In today’s design world it’s too easy (and expected) to go to one of the many stock illustration sites to provide illustrated content for clients. While you can find any illustration style and subject matter online, you risk your competition choosing that same piece of “clip art” for their advertising.

So in this day of homogenized illustration, grabbing a pencil and paper to create a completely original illustration gives your client one-of-a-kind creative advertising no one can duplicate.

So that’s just what we did for Zoo Run 2012. Here’s the front and back logo from the t-shirt design:

And here’s the steps to make that magic happen:

• Hand drew the illustration with black ink on paper, no color – outline only
• Scanned/digitized the illustration
• Bring digitized black outline into Illustrator and color/fill each element using determined color palette for print/posters/shirts etc.

To register for zoo run visit, FortWorthZoo.org.

-Todd

Daily Inspiration Through Art

March Creative Jams

Ever curious what us cool kid creatives are jammin’ out to on a daily basis? Well here’s your chance to find out … at least what I jam out to when I’m in the zone. Just a fore-warning you won’t find any Mumford and sons or anything remotely similar to glee, I’m personally not a fan of the whole sing-a-long thing. Oh. and you also need Spotify too, check it out!

-Colt

This past weekend we stopped by the Fort Worth Addys in our Saturday finest and took home Ws in several categories.

A few fun facts:

• Schaefer submitted 31 total pieces to the Addys
• About 40 percent of what we entered won an award
• Our table was the it table of the Addys (yes, that’s fact)

We can’t say it enough, when our clients win, so do we! Here are a few awards we share with some of our great partners.

GOLD ADDY AWARDS

TTI Inc. - Specialist Introduction Video

TTI Inc. - Never A Line Down, episode #2

Freeman - Footwear Direct Mail

Check out the microsites for the Flipper, Slipper and Skate!

Fort Worth Zoo - Zoo Ball Event Material

BRONZE ADDY AWARDS

Fort Worth Zoo - Beastro

Freeman - iPlanner e-blast and video

TTI Inc - Web Banners

GE Transportation - Virtual Rail Expo

Additionally, our agency took home a few awards from our self promotion:

We got a GOLD Addy for our new feature in 360 West Magazine

A SILVER Addy for our Facebook Like Page

A BRONZE Addy for our open house invitation

And a BRONZE Addy for our new logo

A huge thank you to Red Productions, you guys set the bar for fun, entertaining events.  We’re proud to be a part of the Fort Worth Advertising community!

- The Schaefer Team

BACK IN THE SADDLE Fantastic new Campaign by Sonic that brings back “those two guys”  - they were funny then and funny now! Strategically a unique way to target with a not so obvious but still empathetic nod to the unemployment issue faced by many in America.

Commercials start airing Monday. Also check out the FB page https://www.facebook.com/those2guys

-Sara

Daily Inspiration Through Art

A Heart for Liqaa

This year I felt inspired by a group called Preemptive Love Coalition. Their mission is to provide life-saving heart surgeries to Iraqi children and hands-on training to Iraqi doctors and nurses. Learn more about their story here.

As a designer, I volunteered my services to help with a logo and header for one of their fundraising websites. If you have the means, any donation would help a ton. Happy Valentines Day!!!

Stay Inspired.

-Colt

There’s never a dull moment at our offices! We recently created a Christmas video for our client, TTI Inc. Shot entirely at our office, this video is a little snip-it of what our team and neighbors got to hear during filming - and the car is just plain awesome.

We started this project brainstorming ideas for TTI’s holiday card and thought a video would fit in nicely with the rest of TTI’s Specialist campaign. With help from our friends at Track Daddy Productions for filming and editing, TTI’s “holiday card” is a must see.

View the the Christmas video here, can you believe this was shot in a 1/2 day?

Also, be sure to look for the two Schaefer people that make their film debuts - Oscar will be calling.

-Lynaia

We recently starting working with Supply Depot and Rental One.  Supply Depot is a construction supply company that specializes in all things concrete.  Rental One focuses on the rental of construction equipment. 

When it came time to create a new ad campaign for these companies, the goal was to develop a compelling and unique message that spoke directly to contractors or decision-makers. Additionally, the campaign message needed to work for BOTH companies.

How do you make construction and concrete fun and interesting, and speak about two different entities?

Answer: Develop a series that plays on industry nuances that the target can personally relate to.  You appeal to the senses and play up the beauty of the job.  You connect with the target in a way that makes them realize you understand and you “get it.”

-Erin Naterman

This past week was a whirlwind. Wednesday through Sunday, more than six months of work came to fruition at:

The Lone Star International Film Festival

Our team provides marketing, PR and a splash of creative support to the festival. If you didn’t make it out - you missed out because it was a SUCCESS! Check out a DFW.com article and learn for yourself.

Above is a glimpse of opening night: Our friends from Red Productions walked the red carpet to support their film Searching for Sonny along with Nick Krause from The Descendents.

Notice the step and repeat? Thought so; compliments of our production artist, Colton. Colton also put all of the print and web ads together.

Despite the many awesome films, my highlight was meeting the great Willie Nelson! Willie was honored with the Stephen Bruton Award at this year’s gala. In between the red carpet and working with the Star Telegram’s photographer, we managed to get a photo.

It’s a little blurry, but you get the picture (pun intended). 

Want more proof of the festival’s success? There’s a lot, but check out these articles:

• IndieWire
• Art & Seek
• NBC DFW
• The Dallas Morning News

Cheers to the Lone Star team and all the volunteers! Now, let’s gear up for next year.

- Lynaia & Kristin

CD Ski & Sports has a brand new Fort Worth space and a new look to go along with it!  CD Ski has expanded it’s retail space to make way for new product brands (Ugg and Mountain Hardwear) and allow for a better shopping experience.  The experience includes a full DJ booth, so you can jam in the dressing rooms. They also refreshed the brand with a new, edgy logo and brand graphics.

Want to check out the new digs?  This Saturday, 10/29, CD Ski is hosing a re-grand opening event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.  The day will be filled with music, drinks, food, FREE giveaways, great discounts and a whole lot of fun.  If you stop by, be sure to bring your used coats to donate for a discount on a new coat. 

5264 S. Hulen St., Fort Worth (.5 mi. south of Hulen Mall next to Chili’s)

New space and new logo

The snowboards are displayed on actual timbers…awesome!

New beautiful stock of Ugg boots.  I’ll take one of each, please.

The backpacks are also hung from huge timbers.

New brand elements

-Erin