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.

Fall Intramural Sports Banner

Graphic Design: Fall Intramural Sports Banner

I was tasked with creating a large banner advertising the HRC's fall intramural sport teams. The poster was to include the available sports, as well as how and where to register. I saw this project through from brainstorming to ordering the final print. First, I brainstormed themes. I had a couple in mind, but my boss and I decided the basketball theme was most appropriate and quickly recognizable. Next, I made my sketch come to life in Illustrator, the layout of the text and logo mimicking a basketball hoop. Finally, I scouted printers in search of the best 'bang for your buck' offer, balancing price and quality, and followed through with the order.