Fruition

We’ve been working for months on this, and most certainly have a few more months of work before it’s truly complete, but for Cabell, it’s been literally years that he has been turning this idea around over and over in his head. He’s made concrete attempts before, only to have it fall through. But a WORK branding co-working space has finally come to fruition with the help of the perfect partner, Larkin Garbee of 804RVA. 

Cabell always wanted a WORK space, not just a WORK Labs space but a place for collaboration and partnership in the creative community. WORK has always been nimble, hiring for resources only when needed. It suited the clients well, allowing us to only charge them for the services needed, rather than excessive overhead. But this format suited us just as well. It has always allowed us to choose the best of the best in the business, to collaborate with freelance creatives who we admire and know to be the best for that particular job. It has created for us some of the best relationships/friendships and we truly value that.

Little did we know that Larkin had been creating similar relationships with 804RVA. Folks who came in merely to rent workspace were making connections, bonds, and in the process, finding new business and new partners. Web developers in need of social media managers were finding they were only sitting a desk apart from one another. Introverts were finding themselves socializing and connecting in a way they never thought they would. 

With the creation of WORK & FRIENDS, Cabell and Larkin were putting together the best of both their worlds and the best of each others’ talents. 

Our launch party took place Thursday, January 31st, and we couldn’t have been more thrilled to see all the wonderful folks from both Cabell and Larkin’s world come out to support us. We’ve had folks stop by to check out the new space where WORK Labs now resides. But most of all, we have managed to continue with the mission that Cabell and Larkin shared, to do work you love with people you like in a place you want to be. And the collaborations have already begun with the folks at WORK & FRIENDS. We couldn’t more excited to see what the future holds, not just for WORK Labs but with everyone at WORK & FRIENDS.

Thanks to all who have been sharing their wonderful talent to help bring this along, including Nick Davis of Nick Davis Photography for the lovely photos of our launch party!

GROWING PAINS

It’s been a minute since our last blog post. Truth be told, it’s due to both busy schedules and a big ole dose of writer’s block. Which is odd since we have quite a lot going on at the moment, surely there must be plenty to write about!

We have a few new clients giving us some exciting projects to work on. Research and exploratories on everything from golf, to Buddhism, to handcrafted furniture. We are so excited for these projects. It’s rare to be be fortunate enough to have so many wonderful clients all at once. And it’s not just projects for our clients we’re busy with. We have so much more on our plate! 

We are currently training two new designers, David Pijor and Patrick Hamilton. And while that is not always an easy task for a company, we are feeling really fortunate to be working with these two individuals. Talent, passion, and good humor can go a long way, and these guys are proof of that! At the same time, we are saying “good luck”  not “goodbye” to a fantastic employee and friend (and Harris family member), Chris Harris as he begins the next chapter on his journey in web design, and photography, and wood working, social media, and whatever else he can get his hands on! 

WORK is also in the process of moving to a new location as is its owner, Cabell Harris. It’s been 23 years on Monument Ave, where Cabell has had the shortest commute ever, merely descending a flight of stairs to get between home and office. Now the time has come for the family to downsize and for WORK to grow. You see our adventure does not stop there! WORK is not only moving but expanding. With the assistance of Larkin Garbee, founder and owner of 804RVA, WORK is creating another extension called WORK & FRIENDS. With our soon to be new location, we will begin our flagship office for a co-working space. Collaboration has always been one of our biggest strengths in this business, and we want to nurture that and others in the creative field. This has been and will continue to be a lengthy and intensive process but as with all of our work, collaborations and comradery bring success, and we are looking forward to this one.

So be on the lookout for more work from WORK, as well as events, and work spaces open with WORK and FRIENDS. While this change and growth has brought a bit of chaos, these growing pains are bringing very positive results!

FBF to Laura Kalbag's, "I don't Like It"

Stealing this from A List Apart because I could not have said it any better. This is an older publication but still very relevant and worth the read! When working with a client, it can be difficult to really define their reasons for not liking a design or concept. Good design and strategy skills are not always enough. You have to be able to clearly communicate your strategy behind that design as well as be able to interpret your client’s criticism.

How many of you cringe at the word, “edgy”? Or how about the phrase, “Make it pop!”. Remember, your clients did not study design, and do not know the all of proper terminology. It may be a struggle for them to describe what they are looking for. You’re going to have to take their “laymen’s terms” criticism and turn it into success. This article gives fantastic advice on how to do just that.

Put Your Logo to the Test

Logo: Recognizable and distinctive graphic design, stylized name, unique symbol, or other device for identifying an organization. It is affixed, included, or printed on all advertising, buildings, communications, literature, products, stationery, and vehicles. (http://www.businessdictionary.com)

So let’s get this straight. Your logo for your brand is intended to be displayed in every facet of your business. From internal messaging to employees, to every external communication you may make to your potential audience. It not only needs to communicate the name of your business but its mission, its personality, and its value, but it must also become immediately recognizable, memorable, and aesthetically pleasing. Logos need to fit well on everything from stationery to large billboards. They need to look good in black and white as well as color depending upon the medium on which they are displayed. That’s a lot of pressure and responsibility for one individual design.

But don’t stress. While there’s always room to test artistic boundaries, there are some guidelines you should follow to ensure your logo can stand the test of smart and effective design. Check out https://logolab.app/home. Download your logo and put it to the test. This site can at least point out details to consider when designing your logo. Now I’m off to put our own logo to the test…

Design Tips for the Non-Designer

If you follow our blog and other social media posts then I think it goes without saying, you already know the importance of branding a business. The look and voice of a brand is critical to its success. You can have a fantastic product and the best customer service possible but without a clear and attractive message, and the proper place to voice that message, it’s likely your business will have a very short lifespan.

From legal ramifications to research and strategy, you want professionals to assist your business from the get-go in order to make it the success you dream it could be. That’s why, despite it feeling like one more large expense, hiring a professional branding and design agency is truly worth the dollars you spend. That said, the harsh reality is there are some occasions when a start-up truly is brought to life in the corner of someone’s bedroom, while the proud parent is working two jobs to pay the bills, and spending sleepless hours trying to get their dream off the ground.

If that sounds like you, take a look at the suggestions in this article attached. These tips aren’t just about general aesthetics. Spacing, fonts, colors, all invite the eye or deter it. When creating a business card, invitation, basic web page, etc., if the design does the latter, it’s more likely these items will be heading straight to the trash. A good design can not only hold your potential client’s attention but when designed strategically, can be the first full communication of who your brand really is and what they can expect from it and you.

And if you do find design just too daunting, and you have the proverbial two pennies to rub together, maybe give us a call and let us take on the task for you.

https://www.canva.com/learn/graphic-design-tips-non-designers/

Comradery in Craftmenship

Woo Hoo! Our newly designed site for our client, LC King is up and running. This is especially significant as it is one of our first projects as WORK & FRIENDS, a newly created extension of WORK Labs. The goal of WORK & FRIENDS is to highlight and celebrate collaboration with other creatives for the purpose of providing services far better than what we could each provide on our own.

Working with this team and with this client has been the epitome of collaboration. Connecting with two of our first official FRIENDS, Lee Norwood and Jeff Kenny, we have begun working on the website, social media, and strategy for LC King, a clothing manufacturing company that has been around since 1913. As a company that honors craftsmanship, it’s easy for us to connect with a brand whose purpose is to make well crafted clothing (and in fact has, for over 100 years). But the quality of their work aside, the owner, Jack King, has been a great partner and collaborator. Yes, our client is a great partner. That‘s what we strive for; a partnership rather than a vendor/client relationship. It builds trust, allows us to get a true feel of their brand’s voice and dig deeper into what their company and ultimate goals are really about. It’s hard to accomplish that if we are just given a list of items to check off.

Knowing Jack and the team at LC King, and having that deeper connection makes what we do all that more important to accomplish their branding goals, as does having FRIENDS like Jeff and Lee.

Check out some of our craftsmanship and theirs at their new website, https://lcking.com/

WORK and Friends - The Evolution of WORK

It’s been a looooong week. With a number of last-minute projects popping up, multiple deadlines coinciding with one another and people prepping for the long holiday, we are in a controlled frantic mode. But as I sit here typing this and counting the hours until the weekend, listening to one of our clients, Jack King from LC King as he works side by side with our web designer, gathering information for his company’s website, I can’t help but smile.

There’s a sense of genuine camaraderie in the room. A partnership. It is a perfect example of what we strive for at WORK. Partnership, collaboration, and candor. Working with the client rather than simply for the client. It undoubtedly leads to better results but also better relationships. And that’s what we want.

It also fits nicely into our evolution to a new name. While WORK Labs will continue to exist as our studio for in-house project execution, WORK & Friends will focus on passion projects and collaborations in branding and design services. Why? Well because of what I just described above. We are about collaboration. We have always worked small, hiring the best of the best, only when needed, and therefore charging our clients less than the larger agencies who carried a much larger overhead. It occurred to us that it was time to truly celebrate that fact and embrace the relationships between other creatives and clients alike who have allowed us to maintain that model. 

Our relationships over the years with vendors and clients alike are what make our work successful. We teamed up with creatives outside of our own office space to provide branding and marketing services for many clients over the years, and this year was no exception. We worked with a bright new director, John Irwin for our O”MY, Dairy Free Gelato cow video, an old friend and remarkable artist, Sarah Rowland for wall paper design for Fine Fettle, a marijuana dispensary, and with the very talented Peter Frasier and Jordan Greene of 37, Design Studio as well as local mural celebrity, Ed Trask for the Journeyman’s Adventure Co, a local bike shop that sells more than just bicycles.

And it’s not just vendors that we have come to call friends. We’ve teamed up, again with Stephan Parry of Parry Restaurants for the logo of his latest endeavor, William & Henry, a restaurant in the Virginian Hotel in Lynchburg, Va. and Paul Lavoie, a board member for the VCU Brandcenter on his new high end lake lifestyle brand, Beau Lake in Canada. These opportunities would never have come along had we not appreciated and nurtured those relationships. 

It’s not stopping there, either. We’re working with some amazing folks to bring our own brands to market. We’ve teamed up with Hardywood Craft Brewery to create a WORK Beer (coming soon, we promise). We were also fortunate enough to partner up with a friend from our Macy’s days to to bring WORK Coffee to fruition.

So while we are creating and recreating brands and websites for multiple clients, we are also working on relaunching our own for WORK & Friends. Our new website will assist with this goal by not only showing off our portfolio of work but highlighting the individuals who helped bring that work to its full potential. If you have worked with us in the past and have a quick story to tell, share it with us, and let us include you on our site. We want to share the love and show off our partners and their extraordinary work as much as our own.

Here's Your Excuse to Procrastinate.

Due to my own procrastination tendencies and, in my defense, other more pressing deadlines, I thought this article apropos. Perhaps it can help you with your own issues with procrastination, as well as mine…just as soon as I take the time to read it. Just kidding, I read. I used it to procrastinate on another project.

Trello - The Benefits of Procrastination - https://blog.trello.com/procrastination-how-waiting-until-last-minute-can-help?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=trello-aug18_newsletter2

Passion Projects - LC King

Every client offers us an opportunity to solve a problem creatively but it’s icing on the cake when you truly find a connection to them and their product. These are what we refer to as Passion Projects. LC King is one of those clients and projects. They’ve been manufacturing durable workwear (and now streetwear) since 1913. Clothing made in the USA and made to last. Not short-term trends, but timeless style. That attention to quality is what inspires us as a creative team. 

As we begin working with LC King, Cabell and Chris have headed down to Bristol, Tennessee to get a better sense of the people behind LC King and its remarkable passion for quality and tradition. We can’t wait to fill you in as we move forward on what promises to be a truly rewarding project.

Five Instagram Talents You Should Be Following

Thought I'd take a break from showing off our own work and direct you to some incredibly talented and inspirational designers and artists. It's okay to be a little jeaous, but moatly be impressed and inspired.

Joey Mason

joeymasonart

https://www.instagram.com/joeymasonart/?hl=en

Joey is an animation artist. But apparently, that’s not enough to quell his creative need so he has taken to sketch journalism as well. 

Joey started out with many of my college friends drawing caricatures at King’s Dominion. One trait of his work that infuriated his co-workers was how minimal his lines always were. He has a remarkable ability to convey emotion and personality of a character with just a few simple lines. 

The sketches of his travels, experiences, and different protests/marches taking place in his city are simply astounding. Again, he is brilliantly talented at conveying a mood, and the emotions of his subjects with a few simple strokes of his pen. 

Aaron James Draplin

Draplin Design Co.

https://www.instagram.com/draplin/?hl=en

Well this one’s preaching to the choir, isn’t it? If you’re not already following Aaron and jotting down your ideas, feelings, and random sketches in a Field Notes book, then you must really be new to design. The most delightful part of his posts, aside from his charming and hilarious personality that shines through so brilliantly, is his affinity for classic design and typography, and how it shows in his own work. He’s not only worth following for his design talent but for the images and samples of materials, signs, and pieces from around town and from various travels that inspire him.

Abigail Larson

artist/ illustrator

https://www.instagram.com/abigail_larson/?hl=en

My first introduction to Abigail was during an annual contest for VCU students to illustrate a poster for the local Richmond Zombie Walk. The year Abigail won, we decided the contests were no longer needed. There was no one that could beat what she offered in her hauntingly beautiful illustrations that seem to bring up the dark beautiful feel of a Brothers Grimm fairytale. 

Kevin Cantrell

Kevin Cantrell Studio 

https://www.instagram.com/kevincantrellstudio/?hl=en

I don’t even know what to say about this guy. Check out his work, and hate yourself. An approach reminiscent of the art deco style of the 20’s and 30’s, everything Kevin touches, from a simple storefront to wine labels, to playing cards, comes out with a stunning flair of elegance. 

1924house

Branding Agency

https://www.instagram.com/1924house/?hl=en

This is a new follow of ours but a delightful and inspiring one nonetheless. This agency appeals to our love of vintage items from bygone eras. The photography, imagery, and storytelling are extraordinary. Each post runs far deeper than the beautiful image but gives insight to the love behind the work. Seriously, I’ve teared up like 3 times just flipping through their posts. Most of which are more of the teams’ journey in their life and work rather than mere images of the finished project. If that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.

Cobra USA - Roar on the Shore

Sitting here in an empty office while the rest of the gang is in Erie, Pennsylvania on a photo shoot for Cobra USA at the annual Roar on the Shore motorcycle rally. Some guys have all the luck! 

While I don’t want to downplay the hard work and considerable hours they are putting in this week, this is truly one of our most favorite and most fun clients to work with. These are the kinds of projects that really allow the creativity to flow from concepting, all the way through to execution. With help from employees from the city of Erie, local shop owners, and rally goers alike, this successful endeavor came about in minimal time and cost. But that's what you aim for while working with your clients; not outspending the competition but outthinking them.

While I can’t share any of the photos from this week (except for this first sneak peak), check out a few from the days of photo shoots’ past. 

Now I’m going to turn up my radio as loud as I want and leave early for a mani-pedi. Don't tell my boss!

“Allll byyyy myyyy-seeeelf, don't wanna be, allll byyy myself….”

The $200 Logo Dilemma

It is common practice when first entering the design world to take on small freelance projects for both experience and money. This is a good thing.  The need to hone your design skills does not end upon graduation, and higher education being the the financial crushing nightmare it is, making some extra cash to pay off debt is always a plus.  Not to mention most employers want to see proof of your skills when deciding whether or not to hire you. Constant work, whether for profit or of your own enjoyment, is vital.  

But what happens when your expertise and skill begin to increase but the rate your freelance customers want to pay do not?  Taking those freelance jobs can take a good chunk out of your school debt but they can also take a good chunk of your free time. Inevitably there will come a time when you will have to decide between taking any job you can get to pay the bills and denying some of those jobs in order to honor your self worth.

Customers (especially of start-ups and small businesses) often tend to miss the value in creativity. Art is subjective, right? So how much strategy could be behind something pretty like a logo design or business cards? The answer, as you already know, is plenty! The trick is proving that to them.  What’s the difference between a $200 logo and a $1,500 logo? This is an argument you will have to be ready for.

So here it is:

 A logo is a customer’s first introduction to your brand. You know the phrase, “Start with your best foot forward”? Well, a logo is an outsider’s first impression of who they are. It is the face of the brand. And while people might not interpret a logo as anything other than, “pretty”, remember, professional designers are trained to communicate messages visually, not just esthetically, but strategically. 

Logos need to make a lasting impression and need to be immediately recognizable. These are skills designers gain through education and training. This expertise is worth paying for, and anyone who charges $200 for that expertise is indeed lacking it.  

Presumably, your client has started their brand because they offer a service that others need. It is also safe to assume that they believe they are more qualified to provide that service as they have had more experience, training, etc. than others around them. Well, that mentality applies to you as well. Only your expertise is to convey that message for them. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but designers know the specifics of what makes something aesthetically appealing.  While the average person may not be able to explain fully why something is tacky, they know it when they see it. If they see it in a your client’s logo, they’re not likely to stick around long enough to test their service or product.

If good taste in design still doesn’t make those dollar signs seem worth it to your client,  remind them what they are really investing in; legality and longevity. Professional designers get paid for spending many hours on a logo for a reason. It takes time to research, experiment, and create something truly original. Don’t think that matters in the long run? It will when another designer or company sues you for copying their own design or logo.

A logo needs to fit everywhere. Your client may have business cards, letterhead and even a website in mind, but they can’t deny their goal is for their business to last many years to come. This means there will be many new places they will at some point want their logo to live. It needs to work on signage, in black and white (on occasions where your full-color logo is not an option), on a new and improved website (trust me, it will happen), t-shirts, bags…seriously, everywhere. Remind your client that a well trained designer knows this and looks at the countless possibilities when designing their logo. 

Lastly, their logo needs to be timeless. Trends come and go. Paying less for a logo does no good  if it looks dated in a few short years because they went with a trendy font or layout that every design student was playing with at the time. A seasoned designer knows what styles will hold up over time as well as what will get the attention of their core audience.

At the end of the day, you as a designer, have to decide what you are worth, and be strong enough to stand your ground. With 4 years or more of education and a few years of work experience under your belt, is getting paid $200 for a logo design really worth it to you? It may be, but if it’s not, defend your worth. You earned it.

Clients, and Branding, and Gelato, O'MY!

O’MY Dairy Free Gelato is a new non-dairy frozen dessert by Allison Monette and her business partner, Julie Bishop. Basically, it’s an awesome dessert for people with dairy or other common allergen issues as well as for individuals who just want a dessert with simple, natural ingredients. I can confirm that it is, indeed a delicious treat as we here at WORK were lucky enough to be given taste tests.

And while the taste tests were certainly enjoyable (who doesn’t like dessert at your morning meeting?), that wasn’t the only reason we are so excited to have been apart of the naming, branding, packaging and website design for Allison. Allison was a dream client with an exciting product. She was also an open-minded, and communicative client who discussed at length her needs, ideas, and inspiration to help guide us as we considered our concepts. She allowed us freedom with our multiple concepts, trusted our recommendations, and worked with us as we brought her vision to life. We could not have been more happy working with her and more excited by the end results.

There’s nothing more rewarding than working on a product you believe in with a client you adore!

 You can find O’MY Dairy Free Gelato in Vanilla Bean, Chocolate, Mint Chip, Coffee Chip, Root Beer Float, and Orange Cream  at Libbie Market and Ellwood Thompson’s, and you can check out her website at http://omygelato.com/

The Next Square Peg

As VCU Brandcenter’s 2018 Spring semester, and of course, Graduation, came to a close, it was time, once again, to honor an individual in the advertising world who has proven to be a true Problem Solver. As part of that honor, Brandcenter asked that we create another Square Peg award, and we were more than happy to oblige.

As you may remember,  Michael Karnjanaprakon of Skillshare was the first to receive this award, drawing attention to the world’s best creative problem solvers. While Jason Lefton of Big Secret had already supplied us with a couple of the engraved wooden cubes and acrylic bases. We simply enlisted the help of Julie of Cut Cut Creative to do the rather intricate application of the new copy.

The latest recipient, Kristen Cavallo was just recently named CEO of The Martin Agency. Formerly the President of the ad agency Mullen’s Boston office, Kristen will be the first female CEO of The Martin Agency. Kristen is an outstanding role model for women in advertising and has given many well-received lectures and presentations to the students of Brandcenter. We congratulate her and are honored to once again have the opportunity to create such a memorable piece for such a remarkable person!

Can’t wait to see who’s next!

Great Partnerships and Work outside of WORK

Just because the clock has struck 5:00 does not mean all work stops at WORK. In fact, our designers have made it a habit to pursue other creative ventures in their free time. Some of these ventures have actually allowed them to team up, continuing their creative pursuits together. While Nathan enjoys creating his own graphic designs, Chris has taken an interest in woodworking and laser etching. Take a look below to see how the two have combined those activities into a beautiful partnership. 

You can check out more of their passion projects on their respective Instagram accounts.

Chris Harris     Nathan Covert

Nathan Covert

Nathan Covert

Nathan Covert

Chris Harris

Nathan Covert / Chris Harris

Chris Harris

Nathan Covert / Chris Harris

Nathan Covert / Chris Harris

No Job Too Small...

There's no job too small or unimportant. Every project is a chance to flex those creative muscles and create something beautiful. 

Instruction manual for a Great Lake Chair for Beau Lake. 

Throw Back - Communication Arts

Sending in our 2017 entries to Communication Arts today brought to mind past winners. Some of the winners, coincidentally, are some of my personal favorites. But while it's always nice to be awarded for your work, at the end of the day, what really matters is did your design work for your client. Was it successful for them? Thankfully we were able to achieve both goals with these entries below.

Here's hoping to a few more successes this year!

Charles Luck Brand Vessel

Charles Luck 

Charles Luck Brand Book

Meteor Merlot - White Fences Vineyard

WORK Garage Sale Club House

Brushing Off Discouragement and Getting Back to WORK

For creatives, as concepts become reality, an emotional attachment begins to grow. Time, thought, energy, heart and soul go into a creative concept, and that does not change, whether it’s for themselves or for a client. In fact there may be MORE effort put into it if it’s for a client. They’re not just serving their own desire to push something out into the world but are trying to solve a problem for client and their audience alike. In branding and advertising, specifically, creatives don’t create just to create. There is strategy and purpose behind every detail. 

So what happens when all that hard work gets shot down by a client? What do you do when the potential from all that thought, strategy and creativity is just not seen by a client? It’s not a rhetorical question, I’m really asking?

Seeing an inferior ad published for a client can bring a pang of disappointment. Especially when you know in your heart of hearts your original concept would have worked so much better. But sometimes, no matter the conversations on the purpose for the creative, the push and pull on the part of both parties, the desire of the powers that be (the client, of course) will out, and a lesser design and strategic concept is settled on. That can be a hard pill to swallow. You can find yourself asking, “why couldn’t they just trust us?”. After all, you wouldn’t stand behind an electrician, having never done electrical work, and insist you know a better way. But art is different. It’s subjective, even unfortunately, when backed up by strategy. 

This pain can often be amplified when you actually receive validation from your peers in the advertising community. It’s a wonderful feeling to receive accolades from colleagues on particular projects but cuts even deeper when the person paying for it does not see that potential the way other creatives do. 

So what do you do? Well, you toughen up. Anyone who works in advertising can tell you, you’d better have a thick skin in this business. You may have studied and trained for years for your vocation but at the end of the day, someone is spending thousands of dollars on, what really amounts to, a product they cannot see…not yet anyway. They have to trust you, and despite your reputation, your portfolio, etc. it’s a lot to ask someone for thousands of dollars worth of trust.

So how do you build trust? For both client and creative, honesty and candor go a long way. You have to respect the client’s hesitation and be ready to change direction. Your first solution may be fantastic but that doesn’t mean it’s the only solution, or the best, for that matter. Demonstrate to the client, that they can trust the expertise of the creative team. Show them that thought and research go into the design, logo, and advertising campaign for a brand. A brand cannot stand out without some risk, and let them know that you and your creative team are taking a risk as well. You and your clients ultimately have the same end goal, success for their brand. 

So the next time you feel you have to settle when it comes to your concepts or designs, take a deep breath, put yourself in the shoes of a wary client with doubts and concerns about the money they are spending, open up a respectful and honest dialogue with them, and get those creative juices flowing for some new ideas. Who knows, you might even outdo yourself this time!

Just Another Day at WORK

Good clients and exciting projects can make just another day at work a wonderful day, indeed. Looking for more clients like these so we can continue having the best days at work!

Richmond Show 2017

Last Friday we celebrated the Advertising Club of Richmond’s Ad Show. As always, we look forward to this night, not just for recognition for our hard work over the past year but to connect with other folks in the industry (many of whom helped us with these particular projects as freelancers and contractors).  It’s also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our good fortune when it comes to our fantastic clients and the privilege to do what we are passionate about for them.

You see, awards are wonderful, no doubt, but it’s that comradery between those contractors and the clients who trusted in us in the first place that make this night truly special. 

Creative is a hard commodity to pay for. A client is dropping a good chunk of change on something they can’t really see yet. There’s a lot of trust that goes into that relationship as the payoff can take weeks or even years to reveal itself. In turn, teaming up with freelancers who go the distance with us, trusting our vision and giving us their best only comes from a relationship built on mutual respect and admiration. Receiving these accolades and positive feedback from our peers lets us know we were on the right track, and that our clients were justified in trusting us.

Many thanks to the Advertising Club of Richmond, the judges, our WORK Friends  (Pete Humes, Adam Ewing, Steve Covert, Ty Williams, Rian Chandler-Dovis, Eric Boyd, Scott Wichmann to name a few), and our wonderful clients for making it possible for us to create work we love with people we like in a place we want to be!

Pitch Books - Self promotional -  WORK - Gold

Photography - WORK Labs (What Scares You More)- Best In Show

Photography - Cobra USA - Gold 

Photography - White Stone Oyster Company - Gold

Communication Design - VCU Brandcenter - Identity - Silver

Communication Design - 2017 Catalog - Cobra - Bronze

Promotional Design and Advertising - Cobra USA (Newspaper) - Gold

Promotional Design and Advertising - Cobra USA -Anniversary Mailer - Silver

Illustration - VCU Brandcenter - Bronze

VCU Brandcenter - Integrated Identity - Gold

Online Video and Film - VCU Brandcenter - Silver

Production - VCU Brandcenter -Hidden Agenda Documentary -  Gold / Best In Show