Quick Summary (TL;DR)
➡️ Problem: Adobe’s internal teams often need high-quality presentations on short notice when internal design resources aren’t available.
➡️ Problem: Adobe’s internal teams often need high-quality presentations on short notice when internal design resources aren’t available.
➡️ Role: I provided creative strategy, art direction, and presentation design across many Adobe business units.
➡️ Solution: Delivered polished, on-brand presentations and executive keynotes that upheld Adobe’s high design standards under tight deadlines.
➡️ Impact: These consistently high-quality deliverables reinforced trust across Adobe’s corporate teams — contributing to recurring vendor engagements and supporting top-tier products like Acrobat.
Keep reading for the full story behind my process and approach.
Intro/Background
Some projects feel like just another job. This one felt like coming home.
Some projects feel like just another job. This one felt like coming home.
Adobe has always been more than just a client to me. It’s where I grew up as a designer. I spent six years in-house straight out of college, learning the craft, mastering the tools, and absorbing what it means to work in a truly design-centric company. Those formative years shaped my approach to creativity, collaboration, and quality.
Years later, after launching my design agency, I had the rare privilege of reconnecting with Adobe — not as an employee, but as a trusted creative partner. I remember when Adobe first reached out for help on projects. It wasn't just another client request; it felt more like a reunion.
I knew many people, the culture, and the brand voice by heart. That shared history made it easier to deliver work that felt unmistakably “Adobe.” Over time, I became a go-to resource for various internal BUs that needed high-quality design work quickly. A large area of focus was presentation design for high-stakes events, product launches, and executive communications.
The question at the heart of this presentation case study: How can you create bold, visually striking presentations that honor Adobe’s brand while elevating the story and engaging audiences at the highest level?
The Problem
When Adobe’s internal presentation team is at capacity, even critical projects can stall. These presentations, for product launches, analyst events, and executive keynotes, aren’t something you can hand off to just anyone. They require an intimate knowledge of Adobe’s brand, audience, and storytelling style, along with the ability to deliver under intense pressure.
When Adobe’s internal presentation team is at capacity, even critical projects can stall. These presentations, for product launches, analyst events, and executive keynotes, aren’t something you can hand off to just anyone. They require an intimate knowledge of Adobe’s brand, audience, and storytelling style, along with the ability to deliver under intense pressure.
Over the years, I’ve learned that the challenges remain the same, whether you’re working inside or alongside the team:
❌ Overflow demand: The internal presentation team can’t always absorb urgent, high-volume requests.
❌ High expectations: Every deliverable must meet Adobe’s exacting brand and quality standards.
❌ Time pressure: Many projects arrive with short timelines, high stakes, and no margin for error.
My Role
➡ Sole presentation designer
➡ Guided the creative strategy and art direction
➡ Ensured brand alignment and maintain quality control
➡ Aligned the narrative with the visuals
➡ Tools used: Photoshop, Illustrator, PowerPoint, BlueJeans
➡ Sole presentation designer
➡ Guided the creative strategy and art direction
➡ Ensured brand alignment and maintain quality control
➡ Aligned the narrative with the visuals
➡ Tools used: Photoshop, Illustrator, PowerPoint, BlueJeans
Beyond presentations, my Adobe work as a partner has spanned interactive demos, an app, microsites, event collateral, illustrations, and conference branding — always with the same focus on precision, creativity, and speed.
This deck is also a personal favorite. As a Bay Area guy, I had the chance to design for an event featuring one of my all-time sports heroes — NFL legend Joe Montana. That year, he took the stage at Dreamforce with my slides behind him, speaking to an audience of thousands. Seeing my work frame his words in such a high-profile moment was both surreal and unforgettable.
Challenges + Learnings
Working with Adobe in two capacities — first as an in-house designer, then as an external creative partner — taught me that great work is built on relationships. My familiarity with Adobe’s culture and teams meant I could quickly understand needs, anticipate challenges, and jump into projects with minimal ramp-up.
Working with Adobe in two capacities — first as an in-house designer, then as an external creative partner — taught me that great work is built on relationships. My familiarity with Adobe’s culture and teams meant I could quickly understand needs, anticipate challenges, and jump into projects with minimal ramp-up.
The biggest challenge was speed. Adobe often works right up against deadlines, which means taking on projects with very little lead time. It pushed me to refine my workflow, make faster design decisions, and still maintain an exceptional standard of polish.
It also reinforced the value of trust. Because I consistently delivered under pressure, requests kept coming in from across the company. I partnered with other teams like Creative Cloud and Stock, as well as teams focused on Corporate Marketing, Customer Briefing, Privacy, and Evangelism. I also supported events like Summit, MAX, and Worldwide Sales Conferences.
Impact/Results
✅ Consistently delivered high-quality presentations and creative assets under tight deadlines.
✅ Consistently delivered high-quality presentations and creative assets under tight deadlines.
✅ Helped internal teams meet critical launch and event timelines without sacrificing quality.
✅ Maintained long-term partnerships with multiple Adobe business units over more than a decade.
Postface: These Adobe projects weren’t just another line in my portfolio — they represent a full-circle journey. I began my design career at Adobe, grew into building my own agency, and eventually returned as a trusted creative partner.
Early on, as an in-house creative lead for the Acrobat team, I built relationships and trust that carried forward for many years as an external vendor.
Acrobat (now part of Document Cloud) has long been one of Adobe’s top revenue generators, surpassing even Photoshop and other cornerstone products. Given my long history with the product teams, I’m proud to have played even a small role in its ongoing success.
