The Mid-American Regional Center Branding

Business Card
Front (left) & Back (right)

Folder Outside
Front (right) & Back (left)

Folder Inside
(One Pocket)

Inside Content
Page 1

Inside Content
(Pages 2-3)

Inside Content
(Pages 4-5)

Inside Content
(Pages 6-7)

Projects Card
(Housed in Back Pocket)

Envelopes
9"x12" (left) & #9 (right)

Letterhead

Branding: The Mid-American Regional Center

The Mid-American Regional Center, or TMARC, is a group of lawyers that sets up and supports foreign investments in American companies. This new partner company of Taft's is set to launch in the late spring of 2014. As a part of Taft, its marketing department was tasked with branding the fledgling company. My boss, Maria Porter, designed TMARC's logo before I became an intern. However, the rest of the branding, including the business card and collateral items above, was left up to me. 

While associated with Taft, The Mid-American Regional Center is its own entity. To show this, I utilized a combination of strong diagonal and horizontal lines as key design elements. The diagonal lines promote this companies' connection by mirroring the flag's slant in TMARC's logo as well as reflecting the backslash in Taft's logo. In contrast, the horizontal lines reflect the flag's stripes, a design element unique to TMARC.

This project taught me a new skill, branding. While working with in-house marketing teams has given me a lot of experience upholding and designing within a pre-established brand image, this was my first real world experience creating something from scratch. Translating the TMARC image across multiple media presented challenges, allowing me to employ my design problem solving skills. While the project is still underway, it's rewarding to be the driving force behind TMARC's brand growth.

New Hire Announcements

Print Version

Web Version

Graphic Design: New Hire Announcements
Every time a lawyer becomes a part of the Taft family he/she receives an announcement, for both print and web. The announcement's information, provided by the new hire, includes a brief description of the position the new hire is filling, his/her contact information, and Taft's website. In the case of Marianne, there is also a brief description of Taft, its office locations, and practice groups. My role in announcement production included an exercise in information design across multiple platforms. Aside from making it look pretty, I was expected to present the information in an organized fashion that allowed its audience do easily distinguish which information is most important. Utilizing font size, color, weight, and line spacing, I was able to create flow, leading the audience through the information hierarchy with ease. These elements work with the image and border to create a dynamic, yet professional, announcement that falls within Taft's overall branding.

Art Now Poster: Fall 2013

Graphic Design

I was tasked with creating the Art Now poster for the fall of 2013. The copy was provided by Butler's art department, but visually and conceptually, it was up to me. I wanted to incorporate student artwork from 2012 to show people the wide range of styles and media used by Butler's art students. The color scheme was season inspired, fall. Mainly, I hoped to create curiosity among students, strong enough curiosity to make them stop by the show!

Homecoming Coloring Contest: Coloring Sheet

Homecoming 2013 Coloring Sheet

Bookstore Display

Another Bookstore Display

Participation

Graphic Design: Homecoming Coloring Contest

The Butler Bookstore partners with Butler Web Marketing to host an annual coloring contest for homecoming. This year, I was tasked with creating the coloring sheet for the contest. It was to be of Butler's live mascot, Butler Blue III or Trip. I was given a rough sketch of Trip to use as a guide for this process. First, I put the image into Adobe Illustrator and used the pen tool to create the simple clean version of Trip you see above. Then, I used the Illustrator file to design the rest of the coloring sheet in InDesign.

7-Day Pass

Graphic Design: 7-Day Pass

I was tasked with designing a business card sized pass that could be awarded as a trial HRC membership, lasting a week.

Fall Program Posters

Graphic Design: Fall Program Posters

I was tasked with creating five posters, one for each of the five main programs at the HRC. They were to conform to the HRC's color palate and typeface and include the HRC logo in some capacity. I chose to make them uniform so one wouldn't distract from another or look disjointed when displayed in a group. Also, I decided to add QR codes that link to each program's website, providing a quick way to learn more or get involved.

HRC Policy Signs

Graphic Design: HRC Policy Signs

I was tasked to create new policy signs to be displayed in the HRC. They were to be simple and clean, reflecting a uniform look, and using the HRC's typeface and color palate. 

Havana Nights

Graphic Design: Havana Nights
As graphic designer of R.E.A.C.H., a small board of people who plan events to celebrate and promote all aspects of diversity on Butler University's campus, I created this poster to advertise for one of their events, "Havana Nights". The event allowed students to take free salsa dancing lessons and try cuban food, a cuisine many are unfamiliar with.

I chose the image because it emphasizes the movement of the dancer's feet, an important part of salsa dancing. Also, the drama of the high contrast light and shadow paired with the red accent text creates an ambiance of drama and passion, also associated with salsa dancing.