Posted by Rick Hosmer on July 21 2010 | 0 Comments
We often receive requests from area high school and university instructors wanting to have their marketing classes tour our offices and have a Q&A time with us. We most always say "yes" to these requests, because we remember (oh so long ago) when our own college classes toured local agencies and design firms. We learned a lot then and want to extend that opportunity to current students.
This spring, an art class from Rosalia High School made a trip to Spokane for a tour. This class is special, as it is taught by Fern Feenan, the mother of Lorri Johnston, one of our art directors.
Darin and Lorri hosted the tour of 30 students (which, by the way, is about 50% of Rosalia's high school enrollment!) The students learned about careers in graphic design and viewed the artwork of Tim Lord, which is prominently displayed in our offices.
When they returned back to school, Fern Feenan had her students create thank you cards to send to us. They used cut paper, colored pencils, watercolor and laser printed lettering to make their own custom cards. The thank you cards were very creative and appreciated by our staff.
Lorri's mom taught her own daughter when Lorri was in high school. That art foundation served Lorri well as she continued her education at the Art Institute of Seattle, and after graduation during a successful career in Seattle before moving to Spokane and joining Klündt | Hosmer.
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Posted by Rick Hosmer on July 16 2010 | 0 Comments
Recently we were working on a new sales brochure for a client. Similar to an earlier design we created in English, this one had to be in Japanese for their Asian sales team.
Laying out Kanji text is always kind of challenging as it is difficult to know where the lines should break or what's a headline or a subhead.
While Mastery was working on the layout, Micah and Steven (two of our programmers) came over to her desk. Now these two guys (Americans through and through) eat bento for lunch, watch anime for entertainment, and collect popular Japanese manga figurines (well, at least Micah does.)
Anyway, while looking over Mastery's shoulder at her computer monitor, they both were able to read some of the Kanji text in her brochure layout. Now, when Henry Ortega (one of our designers who happens to be from Columbia) translates Spanish text in a brochure or website, that's cool. But when two of our "born in the USA" programmers read Japanese, I just think that's awesome.
行く方法人 (way to go guys!)
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Posted by Rick Hosmer on June 16 2010 | 0 Comments
The late '90s was a great time to be a graphic designer. Not that I'm complaining now, but the turn-of-the-century was a happening time with people investing in dot-coms and starting businesses left and right.
One of those businesses was an on-demand, online printing company called Webprint.
A previous client of ours was a partner in this Bay Area company and he introduced us to his management team. They hired us to design the company's brand identity, services brochure and website. It was cool stuff and fun popping down to San Francisco to do business with those guys. The president of the company was named Jeff Hayzlett. He had a successful background in commercial printing and technology, and investors tended to listen to what he had to say. We enjoyed working with Jeff. He was a nice guy and even took me out on the town when I judged the ADDY Awards in Sioux Falls, SD, his hometown.
It's been quite a while since Klündt | Hosmer has worked with Jeff and his team at Webprint. That business sold and Jeff moved on to other things, including four years as Chief Marketing Officer at Kodak in Rochester, NY. Jeff and I have kept in touch over the years and it is fun to watch the success that he has enjoyed.
His latest endeavor is a book titled, "The Mirror Test: Is Your Business Really Breathing?" Jeff has lead businesses through the boom (and bust) of the dot-com era, through steady growth and into the current economic climate. He is experienced and knows what he's talking about. In fact, none other than Donald Trump, who Jeff worked with on "Celebrity Apprentice" had this to say about "The Mirror Test", "This book is a reflection of marketing genius, read it to find out how companies big and small TRUMP the competition!"
We are excited help promote Jeff's book, his speaking engagements and reminisce about the fun we had branding his company back in the day. And it's STILL a great time to be a graphic designer.
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Posted by Rick Hosmer on June 01 2010 | 0 Comments
Tomorrow is the Greater Spokane Incorporated AGORA Award ceremony. The AGORA Awards are an annual recognition of regional business excellence.
At the 25th annual award ceremony to be held at the Davenport Hotel, Jean Klündt will present the C. Michael Archer Award for Community Service to this year's recipent. Klündt | Hosmer won the award in 2009.
In looking over the list of finalists, it was encouraging to see that one-third of the 18 finalists have been or are currently our clients. I guess that shows that great businesses recognize the importance of great corporate design.
We would like to congratulate these clients on their hard work and perseverence to become a finalist. Best of luck in tomorrow's accouncement.
Caffe Pazzesco
Catered for You
Design Source
Coffman Engineers
Advantage IQ
Moss Adams, LLP
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Posted by on May 13 2010 | 1 Comments
We recently completed the design and publication of the Spokane Regional Visitors Guide for the CVB. The project is printed in Denver, CO by Publication Printers. As part of the print job, Publication Printers makes large-format posters of each of the three covers.
Before we delivered the posters to Jeanna Hofmeister at the CVB, we stopped by a location on West Riverside to take a photograph of the poster next to the bicycle that is featured on one of the covers.
Even if you live in Spokane, you should get your hands on a copy of the latest Visitors Guide. It is loaded with interesting things to do for locals as well as visitors. Spokane is a walkable, ridable city and this vintage cruiser reflects that aspect of downtown. For online information visit the CVB's website.
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Posted by Rick on May 11 2010 | 1 Comments
Today's blog post courtesy of ClientsFromHell.net.
It's a true-to-life Craigslist ad looking for a graphic designer for a project in Atlanta, GA.
I guess underpaying designers just isn’t offensive enough anymore:
ATLANTA Craigslist Creative Services
“Looking for an edgy, hip logo for our art event to debut spring 2011 in Atlanta. To enter the contest you pay $10.00, submit your design and if we choose your design you will win $100.00 plus VIP admission to the show!”
That would have to be one heck of a show...
If you're in the creative business, you owe it to yourself to check out ClientsFromHell.net. It will (hopefully) make you feel a little better about your OWN clients, and give you a few laughs in the process.
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Posted by Rick Hosmer on April 30 2010 | 2 Comments
Rick Hosmer, Ashley Martin, Diane Mahan and Darin Klündt smiling after the 15th Annual Spark Awards.
Last night, Klündt | Hosmer joined other members of Spokane Regional MarCom Association at The Lincoln Center for the 15th Annual Spark Awards.
Our team was honored with 11 awards for projects that we entered as well as for projects our clients entered.
The following projects were recognized with Merit and Excellence awards.
Merit Awarded Projects Included:
Logan Magazine
Kalispel Tribe Website
Avista Sustainability Brochure
Spokane Regional CVB Tweet Deals Twitter Campaign
Hotstart Tradeshow Display
Pearson Packaging Systems Corporate Brochure
Pearson Packaging Systems Robotic Invasion Campaign
Excellence Awarded Projects Included:
Second Nature Wilderness Programs Website
Avista Corp. 2008 Annual Report
Pearson Packaging Systems Video Interface
The highlight of the evening was when the Spokane Regional CVB Tweet Deals Twitter Campaign that we worked on with the CVB creative team was awarded one of three Brightest Spark Awards for being one of the highest scoring projects. The judging group from Seattle recognized the creativity and effectivness of this campaign and felt that it deserved this special honor.
Klündt | Hosmer thanks our clients for the confidence and trust they have in our firm. We also want to congratulate our strategic communication partners including Desautel Hege Comunications and Hill & Knowlton on the awards they won.
We had a great time at the event and look forward to next year when our own Ashley Martin serves Spokane Regional MarCom Association as president.
But we are still struggling with a question that the emcee asked the crowd at the beginning of the event... What DOES rhyme with "Klündt | Hosmer"?
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Posted by Rick Hosmer on April 22 2010 | 0 Comments
I recently came across a treatise making the case for the use of illustration in corporate communications pieces. As an illustrator myself (who doesn't get to use my talents very often), I could relate (and agree) to much of what the writer had to say. Unfortunately, there was no byline given for the author, so I am posting the piece below without a credit.
Why Illustration?
Unfortunately, illustration is not at the top of the list when art directors are thinking about solving visual problems.
Sure, there are the devotees out there, particularly on the editorial side, but it's rare to find an advertising agency art director using illustration.
There seems to be a real fear among art directors to hire illustrators. They may think they're giving up creative control, or think that it's too difficult or takes too long to do an illustration. That's where they can benefit from the experience of editorial art directors who have even tighter deadlines.
Working with an illustrator is not difficult, getting visual ideas from illustrators is not a cop-out. Working in partnership with an illustrator can benefit the client and career of any art director.
We believe photography cannot replicate the ideas illustrators dream up. That no amount if digital manipulation can manufacture an idea.
And from our vantage point, we see today's commercial photographers looking all too much the same. Whereas illustration looks as different as the artists themselves.
Everyone considers themselves a photographer, anyone can take a picture. Few can draw or paint one.
And draughtsmanship isn't enough. The true illustrator is a visual problem-solver par excellence. Each brings a unique perspective on our world, a personal vision that is translated in ink, paint or pixels. An idea that echoes our times, as original as original gets.
You can count on one hand the truly extraordinary photographers working today; you can fill a book with the work of today's illustrators.
(The above treatise was taken from the back cover of 3x3 Illustration Directory 2010.
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I know this piece has opened up my eyes to the potential for illustration in corporate and product marketing pieces, both in print and online. Looks like I may have to have to gather up my pens, sharpen my colored pencils and get prepared to make illustration the visual communication medium in an upcoming project.
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Posted by Rick Hosmer on April 13 2010 | 0 Comments
Klündt | Hosmer has created design and marketing materials for Chris Majer, CEO and founder of the Human Potential Project, and author of "The Power to Transform" for over 12 years. Chris is a pioneer in the design of transformational education who has helped organizations ranging from the U.S. Army to AT&T elevate their team performance, turn around failing divisions and meet aggressive growth goals. Klündt | Hosmer's management team went through his extensive program in Minnesota about four years ago. It was an enlightening and benficial experience for our business.
We're happy to help Desautel Hege Communications promote Chris' program to the business community by passing on information that they shared in a recent email announcement.
For the first time, Chris is offering his program locally to business and community leaders in the region. If you have met Chris, you know he's not about the quick fix or miracle pill. His proven methodology is about helping individuals and teams develop new "embodied competencies" that allow them to create and sustain high performance.
"Competing for the Future" is a 6-month program that consists of conferences, assignments and small team coaching. It’s the ideal program for executive or project teams who are starting something new, facing challenges, or looking for a breakthrough in their performance. It's also designed for individuals who want to take their careers to the next level, by learning how to make more powerful offers in the market. Space is limited and the course is expected to sell out. The course kicks off on May 24th, 2010.
You can get more information and enrollment details online.
Contact Mike Hammer, VP of Client Development & Services
770.788.6863 or 770.300.8496
mike.hammer@humanpotentialproject.com
Receive a $400 discount upon registration by entering the code DHCHP2.
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Posted by Rick Hosmer on April 12 2010 | 4 Comments
Do You Have One Spokane? Well... DO You?
Klündt | Hosmer was excited to work with a mystery client in promoting a special campaign that launched today. Over the next 7 weeks, you'll see billboards, a webpage, videos, print and radio ads, and social media sites asking that question. On May 31 you'll be able to go to DoYouHaveOneSpokane.com to find out WHO does have one, and what you can do to get your own.
Curious?
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