My Resume
Ila Yoshida Cho
Ila Cho Designs
Art Director / Product Development Specialist / Consumer Products Designer
Irvine, CA 92620
As an Art Director with a tenure exceeding 15 years in product and packaging design, I possess an advanced blend of skills spanning licensing, product development, and toy design domains. My professional journey is recognized with the successful orchestration, conception, and realization of all visual art dimensions for various distinguished toy programs. Prominent collaborations include notable brands like Wendy's Kids' Meal, Sanrio, Takara Tomy, and The Charm Galaxy. My capabilities are further highlighted by my organizational proficiency. I ensure meticulous attention to each phase from ideation to final production with every project.
Moreover, my seasoned experience has equipped me to navigate time-critical projects, facilitating seamless communication with multiple licensors and international manufacturing entities. This is to invariably ensure the highest of product quality and integrity. I pride myself on being a naturally motivated individual, showcasing strong energy and enthusiasm in leadership roles. My approach is trademarked by fostering motivation in teams, instilling a can-do attitude, and championing innovative, boundary-pushing thought processes.
Work Experience
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Art Director
Strottman International
May 2022 to May 2023 (1 yr)
Supervised, created and executed all visual art elements of assigned toy programs from directing illustrations and graphic design to orthographic views, toy prototypes and tooling models for Wendy's Kids' Meal premium toys.
Lead brainstorms, supervised the Creative Team and made presentations to the internal team as well as external clients and management.
Took ideas from preliminary design concepts and presentation materials through final manufactured product and collateral.
Aside from hands-on work, directed full-time staff and freelance talent in the development, preparation, design and execution of art elements to deliver projects to required quality levels and budget
Worked closely with Operations to maintain product costs through entire development stage
SVP, Product Development
BB Toys, Inc.
August 2018 to Dec 2021 (3.5 yrs)
• Responsible for concepting, designing all consumer products and submitting approvals at every stage of development and daily communications with overseas factories to ensure timelines are met.
• Designing Sanrio “3D Scenes” toys and various other licensed items for The Charm Galaxy (thecharmgalaxy.com) for the general consumer market and event exclusive products under tight schedules. Requires constant communication with Licensor to ensure product integrity.
• Creating sleeve packaging and CDU artwork designs for a phone accessory using licensor packaging artwork in time for trade shows
• Created precise dielines for the sleeve packaging and CDU box and formatting the files ready for print
• Consulted branding for the product and created a logo to use across all packaging artwork and corporate print materials
• Ability to manage and work under a short timeline to give vendors ample time to print all materials in time for the trade show.
Graphic Designer
Okidoki Restaurant Dining Group
December 2019 to April 2020 (4 mos)
•Responsible for creating restaurant posters by consistently communicating with restaurant managers and ensuring design and theme is best represented of the location’s ambience. (11 total restaurants)
•Created company profiles and brochures used to present to landowners of future restaurant locations
•Revamp and updating current menus and point-of-purchase flyers
•Providing design services for restaurant POPs during the COVID-19 pandemic (takeout/delivery posters, etc)
Freelance Packaging Designer
Takeya USA (the Creative Group, a Division of Robert Half - Huntington Beach, CA)
January 2019 to August 2019 (8 mos)
• Refresh current hang card package design and creating high-quality mock-ups to be presented to their buyers
• Designing images for their website, including homepage banners, landing pages, E-blasts for both desktop and mobile formats
• Creating marketing collateral; strategically placing product photo, text in the most visually effective layout
Localization Translator
PlayNext (formerly Aeria Games and Entertainment)
July 2012 to November 2014 (2 yrs 5 mos)
• Providing translation services (Japanese > English) for game-related text
• Working closely with in-house translators to define a consistent voice and translation style for each project
• Used translation memory tool software Déjà vu (aka DVXs2)
• Mobile Games Titles: Pirates Maiden, Barcode Football, Sword of Phantasia, Immortalis, Magimon, DG2
Product and Packaging Designer
Tomy UK, Ltd
September 2009 to August 2014 (5 yrs)
•(Europe Market) Creating product concepts and designs ready for licensor review, for multiple licensors.
Product concepts range from vending products to CDU products.
•(America Market) Responsible for product and package development of US based licenses, from Concept Stage through Final Production Stage. Includes communications with Tomy Uk, Ltd., licensors, China factories, and providing all parties with necessary materials required for production. Products range from vending products to CDU products.
Product and Packaging Designer
Tomy Corporation - Santa Ana, CA
December 2010 to June 2011 (7 mos)
• Responsible for packaging design for 35+ SKUs of the Tomica Autumn/Winter 2011 Line, including creation of dielines, product manuals, product cross-sell pamphlet, and mechanicals for overseas factories.
• Product responsibilities include refreshing the current Tomica line for the US/CND market with changing vehicle colors better representative of the NA market, creating updated outfits for figures, and new packaging ideas.
• Assisted the Marketing Department with the creation of planograms, customer survey cards, shelf talker illustrations and style guides.
• Organization skills proved to help with tracking all product/packaging status and monitoring artwork data to be created in time for approval meetings and factory deadlines.
Manager, Product Design and Development
Tomy Yujin Corporation - Newport Beach, CA
February 2003 to February 2009 (6 yrs)
• Skills in leading product development, justifying new product development investments, determining and documenting new product requirements, developing sales forecasts and product pricing.
• Responsible for the development of 40+ product lines yearly, including packaging design for each item.
• Determine the number of product lines for proposed yearly sales budget, and presenting such proposed products at quarterly global meetings.
• Daily communications with overseas factories to negotiate product pricing, manage products and monitor product quality.
• Regularly attending the Licensing Int'l Expo to meet with key executives from major licensor companies to negotiate new and renewal contract conditions.
• Licensors Partners Included: Walt Disney Company, Nintendo of America, Pokémon USA, 20th Century FOX, Pixar, Sanrio Inc., Marvel Entertainment Inc., 4Kids Entertainment, Hasbro, Inc, Mattel Inc., NBC Universal, Sony Computer Entertainment America, New Line Cinema, FIFA, Dark Horse Comics Inc., CAPCOM
• Presented to CEO and COOs, representing the North American market in discussions to overseas offices.
• Communicating with overseas offices to exchange product offerings to help reduce R&D charges for all.
• Working with a prestigious publication company, servicing as a manufacturer to create promotional items used for their monthly book programs
• Creating necessary artwork and packaging for trade shows and reviewing competitors' products
• Organized and created products to offer in gift bags for the Teen Choice Awards 2006.
• Targeting the gaming and Japanese animation market, managed products that were introduced in Diamond Distributors catalogs.
Assistant, Marketing/Research & Development
Tomy Yujin Corporation - Newport Beach, CA
March 2000 to February 2003 (3 yrs)
• Liaison between Japan HQ, communicating market trends in the US and Canada
• Communicating with high profile licensors in every stage of product approval
• Created local packaging designs for all products
• Communicating with China (regarding product costs, monitoring production)
• Extensive market research, attending trade shows to analyze competitors' product offerings
• Creating monthly product flyers to be distributed to all customers
• Creating advertisements for Capsule Vending specific magazines
• Working with print companies, approving proofs and placing purchase orders ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
• Advertising in popular end-user magazines to bring awareness and demand to our products which resulted in distributors to supply an increase of products to the market
• Reducing the royalty rate and minimum guarantee for several licensing contracts which directly benefited Tomy Yujin Corporation's product margin
Skills
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Leadership, Management, Production Management, Project Delivery, Project Management Adobe Creative Cloud, Brainstorm Facilitation, Brand Development, Communication, Hardline, Licensing, Creative Concept Design, Creative Direction, Creative Ideation, Disney, Event Planning, Graphic Design, Microsoft Office
Photography: Product Photography, and Lifestyle Looks
Hobbies: Traveling, crafting, foodie, Sipping good coffee
Certifications/Licenses
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JLPT N1 Certified
December 2012 to Present
Japanese Language Proficiency Test, passed the highest level of Examination