Archive for the 'Design' Category Page 2 of 2

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Growth spurt.

Published by Jo on June 4, 2010 in Design. 0 Comments

My son just completed kindergarten. In the span of one year, he has grown from a barely turned 5-year-old whose writing was just legible and drawings were basic stick figures to a determined child whose handwriting is better than most adults and drawings are detailed images of spaceships and ninjas. He used his determination and curiosity to make a change to grow and learn. For those of you who work in a creative job field, it is just as necessary to make changes in your creative processes. To grow and learn every day just as my son did. The challenge may be exploring new tutorials on design programs and technology. Reading up on current trends. Attending workshops on improving your work process. Becoming engaged with others in our field. Use your curiosity and dive in. Try getting down to your roots. Why are you are in this field? What was the spark that made you want to be creative? Being an artist, I keep open minded about everything. From technology, music, art, reading, human relationships. It is the fuel that keeps me creative. It is not an easy task. There will be days when you will not want to get out of your comfort zone. But for those of you who seek the challenge, take a step. Let’s see what a year will bring to you.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
—Ferris Bueller

Value Lesson

Published by Laurie on January 22, 2010 in Design and Leadership. 0 Comments

I’ve thought a lot over the past 24 hours about what drives an agency and the people who work within its walls. We were asked to spend two hours with a group of students from Northeast Magnet High School in Wichita. Jeffrey asked Scott Light and Jo Tomson, art directors here, to prepare for and direct how those two hours would be spent.

From the inception of The Strategy Group, we have said we would be teachable. We would display a servant’s heart toward our clients. We would go above and beyond through work ethic and creative stretch to move the needle for them. We would give our best work to every client, regardless of budget. Do those values show up outside the agency/client relationship?

Northeast Magnet Students at SG

High school students have a lot of highway to travel. Their career decisions aren’t imminent. Jo and Scott have a lot of work to do. We’re in the middle of a very busy first quarter. But they poured their hearts and time into giving their best thinking and sharing their best experiences with these students (pictured here/ Jo is on the left and Scott is far right). They didn’t marginalize the opportunity by making a quick decision to not cut into too much billable time. They didn’t decide they could easily wing it with a bunch of uniformed kids. These kids got two hours of solid content, full-out enthusiasm from Jo and Scott, a sign at the entry and take-home promotional items from a printer because Jo stopped and asked for them on her way in to work.

Watching two art directors and six kids, everyone here got a value lesson. Here’s what I’ve asked myself: How often do I wing it?

Of sticky logos and octopi.

Published by Scott on December 4, 2007 in Branding and Design. 0 Comments

Recently, SG was tasked with creating a fresh new identity for an established Wichita church. The client required a new logo that would support the new, unified direction in which the church was heading. Before coming to us, the church struggled with numerous, disconnected subministry identities and a logo that had morphed into a hybrid version of its original design.

Previous Eastminster Logo

To ensure that leaders’ voices were heard and opinions counted, we hosted a two-hour, guided ideation session. At the completion of the ideation, we knew that we needed to create an identity that was attractive to a younger crowd, while paying respect to and not offending an older audience.

We launched the logo design process. After a number of sketch rounds, we arrived at a logo that was both strongly progressive and rooted in tradition. By combining hand-lettered, modern type with the historic Celtic cross, we were able to create a look that appealed to a wide age spectrum.

New Eastminster Logo

Our work, however, was not done. We needed to devise a strategy that incorporated 18 distinct subministries into the at-large identity.

This might sound like a strange analogy, but this church identity needed to become a swimming octopus—I know, bear with me. The church’s many subminstries needed to become the tentacles and the logo the octopus’ head. As the octopus propels forward, the tentacles need to work in conjunction behind the head.

To create this swimming octopus, SG created a consistent format for the subministry names in combination with the logo, allowing the subministries to work with the main organizational identity rather than against it. This created a main-brand focus that allowed the smaller ministries to point back to the church’s main identity.

Subministry 1 Subministry 2

When building an identity for an organization that is made up of smaller entities, creating a concise, consolidated logo will help you build a sleek, sticky brand—your very own swimming octopus.

Engaging Interior

Published by Jo on August 6, 2007 in Design. 1 Comment

We love expanding our design sensibilities beyond the borders of the printed page, billboard or television screen to foster true consumer brand engagement. We recently had the opportunity to do just that for Pathfinders Birkenstock as we helped the owner create a vibrant, comfortable shopping experience through the store interior.

Pathfinders west store was relocating so it was the perfect time to bring the interior aesthetic in line with the brand. As a purveyor of cool and comfortable shoes, Jill Dunning has a light-hearted personality and a deep love for nature. With her personal style in mind, we began the interior design process.

We set the tone with an earthy color palette using shades of tan, green and a warm, deep red. With the color palette in place, we began to introduce fun textures. Faux paint resembling stone was applied behind the check-out desk. A metallic vinyl swirl pattern representing leaves and foliage was added to the adjacent display walls. Concrete floors were stained to resemble stone and compliment the warm, earth-tone color palette used on the walls.

Jill also expressed the desire to explore original artwork to display in her store. Three large, horizontal murals were concepted, designed and printed on stretched canvas to provoke a sense of journey—the different paths we take in life. And, of course, the need for cool and comfortable shoes to get us where we’re going!

Mural 1 Mural 1 Mural 3

Check out this engaging interior at Pathfinders Birkenstock west Wichita location. Just south of New Market Square on west 21st street. You might even find a pair of cool shoes for your personal journey.

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