Workplace Review
Vicky Shi BMGT458A
Marstudio, Inc. is a graphic design agency and creative marketing firm headquartered in Rockville, MD. Its services include print design, web design and development, multimedia, and branding. The agency has seven employees, with three full-time: Sam, Vice President and creative director; Acacia, art director; and Matthew, studio director and Smith School alumnus. The agency has clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies, some located in the D.C. metro area, and others across the nation. Marstudio strives to act as an extension of their client’s marketing department, which showcases their desire to truly understand their client’s creative needs.
Industry Background The graphic design industry is at a mature life cycle, with low revenue volatility and high competition level. It is composed of freelancers (80 percent) and graphic design firms, and mainly relies on advertisers and manufacturers for its revenue. As the economy recovers, revenue is projected to increase at an annualized rate of 1.5% to $10.1 billion by 2018 (Sherman). The advertising industry, another aspect of Marstudio’s work, is looking towards specialization and digital media to grow revenue. The industry’s revenue has slightly declined during the past five years, due to clients reducing advertisements during the recession. Advertisers who are able to reach fragmented markets, such as specific demographics, will be more successful in attracting clients (Turk). Moreover, the web design industry will increase as more products and services require websites. The rapid growth of smartphones and tablets has cause businesses to require web design services to develop websites optimized for mobile platforms (Culbert).
Company History
Marstudio began when two best friends, Sam and Shevy, left their corporate jobs to start their own business. They began taking on clients together, and, after a few years, they began to expand their team. Shevy became CEO and Sam took on Vice President. Acacia, the art director, graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Graphic Design and worked in San Diego, Toronto, before coming to the D.C. area to become the sole designer of Bluemercury, a luxury cosmetic store. After realizing her dissatisfaction with her job, she reached out to Sam and began working at Marstudio. Sam, the studio director, graduated from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland with a degree in Supply Chain Management. He joined the Air Force for two years, and when he returned, he connected with Sam and began his time at Marstudio.
Workplace Environment Physical Space Marstudio is currently located in a temporary space, but they have arranged everything in a way that emulates the atmosphere of their previous location. There are no cubicles or dividers, with plenty of open space. The furnishings and decorations all follow a color swatch of bright red and white, which are Marstudio’s brand colors (Appendix A). The style is modern, minimalist, and clean. For instance, the client meeting space consists of long, red tables and white, cushioned chairs. The table by the window is lined with their many trophies, accentuated by the simplicity of the white table (Appendix B). The official candy bar of the office are Kit Kats, for its red packaging, which are located around the office in bowls (Appendix C). There are even original pieces of artwork by Sam hanging on the walls, to not only complement the space but also showcase the artistic capabilities of Marstudio (Appendix D). According to Sam, the space is meant to depict Marstudio’s personality and brand. If Marstudio can represent themselves effectively with a well-designed office environment, then a client can trust that they will be represented just as well. See Appendix E for additional visuals of the space.
Workplace Dynamic The three full-time employees are Acacia, Sam, and Matthew, so the office atmosphere mostly depends on their interactions. Acacia works with Sam extensively on the creative projects, while Matthew handles the administrative and sales aspects of the studio. Because Marstudio is a small firm, there are less strict guidelines and regulations to follow. Moreover, everyone has a niche role that they are imperative for. As Acacia commented, she is close with Steph, the web developer, but she acknowledges that the two have completely different ways of thinking. However, both of them are vital: Acacia for her creative mindset, and Steph for her realistic perception of a website’s functionality and user experience. The entire team, including the part-time employees will also engage in team-building events, such as a Tough Mudder they all participated in earlier this year.
Design Process As a creative marketing and design firm, the employees at Marstudio use marketing and design in every aspect of their work – from the first client consultation, to inception of the creative concept, to following through with the project. Clients come to Marstudio through referrals, websites, or conventions, and participate in a free first consultation. If the client decides to work with Marstudio, then Marstudio works on a creative brief to understand the company mission and marketing goals. An example of a creative brief is Appendix F. Clients’ needs range anywhere from a short-term, two-week project, to a long-term project. Acacia is in charge of most of the graphic design, so she works with logos, branding sheets, branding families, and print material design. Sam pointed out one of his recent, more unconventional projects;
he is illustrating a book for Montgomery County that will teach children how to be prepared for emergencies in natural disasters. For every project, Acacia and Sam must brainstorm a creative solution to the client’s need. As art and creative directors, they do all of the design in every project. They conduct extensive research on the client’s competitors, past successful and unsuccessful marketing campaigns, and compile the findings onto one document. From there, they pull from the sources or use them as a basis. When Acacia gets stuck, she looks at social media and blogs, especially Pinterest. She has even manipulated her Facebook feed to only show news from design pages she has “liked”, which allows her to keep up with trends. According to Acacia, when Sam gets artist’s block, he paces around the office. After presenting a rough to the client, Sam and Acacia go through the revisions necessary until the client is satisfied. With large companies, Marstudio has over a 90 percent retention rate.
Standout Factors Unique Model Unlike many other design firms, Marstudio charges clients on a monthly basis, rather than a large upfront fee. Acacia emphasizes that Marstudio acts as an extension of the client, similar to a marketing department, so Marstudio’s monthly premium is charged as a percentage of the client’s annual budget. Sam believes that it is a more affordable way for small firms to hire design services, versus bigger design firms that charge project quotes.
Green Emphasis Marstudio finds the intersection between design and social responsibility. It strives to be sustainable by using Earth-friendly printing solutions and providing carbon-neutral hosting solutions.
Marstudio uses New Leaf paper and soy-based ink, and uses a printer with carbon-free shipping and a commitment to wind and solar energy. Moreover, Marstudio’s hosting service is adamant about reducing resources, using green energy, and purchasing renewable energy credits.
Career Advice Acacia believes that marketing and design are intertwined, and many careers nowadays delve into both fields. She emphasizes it is imperative for designers seeking jobs to have the following: 1. People skills. Design firms need you to be able to articulate your ideas effectively, especially when communicating with clients. 2. You must know how to educate others about design. As you explain your ideas, you’re educating your client or team on why your work is good design. 3. Show your personality. Many design firms are looking for people that fit within the company culture, as their employees must be a good representative of their brand. 4. Sharpen your skills as much as possible, specifically with Adobe Creative Suite.
Philosophy of Design Acacia lights up at the opportunity to discuss design philosophy, and spends some time deciding what to tell. She says that above all, what’s important is the audience and who sees it. Design is art with a function, for finding solutions. Design is about choices; although you may not have originated every font family or color swatch, you choose which fonts and colors to design with. Designers constantly reconstitute and reconfigure ideas as their own. Acacia makes these choices and works towards finding creative solutions every day as she brainstorms with Sam, sketches rough comps, and polishes off a finished product. Ultimately, design is about improving the world – taking anything with poor function or aesthetics and making it better for the audience.
Works Cited Culbert, Kevin. Web Design Services. Rep. N.p.: n.p., 2013. IBISWorld. Web. 04 Dec. 2013. "Marstudio, Inc." Marstudio. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013. Rooientan, Sam, Matthew M., and Acacia B. "Marstudio, Inc. Informational Interview." Personal interview. 4 Dec. 2013. Sherman, Austen. Graphic Designers in the U.S. Rep. N.p.: n.p., 2013. IBISWorld. Web. 04 Dec. 2013. Turk, Sarah. Advertising Agencies in the U.S. Rep. N.p.: n.p., 2013. IBISWorld. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.
Appendix A: Entrance and Brand
Appendix B: Client Meeting Space
Appendix C: Designer Work Space
Appendix D: Original Artwork
Appendix E: Additional Visuals
Appendix G: Thank-You Letter