Rethinking The Professional Services Website

Professional services firms often struggle with their own branding, social media and marketing. Typically, it's because the services they offer are so similar to their competition, there's no real platform or defined difference to create anything concrete. It's sometimes difficult to tell them apart.

We're fortunate to work with many professional services organizations (architects, financial services, healthcare, technology, etc.) to help develop memorable messaging and marketing strategies. And typically the first place this new thinking will appear is on the company website.

Here's some helpful perspective on what you should consider as you build your professional service firm’s marketing materials and website.

Read 'Rethinking The Professional Service Website.'

MTIV: Hillman Curtis

Really sad to hear that Hillman Curtis, a brilliantly creative designer, author and film maker has died.

I’ve never met him, but I’ve been a big fan of him and his work for years. In 2001, I read his first book, MTIV; Process, Inspiration, and Practice for the New Media Designer.

What struck me about the book wasn’t just his wonderful design work, but the open and honest way he would share stories about his life, and how it influenced his work. By exposing his own vulnerabilities through his stories he really reassured me that you should always be yourself, and approach life and design with openness and honesty. That you don’t have to change who you are to be successful.

Read more

Do We Still Need the ‘Digital’ Label?

(An e-Article about Labels and the World Wide Web.) 

Eleven years ago, we started our marketing and design company. Back then, our primary focus was building websites for brands. But first, we had to explain what a website was and why they were important for brands. The internet was in its infancy, marketers didn’t know exactly what it was, and they definitely didn’t have it on their mobile phone.

Today, however, there isn’t much of a learning curve. Marketing managers and executives, and most people in the world for that matter, are well-versed in technology. We’ve worked with some very sharp marketing managers who ask about the latest online trends and our opinions of them.

This has led me to wonder if there is still a divide between digital marketing and traditional marketing. If you’re hiring a marketing agency, do you just assume that marketing in this century mostly takes place online? Is there a difference between saying “We’re a marketing firm.” and “We’re a digital marketing firm.”? Read more.

Atomicdust Showcases Design and History for Koplar Properties

The Koplar family has been a part of real estate development in St. Louis since the 1920s. They have created some of the St. Louis region's most memorable, iconic architectural landmarks and cultural institutions, including the Chase Park Plaza and KPLR-11 TV. They also created several children's television programs, including the recently revived Voltron.

Read about our design work for Koplar Properties.

Atomicdust connects with the St. Louis AIGA to promote 2012 design show

A few months ago, we were thrilled to be asked by the St. Louis AIGA to help promote their annual design competition. This was a true honor for us, as we respect the AIGA and share their mission to celebrate great design. Of course, in agreeing to take on the project, it meant designing for an audience that lives and breathes design every day. No pressure.

Read more about our work for AIGA St. Louis

Cuban Poster Design Exhibit brought to you by St. Louis AIGA and Atomicdust.

Here at Atomicdust, we're all about using artistic expression to inspire. That's why we're thrilled to open our doors to host an exhibit for our friend and fellow St. Louis designer, Carlos Zamora. Join us on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. for this special glimpse into Havana's cultural scene. The exhibit, entitled CUBACARTEL: The Bridge Generation, will feature 50 posters from Carlos' own private collection, along with the debut of Miami artist Eduardo Sarmiento's latest poster, printed in St. Louis by All Along Press.

Read more about CUBACARTEL and get details about the event. 

Atomicdust Faces Off Against Hunger

We don’t typically work late into the night. It’s not the most productive use of time. The mind tends to wander. And sometimes silliness occurs.

One late night, while waiting for a designer (Katie) to hurry up and finish working on something, we found ourselves huddled around her desk, right next to the photocopier.

Jesse scanned his face, rolled it as the light passed, creating this weirdly creepy, artsy print, which (of course) we instantly had to post on Facebook.

So then we all took turns, laughing and being creeped out by the results, and sharing (and grossing people out) on Facebook.

We wanted to share the experience, but how do you lure people into your office to scan their faces on a copier? Donate to a charity each time they do!

Atomicdust presents ‘Face Off Against Hunger’.

For every person that comes by our office, scans their face on the copier, and lets us post it on Facebook, we’ll donate $5 to St. Louis Food Outreach. Up to $5,000.

And in a couple months, we’ll buy some beer and host a ‘gallery show’ of all the faces we scanned in our office.

So stop by, have fun and help a great St. Louis charity!

And here's a link to the photos on Facebook.

January Marketing and Design Events around St. Louis

So it’s the second week of 2012, and you’re back into the swing of things at work, right? How are those other resolutions going? What about the one to attend more of the awesome marketing, social media and design events in our great city? Well, leave it to Atomicdust to help you out. Here’s a list of upcoming events for January. And since you’re bound to run into a few Atomicdusters at these events... you’ll have someone to thank!

See the list of January Marketing events in St. Louis.

Atomicdust plugs in to branding and design platform for Perch

Picture this: You’re in a hotel, getting ready for a meeting. As you get up to leave, you grab your laptop, phone, bag and suitcase – and head out the door. You’re on your way before you realize your chargers are still plugged into the wall back at the hotel. 

It’s a scenario that plays out in hundreds of hotel rooms, lounges, airports and homes every single day. Some companies’ solution to the problem has been to sell replacement chargers, but our client, LPS Technology had a better, far less wasteful approach.

Read more about our branding, design, and marketing work for Perch.