saam gabbay

Media Arts LabI’ve known and worked with Saam for over 10 years. On behalf of my clients, he has created stunning digital design, composed fresh original music, pulled off impossible photo shoots, and lent unique insights to strategic brainstorming sessions.

But more than any of those individual skills, what I appreciate most about this Swiss Army knife of creative directors is the spirit he brings to projects. The best ideas only find life in the right atmosphere, and Saam’s combination of openness, contrariness, curiosity and unlimited energy always help nurture that.

In short, good stuff happens when Saam is in the mix.

Eric Grunbaum
Executive Creative Director
TBWA\Media Arts Lab

Rhino Entertainment / Warner Music GroupSaam Gabbay is one of those creatives that you go to when you need a new perspective… it seems I can plug him into any situation.  He and I have worked together for years on a variety of projects.  He’s a very interesting fellow.

John Beug
Senior VP of Video / A&R
Rhino Entertainment / Warner Music Group

Clive Wilkinson Architects

I met Saam Gabbay for the first time in the Pacific Ocean about ten years ago: at around the four foot deep mark. I’d say this unusual approach is really quite normal for Saam.

He has a voracious appetite for discovering new things and ideas, and surrounding himself with the questions that matter in life. Sometimes these are highly scientific and sometimes purely artistic, making his range exceptional: he is what one calls a Renaissance man.

This inclination is hugely valuable in the 21st Century as our times mirror the radical transformations that occurred in the 15th Century and focus on the rediscovery of what human potential means. We have worked together in recent times on both photography for the ad agency JWT in New York and in Visioning Sessions for the new KCRW radio station building in Santa Monica. Each occasion has been a delight.

Clive Wilkinson
President and Design Director
Clive Wilkinson Architects

Media Arts Lab

Whenever I need a lightning bolt of ideas and creativity, I call Saam.  He is far out and still so in touch with humanity–I can always count on him for an innovative point of view–it’s so refreshing!

Tess Bethune
Worldwide Director of Creative Recruitment
TBWA\Media Arts Lab

Ehrlich ArchitectsSaam has captured the spirit of our working culture and environment. He did this with charm, humor and talent.

Steven Ehrlich, FAIA, RIBA
Design Principal
Ehrlich Architects

UrbanDaddy

I come to Saam when I need leadership, creative vision and absolute reliability in process and execution—and he’s never failed to over deliver on all three. In our most recent project together, UD was looking for a personality and talent to match the amazing personalities that we were interviewing—and we got just that on every level. We must have watched the final product over 100 times—the result was unique, visually stunning and most importantly, a business success for all involved.

Lance Broumand
CEO
UrbanDaddy

Actress + Model

The best word to describe working with Saam is “effortless.” You spend an afternoon with this incredibly smart and funny guy, and leave with disc full of amazing photos.

Being photographed by Saam brought to mind some of the masters I’ve been lucky enough to work with, in that his is lit flawlessly and he has the very rare ability to make you feel like the most beautiful person on the planet.

Suzanne Lanza
Actress and Model
Victoria’s Secret, Vogue, Elle

Gensler

Having Saam on my team ensures several things – strategically sound thinking, emotionally potent creative, and problem solving on every level. My most current project with Saam is a rebranding initiative for the City of Calgary. With Saam’s adept storytelling abilities, we not only pitched and won the project, we are now helping Calgary to tell its own story in a compelling and powerful way.

Specifically, I tasked him with telling the story of a city. Saam responded by employing a “photofilm” technique. What was brilliant about this is that it drew the viewer into the story with a series of very intimate and human details – a hand gesturing, a dancer’s worn slippers or a knowing smile. Pausing and holding on select moments allowed the story to unfold in a very real and authentic way. The result was a strong emotional connection to a City that few really know.

Russell Banks
Creative Director
Gensler

Ehrlich Architects

I have watched the film several times already. It is incredibly insightful and captures the culture of our office beautifully. This is a piece that I (and likely everyone else who works here) will look back upon as they go through life as having encapsulated a really very special moment in time.

Even I have seen the office anew, with all its beautiful textures, smiles and warmth. Ehrlich Architects it is a special place to work. You have created a truly deserving piece that captures our essence. Thank you.

Mathew Chaney, AIA | LEED AP | DBIA
Associate
Ehrlich Architects

MitratechMitratech is an enterprise software company serving Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies.

Mitratech’s company brand and identity have largely been unchanged since our founding 23 years ago, and the logo and brand were showing their age. Having previously engaged Saam Gabbay’s services on a film project, as well as being personally very familiar with his sense of aesthetics, design, vision, and ability to execute, I knew I could trust him again to rebrand our company.

From the onset, I was very impressed by Saam’s personal attention to ensuring that everyone understands and agrees on the objectives of the new brand before embarking on any design work. He has a natural ability to uncover what our desired outcomes should accomplish. This attention to detail and initial investment proved to be very valuable.

Our final delivery – the new brand and logo – has been a great success with all stakeholders and has brought new energy into the company. Upon launching the new brand, several employees came to me and shared their pride and enthusiasm in the new identity. Our partners, too, have commented that the new brand represents our strengths much better than before.

Saam successfully developed a new brand that evokes trust, maturity, and innovation while providing continuity with the company history. I look forward to engaging Saam again soon on new projects.

Afshin Behnia
CEO
Mitratech

Producer

Working with Saam Gabbay over the years has always been an enlightening experience. He brings so much more than simple design to any project. He brings a design philosophy, a work strategy with a well guided team, a fully researched and intuitive approach that only comes from years of experience which most certainly elevates any concept to its highest level of appropriateness. He’s the Gandhi of creativity!

Steve Reiss
Producer

Mitratech

Saam,

Now that our corporate rebrand is complete, I’d like to share a few thoughts on the project with you. Truthfully, I had strong reservations about undergoing a brand transformation at the outset. We’ve been in business for over 20 years and are well established in Fortune 500 organizations. Undergoing a full rebrand is no trivial matter for any business. Why would I want to take a risk and potentially jeopardize our leadership position in the market with a rebrand? If it’s not broken, why fix it? You made the answer clear — it may not be broken but it can be so much better.

Like many technology companies – even some of the largest ones – we were used to focusing our design effort, creativity, and innovation into our products. With your help, we’ve been able to continue focusing our core efforts on what drives our business – our products – but bring design, creativity, and innovation to how we communicate our value.

Humunculus is so much more than a design firm. You bring together design expertise, keen insight into how people respond to visual information, the ability to understand and digest any business, relationship and change management skills, and lots and lots of hand-holding. You heard us – our concerns as well as our requirements, which you effectively translated into visual communications and design concepts that speak .

You took our brand to the next level. I see proof of this on a daily basis. It’s evident in the positive impact it’s had on company morale and pride; in reactions from partners, vendors, and analysts; and in increased lead conversions. Now our brand mirrors who we are – a leader, an innovator, and a visionary. Thanks to a highly effective and successful project, this initially staunch critic is now our rebrand project’s most vocal supporter. You really went beyond the call of duty. And it’s a major bonus to know whatever comes up, I have a go-to person ready to take it all on.

Thanks for a job incredibly well done,

Shirin

Shirin Behnia
Director of Marketing
Mitratech