Tribe Design Blog : Smoke Signals

Friday, December 30, 2011

Ending the year on a great note: website relaunches done right

Looking back over 2011, at Tribe Design we are thankful for another busy year. As our client base has grown more diverse, web design work has been an increasingly common request. Since graphic design is slowly shifting its focus away from print and onto web we are constantly thinking of ways to improve the online experience for our clients.

More and more we keep hearing about those wanting to be able to edit their own website. The best approach was implementing Wordpress as a web content management system (CMS) because it is simple but effective. It is easy to administer, expandable and widely supported and most importantly our clients find it comfortable to use.

Traditionally, Wordpress is known for its superior blogging platform but recent internet trends show that more businesses are utilizing Wordpress as their corporate website’s backbone. When properly set up, Wordpress can be a powerful tool with many features beyond a simple blog.

Antares Energy has recently relaunched their website. We have had the pleasure to give it an updated look and feel and also improved their website functionality. Their primary concerns for the website makeover were:

Display downloadable documents: news releases, quarter/yearly reports, presentations
Easy sign up for distribution list / email marketing
Dynamic photo gallery showing job sites
Real-time stock feed integration with share price

"Antares Energy wanted to transform its serviceable but antiquated existing website in to a modern, fully functioning showplace where stakeholders could learn more about the company and its projects. Tribe Design delivered on our wishes in an efficient, professional manner that is becoming increasingly rare to find. Tribe was able to take our initial ideas and greatly improve upon them. When we launched the new website, the feedback was immediate and unanimously positive. Our experience working with Tribe Design has been an unqualified success."

- Matt Gentry, COO, Antares Energy Company

If part of your marketing plans for the new year includes revamping or designing your corporate website, contact us to see how we can improve your brand building by design.

Old website

Antares Old Website

New and improved website

AEL New Website

Posted By Francisco Rios At 3:28 PM •

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Overcoming Marketing Challenges: Building Value Out of Thin Air

How do you market something that doesn't exist?

We were recently worked with Sudhoff Properties and Röhe & Wright Builders to create a custom pocket folder and insert to promote their latest development, Winfield Gate. Winfield Gate is a group of 20 luxury, gated townhomes in the heart of River Oaks. It offers buyers freedom from all exterior maintenance, rooftop terraces with potting sheds, fireplaces and outdoor kitchens and views over River Oaks and towards downtown.

The challenge with Winfield Gate was creating collateral for a property that is in the first stages of construction. We had the artist rendering and photos from other luxury properties that our client had built. Creating an identity for Winfield Gate so that it could stand apart from other residences in the area was key. But how to do capture the lifestyle and ambiance of a home without physically walking through the door?

Winfield Gate already had an interesting story. It is modeled after Winfield House in London, the residence of the Ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St. James's. Each home is named after a great American Ambassador who has made an important impact on the subsequent preservation and enhancement of the landmark property. The architecture and decor would have a traditional, classic feel with modern state-of-the-art amenities.

Our clients wanted a high-end printed piece to give to potential buyers. We created a tagline for WG, "At the Heart of Luxury." Since the homes are to reside essentially in the "heart" of Houston and a home is something very personal to people, it fit perfectly. The color palette of the Winfield Gate collateral was changed from a dark navy to a chocolate brown, cream, gold and light blue. We felt it was important to select colors that conveyed elegance, richness and a “home-y” feel. We incorporated photos of furnishings that complemented the home’s planned architecture to spark the imagination of a potential home buyer. A custom pocket folder with die-cuts, spot metallic ink and UV varnish gave the piece the final touch.

“Tribe’s professionalism and passion for design really showed on this project. They delivered a killer brochure on a tight deadline, and now we’re breaking through our sales goals with it.”

Alex Boase
Marketing Manager
Sudhoff Properties

As creatives you have to find the heart of the project and bring it to life. Every product or service is only an idea until it comes into its own through the right graphics, messaging and presentation.

We feel very proud to be a part of marketing this unique property. Over 40% of the homes have already been sold! If you are in need of creative marketing materials, contact us today to see how we can help your “Branding Building by Design”.

Posted By Marta Huntsman At 2:59 PM •