ernie cefalu
Ernie Cefalu is the owner, and Senior Creative Director At Pacific Eye & Ear.
Ernie started his career on Madison Avenue in the late 1960’s. He was hired at Norman Levitt Advertising to help prevent losing a major account, Decca Records. Ernie’s award-winning work in designing the Jesus Christ Superstar album not only won the account over, it changed his life forever. His creative genius was now known and creating demand.
Ernie’s drive and passion for excellence led him to a new chapter in 1970. He joined forces with Craig Braun, Inc. in New York. Knowing the importance of first impressions, he wanted to make a mark on his first assignment. The result has become an icon of the ages- the rule breaking tongue logo for The Rolling Stones and the rule-breaking Sticky Finger album.
Three months later Ernie was asked to open a satellite office in California where he would be the head art director. The hits kept coming for Ernie.. Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out," Cheech & Chong’s "Big Bamboo," and Captain Beyond among others. Ernie was at the top of his game and knew it was time to leave and start his own agency.
In 1972 he opened the legendary “Pacific Eye and Ear”. Over the next 13 years, he created another 183 album covers for rock legends like: The Doors, Aerosmith, The Bee Gees, The Guess Who, Black Sabbath, Jefferson Airplane, Grand Funk Railroad,
Iron Butterfly, and with the 2009 release of Burton Cummings new album makes 209 total albums designed to date.
He has received three Grammy nominations for his work, 10 Music Hall Of Fame awards, 4 awards of excellence from the Los Angeles Art Directors Club, and has been presented with 25 gold albums and a triple platinum album by some of the bands whose album covers he had designed. Pacific Eye and Ear was now on the map forever - easily recognized as one of the top three album design companies in the country.
In the late 80’s, Ernie felt different businesses require different solutions...but they all need a attitude, a heart and a soul. Ernie could provide that connection.
In 1989, Ernie added an unlikely account to his client roster, Nestlé USA. Over the next two decades, his work helped over 20 brands in Nestlé’s five divisions post double-digit sales growth.
Naturally, word of mouth grew. He added to his client base Sara Lee, Wolfgang Puck, Sizzler, La Brea Bakery, Jerbeau Chocolates, Honeywell, Rockwell, Adams and Brooks, Santa Monica Seafood... and many more food companies.
He cut across industries and added Kraft, K-Mart, Disney, Universal, Panavision Cameras, Game Works, Valvoline, Nature Made, The National Hot Rod Association, Mopar, Baskin Robbins Ice Cream and Matell/NASCAR among others. At InBev USA he worked on all the national promotions for Beck’s, Bass, Stella Artios, Labatt's, Rolling Rock and Koknee Beer Brands.
Today, Ernie has completed covers 215 and 216 for Alice Cooper, 217 and 218 for Burton Cummings newest masterpiece release the "Massey Hall" live album and 219 for Heavy Metal comedian
Glenn Wool and he just completed cover 220 for “Death Metal Band” Deranged Insane.
Ernie is also the owner of “The Largest, Privately Owned, Original Album Cover Art Collection In The World” (www.originalalbumcoverart.com) boasting over 350 signed originals and 3,000 photographs.
He is also retained by three Fortune Fifty companies as their in- house creative director, with Cott Beverage (the number one non-name brand beverage company in the World), Avery/ Dennison, HSBC Financial (the Worlds third largest lender), Chang Beer (Southeast Asia’s #1 Beer.
Clients on the softer side are, Coca Cola, PENSAR Science, Patient 2 Patient Care, Joseph Gallo Farms, Vallejo Patient Care, The King Klone Brand, Mars Beverage, ROCKMANIALIVE, Green Science Medical and Seattle’s “HEMPFEST” being the most recent additions to Ernie’s client roster.
At the end of 2015 Ernie was inducted into The Album Cover Hall Of Fame.
He is a dynamic speaker that captivates and electrifies audiences as he travels the country. If you ask him to reflect on his illustrious career his response is always the same...” Career? What do you mean, I’m just warming up. Wait till you see what’s next!”
OFFICIAL LINKS
Official website: OriginalAlbumCoverArt.com
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter