Honoring our own
We  are proud to be celebrating the ten year anniversary of James Grady, Associate, with kor group—and counting on at least ten more. We gathered at 28 degrees for a night of honor, celebration, and thanks to the best thing that ever happened to kor group, James Grady, who demonstrates this time and again through his creativity, dedication, and collaboration. Oh yes, and we also had some fun!

Man of the evening
James Grady, T.B.T.T.E.H.T.K.G.

The Why
We read lists of projects, events, and  many good times we’ve had over the past 10 years. You had us at “The Why”, which was his original cover letter that was read aloud.

Odes and Hors d’oeuvres
Between drinks and dinner there were many great stories told and retold. Good times!

Catherine

Dave

Pink Liz with grapefruit cosmo

James’ evil twin brother with pickle moustache

Concerned Dan with Jette

Rusha

Justin and Matt

Light and Shadow-Dancing
Ever the designers, we were inspired to create abstract visual imagery against the drapes while James performed a dance montage/homage to Madonna, Britney and Lady Gaga.

Nobody puts James in the corner!

A (kor) Group Effort
The whole gang was in attendance for the commemoration; A big thanks to the partners for a great party!

The whole gang

Jim and James, a.k.a. Team JG, keeping it real.

James with Partners, MB, Anne, and Karen

After working with Assumption College for the past two years on their brand positioning and interim collateral, we are happy to announce that we are rolling out Assumption’s “brand book”. This piece outlines the key messages developed from the brand positioning as well as giving a full sense of the academic and campus life at Assumption. It is meant to present the essence of Assumption College. Throughout the piece there are call outs that link the reader to academic departments and stories from students, faculty, and alumni that can be found on their web site: assumption.edu. We created and launched their web site in the Spring of 2009. For this piece, kor group has been working with photographer Len Rubenstein to develop their photo library as well as continuing to use existing images from Assumption’s photo archive. Our writing partner, Libretto, has been working with us to develop the brand strategy as well as the content for this piece. The brand book was printed at Vermillion in Nashua NH. We were very pleased, as usual, with the quality and service we received. The paper that was used was 80lb Rolland Enviro100 cover and text. This is a 100% PCW (post consumer waste) stock, and we were more than impressed with it’s performance. The cover was off-line printed with a pearl foil stamp by Matheson-Higgins. This gave the piece a very unique effect and tactile quality. We are in the process of working on many other projects that deliver on the Assumption College brand positioning. Stay tuned…

Charlotte Chambers, My first-cousin-once-removed (FCOR) visited kor group last week to learn about graphic design. Her high school in Sinking Spring, PA requires all seniors to complete a year-long project in which they research and gain first-hand experience about a career of their choice. (When I was in high school I did not even know a career existed called graphic design!) Charlotte chose kor group and spent 2 days interviewing and working in Boston. I asked her to write her impressions at the end of the experience. Her journal entry is below.
-Anne

A Career in Design?

I took the graphic design class at my high school thanks to the suggestion of a friend. It was only a matter of time before I discovered that I loved doing graphic design; whether it was a CD covers, magazine cover, movie poster, or website. I am required to complete a senior project about careers and for mine I chose to job shadow one of the partners of kor group, Anne Callahan.

During this experience I interviewed employees to see what the different jobs were, see some of the current and past work of kor group, and write this blog. I learned that there are many different programs used in graphic design such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and even though the majority of the day is spent working at a computer, it does not get boring because of the diversity of projects. Some people were working on brochures for colleges such as Merrimack College and Bucknell University. Others were working on different logos for businesses such as Pixelgroove and Bond Brothers, and some were working on invitations and cards for events for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Here at kor group there is a very laid back environment. The employees are all friendly and did a great job explaining to me exactly what it is they do. The environment here is very creative and exciting. It is modern with fun and exciting colors and each person has a desk with no cubicle walls so it is very open to collaborate, interact and help with different projects. I learned that it takes a long time to work on a project and sometimes even takes a few people to work on one. Also, one person may work on a few projects at a time. Designers interact with many different types of people including clients, printers, programmers, and writers. All of these components come together to create the final product, whether it’s a website, print brochure, or brand identity.

Being a part of kor group for two days really helped me understand what a day in the life of a graphic designer is like. This experience really opened my eyes to a new perspective for this career. As of now I hope to pursue this major in college. Hopefully I will work in a successful design studio like kor group!

Anne & Charlotte at kor group

As designers, we’ve been hearing a lot about how much of a carbon footprint we are leaving behind and the overall impact of our actions on the environment. At the same time, our clients are increasingly interested in ensuring they are communicating in an environmentally friendly way. While online methods offer one way of staying green, print materials are an important part of an integrated communication plan. There are a wide variety of paper stocks that address the sustainability issue, from recycled to green-e certified, but with so much information and so many acronyms (FSC, PEFC, TCF, ECF, PCF…) it can be hard to see the forest for the trees! Trying to navigate these paper options can be very overwhelming to our clients who want to make sure they are making the right choices. So, what does it mean to be green?

Follow the Paper Trail

Paper has a chain of custody: 1. forest, 2. paper mill, 3. transportation, 4. printing press, 5.consumer. Most paper nowadays is either FSC (Forest Stewarship Council), SFI Sustainable Forestry Initiative) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)-certified. All these certifications have slight differences, but they all make sure the paper comes from sustainable sources. If all the parties involved in the paper making process are certified, the final product is able to carry the organization’s logo. (Note: one can only use one logo at a time, but you can mention the other logos in writing).

FSC certified | Clark Graduate School of Management 2008 viewbook

As well as coming from sustainable sources, paper may also contain recycled materials, meaning that fiber used to make the paper could have come from either pre-consumed waste – virgin paper that was never used – or post-consumer waste (PCW) – the stuff we throw in our recycling bins everyday. While a higher percentage of recycled content in a paper offers an increasingly greener product, the more specs can be seen in the sheet and the more uneven it can be for printing. Knowing what your client is looking for in a paper upfront will guide the design and printing process as to the suitability of PCW paper for the final piece.

100% PCW paper | Assumption College 2008 yield piece

More paper mills are also introducing chlorine-free paper: Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF) products are made from virgin fiber that have not been bleached with chlorine. Process Chlorine-Free (PCF) have a mix of virgin fibers that has not been bleached and recycled content that has not been re-bleached with chlorine. Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) means that no pure chlorine gas was used to bleach, but other types of chlorine, such as chlorine dioxides, were used and are still toxic.

Positive Energy

A lot of energy is used to create paper from cutting down the trees to shipping paper to printing. We are able to decrease dependency in oil and reduce pollution that affects the environment by using paper made with renewable energy. Some paper mills are green-e certified, meaning paper production using renewable energy that is harvested on site, such as wind or solar. Others have joined the EPA Climate Leaders program, an industry-government partnership that promotes “comprehensive climate change strategies”. A tool like Mohawk’s Environmental Calculator allows you to see how such power savings are made with your paper choice. It can be great communicate to readers of a brochure that the piece they hold in there hands preserved 100 trees or saved 500 gallons of wastewater.

Paper produced with wind power | Beaver Country Day School 2008 annual report

The amount of power used in transporting the paper to the printer is also an important aspect in being green. Selecting a paper from a mill that is closer in location helps reduce the carbon footprint of a project.

With all these options available it can be confusing as to which path to go down, but understanding how green a client really wants to be can help you determine the right paper choice for a particular project. Together you can pick the right paper that will ultimately produce a great looking design that is also environmentally friendly. Now, that’s a lot of positive energy.

Having come from a male owned, predominantly male staffed company, I get asked all the time now…what it is like to work for a women-owned firm? It is very different?

My honest response: “It is great!”

Before working at kor group, I was often surprised to hear about someone working for a women-owned firm and curious too. Now that I am with one, I have learned that women-owned small businesses are growing at a rapid rate. In fact, 10.1 million firms are owned by women (50% or more), employing more than 13 million people, and generating $1.9 trillion in sales as of 2008.

Statistics show that employees of women owned businesses are generally happier in their careers because they feel as though their time and effort are valued. According to The Center for Women’s Business Research, women and men business owners have different management styles because women emphasize relationship building as well as fact gathering and are more likely to consult with experts, employees, and fellow business owners. The kor partners are encouraging, caring, understanding and helpful.

Of all the jobs I have had over the years, kor group seems most like a family. The three partners, MB, Anne & Karen, play an enormous part in that. While each partner has their own personality and approach to doing business they all equally share how much they care about their employees and clients.

I find it amazing how the partners juggle running the business and running homes and family. They are continuing their education, sitting on committees and acting as members of various boards, coaching and attending children’s sporting and dancing events, and volunteering at their kids’ schools – just to name a few!

At kor group our motto is always do whatever we can to help each other out. We’re family and we stick together. These values are instilled in us by the partners – and I have only found them at a women-owned firm. The employees and clients recognize and appreciate these values.

As the office manager here, I have come to expect almost anything to be thrown at me, and I truly believe that is what keeps my job exciting. Most recently, MB came to me and told me that I may need to watch her daughter, Gracie for some mornings for a few weeks. Although “babysitter” is not part of my job description, if I was not willing to help MB out, she would have to take those mornings off, in turn having to cancel meetings with clients, conferences calls and much more. This would directly affect the daily grind at kor group.

We have come to understand that, yes, working for women can be different – but in a great way. Curve balls get thrown at us, but we have learned to adjust, help each other out and stick together. By doing this, we are not only happy, but also a successful women-owned business.

Last month MB Jarosik and I (James Grady) were invited to speak at the CASE Design Institute: Creativity in a Challenging Environment conference. Our lecture focused on our process of getting started, vetting new ideas and engaging clients with nontraditional designs. We talked about our effective methodologies and presented some of our cutting edge educational communications.

In order to deliver effective and creative results, kor group feels that no matter what the economic state or the clients’ budget is, we must follow a simple process with our clients in order to achieve their objectives.

get ready: beginning the relationship and scoping the process.
get set: presenting and vetting the findings that will shape the communications.
design: gaining approval for creative concepts that are unlike traditional approaches.

We showed examples of effective strategies, and cross platform communications for some of our higher ed clients such as; New England Law | Boston, Emerson College, and Assumption College.

We also walked through some of our sketches and creative processes for Berklee College of Music and MIT.

Download the full presentation here.

We just received our feedback from CASE and participants seemed very pleased and informed with our information.

Be on the look out for our next lecture.

Cheers!

kor group is known for bringing exceptional creative solutions and dynamic communication strategies to life for our corporate and institutional clients. In addition, we have made a commitment to creating meaningful communications for institutions outside the for-profit sphere. Understanding the value of good design, non-profit organizations realize that strategically developed solutions can help them meet their goals.

Since its start 15 years ago, kor group has been involved in issue-driven projects for healthcare and social well-being including event branding for neonatology at BID, a brochure for Peer center at BU School of Public Health, bridging the gap between HIV patients and doctors, and donor appreciation materials for Melmark, an organization supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Working within the client’s limitations, we apply the same level of energy, creativity and problem solving found in our for-profit work to deliver spectacular results for these worthy causes.

Pro-bono work not only builds a bank of good karma; the process of working on these projects is a reward in itself. Posing a unique set of design challenges that impact the world for the better when solved effectively, they are fun for a designer to tackle. Working on such projects creates a feel-good situation that aligns with kor’s philosophy of community-building and giving back to society. The turbulent economy along with the ever-changing political and social landscape calls for positive and responsible actions, a reevaluation of beliefs, and an understanding of the greater good that can come from the smallest of changes. As designers, we can be the front runners driving that change.

Creating dynamic photographic images for print and interactive communications is a blend of science and art. For healthcare organizations it is even more challenging due to physician’s schedules, HIPPA regulations and sterile locations. At kor group, we spend many hours working with our healthcare clients to perfect this process and I thought I would share some of our best practices.

Planning

A critical part of the process is working closely with the client and choosing a great photographer, such as Michael Malyszko. You need to set up the correct expectations on both sides for a successful photoshoot. Because physicians are so tightly scheduled, we schedule all shoots at least a week in advance and set up lighting and background an hour beforehand if possible. When the physician arrives we are ready and waiting. 

It is very important to bring photo release forms for patients to sign so that the permission is granted beforehand and then there’s flexibility afterwards to use the photos whenever needed.

Scouting

Whenever possible we like to scout the locations for the shoots to determine lighting, backgrounds, space etc. In a medical setting space is scarce and needs to be approved in advance. Shots taken in the Emergency Room need to be cleared in advance, and 5 minutes before you arrive, due to the unexpected nature of the clinical setting.

Content research

We always try to learn as much about the story, physician or medical research before the shoot. This allows for more creativity and stronger focus in the photo. For example at BID-Needham we learned about a special surgical mask only used for orthopedic surgeries and a new device that is being patented by a BIDMC physician, Dr. Haffenreffer (below).

Wardrobe

Typically we advise all physicians to wear business attire and bring a lab coat. Sometimes, for surgery shots, scrubs are worn. Brightly colored patterns and ties are discouraged because they take attention away from the face.

Find art in all things

In a sterile hospital environment you may be surprised by the beauty we find, even in the most unexpected places.

Do whatever it takes.

Wear a bunny suit (aka surgical scrubs).

Be an extra set of hands.

Be in a model in the background or foreground.

Jump on the operating table if needed. (That’s my leg in the surgery shot above.)

 

The debate about speculative work is growing with the rise of “crowdsourcing,” as discussed in this recent Wired blog post. The term applies to a number of websites where designers compete to win projects by submitting concepts from which the client can choose. This trend, working towards the lowest common denominator, can only commoditize the creative process. When designers are pitted against one another to produce speculative work, they do so in a vacuum – making presumptions that can only cheapen the final product. They must “speculate” on the clients’ needs and wants based on what little they can gleaned from a short RFP description or existing marketing materials. Thus, the work presented in the crowdsourcing model can be seen as mere caricatures of a brand – something that neither designer nor client wants. 

As Charles Eames said, “The details are not the details. They make the design”

It is argued that the speculative work provides the client with an insight into the capabilities of particular designer or firm. And it is understandable that those commissioning work might believe this to be the best way to evaluate design skills. Hey, you take a car for test drive, why not a designer? But a car and a company brand are two very different things. A car is a commodity. It’s a product that we want to be manufactured the same way every single time. On the other hand, a brand is the result of a collaborative process that aims to produce a unique result every single time. To evaluate the branding process, you need to evaluate the ability of a design firm to create unique solutions at the end of the creative process.

Here at kor, we recently produced a logo book that serves as an inventory of our identity work to share with potential clients. This document allows them to observe our ability to strategize and communicate the unique personality inherent in each of our clients’ brands. If our work for other companies, schools, hospitals, museums, etc. communicates effectively to potential clients, they can be confident that kor is able to do the same for them. That is a far less risky proposition than making a decision based on the decontextualized gamble of a speculative sketch!

Learn more about our rebranding project for Drydock, a mixed-use commercial space in Boston’s Seaport.