Connecting Christian readers and Christian authors

The Christian Book Expo is an opportunity for readers to meet and interact with their favorite Christian authors. It is produced by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association with its first year being in Dallas in 2009. With over 60 publishers and 200 Christian publishing authors, practical and theological seminars, panel discussions, nightly inspirational entertainment events, kids programs, and, of course, the daily trade show displays and booths, it promised to be a huge event.

Design Solution

Design Corps was brought in with branding and marketing strategists to design the Christian Book Expo’s identity, identity style guide, church promotional materials as well as the event signs and banners.

IDENTITY CREATION
For the logo we sought to communicate the power of the written word, the central Christian character of the event, as well as the variety of voices offered by such a large event as the expo. Multiple concepts were presented with their rationales. Colors and fonts were also selected after multiple proofing stages and these elements would guide the design of all subsequent materials.

A Christian Book Expo Identity Style Guide was then created which would help the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association in-house designers by explaining the various logo formats and showing standards for logo and name usage including recommended fonts, logo colors & color equivalency, background colors, minimum size limitations, and border and boundary area.

CHURCH PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
One way the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association promoted the show was by sending full-color and one-color PDFs to churches which could be printed an placed in bulletins. Colorful posters in the same style were also produced to be sent through denomination headquarters to church communities. These materials highlight the vast array of authors which are the main draw for Expo attenders.

SIGNS & BANNERS
Finally, colorful banners and signs needed to be produced. Design Corps designed three banners for various entrances and meeting areas. Each was 25 to 30 feet across. We also designed templates for three sizes of signs and announcements which were then used by in-house designers to produce all signs as the need arose.

Unfortunately, as reported by Publisher’s Weekly, the timing was poor due to the economic recession. “There is a great market for such an Expo, but the timing couldn’t have been worse for the Expo’s debut year. With the recession and massive cutbacks in consumer spending, this just wasn’t the best time for a new book convention. ”

Advertisements for Bibles

The New International Version is the English Language’s best selling translation. Zondervan is the leading publisher of NIV Bibles, for which sales seem to remain strong throughout all the ups and downs of economic upheavals. Design Corps has been priviledged to provide magazine and online advertidsing for many of Zondervan’s NIV Bible products.

NIV Italian Duotone Bibles

This Bible offered the traditional NIV translation in special two-toned covers. It was aimed at men, women and youth. Magazine advertisements were placed in many Christian publications aimed at general audiences as well as specific audience categories.

NIV European Leather Bibles

Like the Italian Duotone Bibles the European Leather Bibles offered the traditional NIV translation in special covers but with a focus on high-quality materials rather than unique colors. It was aimed primarily at mature men and women. Magazine advertisements were placed in several Christian publications aimed at adults.

NIV Study Bibles Sampler

“The NIV helps make Bible reading easier, more enjoyable, and more understandable. That’s why it’s the bestselling modern translation and why more pastors recommend the NIV than any other Bible translation.” And this is why Zondervan has such an array of NIV Study Bibles, enough that they decided to produce a handy 20-page overview booklet. The NIV Study Bible Sampler was an effective tool both to educate store employees and their customers. Advantages and distinctives were presented for each of 10 unique Zondervan study Bibles.

The Benefits of Knowing Your Target Audience

Wheaton College Graduate School knows their core audience both through research as well as through day-to-day interaction. The prospects most interested in their programs also are the exact type of students which the school desired to attract: college-graduate adults who have a passion to serve Christ.

Design Strategy

Design Corps was asked to produce ViewBooks, posters, advertisements for magazine and web sites, conference banners, and interactive CDs.
To start with, for their overview booklet, we put the emphasis on high gloss and bright colors to give their materials the rougher, earthier look of an adventure guide book. Backgrounds were parchment, we used hand-drawn graphs, and quotes were in hand-written script. To further enhance this theme, symbols of navigation were used, like a sextant, a compass, and road-signs. We also included more testimonials and inspirational quotes from God’s Word on the subject of following one’s calling.

Ads

This theme was continued in a “Never settle for a job…when you have a calling” advertising campaign. It included a single ad for general placement as well as testimonial ads that were targeted for promoting specific degrees. These had the headline “Living Out the Calling.”

Interactive CD

Finally, a CD was produced to be included in the guidebook or handed out at conferences. It carried over the style of the guide book and had extra pages using the symbolic tools guiding prospects to seek a higher calling, to choose a direction, and to download information to start the application process.

Helping Those Who Help Others

Project Description

Weavers has developed resources to help business owners navigate out of the business mode of survival to levels of success and significance. To help Weavers with their mission Design Corps developed products and packaging for DVDs and CDs, as well as brochures, trade show graphics, graphs, and web site graphics.

Image Credentials

Good communication starts with knowing what one wants to say. In marketing that means that design is most effective when the organization has clearly identified its corporate characteristics, strengths, and positioning.

Such was the case with a Midwest collection agency that had long-lasting experience and success which set it apart, and needed to tell others about it. Design Corps was hired to develop a brand identity system for the collections organization and its sister company which went after debtors who had not yet been brought to court. Through our interaction we came up with a plan that would emphasize strength and tenacity (essentials for any collections agency) but also justice of cause, superior skill, and a longevity which was uncommon in this field. Using visual references to heraldic symbols of the Griffin and the Dragon, the logos were made to work together and also to identify the separate character and purposes of each company.

The parent company only went after debtors who had already been told by the court to pay. For this the Griffin was used because the Griffin was seen as having nobility of purpose, superior strength and tenacity, and also having authority.

The other company chased debtors, even those who had left the state. For this the Dragon was more appropriate. In mythology the dragon was seen as being something that you did not want to tangle with, but also as being swift and crafty, able to pursue.

After the logo marks were developed we also created stationery that was intentionally reserved, showing a sparse conservativeness that would reflect both the seriousness and strength of the company in a visual language that would be at home with companies that dealt with money, law or government. We also gave it a look that would harken back to a past era to reflect the companies established history and longevity.

And finally, we created a simple brochure that recounted the major advantages of the company while conveying the same character and strengths begun in the brand identity program and the stationery. To do this we incorporated graphics and styles used in nineteenth century publications.

Securing Careers for Our Patriots

HSC serves people who are transitioning from service in the military by helping them to find jobs in Homeland Security / Homeland Defense.
Design Corps developed a logo for HSC and went on to produce a brochure as well as assist with various graphic components for their web site and trade show graphics.