Pixels, Pencils and Rock 'n' Roll Juha Siirilä
Pixels, Pencils and Rock 'n' Roll Juha Siirilä

Who

Juha Siirilä, Art Director & Graphic Designer.

What

Visual communication with 20+ years' professional experience.

Where

Helsinki, Finland.

Pixels, Pencils and Rock 'n' Roll
Pixels, Pencils and Rock 'n' Roll
Pixels, Pencils and Rock 'n' Roll

Who

Juha Siirilä, Art Director & Graphic Designer.

What

Visual communication with 20+ years' professional experience.

Where

Helsinki, Finland.

Juha Siirilä
Juha Siirilä
Juha Siirilä

Boston's Pizza

Boston's

Client

Boston's Pizza

Work

Corporate identity, campaign identity, marketing materials, UX/UI, illustration

Year

2012–2017

Agency

Luxus Worldwide

Client

Boston's Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar

Work

Corporate identity, campaign identity, marketing materials, UX/UI, illustration

Year

2012–2017

Agency

Luxus Worldwide

Description

Boston's is a family-friendly restaurant and a sports bar under one roof with locations across the United States and Mexico. From 48 foot wide highway billboards to coasters to place your drink on, a wide range of materials were designed during the five year span by an international team located in Finland and the United States. The tasks included numerous point of purchase (POP), local store marketing (LSM), as well as digital marketing materials — and finally, a rebranding to match the Canadian mother company (Boston Pizza).

Side story

I've been going to a sports bar for years, once a year. It's the traditional late night destination for our annual boys' night out in my old home town — complete with “Happy anniversary” greetings by the bartender.


Angry Birds Fight!

Angry Birds Fight!

Client

Rovio Ent.

Work

Campaign website, UX/UI

Year

2015

Agency

Luxus Worldwide

Client

Rovio Entertainment

Work

Campaign website, UX/UI

Year

2015

Agency

Luxus Worldwide

Description

First released in Asia Pacific, Angry Birds Fight! was Rovio's first cultural mash-up game within the brand, fusing together elements of Japanese culture with the classic Angry Birds characters.

Side story

Hulkamania was running wild again when World Wrestling Entertainment came to Finland in the early '00s. However, as me and my designer buddy revealed our carefully laid out red and yellow sign at the venue, the question remained — where's Hulk, brother?


The Story of John Doe

The Story of John Doe

Work

Album cover, logo, illustration

Year

2014

Work

Album cover, logo, illustration

Year

2014

Description

DIP is an instrumental rock group whose debut EP “The Story of John Doe” was released in 2014. I'm the lead guitarist and songwriter for the group.

Side story

I grew up on an old seabed, in the gently rolling coastal lowlands. Surrounded by wide areas of farmland with sparsely located houses, there's plenty of space to breath the salty air — white space, if you will.


Suunto E-Commerce

Suunto E-Commerce

Client

Suunto

Work

E-commerce elements, UX/UI, marketing materials

Year

2011

Agency

Poickeus

Client

Suunto

Work

E-commerce elements, UX/UI, marketing materials

Year

2011

Agency

Poickeus

Description

Suunto is a company that manufactures and markets sports watches, dive computers, compasses and precision instruments. The e-commerce features were incorporated into its website in 2011 by an international team located in Finland, France, and Sweden.

Side story

A stamp-sized Suunto compass has been a regular travel companion of mine for years — especially handy when returning to street level from a random subway exit.


Melodic Soloists

Melodic Soloists

Client

Romain Chapus

Work

Album cover, logo, illustration

Year

2009

Client

Romain Chapus

Work

Album cover, logo, illustration

Year

2009

Description

Mad Guitar Records is a small record label based in Helsinki, Finland. The label's debut release “Melodic Soloists” (2010) showcases 17 artists from all around the world delivering melodic guitar-driven instrumental rock.

Side story

I got pulled into skateboarding by the late '80s wave. At a time when Bones Brigade ruled the sport, Tommy Guerrero was the personal favorite of mine. While maybe not the most technical of the bunch, he had style.


For Virtual Travellers

For Virtual Travellers

Client

Aurinkomatkat

Work

Campaign identity, campaign materials, illustration

Year

2009

Agency

Publicis Helsinki

Client

Aurinkomatkat

Work

Campaign identity, campaign materials, illustration

Year

2009

Agency

Publicis Helsinki

Description

By launching virtual travels on the social game and online community Habbo, the Finnish travel agency Aurinkomatkat allowed its teenage user base to travel around the world — with a chance to win a unique visit to the Habbo Spain, hosted by Habbo Finland's administrators. The Suositellaan virtuaalimatkaajille campaign was created in cooperation with Sulake.

Side story

Jamiroquai's third album, “Travelling Without Moving”, was released the year I started my graphic design studies. Sharing a flat with a fellow designer, an art student and two musicians proved to be quite a trip.


K-Supermarket

K-Supermarket

Client

Kesko

Work

Campaign website, UX/UI, marketing materials

Year

2008

Agency

Publicis Helsinki

Client

Kesko

Work

Campaign website, UX/UI, marketing materials

Year

2008

Agency

Publicis Helsinki

Description

Hosted by the Finnish grocery store chain K-Supermarket, the series of campaign websites featured food info, tips, recipes and offers, as well as competitions in various seasonal themes.

Side story

While attending community college in the middle of nowhere, I soon learned to appreciate the weekly visits of a mobile grocery store and a mobile library. The latter also provided a free ride to the nearby town — as long as the passengers agreed to sit on the floor with lights turned out.


A Place in the Sun

A Place in the Sun

Client

Aurinkomatkat

Work

Community identity, UX/UI, marketing materials

Year

2007–2010

Agency

Publicis Helsinki

Client

Aurinkomatkat

Work

Community identity, UX/UI, marketing materials

Year

2007–2010

Agency

Publicis Helsinki

Description

Hosted by the Finnish travel agency, Paikka auringossa (2007–2013) was an online travel community for sharing experiences, exploring destinations and discussing all things travel.

Side story

MySpace provided a perfect springboard for my own musical adventures, eventually leading my axe-slinging alter ego onto the pages of Guitar Player magazine (April 2010) — a treat for a longtime reader.


Guitar Without a Cause

Guitar Without a Cause

Client

Romain Chapus

Work

Album cover, character, logo, illustration

Year

2008

Client

Romain Chapus

Work

Album cover, character, logo, illustration

Year

2008

Description

Roo is a French virtuoso guitarist based in Helsinki, Finland, whose instrumental rock debut EP “Guitar Without a Cause” was released in 2008. The super-strat wielding skull character would return six years later to grace the cover of Roo's sophomore release “Plectrum Spectrum”, lending his yellow axe to the artist's guitar school logo along the way.

Side story

I picked up the guitar as a teenager in the late '80s. The star of the local scene at the time was a Steve Vai signature Ibanez JEM guitar displayed in the local music store window. Some fifteen years later I would finally own one.


Mr. BobCorn

Mr. BobCorn

Client

Snackfood

Work

Corporate identity, character, marketing materials, UX/UI, illustration

Year

2006

Agency

Backman & Heinonen

Client

Snackfood

Work

Corporate identity, character, marketing materials, UX/UI, illustration

Year

2006

Agency

Backman & Heinonen

Description

Mr. BobCorn is a brand for ready-made pre-packaged popcorn. The first branded popcorn store opened in 2006, offering 18 sweet and savory flavors sold in four different sizes. In addition to the store components and staff clothing, the assignment also included business stationery, gift cards, loyalty cards, packaging, and a website.

Side story

I spent some of my best summers working at the bar & grill in a local amusement park. Occasionally, I would make a transition over to the kiosk side — selling popcorn.


Until You Are

Until You Are

Client

Blueintheface

Work

Album cover, logo, illustration

Year

2007

Client

Blueintheface

Work

Album cover, logo, illustration

Year

2007

Description

Blueintheface is a punk rock group based in Helsinki, Finland, whose debut EP “Until You Are” was released in 2007. The band is still active and frequently tours Europe.

Side story

My introduction to home computing arrived in the form of Sinclair's ZX Spectrum. Plugged into the TV, and using audio cassette tapes for data storage, the tiny thing with its rubber keyboard soon became the centerpiece of our living room — as we attempted to help Miner Willy back to the open air in a surreal game of Manic Miner.


Life Is a Journey

Life Is a Journey

Client

SKL, KT, Keva

Work

Campaign identity, marketing materials, UX/UI, illustration

Year

2005

Agency

Incognito

Client

Suomen Kuntaliitto ry,
KT Kuntatyönantajat,
Kuntien eläkevakuutus

Work

Campaign identity, marketing materials, UX/UI, illustration

Year

2005

Agency

Incognito

Description

In order to tackle the looming labour shortage, a campaign was set up to raise awareness about the job opportunities within the Finnish municipal sector. Targeting young adults via posters, brochures, flyers, badges, and a website, the Elämä on matka campaign also included a chance to win a trip to London, UK.

Side story

My math and physics teacher in junior high did a good job explaining the MacGyverisms from the episode of the week from a scientific point of view. Every now and then he would flip through my sketchbook, always encouraging me to continue with my art. Around the same time I tried my first experiments with stencil graffiti.


Milk Makes Magic

Milk Makes Magic

Client

Maito ja terveys ry

Work

Campaign identity, character, marketing materials, UX/UI, web development, animation, illustration

Year

2002–2005

Agency

Incognito

Client

Maito ja terveys ry

Work

Campaign identity, character, marketing materials, UX/UI, web development, animation, illustration

Year

2002–2005

Agency

Incognito

Description

Targeting pupils aged 8–13 via printed and televised ads, classroom posters, wall calendars, activity booklets, mugs, stickers, badges, and a playful website, the Maito on magiaa awareness campaign focused on the nutrients and health benefits of milk. While the project started with a visit to a grade school, I'd later have a colleague who had fond childhood memories of the campaign himself.

Side story

My lifelong fondness for music libraries started with a Kiss record. Seeing the original foursome finally reunite on stage in the late '90s, in full makeup and classic Love Gun era outfits, was nothing short of magical.


Ever Wondered?

Ever Wondered?

Work

Art poster, illustration

Year

2005

Work

Art poster, illustration

Year

2005

Description

Glömp (1997–2009) was a comics anthology serving as a platform for new artists and artistic experiments. A group exhibition by featured artists took place at Lybecker Institute of Arts and Crafts (Raahe, Finland) in 2005.

Side story

I'm an avid follower of the screen-printed art poster scene, always looking for the next piece to be framed and hung on the wall. The idea of producing limited run posters by hand myself is something I'd love to explore in the future.


Nokia IP-Man

Nokia IP-Man

Client

Nokia

Work

Character, matte painting, illustration

Year

1999

Agency

Tietovalta

Client

Nokia

Work

Character, matte painting, illustration

Year

1999

Agency

Tietovalta

Description

Nokia IP-Man made his debut in the late '90s as an animated 3D character introducing Nokia's Broadband IP Access Solution. Later on, Nokia IP-Man would continue making brief appearances in a comic strip, screensaver, and finally as a physical object — a keychain toy.

Side story

My fascination with designer toys started with the first batch of Gorillaz vinyl figures back in 2005. Seeing how the prices have since gone up on eBay, I almost wish I'd been smart enough to save all of the packaging as well.


Juha Siirilä

Copyright © 1999–2023 Juha Siirilä.
All rights reserved.

Juha Siirilä

Copyright © 1999–2023 Juha Siirilä.
All rights reserved.

Juha Siirilä

Copyright © 1999–2023 Juha Siirilä.
All rights reserved.

Juha Siirilä

Copyright © 1999–2023 Juha Siirilä.
All rights reserved.

Juha Siirilä

Copyright © 1999–2023 Juha Siirilä.
All rights reserved.