packaged goods, environments, virtual worlds, and beyond. Hornall Anderson is a part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc.

About The DAS Group of Companies

The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, national and regional clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.