Connecticut Creatives #3

connecticut creatives

no. 3

spring 2013

the 25 show 2012

We picked twenty-five Connecticut agencies.

They picked their best work of 2012.

Adams & Knight

Jargon Boy

silver creative group

Alexander Isley Inc.

Julia Balfour

SVP Partners

The Bananaland

Keiler

Taylor Design

Cipher Creative Group

Madison Mott

TFI Envision

Digital Surgeons

Mascola Group

Triple Frog

Elements

MediaBoom

Worx

Gabardine

Miranda Creative

WSAA

How 2 Design

Ostro Design The Pita Group Response Marketing

concept/design: David Cushman connecticutcreatives.com

Elements title Building a Brand From Down Under client Grains of Truth team Elements, LLC challenge “To introduce a brand that is solidly established in Australia to the U.S. market, where it is virtually unknown. Their products embody the concept that good health is closely linked to good nutrition and believe that their customers have great potential to be healthy physically, mentally and emotionally. These core values needed to be communicated in a way that would resonate in this new market.” solution “To emphasize the natural qualities of the product, we suggested a name change from Nu3um to Grains of Truth. Our approach mixed seriousness with a touch of whimsy by combining a quirky logotype with a sophisticated color palette and watercolors. Using photography that shows the product being playfully tossed into the air (or into your mouth), we highlighted the complexity of these small delicious treats that contain, for example, tiny bits of real mango.

“Aspirational descriptive copy was developed to communicate the core beliefs of the company in a fun way. The idea of being honest and open about the food they make was carried through to sell sheets, trade show support, packaging, sales support materials and a website.” results “With graphics, naming, branding, and tone that now hit just the right note – light-hearted and full of personality – Grains of Truth is enjoying a successful and well-received entry into its new market. ”

Cipher Creative Group title Print Utopia Digital – One of a Kind client Appleton Coated team design: Richard Uccello, Chris Hyde; copywriting: Diane Richard; photography: Cipher Creative Group; paper: Appleton Coated; printing: Fey Printing challenge “With this inaugural issue of Print Utopia Digital, we were charged with doing something unique to digital printing while showcasing some of Appleton Coated’s awesome paper.” solution “While designers are aware of digital printing, most are not aware of the amazing quality and special effects available today. What’s more, most designers are not harnessing the power of variable data printing.

“The theme of the book was driven by the concept of ‘One of a Kind,’ based on the kind of personalization that you are able to achieve with digital printing. We went ‘picking’ – at tag sales, estate sales and online – for one-of-a-kind objects to illustrate the concept. The power of the design was driven by the nostalgic pieces that we were able to collect.

“The cover accommodated the use of more than 40 picture boxes into which flowed over 50 images. The placement of the images was driven by a database of 12,000 unique strings of image ‘call’ numbers, producing 12,000 absolutely visually unique and serialized covers.

“Throughout the text portion of the book we used our newly found treasures to speak to the concepts of personalization vs. mass production, paper choice, white ink, tactility, brand consistency, and the longevity and history of Appleton Coated.” results “From client Ferkó Goldinger: ‘Chris and his team at Cipher were able to take subjects daunting to most creative firms (data, variable digital printing) and create a printed promotion that inspires AND educates – it’s a delicate balance that they navigated well. The design and print production were tremendously wellexecuted. The result? A piece that our customers are raving about!’”

How 2 Design title Cannelli Printing 100 Year Promo client Cannelli Printing team Concept and design – How 2 Design: Noemi Kearns, Ruth Zelanski, Keith Edwards, Katie Marrotte, Ivan Krevolin; Printing – Cannelli Printing Company, Inc. challenge “One hundred years of impeccable printing is no simple feat, nor was the task of commemorating this milestone with a single announcement.

Such a piece had to communicate the scope and context of this distinct legacy; highlight the company’s capabilities and techniques; and at the same time honor and celebrate the owner’s two special predecessors in a personal, beautiful way. ” solution “We had virtually no restrictions on process or print technique — since Cannelli does it all, and quite expertly at that.

“We chose to bind together five unique pieces that included combinations of blind debossment, label tip-in, lasercutting, foil-stamping, engraving, metallic duotones, letterpress, and traditional lithography, finished with a staggered binding that’s stitched once onto a poster that folds out from the center without disassembly.

“The story told through the visuals and text all draw from personal pastimes and cultural heritage of the current owner’s father and grandfather, such as passing on traditional Italian sayings, enjoying a daily glass of red wine with dinner, and spending weekends fishing on the family boat.” results “For our client, the piece is a successful, definitive, and succinct snapshot of a 100 year-young, family business. It delicately highlights the multitude of different processes that our client specializes in, and does so in a way that is well-paced and captivating. The refined individual moments have a collective rhythm and eye-catching style that flows from beginning to end — giving the reader a more interesting, complete experience than any single brochure or announcement card.”

The Pita Group title “The Smart View” client MassMutual team Copywriting: The Pita Group writing staff; Strategist: Paul Pita; Producer/Editor: Rachael Shaw; Graphic Design: Nick Paradise challenge “MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division sought a way to approach retirement topics in a manner that was educational, entertaining and – most importantly – relevant to each of its audiences. In doing so, MassMutual hoped to motivate clients in each of its three target age groups to take action with their retirement accounts.” solution “The Pita Group worked with MassMutual to develop a new online video series, ‘The Smart View,’ which consists of eight episodes and a fun bloopers reel. All of the videos have a television talk show format and feature three hosts – each representing an age segment within Retirement Service’s audience.

“Pita was involved in the entire show development process, from initial concepting to scripting, set design and production. Pita created the show name and brand identity, and worked with contractors to build a comfortable, home-like set in Pita’s 3,600-square-foot in-house production studio.

“Pita later branded the RetireSmart YouTube channel and carried the design over to the RetireSmart Facebook page to create a consistent, high-energy, vibrant look and feel for the series.” results “All of ‘The Smart View’ episodes and the bloopers reel are showcased on the RetireSmart YouTube page, where they have been viewed more than 8,800 times. The videos were also promoted on the RetireSmart Facebook page, and have received significant likes and comments as well as generated conversation and shares.

“Due to the success of this online video series, MassMutual is working once again with Pita on a second season, which will feature more webisodes, special guests and financial experts.”

To view the video series visit: thepitagroup.com/smartview

Julia Balfour title High Hopes Symphony Invitations client High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. team Julia Balfour, Alyssa Puzzo, Patti Murphy, Tomasz Kazmierczak, and Titus Agee challenge “High Hopes Therapeutic Riding – a pillar in Old Lyme since 1979 – help those with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities through equine-assisted activities.

“Every two years, High Hopes hosts a fundraising event known as Symphony. The evening includes a bigticket auction, orchestra concert, and seated dinner.

“The invitations to this event needed to make a dramatic statement, to facilitate RSVPs that resulted in meeting fundraising requirements. ” solution “The heart of High Hopes is set apart by their incredible human touch. We reflected that emotion by creating hand-drawn invitations using hand illustrations, watercolors, and typography to create an almost dreamlike invitation. Each invitation and RSVP card were wrapped together by hand, ensuring the genuine emotion behind each invite.

“We strove to create an invitation that generated measureable results.

It needed to serve as a marketing piece, enticing recipients to show the invitation to their friends and start a conversation about the event and the organization it represents. The idea was to create an invitation you saved, put on your fridge, and just couldn’t say no to.” results “High Hopes received a resounding flood of praise for the invitations, turning them into an excellent publicity tool. With a strong attendance, the event netted $200,000, which was $20,000 above the fundraising goal for the evening.

“Beyond that night, the invitation system won a 2012 Connecticut Art Directors Club Excellence Award, and a 2012 GDUSA American Graphic Design Award. ”

Gabardine title Cognizant 2012 Annual Report & Sustainability Report client Cognizant Technology Solutions team Keith Hensel, Executive Creative Director; Scott Grant, Senior Designer; Yon Joo Choi, Designer challenge “Create two related but distinct reports that individually and collectively reinforce how the company is using IT solutions to shape the future of work. ” solution “We developed an elaborate yet easy to ‘read’ visual vocabulary that could be applied to both reports; one that was consistent with Cognizant’s brand standards but pushed the boundaries of what would be considered safe for tier-one professional services provider in the IT space.” results “Cognizant’s first dualreport package allowed the company to position itself as a fully evolved company capable of integrating its business strategy with its sustainability efforts to deliver greater shareholder and social value.”

silver creative group title Torie & Howard Organic Hard Candy Launch client Torie & Howard team Managing Director: Paul Zullo; Creative Director: Donna Bonato; Art Director, Designer and Illustrator: Suzanne Petrow; Production Manager: Will Melin challenge “Not to be daunted by an already competitive market, startup company Torie & Howard wanted to create an impact with consumers when launching a new organic hard candy brand in January 2012. Knowing the main objective was to appeal to a healthconscious audience with sophisticated palettes, the company turned to silver creative group to develop and execute all elements of the branding, design, and marketing strategy.” solution “Crafting a rich brand experience began with establishing the unique look and attitude for the anything but ordinary Torie & Howard.

From the outset, a fun, quirky aesthetic was paired to the all-natural and organic qualities of the candies. Custom watercolor artwork of the ingredients melded with natural textures and patterns to create a whimsical design medley as bold as the candy itself. The brand’s eye-catching, handcrafted style conveyed a sense of playfulness while clearly communicating the key attributes of the brand. The distinctive style was applied to all of Torie & Howard’s marketing and product collateral, from the packaging and the ecommerce website, to the trade show booth and sales materials, to create a cohesive and visually stunning brand that stood out from the competition in the candy aisle.” results “Torie & Howard’s launch was met with rave reviews from consumers and buyers in the gourmet food industry. The company receives fantastic press for its design aesthetic and sophisticated flavors and has secured distributors coast-to-coast in less than a year. The candies exceeded all sales expectations and new additions to the product line are being considered.”

The Bananaland title lolagraceEVENTS website client lolagraceEVENTS team The Bananaland / website design + build / copywriting / custom graphics challenge “Rachael Gross, owner of lolagraceEVENTS, cherry-picked The Bananaland because she literally wanted a website that was bananas.

In the best way possible! She actually challenged us to be US, if that makes any sense? Her niches are ‘anti’ and ‘unconventional’ occasions, so she wanted a web presence (and copy) that reflected her edgy, punk, badass way of approaching typically traditional affairs. She wanted to attract clientele that would hire her to be outlandish. Basically, she asked us to do our thing to the max. Lucky us! In fact, feedback would typically be (to our excitement): Can you make that a little more wild?” solution “We sketched, mapped, clay-modeled, shared coffees over Skype, and worked closely with Rachael to ensure each page had it’s own surprises to it. An Alice-inWonderland-type of unraveling. We meticulously added glitter, scribbled hearts, neon, handwritten type, and things of that sort with the intention of breaking normal web boundaries.

We wanted the ‘POW!’ effect upon each page load, allowing Rachael’s quirkiness to shine amongst a sea of ordinary.” results “Rachael and her company were a perfect compliment to ours, and vice versa. We couldn’t have been better paired than if we met on match.com. Rachael now proudly shares her domain, whereas before, pretended she did not have one. (Ha!) She also has doubled her clientele, hired more people, and gained media attention since the launch. We share in the pride of these successes and enjoyed every moment of the process it took to get there. We feel her site demonstrates our creative diversity and our ability to truly ‘go bananas.’ ”

Jargon Boy Design Studio title Sing the Truth: Voices from The Amistad Center for Art & Culture client The Amistad Center for Art & Culture team Greg Chinn, Art Director/ Designer/Creative Director ; Olivia S. White, Museum Director ; Frank Mitchell, Museum Curator ; Philippe Halsman, Craine Studios/Sydney Leff, D’Arlene Studios/JW Black Studio/ Elite/Napoleon Sarony, Houseworth Souvenir Photographs/Kostich Photos, Photographers; John Groo, Copywork Photographer; Anthony Colon, Location Photographer challenge “Sing the Truth: Voices from The Amistad Center for Art & Culture celebrates the emergence of an African American female performance tradition and its impact on the fight for freedom in America.

The challenge was to create a mobile exhibit that would educate/inform the general public.” solution “The mobile exhibit included 8 banners — measuring 7ft x 2ft in dimension — and various collateral materials (poster, teaser postcard and donation brochure).

Chinn used a bold color palette, vintage photographs from the Amistad archive and a mixture of contemporary/vintage fonts to create the eclectic vibe of the exhibit’s identity. The overall project concept was about creating a visual conversation and engagement.

A handmade, collage style was employed throughout the program.

Pops of bright colors contrasted with archival black & white photos gave the system a visual punch.” results “The exhibit officially launched at the New Haven Free Public Library and then traveled to various locations in-and-around Connecticut. The turnout was incredible and the feedback was tremendous. The public was drawn to the banners and sought them out throughout the NHFPL.”

WSAA title 1001 Stories client Mitchells Family of Stores team Renée Mandis, Amy Gross challenge “To showcase new Spring fashions in a fresh and tantalizing way that is signature to the Mitchells Family of Stores.” solution “As their USP is unsurpassed customer service and they have been collecting wonderful stories for over fifty years, we had created a campaign called ‘Style + Stories’ for them. As a catalog or ‘image book’ within this campaign, we chose to shoot at what we dubbed ‘the land of 1001 stories.’ The fashion was stunning against the Moroccan backdrop and we weave in stories from Morocco with our own stories from the store, from customers, associates and Mitchells family members.” results “An award-winning, image-building fashion catalog that took viewers on an exotic journey and could only come from the Mitchell Family of Stores. It was well-received by customers and the designers featured in it alike.”

MadisonMott title Redding Roadhouse Identity, Website & Mobile Site client Redding Roadhouse team Identity – Creative Director: Luke Scott, Associate Creative Director: Brian Grabell; Website and Mobile Site – Creative Director: Luke Scott, Associate Creative Director: Brian Grabell, Senior Art Director: Michael Barnes, Developer: Jordan Rabidou challenge “Redding Roadhouse (RRH) is a landmark restaurant with a lot of history and a loyal customer base that was recently bought by two hip couples looking to take over and improve upon a Fairfield County classic. It was a great opportunity to collaborate with a local client who knew what they wanted. The most challenging aspect of the project was coming up with an identity and a tone-of-voice that was palatable to the existing customers, but paired well with a brand new customer base.” solution “As the client set out to pare down the menu and give the joint a facelift, we began our own process where most great creative does…at the bar. We sampled the fare at the RRH Tap Room to see what we were working with and the place has a lot of personality, literally. Between the four owners and the colorful staff and patrons, there were plenty of ‘flavors’ to work with. In part, this is what led us to create a host of RRH icons/logotypes featured on the back of the letterhead as well as the personalized business cards.

“We kept the web and mobile sites simple, showcasing imagery of the restaurant and making it easy for visitors to check out the calendars, menus and give RRH a shout. The logo, like the client, needed to respect the history of the venue, yet be refined and modern.” results “The client loves it, and so do we! ”

Keiler title Accelerating Tomorrow client Lockheed Martin team Creative Direction: Michael Feinberg, Lucas McHale; Art Direction: Lucas McHale, Danny Mendoza, Wayne Waaramaa; Copywriting: Gini Kramer, Michael Feinberg challenge “Use advertising to commemorate Lockheed Martin’s 100th Anniversary.” solution “Tell the company’s history through the people who made it. The heroes. The risk takers. The explorers. The visionaries. Tell it with a wink. And tell just enough to keep a reader hungry for more. Then drive them to the web to complete the experience and to see the stories unfold.”

Adams & Knight title Beyond Advanced Campaign client Hartford Hospital team Adams & Knight – Senior Vice President/Account Supervisor: Reem Nouh; Program Manager: Melissa Fish; Creative Director/Copywriter: Patrick Dugan ; Creative Director/Senior Art Director: Eric Panke; Creative Director/ Senior Art Director: Don Carter; Art Director/User Experience Designer: Chris Spada; Developer: Ragunath Jawahar; Programmer: Charles Schoenfeld; Interactive Producer: Chris Rinaldi Hartford Hospital – Senior Vice President/Chief Strategy Officer, Hartford Healthcare: James Blazar; Director of Media Relations, Hartford Hospital: Rebecca Stewart challenge “Residents in Connecticut want the most advanced care for their health problems, and they believed that they needed to go to specialty hospitals, often in other states, to get it. But the truth is that Hartford Hospital actually has the most advanced capabilities for most issues. Hartford Hospital asked Adams & Knight to build a brand that would appeal to both potential patients and doctors.” solution “Adams & Knight created a fully integrated brand campaign based on the idea that Hartford Hospital has not just state-of-the-art but cutting-edge care. The theme ‘Beyond Advanced’ is used in all communications, across both targets.

And within that theme, we have created initiatives that support the various service lines, from Cardiology to Oncology to Women’s Health to Orthopedics. This highly integrated campaign has involved TV, print, radio, outdoor, websites, mobile apps, online, and social media.” results “In less than a year the campaign has generated 45 million impressions and a 26% increase in visits to Hartford Hospital’s main website.

And while all other Connecticut hospitals’ volume was down, Hartford Hospital saw a significant increase in volume over the previous year.”

Ostro Design title Nuovo Pasta Packaging Labels client Nuovo Pasta Productions Ltd. team Art Director/Designer: Michael Ostro; Photographer: Michael Heintz, Heintz-Wasson Photography; Food Stylist: Paul Piccuito challenge “Nuovo Pasta produces a unique selection of chef-crafted, premium pasta and sauces in innovative flavors, colors and shapes.

This project launched the brand’s first move into the mass-market/Big Box segment. The current retail package labeling is distinctive and rich, setting it apart from its competitors in the gourmet market, but does not picture the end product. The mass-market segment requires a quicker read with larger text for the flavor, and a photo of the plated pasta. The label also had to be larger to fit over a double container.” solution “The distinctive Nuovo logo, which has been in use since the beginning of the company, was used as a springboard to develop the background motif. The motif was re-colored as needed to tie into the pasta flavors and create a full line emphasizing quality and variety. The combination of this motif and the gradient effect of the background helped to create an old-world, artisanal feel. In addition, each food shot of the plated pasta was carefully styled, and delicately photographed from overhead, covering almost one-half of the design real estate – which addressed the requirement of the mass-market industry. This combination of design and photography gave the label a richness not typically seen on Big Box chains’ shelves, and allowed the consumer to scan the shelves quickly, but still get a strong sense of the rich quality and variety that Nuovo Pasta brings to market.” results “The best measure of success is increased sales. This new massmarket packaging line not only resulted in record sales for the company, but also opened the door to several other Big Box chains, which quickly jumped on board with Nuovo Pasta.”

Worx title EBP Supply Solutions Branding client Eastern Bag & Paper team Grant Copeland, Brand Strategist/Creative Director; Nicole Grunwald, Business Strategist/ Account Services; Lauren Werth, Designer; Melanie Petro, Copywriter; Shae Apland, Technologist challenge “The inherent challenge of this rebrand is the same as with most organizations – figuring out how to progressively evolve without cannibalizing any core equity, and creating new conversations that go beyond the commoditized products or services the company offers.” solution “The key to what was an extremely daunting challenge was making sure that all of our messaging, positioning and creative solutions not only served the marketing needs of EBP, but also provided solutions for business issues related to sales, operations, human resources and community outreach.” results “EBP, which launched the brand in October 2012, has been using the work to strengthen relationships industry-wide, generate leads, and convert business. Nearly one hundred years into their legacy, with ambitious growth plans – and several hundred million dollars in annual revenue – the evolved brand plays a pivotal part in a second century of success for EBP.”

mediaBOOM title Millenium Partners Website client Millennium Partners team mediaBOOM & Ronin Advertising challenge “Founded in 1991, Millennium Partners has built an impeccable reputation developing large-scale, mixed-use luxury properties that are driving a bold ‘new urbanism’ across the country. mediaBOOM designed and developed a new corporate site for Millennium Partners befitting these creators of luxurious real estate developments.

Millennium Partner’s old site was in need of both a visual update to more accurately represent their growing brand, and a technological update to meet the demands of mobile site visitors, both in the US and Asia.” solution “mediaBOOM delivered a fresh new site that integrates advanced parallax HTML5 animations and customized imagery based on geotargeting of site visitors. mediaBOOM also created a streamlined, multilingual version of the corporate site catering to Asian audiences.” results “The new Millennium Partner’s website better represents Millennium Partners as an industry leading brand, and solves any technological issues that were once hindering certain visitor’s online experiences. mediaBOOM enjoyed creating a flexible, accessible site that works well on all platforms and caters to multiple audiences.”

SVP Partners title SVP Partners Web site client SVP Partners team Jean Page, Bob Vitale challenge “Create a web site that functions as a key element in the sales process. The site should inform, and help drive sales by creating interest in the firm.” solution “More show, less tell. We understand that time is valuable, and we’re living in an age where more and more ‘things’ are competing for it. We chose to let the work speak for itself, make the initial pitch if you will; if the site can open the door even a crack, the partners can close the deal live and in person. We also made a conscious decision to avoid the self-aggrandizing narrative approach common in so many design firm sites.

I mean really, have you read some of them, apart from all sounding alike, how many seconds into the typical ‘Philosophy’ section before your eyes begin to roll back in your head?” results “Why is it a success?

Because we like it. Oh yeah, and it’s bringing in work.”

Triple Frog title NFA View Book client Norwich Free Academy team Kyle Green, Katie Smith, Stacey Dyer, Laura McDonald challenge “Create an engaging recruitment piece for prospective students, tuition-based included. We needed to speak to the teens as much as we needed to nod to the parents that this is an energetic campus with so much more to offer than the average high school. ” solution “Through the use of new branding that kept a younger tone with typography, and page layouts that delivered the sense you’d find overhearing the crowds of students at NFA, we delivered an organized (for the parents!) yet maximalist sales tool.” results “Every age that flips through this book can find something to relate to and get excited about.

See yourself on campus, in class, or as a supportive figure for the growing youth within.”

Taylor Design title Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation Annual Report client Boehringer Ingelheim team Dan Taylor, Art Director; John Rudolph, Designer; Andrew Bannecker, Illustrator; Jim King, Ann Wainright, Gail Scotto, Marybeth McGuire, writers, various photographers and videographers challenge “Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and markets a variety of health care products. Taylor Design was asked to create an interactive annual report for the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation, a private nonprofit organization that provides financial contributions to nonprofits and provides medicines to patients who need them around the world.” solution “We partnered with illustrator Andrew Bannecker to create a fun and friendly report that includes infographics, volunteer profiles, maps, videos, and integration with social media.

The report is divided into four main content sections –Medicine, Community Programs, Time & Skills, and Social Enterprise – and is programmed to allow the user to scroll horizontally through each section.” results “The annual just launched at the end of January, so we don’t have any results yet. But we just received an email from our client: ‘We’re very excited. Your team took a simple concept to a glorious story.’”

Digital Surgeons title Gaga’s Workshop client Barney’s New York team Peter Sena / Mark Myrick, Creative Directors; Inessa Davydova, Art Director challenge “Lady Gaga teamed up with Barneys New York for its firstever holiday promotional partnership.

Digital Surgeons was tasked with bringing Gaga’s Workshop to life digitally – to drive retail store traffic and sales, increase social media engagement, and promote the Born This Way Foundation.” solution “For the website, we developed the concept of the 12 days of Gaga, a Lady Gaga-themed advent calendar that unveiled a new product each day that could be purchased on the site. Meanwhile, giant Gaga inflatables and Gaga street performers were placed around New York City, generating massive awareness and buzz for the opening of the in-store event.

“As the workshop opened, the site introduced the Gaga Machine, where viewers entered unique codes found online and throughout the city. This ‘machine’ unlocked limited edition products as well as digital artifacts.

“Viewers could also become a ‘Little Monster’ by uploading their photo and unique message, creating their own little monster to share with the world on Facebook and Twitter.

“To drive in-store traffic, we created an unlockable Gaga’s Workshop FourSquare badge, awarded to those who checked in at Barneys. The first person to check in every day received a special gift at customer service.

“Ultimately we created a digital experience that allowed Gaga’s Workshop to be personalized, purchased, shared socially, and most importantly could give the user the satisfaction of charitable giving.” results “Between social media, press mentions and website traffic, the Gaga’s Workshop campaign received a whopping four billion impressions.

And Barneys experienced a 70% increase from the previous year’s holiday season.”

TFI Envision title “Are You TechSmart” Campaign client TechSmart team Dan Taylor, Art Director; John Rudolph, Designer; Andrew Bannecker, Illustrator; Jim King, Ann Wainright, Gail Scotto, Marybeth McGuire, writers challenge “Drive awareness amongst consumers and automotive technicians of the brand TechSmart®.

Align the brand’s values with the values of automotive technicians.” solution “Integrated program with multiple activations: “Advertising: ‘Meet the TechSmart Techs’ campaign. Focuses on real techs from across the country who chose TechSmart Parts for their customers, with real life testimonials.

“Technicians-only Promotion: ‘Are You TechSmart’ Quiz. Educated techs on the TechSmart product line-up, including the important differences that make TechSmart so unique.

“Techs and Consumers Promotion: Facebook ‘Are You TechSmart?’ “Like” us and you could win 1 of 20 iPads.

“Social media: ‘Meet the TechSmart Techs’ on Facebook and Twitter. The real techs from the ad campaign are featured on the TechSmart Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Each tech contributed a number of content ideas that are being utilized for content with a new tech featured daily.

“In-store POS: ‘Are You TechSmart?’

Help drive awareness and close a sale. Elements include shelf-talkers, countermats, and quiz game tickets. “‘Are You TechSmart’ Tech Sessions Videos. A series of 12 (1-3) minute engaging and informative videos that feature installations and product demonstrations.

“Trade show: Campaign elements integrated into AAPEX tradeshow, including videos and ad campaign.” results “In-market now, but has currently 10x the number of Facebook fans for the TechSmart fan page. Full trade support and over 10 thousand entries into the sweepstakes. First 3 TechSmart Tech sessions videos have close to 10k views on YouTube.”

Response Marketing title VUDU Facebook Presence client VUDU team Strategist: Reed Immer; Art Director: Matt Durand; Developer: Bryan Bielefeldt challenge “VUDU pioneered movieon-demand in 2004 but are now up against some serious competition with NETFLIX, Hulu, iTunes, Blockbuster, RedBox and others. As a result, VUDU’s goal was to dramatically bolster their presence on Facebook, to position the service as the leading streaming provider for those that want the best quality and the most recent releases (same as DVD); to build and engage their fan base; and to drive awareness and trials.” solution “We approached VUDU’s Facebook page with a holistic, integrated strategic plan that consisted of several elements: cover photos that highlighted a different movie genre and movies each month; posts and milestones that highlighted popular movies and also encouraged audience participation, and which were supported with promoted post spends; ads and sponsored stories that targeted friends of existing fans and fans of relevant movies to build the fan base and amplify engagement; and a custom app that displayed current VUDU offers and top picks, and allowed users to sign up from within the app.” results “The results of the VUDU Facebook campaign have been exceptional: the fan base increased from 22k to over 100k (450% increase); the average cost per fan was $1.25; the average weekly reach increased from 23,939 to 527,880 (2205% increase); the average weekly engaged users increased from 950 to over 5,800 (610% increase); the ‘Free Movie Credits’ tab/app has gotten nearly 6k visits; and VUDU acquired over 1,125 new subscribers to their service as a direct result of the Facebook campaign (roughly 1.4% conversion rate from ‘like’ to subscriber since the inception of the campaign.)

We attribute the success to a solid strategy, great creative, engaging content, and effective advertising.”

Alexander Isley Inc. title Goodwill Branding, Identity, & Communication Program client Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut team Alexander Isley Inc. – Creative Director: Alexander Isley, Designer: Angela Chen; The Dave and Eddy Show – Brand Strategist, writer: Dave Goldenberg challenge “Goodwill in Connecticut came to us for help focusing their message and conveying their mission as a way of further increasing their effectiveness. ” solution “Goodwill is one of those admirable organizations that has practically universal name recognition — yet most people have little idea what it is that they actually do.

“Everyone knows about their stores and their collection facilities, but most of us aren’t aware of the extensive degree to which they provide social services, housing, education, career training, and assisted living programs to the disadvantaged. It’s a remarkable organization that provides effective, far-reaching services to a large segment of our society.

Your donations are sold in Goodwill stores, raising money to support programs that help people overcome barriers to employment and live full, rich lives.

DonateGoodwill.org

© 2012 Goodwill of Western & Northern CT

“We conducted customer, donor, administration, and program participant interviews, getting a thorough idea of how the organization works in the communities it serves.

We then developed both brand and communication platforms to serve as the basis for our plans of action, which enabled us to efficiently and effectively put a new communication program into place.

“Our work has included the reimagining of all areas of public interaction: The creation of print, online, direct mail, broadcast, transit, and outdoor advertising, the design and naming of the ‘Donation Station’ dropoff locations, design of the truck fleet, and the complete overhaul of the store interiors, bringing the shopping experience up to a new level.” results “Both sales and donations have increased, leading directly to increased funding of vital communitybased programs. ”

Miranda Creative title Bishops Orchards Billboards client Bishops Orchards team Maria Miranda, Creative Director; Kyle Osolin, Senior Project Director; Sarah Dellaventura, Marketing Director challenge “Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market and Winery had booked high-profile billboard locations along Interstate 95 outside of New Haven and Bridgeport markets, all leading up to their location in Guilford, CT. To maximize the investment in strong outdoor media placements, Bishop’s Orchards needed a year-long billboard design campaign that would drive traffic to their market, orchards and winery. Bishop’s Orchards also needed to increase overall brand awareness to help drive interest in their various seasonal offerings and events throughout the year. ” solution “Miranda Creative worked closely with Bishop’s Orchards to develop a year-long campaign featuring 6 different billboards with seasonal messaging. Each billboard embraced key brand elements to promote overall brand awareness while also focusing on specific events or products relevant during the length of each media buy.” results “By advertising elements with measurable outcomes, including events and specific products, the campaign achieved success in each individual silo.

“Bishop’s Orchards saw increased store traffic following their New Year messaging and increased website visitors. Their social media presence has grown to over 10,000 likes on Facebook with a growing Twitter and Blog population. The ‘pickyour-own’ season, weather pending, saw multiple families and outside populations from NYC (even Mariano Rivera of the NY Yankees) visit them.

The Shoreline Wine Festival had a record number of visitors and sales.

And the holiday season was yet another busy time of year, with a notable increase in online sales of holiday gift baskets.”

Mascola Group title The World, Residences at Sea client The World, Residences at Sea team John Paul Grego & Chuck Mascola, Account Management; Nick Healy, Art Direction; Michelle Yue, Copywriting; Vin DiGioia, Interactive; Lauren Leitch, Media challenge “After finishing a complete redesign of The World’s website and collateral package in 2011, Mascola was tasked with driving highly-qualified prospects to the website and through their very intricate sales process.

The World is a one-of-a-kind product – the price tag is high and the target market is extremely small, making typical mass media ineffective.” solution “The World offers a completely unique lifestyle. To show this to potential buyers, we developed print, paid search, email, and direct mail campaigns that focused on individual journeys that the people onboard got to experience.

“Our print ads were placed in publications that had the highest potential to reach people with the right financial qualifications and outdoor/travel lifestyle mindset.

Additionally, we worked with publications to send co-branded personal invitations to their most qualified readers to take a tour aboard the Ship.

“To keep hot leads interested, we created a password-protected blog that features more of these stories written by the Residents and staff onboard. This blog is updated weekly and gives prospects a semi-constant reminder of what they are missing out on.” results “2012 was their best year since the ship launched in 2002. Over 40,000 square feet of residential space was sold at the highest square footage value in history. 90% of all homes available at the end of 2011were sold within the following year.”

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Aaron Kotowski

aaronkotowski.com

Aaron Kotowski is pretty much the best photographer ever. His hobbies include meeting client deadlines, delivering assignments within budget, and fighting the forces of evil with his own code of vigilante justice.

When Aaron is not saving

puppies from burning buildings he can be found in his awesome New Haven studio talking shit about other photographers and taking pictures of cats wearing tuxedos and handlebar mustaches for the internets.

Aaron’s unique photographic

style comes from the combination of disposable cameras paired with the discriminating eye and processing power of the Walgreens photo department.

Aaron wins tons of awards and has all the best clients; he is kind of a big deal.

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Stephen Wilkes

stephenwilkes.com

For more than two decades Stephen Wilkes has been widely recognized for his fine art and commercial photography. His photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums, and featured in magazines like The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair and Time, among others.

Wilkes shoots advertising campaigns for many of the world’s leading agencies and corporations, including SAP, IBM, PepsiCo, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, American Express, Nike, Sony, Verizon, IBM, AT&T, Rolex, Honda, J.W.T., EuroRSCG, McCann

Erickson, Ogilvy & Mather, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, and Rubin Postaer.

Wilkes was educated at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Derek Dudek

derekdudek.com / contentpictures.com

Derek Dudek has been creating imagery for the commercial sector for over 20 years.

Besides his still photography business, he also operates a full service motion picture production company, Content.

Working on television shows such as Law & Order

and MTV Sports, along with numerous film projects, has finely tuned Derek’s techniques in image production.

His award winning work has appeared in exhibitions as well as numerous ads and publications such as American Photography, Graphis and

Polaroids P Series. Combining technique with his desire of finding truth and dignity in his subjects leads him to craft dramatic imagery.

Shown are frame grabs from a recent Superbowl TV commercial Dudek shot for Alex and Ani, where he was Director of Photography.

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Julie Bidwell

juliebidwell.com

Julie Bidwell is a commercial and editorial photographer based in West Hartford, shooting food, people and travel. She has a BFA from Syracuse University and studied photography with Parsons School of Design in Paris.

Julie is a member of the trade groups Editorial Photographers/APA and ASMP. She is represented by Getty Images Global Assignments and Wonderful Machine.

Clients include AT&T, GM, Connecticut Magazine, Connecticut Home & Garden,

Otis Elevator, Yankee, Wireless Zone, Delta Sky, Family Circle, GM, Globe Pequot Press, Harper Collins, Farmer’s Cow, Ladies Home Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, Hartford Courant, INC Magazine, Le Monde Magazine, Mohegan Sun and United Technologies.

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Sean Kernan

seankernan.com

Sean Kernan is a photographer, writer and teacher. He came to photography from theater, and is the author or two monographs, The Secret Books (with Jorge Luis Borges) and Among Trees.

He has exhibited at galleries and museums in France,

Freece, Italy, Mexico, Egypt and in the US. His photos have been published in The New York Times Magazine, Smithsonian, New York, Harpers, Bloomberg, Commucation Arts and Graphis, and has done a wide range of advertising work for clients such as AT&T, Amex, GE,

Pratt & Whitney, DOw Jones, Harvard and Knoll.

He teaches and lectures, and is currently working on projections for a dance project, a book on creativity, and a video about the Crow Tribe in Montana.

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Jim Coon

jimcoonstudio.com

Jim Coon is a corporate photographer and filmmaker with work featured in publications such as Communication Arts, Print, and Graphis. Equally at home behind a camera or on a video set, Jim is a creative, committed team player.

“Jim is one of those very special photographers—the kind who can shoot what’s inside people,” says Dann DeWitt, Partner at Visibl. “There aren’t very many of them on the planet to begin with, and the fact that he is also a brilliant, kind and compassionate human being

makes him truly one of a kind.”

Clients include General Electric, Hartford Insurance, Stanley Black & Decker, Cabot Corporation, Lincoln Financial, Gartner, Webster Bank, Aetna, Mohawk Paper, IBM, United Technologies, Reebok and Cigna.

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Jane Shauck

photojane.com

Jane Shauck’s intimate portraits of the New York Mets won Best of ASMP and PDN’s Faces contest in 2009 and were exhibited at the Norman Rockwell Museum in 2011.

Jane connects quickly with her subjects to get honest images with a range of emotion.

She enjoys the collaborative process of a shoot, creating connections with her team and her clients. With an MBA from Boston College and a corporate background, Jane focuses on understanding the marketing goals of every shoot and delivering the client’s message

with clean, compelling images.

Clients include Time Inc., Swarovski, SportsNet NY, The New York Mets, The Department of Homeland Security, UPS, Danaher Corporation, Cummins Inc., GE, Forbes, O The Oprah Magazine, and Real Simple.

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Lanny Nagler

lannynagler.com

Lanny Nagler is a commercial photographer specializing in corporate, industrial, advertising and travel photography... all with a unique perspective.

His work has appeared in magazines, annual reports, ads and brochures for Fortune

500 clients in this country and throughout the world.

Over the past 36 years as a professional photographer, he has had the good fortune to have traveled and had experiences which shape the way he views the world.

His recent clients include

Aetna, University of Connecticut, Connecticut Innovations, Kaman Corporation, Hartford Hospital, Theaterworks Hartford, United Technologies, ING, Northeast Utilities, Junior Achievement, Masonicare and Hoffman Auto Group.

IMG SRC PHOTOGRAPHY

Jody Dole

jodydole.com

Award-winning photographer and conceptual imagemaker Jody Dole brings his “A� game to every project with unique combinations of lighting, composition, color, environment and a talented production staff. Dole maintains a new 4500 square

foot studio housed in a modern post & beam barn just off Long Island Sound.

Awards include Graphis Photo, Design, Advertising, Poster and 2013 One Hundred Best in Photography Annuals, Communication Arts, The Art Directors Club of NY,

American Photography, PDN, APA, Mobius, and Nikon Legend of the Year.

Dole attended School of Visual Arts and Pratt Institute in New York and holds an honorary masters degree in photographic science from Brooks Institute.

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