David E. Carter

David Carter has produced more books on logo design and corporate identity than anyone in the world. His 100th book was published late in 2003. Carter’s books are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. Anywhere that graphic designers and advertising people are found, Carter’s books are there, showcasing outstanding work in logo design, graphics, advertising and related topics.

In 1977, he conducted his first Corporate Identity Seminar for Advertising Age magazine. Since then, he has conducted more than 25 seminars on four continents, in locations as diverse as Helsinki, São Paulo, Singapore, Jakarta… as well as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, and a lot of smaller cities.

In addition, he has produced corporate identities for more than 300 firms; for ten years, was very active as a consultant in the Pacific Rim, where he had affiliate offices in Indonesia and Thailand. He also did branding projects for clients in Venezuela, where he hade an affiliate relationship with a top PR firm in Caracas.

Today, he produces books 2-3 books each year on "focused" topics of corporate identity. graphic design and branding. He also oversees the production of three major "annuals," American Corporate Identity, Global Corporate Identity, and the Creativity Annual.

In the late 1970s, he founded an advertising agency that quickly attained membership in the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA). In 1980, he won a Clio, which is regarded as the Oscar of Advertising.

Two years later, he founded a television production company that quickly went to the head of the class: his TV work appeared on PBS and was frequently featured on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In the process, Carter won seven Emmy Awards.

In 1990, Carter felt he was "burned out" by advertising and television. He sold those two businesses in order to focus on books and corporate identity. However, he is currently working in TV once again, writing and producing a program called "Discount British Comedy" as a pilot for PBS. His partner in this venture, British screenwriter Justin Golding "re-energized" Carter and made him want to write for TV once again.

He has a variety of interests. He was the founder of the Mickey Mantle-Whitey Ford Fantasy Baseball Camp, and lived his fantasy of being the Yankees’ shortstop for three years at the camp.

He also created a suite of five software products for creating logos, letterheads, corporate identity manuals and related applications.

Carter wrote two self-help books: How to Become an Overachiever and How to Remove Your Salary Cap. The Overachiever book became a best-seller when Amway recommended it nationally as a source of inspiration for its associates.

Carter's educational background is in advertising. He worked his way through college, earning a bachelor's degree in advertising from the University of Kentucky, and received a Master's Degree from the Ohio University School of Journalism. For many years, he ran successful businesses without ever having had a single class in business.

In 1993, he entered the MBA program at Syracuse University. After earning his MBA in May of 1995, he immediately applied for the Owner-President Management program at the Harvard Business School. He graduated from the 3-year OPM program at Harvard in 1998.

Carter's first humor book, "Dog Owner's Manual," was published by Andrews McMeel, the same people who publish Gary Larsen's "Far Side" books. "Dog Owner's Manual" has been published in Australian and Danish editions. (How do you say "woof" in Danish?) Carter's first novel, "Darwin's Child" was published in early 2005. It is currently in the hands of a Hollywood producer... but who knows how that will turn out.

Carter is once again working in TV. He and partner Justin Golding are writing and producing a TV show pilot called "Discount British Comedy."