When I first met with InvoTek about the prospect of redesigning their website, I was overwhelmed by their passion. InvoTek is a small company that does big things in an understated way. In short, they develop technologies that help people with severe disabilities interact with the world around them. They’re not in it for money or fame. They truly care about making an impact in the lives of those they serve.
They needed a website that would better tell their story, connect with donors and caregivers, sell their products, and boost their new Be Extraordinary program. The Be Extraordinary program connects sponsors with real individuals in need of help but without the financial means to secure this type of technology.
This website is built on a Content Management System, which allows InvoTek to maintain the website content themselves, including the blog area where both InvoTek staff and customers contribute.
Here are a few screenshots from the new website. I’d also encourage you to visit www.invotek.org and view some of the video stories about the lives they impact.
For over 15 years, John Brown University has provided a way for working adults to finish their degree. The Advance Program has been highly successful during this time, and it has played a large role in the overall growth of the university.
We began working with the Advance Program in early 2008, and they are a great example of the type of client we love. We’ve worked with the Advance Program from the ground up to establish their organizational identity and communicate their brand through multiple mediums and materials.
Brand Architecture
We started by working on the foundation – their brand. Although the program had experienced success, it lacked a cohesive identity when it came to marketing, advertising, and materials. Additionally, the program was referred to by multiple names, and this led to both internal and external confusion.
We conducted extensive research including online questionnaires, individual interviews, and focus groups of faculty, staff, students, and potential students. Armed with data, we established each key attribute of the brand, including the name, a tagline, key brand messages, brand personality and language, creative themes, and visual standards.
Out of this we settled on going forward with the name “The Advance Program” and the tagline “Finish your degree. Advance your career.” Concurrently we also designed the new JBU logo, so we established the official sub-branded logo for the Advance Program.
Collateral Materials
One of the initial challenges to overcome was the inconsistency and overall lack of quality in the Advance Program materials. We developed a series of brochures to serve as the primary print items to provide to prospective students. The brochures were designed to work in tandem and fit in a 6×9 envelope for economical postage and production.
Online
The number one point of contact with potential students is the Advance Program website. We redesigned the site to build on the new identity, while scaling back the content to make it more direct, helpful, and personal. The website also features a blog for keeping fresh content on the homepage. We designed the program’s twitter page, as twitter has quickly become a key communication tool.
Advertising
The brand architecture we established also set the direction for the program’s advertising. Among advertising items we created was the following 30-second tv spot.
It had been a while since we last updated the Our Work section of our website. We’ve added some of our newer work to each of the three sections — Web, Identity, and Print.
Preparing these portfolio items was a good reminder of how busy we’ve been, and how many fun and challenging projects we’ve been able to work on over the past few months.
We have plenty of other cool projects in the works that we’re eager to show off.
Today was a big day for our client NanoMech. They opened the doors to Arkansas’ first nanomanufacturing facility, and Governor Mike Beebe was on hand to mark the occasion. I can’t tell you all of the science behind nanotechnology, but I can tell you nanotechnology is the key to many amazing innovations that we will see in the next 10-20 years. Better lubricants, lighter and more durable body armor, more effective produce packaging, and coatings harder than diamonds are just a few of the innovations that NanoMech has already introduced. It is a technology with unlimited potential, and this company is truly holding lightning in a bottle.
Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe speaks at the opening of NanoMech
In conjunction with their ribbon cutting, we launched NanoMech’s completely revamped website yesterday. The website introduces the company, provides background information on nano, and profiles each of the 5 nanomanufactured products they have already brought to market. Click the image below to visit the new site.
We recently helped launch the ZipHat, a simple but exciting new product. At first glance, the ZipHat is a regular ball cap. Give it a closer look, and you’ll find a discreet zipper. When you unzip the zipper, it removes the crown to leave a visor. The ZipHat has unlimited applications, from sports fans and athletes to corporate uniforms and novelty hats.
ZipHat | Two Hats In One
We designed the ZipHat identity, as well as creating a micro-site to introduce the hat. The website features photo-realistic 3D tours of the hat, as well as basic information about the company and the hat applications.
Give it a look here, and watch for the ZipHat to hit the shelves later this year.
Today we launched the re-designed website for the Northwest Arkansas Home Builders Association. This non-profit organization provides services to the home building community, as well as services to consumers looking to build or remodel a home. The HBA’s Home and Garden Show along with the Parade of Homes are major events each year in our community.
The website features a password-protected member area, an online directory for consumers wishing to find an HBA member, event information, and much more. You may take a look at the new website at nwabuilders.com.
We recently launched dennisjernigan.com, a completely redesigned website for Christian worship songwriter and artist Dennis Jernigan. Dennis’ songs are widely sung across the country and globe, and he is recognized as “America’s lead worshipper”.
We are proud of this site, as it include a little bit of everything. The website is built on a Content Management System, and the online store is powered by a store application that we have authored from the ground up. The website features a blog with many videos from Dennis, a song finder for finding one of his many songs, and a new service called DJ Insiders. DJ Insiders is a monthly subscription service that provides behind-the-scenes access to Dennis, daily devotions, special video features, free MP3 downloads, and more.
We put a little extra love into this project, as our web developer Israel is Dennis’ oldest of nine children. Israel did an awesome job of programming this complex site.
On a personal and slightly humorous note…when I was in high school in the 90′s, my ska band did a cover of Dennis’ “You Are My All In All”. Thankfully, I don’t know of any known recordings that could come back to haunt me.
We have long advised our clients to keep their website content brief and to the point. Utilizing bulleted and numbered lists, call-out quotes, and highlighted pieces of content will help the user easily see and digest the most important pieces of information on a given web page.
Here are some of the websites we have recently launched. These represent just a few of the projects that have kept us busy lately.
Ozark Guidance is a non-profit mental health center committed to meeting the needs of the individual, family, and community for better mental health in Northwest Arkansas. Ozark Guidance is both a local and statewide leader in the area of mental health. This website runs on a Content Management System allowing Ozark Guidance staff to manage all areas of the website.
Shiloh Christian School is Northwest Arkansas’ premier private Christian school. This website is completely redesigned, and it is built on a Content Management System that allows Shiloh personnel to maintain all of the content on the site. We are currently working with the school to redesign their athletics site as well.
Houston Enzymes formulates and sells digestive enzyme products. As we have heard the testimonies of their loyal customers, it is obvious that the effects of these enzyme supplements are life-changing for many. This website features a custom-developed store, designed to meet the specific needs of this client. The website also includes a blog that allows customers to interact directly with Dr. Houston.
Greg and Erin Smalley are nationally known authors and speakers on the topic of marriage and relationships. We created this website to introduce visitors to the Smalleys in a fun and casual way. The website has already served as an encouragement to many couples through its many marriage-related resources.
John Brown University Graduate Studies and the JBU Advance Program offer programs for adult students in Northwest Arkansas, Fort Smith, and Little Rock. We redesigned these websites with the intention of turning casual browsers into prospective students by encouraging them to interact with the website through various means. We are also currently working with the JBU adult programs to solidify their brand and marketing messaging.
Olivet Baptist Church in Tulsa, OK, needed an improved website to better communicate with its congregation and with potential visitors. This website is also built on a Content Management System, allowing Olivet staff to add announcements, sermon audio, newsletters, photo galleries, and other content.
Last week was a busy one – we launched 3 new websites.
NWA Healthy Marriages is a government-funded initiative intended to improve the quality of marriages in the Northwest Arkansas area. This website provides marriage-related resources, a community calendar of marriage events, event registration, surveys, and more.
Skills Cache provides retail fundamentals training to companies looking to maximize their retail sales. This simple informational website provides information about the company and the variety of training seminars available.
The John Brown University Department of Visual Arts needed a website to promote the new division which houses the majors of Graphic Design, Illustration, Digital Media Arts, and Photography. Our challenge was to give this website an artistic look-and-feel while sticking to the overall framework of the JBU website.
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