May Recap
Is it really already June? The old saying, “time flies when you’re having fun” must be true. Here’s what fun we’ve been up to in May.
Ready to Serve
School Board School provides training and programming for anyone interested in serving their local school district school board. That means aspiring public servants or even those merely interested in how to better navigate the system. It’s a fantastic organization led by the delightful Elisa Hoffman, a former school board member herself. We worked with Elisa to create a logo, basic identity system, and Squarespace website during People’s Liberty launch day. We like to think that our job was to develop the bones that Elisa could grow and expand on over the rest of her People’s Liberty fellowship year and beyond. The goal was to create a stand-alone logo that communicated collaborative forward movement with enthusiasm and optimism.
Photo: Chris Glass
Beyond a Building
Mindful Brand Workshops are the best. They’re especially fun when a company at its very beginnings. You get to dream and shape the future together at an exhilarating and energized moment. That’s what happened with a “startup” local custom homebuilder earlier this month. We uncovered, together, that more than buildings, their company will build relationships, trust, understanding, and beyond. We’re excited to channel the gold mined from the workshop into a brand identity later this month.
Wave The Flying M
We recently wrapped up a brand identity refresh project for a company that tests the strength and longevity of metals and composites that make up anything from streetcars to jumbo jets. Our challenge was to come up with one mark that represents the clients family of companies. The full re-brand has yet to be launched. The “flying M” above is a sneak peek at the logo mark.
Looking Forwards/Backwards
We’re nearly finished with the 2017 Annual Report design for Breakthrough Cincinnati. It’s their 25th Anniversary, so we’ve designed a logo to commemorate that occasion as well. It was important that the logo represents both the future and the past of Breakthrough Cincinnati, hence the symmetrical, reflective, nature of the two and five of the logo above. It’s not our first time working with Breakthrough. We love repeat customers! We’re worked on their annual campaign design and website revamp last year.
P.S.
Here are some good reads from the month of May:
Offscreen Issue 19 - It’s all good, but it was especially enjoyable to get an in-depth look at Jocelyn Glei’s work and processes.
Just Enough Research - In prep for teaching an introduction to User-Centered Design course again at DAAP this fall, D.J.’s reading Just Enough Research. So far, so very good, and easy to understand. We especially like the author’s suggestion toward a value-centered design approach.
Design For People - We love when writers write about writing and often wish that designers more frequently do the same. Our wish has been granted through Design for People by Scott Stowell. It’s a transparent look into his the life and working of his studio, Open, along with commentary on the nitty-gritty details of how several projects were executed. It’s a fantastic read for the independent designer or studio owner.
A Modest Guide to Productivity - Frank Chimero’s reminder to his “zonked” self on how to stay happy and healthy.