About
Karalynne McCarthy – Marketing Director, Owner
Karalynne McCarthy is founder of Sublime Design Studios, a full-service advertising, marketing and design firm in Orlando, Florida. Created in 2014, Sublime serves a variety of industries such as automotive, financial, political, waste management, healthcare, theme parks and real estate.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Central Florida, Karalynne landed a job with SunTrust Bank Central Florida. As a Marketing Analyst, she was responsible for identifying market trends, customer acquisitions and retention and managed their internal sales incentive program.
Karalynne’s next role was Marketing and Education Manager for Consumer Credit Counseling Service, a Central Florida based non-profit United Way agency. She handled statewide marketing, advertising and public relations and frequently appeared in local media. Karalynne also coordinated and managed the agency’s community financial education outreach and first time home buyer programs.
From there, Karalynne joined Applied Concepts, Inc., North America’s largest provider of business development solutions and training for the automotive industry. As their Marketing Manager, she was responsible for customer acquisition and retention, graphic design of training materials and sales presentations, social media and email campaigns, website development and management, identifying market trends and analysis as well as trade shows and events.
Karalynne is an Orlando Business Journal Businesswoman of the Year Nominee (2000) and a graduate of Leadership Orlando (Class 45).
Tom McCarthy – Creative Art Director
Specializing in brand development and creative strategy, Tom is a craftsman when it comes to design and art direction with over 30 years of experience creating award-winning work for a long list of well-known brands.
Tom began his career with Jacobson Stores Inc. as a visual merchandising assistant and later as a production artist for the advertising department. He took his retail background to Media III Advertising Inc. where he worked as an art director for over six years, helping to bring the agency into the electronic age, and worked on accounts such as Mercedes Homes, Florida Manufactured Housing Association, Lasereliance Technologies, Recovery Resources, Red Lobster Cup Sailfest Regatta, Ben Franklin Crafts, Cellular Dimensions, Orlando Dodge, Trail Toyota and Zanetti Dealership Group.
Tom joined Merkel Schleicher Graphic Communications in 1995 to work on the Orlando Magic account. As senior art director Tom managed the art department as well as traffic coordination. Tom helped to win the Orlando Solar Bears account, and also developed the “Knight” Division 1-A Athletic Logo for the University of Central Florida. Other accounts included Arroyo Process Equipment, Breed Technologies, Ezaki Glico Co., Silver Springs and Water Mania.
With the closure of Merkel Schleicher in 1997, Tom and a colleague founded Red Rocket Studios and over the years grew the business into a nationally recognized ad agency, working for clients such as AMC Theaters, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, Central Florida Regional Hospital, Correct Craft, COX Radio and COX Events Group, Disney’s Wide World of Sports, Gaylord Palms Resort, Homewatch Caregivers, Just Born Candies, Kennedy Space Center, Mears Transportation, Nautique, Orlando Harley Davidson, Orlando Humane Society, Orlando Magic, Orlando Miracle, Orlando Seals, Orlando Solar Bears, Park Maitland School, Pirates Cove Adventure Parks, Richard Petty Driving Experience, Starter Athletic Apparel, Siemens US, Siemens Energy, Siemens Healthcare, Siemens Power Generation, U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, Walt Disney World, Waste Pro and Warner Brothers affiliate WB 18.
In 2016 Tom joined Sublime Design Studios, where clients include Applied Concepts, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, Betsy VanderLey for Orange County Commissioner, Comfort House Equipment Rentals, Kennedy Space Center, Knight Dermatology, Park Maitland School and Resource Consulting Group.
Currently, Tom is the Manager of Brand Design for Holiday Inn Club Vacations. He occasionally lends his creativity to Sublime Design Studios when needed.
Tom graduated Phi Theta Kappa with Honors in Fine Art from Edison Community College and Honors in Commercial Art from Tampa Technical Institute. Tom has been recognized by the American Advertising Federation throughout the course of his career, both regionally and at the district and national levels.
