We were approached by Otnes to create a vintage poster design series for the launch of their Old School Woodies. It’s a new line of vintage wooden skis – with a deep-sidecut shape that is much easier to carve on than the classic Telemark geometry.
Old School Woodies are earth-friendly, made with renewable Poplar from sustainable forests. They’re super lightweight recreational skis that excel in soft snow. Their soft, flexible performance is very forgiving. They hold an edge on hardpack and icy conditions and perform impeccably on groomed runs. Adventurous, experimental skiers everywhere will want to add this all-mountain, “go anywhere” ski to their quiver.
The vintage poster design project was a fun one for the Splinter team. I just might have to put down the board for a day and give these a run.
Each year around Phoenix Design Week, designers from around the valley compete in a friendly design competition called PhoenixLayers. It’s basically a collaborative design contest or exercise, but add in a stopwatch and it get’s interesting. You’re randomly paired up with another designer, and volley back and forth a layered Photoshop file. Each volley is timed, and each designer only has a few minutes. Make your edits and additions quickly and pass off. After 6 rounds the final designs are submitted to be judged.
Here’s a look at our layers from several years back. Remember, the
designers start with a blank slate. There’s no direction given and no
parameters. It was fun to witness the stress while on the clock and the
intrigue upon receiving it back from the other participant.
Here is a look at the evolution of the collaborative design. Rounds 1 through 5:
An owner/operator of about 200 of the popular restaurant chain, Carl’s Jr. and Hardees came to us to create a fleet design wrap for their truck fleet. This wasn’t just any truck, either. This is a truck that runs on biofuel collected from their own fryers and grease traps. So it’s not only making a statement with its eye catching graphics, but it’s putting the right foot forward for alternate solutions.
We created a fleet design that’ll make you wish you had a burger when you’re waiting at a red light. No worries, that drool will wipe right off your steering wheel. In the following years, they steadily increased the amount of print media work with us. We created a lot of fun stuff along with all the needed production artwork files for all marketing materials: from window clings, to coupons, to menus. We even handled much of the signage and installation.
Each client partnership has its perks. Let’s just say it’s not a good idea to work on these files right before lunch!
Water For People is a global non-profit that helps people in developing countries improve quality of life by supporting the development of locally sustainable drinking water resources, sanitation facilities, and hygiene education programs. Our support came in the form of a charity design package for the event.
The local charter, AZ Water, is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit educational organization founded in 1928 with a membership of 2,700 water/wastewater professionals dedicated to preserving and enhancing Arizona’s water environment.
How we help:
Each year we work with a few key organizers to get all the details and change up the materials for a fresh look. We create the program and sponsor package, design the event t-shirt, and create the event signage. It’s a very smooth process working with them. That’s because they’re a great group and very passionate about what they do.
Most are volunteers that have full time jobs, so it’s motivating to see them donate so much personal time.
It only makes us want to help in the best way we possibly can – by providing some great charity design work and bringing some proper branding to their cause.
A Great Organization to Support
We try to step up our game each year with the creative and event materials for the charity design package. That’s because they’ve really stepped up the tournament. It’s now being held at Troon North, which is incredible. It’s a very well-organized outing, and loads of fun. And, we get to do some enjoyable non profit design work.
If you enjoy being outdoors, playing golf, and supporting a great cause, you should definitely round up a group. Come out and see why we look forward to this each and every year. The Splinter team does have a few trophies from years past, but none yet that say 1st place.
Being passionate about your business is an admirable quality, but many small businesses make the mistake of assuming their email marketing and communications are full of critically important content that everyone wants to absorb at any time. Aside from developing great content and presenting it in a professional, easily accessible fashion, making sure your communications are sent only to those who actually want to receive them, and have asked to receive them is critically important.
The stakes are very real and often overlooked. Arbitrarily blasting out unwanted email communications to random email addresses can result in being labeled a spammer, having your email service provider account suspended and having your sending domain name blocked – including your email – all while turning off potential customers and damaging the credibility of your business.
Unlike traditional mail, email marketing must be handled as an opt-in process. Do not ever buy an email list or manually add recipients to your list assuming they’ll appreciate receiving your communication. No matter how great the urge, avoid the temptation of sending communications to those who haven’t given you express permission to do so.
A single opt-in is the minimum legal requirement, but best practice is the double opt-in method (click to sign up, then confirm a link via email).
This simple method will keep you in the good graces of both your customers and your email service provider. Additionally, when sending communications only to those who have asked for them, metrics for each campaign will improve.
In the world of email marketing, slow and steady wins the race. Growing your list organically and authentically is the best way to gain subscribers that are engaged and willing participants in the success of your business.
Follow the tips below and watch your opt-in email marketing list grow.
Optimize Your Website
Offer an opt-in form in the navigation of your website. The shorter the form, the more will sign-up.
Create a dedicated subscription page to tell potential subscribers the benefits of giving their email address.
Adapt common UX practices for opt-in pop-ups to avoid alienation of current users but retaining the benefits of the popup.
Utilize Social Media Networks
Add opt-in forms to Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Share links to your dedicated subscription page.
Run a contest offering something of value to your audience but that relates to your business.
Provide Useful Content
Offer a free white-paper download upon newsletter sign-up via landing page.
Learn more about target audience(s).
Offer email-only exculsives
Get Consistent
Develop consistent timing for newsletter blasts.
Blasts should contain somewhat similar information.
Every subscriber should find value in every email sent.
Digital Tips
Add a sign-up button to newsletters just incase it is shared or forwarded.
Review metrics after every blast to see what is and isn’t working.
The City of Phoenix Aviation Department selects Splinter as the design agency of record. This encompasses all three Phoenix airports: Sky Harbor, Deer Valley and Goodyear. We’re proud to welcome the City and its aviation team to our circle of partners. We look forward to working with the friendliest airport in the nation and taking their brand to new heights.
Our role will be to create materials to better serve the millions of travelers that come through the airport. This relationship will be a testament to our knack for making complex things simple. Take a look at some of the work.
Being voted the best design firm in the valley is an honor, and we appreciate the high praise from our fellow Phoenicians. We can’t submit for all the awards, but it sure is nice to have one drop our way, simply by the community recognizing our hard work.
We are pleased to wear our new badge: “best design firm”… and hey, we hear there’s also a celebratory bash coming up? If there’s a time to get out and network with other strong local companies, this may be one of those times. We look forward to raising our glasses to all of the companies who received “best of” status this year. Cheers!
Initially, the notebooks that won the design award in this series were designed to be functional studio accessories – we go through quite a few notebooks around here. They turned out to be a great self-promotion piece.
The American Advertising Federation (AAF) took note of our hard work and awarded us an ADDY. The AAF is a national organization aimed at evaluating the advertising industry, noting the best in advertising, and educating advertising professionals.
On March 21st, the ADDY award gala was held downtown Phoenix at The Duce, which is quite a decent and unique venue. There were a lot of worthy finalists and loads of great work in this year’s’ contest. We are honored to have won the design award for the non-traditional category.
Working at Splinter is a pretty sweet gig. We work hard, but we have a lot of fun, too. In celebration of that, we thought you might enjoy seeing our year in review video and what goes into a year here. A big thanks goes out to all of our clients, partners, vendors, colleagues, friends and family for the support. We couldn’t have done it without you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3iKMcNyPLM
Take a look at a year in review and what it’s like day-to-day inside our design studio and the people that make it work. Our design team is carefully chosen and the talent here is paramount to our success.
Often after finishing up projects, we dive right into the next. From time to time we like to take a moment and relish in the accomplishments. It’s a good idea to periodically take a breather and recognize what’s gotten done in the course of a year. It’s a lot.
