Analog meets Digital meets Analog

No, print isn’t dead. And neither is the use of real art supplies in the digital age. In fact, your company will have a unique advantage when you opt for custom artwork and specially selected materials. Incorporating a human element into your brochures, posters, infographics and business cards brings a level of warmth and familiarity that audiences crave.

 

You’d be hard-pressed to find a physical or digital medium that I haven’t experimented with and learned to use over the years. From developing my own prints in the darkroom, to sculpting pots from clay, to editing video, to drawing with a Wacom tablet in Photoshop, my experience with a variety of materials have given me a broad understanding of aesthetics, form, and process. I have a unique ability to incorporate tactile elements that bring authenticity to your project and make your printed pieces stand out from the crowd in a professional way.

What is identity and branding?

Your brand is made up of the "who", "how," "why" and "what" that defines your company. Everything—from your logo, to your order forms, to the way you answer your work phone—impacts how people perceive your company. It is especially important to remember that your brand is mostly defined by the reactions people have to your company.

 

The feelings people have when they interact with your company will define your brand much more than any visual element we could create. This is why branding involves a closer look at the collective effect of your company's communication style, methods and materials. 

 

Your identity is the core visual system that we develop to define the look and feel of your brand—your logo, business cards, letterhead, color palette, fonts and graphics. Your logo serves as a small visual reminder of the brand it represents. Together, these pieces provide the foundation for the rest of your materials. 

 

The Value of your Brand

The value of your company is your brand. When people trust and support your company, it's because they like what they see, and see that you're consistent—that is your brand at work. Your logo, body copy, headlines, images and method of communicating should all be telling the same story about your company. But most importantly, these items should fit who your customers are as people. Their emotional connection to what your brand stands for is much stronger than their intellectual understanding of what you can do for them. Is your brand offering your customers what they need to keep choosing your company?

 

Is your brand working for or against you right now?

Many companies get stuck when trying to grow their business because their business model or branding (or both) is getting in their way. Your brand should support your business model. Your business model should support your company, product development, partners and customers. You can't look consistent to others if you aren't consistent within your own walls. This is where hiring an outside professional becomes a huge benefit to your company. As an "outsider," I'm able to provide an objective perspective to help you connect your inherent strengths as a company with your customers, and develop your image to match. Your brand is either holding you back or moving you forward. How is your brand affecting your company right now?

 

When do you need branding services?

There are many reasons why companies, new and old, need to hire a professional designer for branding services.

 

Here are a few common indications that you need professional help to brand or rebrand your company:

 

• You're scrambling to make marketing materials as each trade show or big meeting rolls around.​

 

• Your communication materials are mismatched and sound like they were written by several different people (possibly, because they were).

 

• You've been in business for a few years, but still can't decide which style fits your company best, so you're trying a few things out.

 

• You've been in business for a few years but your company doesn't seem to be getting the recognition you deserve.

 

• Times have changed, and so has your audience or product—you need a fresh image to show you've still got it, whatever it is.

 

• You've undergone a lot of internal changes, and evolved into a new company that needs to reconnect with your audience or expand your reach.

 

• Somewhere along the way, things went awry, and you need to make some big changes to help save the future of your business.

 

See how my holistic branding process can make the difference for your company >

IDENTITY + BRANDING​​​

DESIGN + ILLUSTRATION for PRINT

DESIGN + ILLUSTRATION for WEB + MOBILE

​Pithy Pixels

So much of our communication is received through intangible, ever-changing pixels on a screen. To make your site or iPhone app memorable and easy to use, Kari K Design works to bring warmth, familiarity and intuitive structure to web and iPhone interactions.

 

Want your site to look the same across all devices—computer, phone and tablet? Kari K Design is now offering responsive website design to meet this need.

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I create web and iPhone icons, as well as site architecture and interfaces.
I collaborate with developers to build your websites and iPhone apps.

 

I provide developers with all the info they need to build the site:  

• Animation breakdowns

• StyleTiles

• Font selections

• Color palette

• Live text

• Photoshop file (with well-organized layers!)

• Specs and detailed notes