Meet Gonzalo Naranjo: From Doodles to Digital Designs
When Gonzalo Naranjo was a little boy, one of his teachers put all the students’ names on whiteboard magnets. Gonzalo’s name was too big to fit, so the teacher shortened it to “Gonzo,” like the stunt-loving Muppets character. The name stuck. Gonzo lived up to the nickname by becoming the kid who loved to draw crazy pictures. And it paid off. He discovered his classmates would pay him $1 to draw pictures for them, and he would use the money to buy snacks in the cafeteria. That launched him toward a major in graphic design at Christian Brothers University. “I like to be organized, make things look aesthetically-pleasing and visually-balanced. Everything is neat in graphic design,” he says.
I like to be organized, make things look aesthetically-pleasing and visually-balanced. Everything is neat in graphic design.
While at CBU, Gonzo often looked to his unique family roots for inspiration. Although he was born in the U.S., his family came from Mexico, and returned frequently for visits. “I used to make artwork inspired by my Mexican heritage,” he explains. “When I’m in America, I’m not American enough, and when I’m in Mexico, I’m not Mexican enough–I’m in the middle.”
His multi-cultural experience came in handy when Gonzo interned with the United Nations for a semester, helping with their social media. He even wrote a 4-page blog post on global economics that was handed out to the U.N. delegates. He was elected Vice-President of CBU’s student chapter of the American Advertising Federation, and in February of 2023 won two Addy awards in the local AAF student competition sponsored by the Memphis AAF chapter. Coincidentally, Running Pony won awards at that same Addy competition, and Gonzo remembered that when he saw a job opening more than a year later. “I said, ‘OK, I’ve got to apply for this, I really like the work they do!”
As Running Pony’s newest Digital Design Specialist, Gonzo will work on a wide variety of digital projects, including graphic design, social media and websites. When he’s not working, you’ll often find him playing with his two dogs, Oreo and Landon, playing video games…or drawing, of course. “I always like to draw,” Gonzo says. “Drawing helps me relax my mind.”
