Category Archives: Our Work

Marketing materials designed for Grant Halliburton Foundation

Redesigned marketing materials for a good cause

Grant Halliburton Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to promote awareness and understanding of teen and young adult mental health. Their goal is to prevent suicide and to strengthen the network of mental health resources for young people. The Foundation provides mental health education, training and support to more than 20,000 students, educators, parents and professionals annually.

We worked with GHF to update their logo in 2009. Recently they asked us to help them update their marketing materials with a more unified look so that their materials can work together cohesively as a packet as well as individually.

The final printed materials from our print vendor have arrived and we are so excited with the results. It’s always exciting to get finished materials from the press, but we were extra excited about these because of some of the unusual finishing techniques we employed. We designed the pocket folder with custom curved pockets as well as a deboss of GHF’s logo for added depth. We also had the pieces printed on an uncoated paper stock to enhance their tactile feel.

We are very pleased with the final result!
A big thanks to Odee Company for their great work on the print production that brought our designs to life.

TLU study abroad brochure design

Tell a story with your print piece

At Briley Design Group we are always looking for unique solutions to print projects. There are many ways to make designs stand out like foil stamping (the application of metallic or colored foil), blind embossing (subtly provides a three-dimensional or raised effect to paper) and die cutting (used to produce unique shapes, edges, and message windows). And then there is the creative fold, which is a great dimensional tool that delivers a message with great impact and interest.

According to Sappi paper company, “A fold can be a way to illustrate an idea. It can serve as a storytelling device that gives designers the ability to control the “reveal,” letting readers take in the first level of information before lifting the fold to move deeper into the story. The fold itself becomes an integral part of the narrative, reinforcing in a tactile way what is stated in words and images.” (The Standard—Scoring and Folding v.4)

Know When to Fold ’em
A perfect example of a storytelling fold is a piece we recently completed for Texas Lutheran University. The viewer unfolds the brochure four times revealing four study abroad opportunities offered for TLU students. When the reader gets to the center of the piece, more detailed information is described. Unique folding engages the reader, directs the reader’s attention to key points, and interjects an element of surprise.

On location photography art direction

How to get great photos on location

Almost all of the photographers we work with prefer to have an art director on the photoshoot. First of all, the old adage of “two heads are better than one” comes into play for problem solving, setting up the shot or even having another body to help move the equipment around, but there are many other key advantages.

What does an art director do on a photoshoot?

The art director’s responsibility goes beyond coordinating what needs to occur on the photoshoot. There is an overall message that needs to be communicated with words and pictures that work together cohesively to further the client’s story. A good art director has a broad understanding of the client’s business and keeps the big picture in mind at all times, which helps immeasurably in communicating with the photographer as a shoot is in progress. It becomes a team effort with art director and photographer in constant communication…”Let’s shoot this in both horizontal and vertical format so it works for the website or as a full page cover for a brochure.” Or, “Safety is a big issue for our client right now so let’s make sure everyone has on proper safety equipment.” Or, “I’d like to zoom in on this shot so we really see the client’s equipment up close and feature their technology.” When we art direct, we stay right by the camera so we can see what the photographer is seeing and also so we can communicate quickly and clearly during the shoot.

Here are a few more things we have found contribute to a successful photoshoot.

  1. Plan the shoot with the client.
    – Get client input. What is the main purpose of the shoot?
    – Logistics: Get contact information of key personnel you will be working with on site.
    – Create a detailed shot list and time schedule.
  2. Get there early and stay late. If you are shooting outside take advantage of early and evening light. A beautiful sunrise or amazing sunset can add tremendously to what you are shooting.  Even a landfill can be beautiful with the right lighting.
  3. Communicate with models.
    – When working with non-professional models (ie company employees) keep communication simple and straightforward.
    – Demonstrate what you want them to do if need be.
    – Their body language has to be natural and believable. Capture them doing their job, and help them feel as comfortable as possible.
  4. Be the photographer’s eyes and ears. Be open to opportunities that are not on the shot list. Many brochure cover images and website banner images were things we saw and shot spontaneously with narrow windows of opportunity.
  5. Pay attention to details. 
    – Ask questions as you shoot regarding safety, uniforms, company processes and procedures.
    – Keep the shot as clean as possible. Watch for things like clutter in the background or on desks.
    – Make sure hands and feet are not cut off in the frame of the shot.
    – Don’t crop with the camera.
    – Make sure models’ attire is neat and appropriate.
  6. Tell a story with each photo. The goal on every shot should be communication. What does this photo say visually.

Here are some examples of our team efforts when we work together as art director/photographer to capture images for our clients.

Front of MWC trade show booth design

MWC opening day and trade show booth unveiling

Today is opening day of Mobile World Congress 2016, the world’s largest conference for the mobile industry, and the grand unveiling of the booth we designed for Mitel for this event! With 2 levels and 9 meeting rooms, this is one of the largest displays we’ve ever created.  It was a real pleasure to work with Mitel’s team on this display and other promotional materials for this event (HTML email blasts, website landing pages, email signature images, etc).

To anyone who might be attending the event: Be sure to drop by booth #7A21 to visit Mitel.

To MItel: We wish you a successful show! We can’t wait to see photos of the booth in action after the event.
#MWC16

Custom greeting card design for TLU

Texas Lutheran University asked us to design a Christmas card for them. We gave them 5 options and they decided to use all five! We were thrilled. Thanks TLU for the fun project!

 

Custom Cards are a great way to reach out to clients and customers as well as to your employees. Take a look at some of the other Cards and Promos we have done for clients in the past.