Brochure for Computer Consultancy *Project Over*

[donw9876]

(Admin code added by 2Square - T97498436)


Hi all,

After a great first experience with this site to get a business logo designed, I am back to kick off a contest to design my brochure.

This is a simple full color trifold brochure that promotes a small computer business. It is simply an introduction of sorts. The school brochure contest that is in this section is probably 3x as elaborate and detailed as what I am looking for, but is similar in "high concept". I want 'wow'.

The loose deadline is Tuesday, March 30, so about 1 week. I will extend it a bit if substantial new creativity is in evidence. Right now, I just need to get this puppy done.

My own (lame :blink: ) first attempt is here (I can provide the MS Publisher file if needed):

http://www.cedarcitysols.com/brochure/cswc...wc-brochure.pdf (http://www.cedarcitysols.com/brochure/cswc-brochure.pdf)

The artwork that Alex Kogan did for me that contains the logo art is zipped in the http://www.cedarcitysols.com/brochure directory. The most important file is:

CSBanner Mtl.ZIP (contains the AI files of the latest version of the logo.) Also I posted a JPG of my portrait, which can use some color and brightness correction. You will see where my small picture is in the brochure sample.

I have a few conditions to go with this contest:

Anyone who bids needs to make themselves available for some tweaks (mainly text changes and rearrangement) soon after the end of the contest. I will pay for rework. The text is not quite perfect, but I do need to get the brochure designed even though I am still working on nitpicks.

I would also like to design a monochrome version after the fact, based more or less on the color version layout. Again, I will pay accordingly.

I am looking for a "front cover" concept that will attract people's eyes and make them want to pick the brochure up from a holder in a store, etc. Also, since I am including an address panel, I want it to also work as a compelling piece of "junk mail" (IE, promotional literature.)

Feel free to chop down or rework the promotional text (especially the front cover) in order to give the entire work real impact.

I am really looking forward to more of the design brilliance I've seen here!

Thanks.

[Carl]

donw,

Your links to the file and directory do not work.

Thanks!
Carl...

[donw9876]

It's my stupid web host. They usually time out when I have something I NEED TO SHOW SOMEONE. :angry:

Here is the brochure sample, attached.

[Carl]

Thanks.

Carl...

[ElKootcho]

What is the final file format that you need (most print designers use either Quark or InDesign)?

[Carl]

Don,

How do you plan to print this piece? Are you going to have them professionally printed? Will you be printing them yourself? Will the black and white piece be faxable?

Thanks!
Carl...

[donw9876]

Hi, folks. Thx for the quick responses.

Printing: the color brochure (the object of the contest) will be professionally printed. So will the black and white. Faxability is of little current concern. Right now I want something that looks great when printed normally.

Format: I have NO idea. Whatever most printers use.

This place: http://www.brochureplace.com/ will print 5000 copies trifolded for about $470 US. They're saying they accept InDesign and Quark. I suspect most places are competitive.

My web host appears to be up now. I won't bother reposting the portrait and the logo files here unless there is a lot more trouble with my web host.

[Carl]

Don,

Just letting you know that I am working on your project.

Carl...

[Carl]

Don,

Here is page one.

I just wanted to make sure I am heading in the right direction for you.

Any feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks!
Carl...


Here is a link to a PDF file to get a better view of the page:

cswc_brochure_mg.pdf (http://www.motiongraphicscreative.com/clients/cswc_brochure_mg.pdf)

[donw9876]

Hi, Carl,

Thanks for the first submission. It looks real nice.

My thoughts so far:

Your rewording is saying a couple of things that I didn't intend (I know I gave some licence to reword, but I just don't want it to drift away from my original points):

- "IT department" makes me sound way larger than I currently am. HOWEVER, I want growth eventually. Hmm. Lemme run it by a few colleagues for opinions. I have struggled with the editorial "us" vs. "me" issue on this stuff.

- "We do not sell products". Uhh... I *will* resell products, but the flavor of what I meant was that it isn't my main business. I want to convey to the prospect that I'm not just pushing boxes and packages, and that my interest is more in making them happy then a quick "score" to sell something they don't need. (I am afraid that a flat "does not resell" will make it sound like they have to select and source their own stuff.)

I like your use of clip-art.

Alternative ideas: creative use of bold colors in addition to, or instead of, clip art.

Anway, THANKS!

[Carl]

Don,

Thanks for the feedback.

I didn't mean to stray from your original intent. The idea I was trying to convey on the cover was they get the essence of an IT department without paying for all the payroll. In re-reading it, I see it does imply a larger organization, but like you said, that may not be a bad thing. I will try to come up with a different "wow" for the cover.

Also, thanks for clearing up the "resell" idea.

I will make the adjustments and have something up tonight. The second page should be coming too! :)

Thanks!
Carl...

BTW, I used to live in Cincinnati and worked just off of Fields Ertel Road. I have very good friends in the Mason-Landen area. It's nice to work on something from somewhere I am familiar with.

[donw9876]

Wow, Carl, small world. :D That area is business-rich, and absolutely choked in traffic.

Anyway, I had a few more thoughts:

I like my original wording better for the front cover. Anything about headlining "IT Department" just doesn't grab me for the market I'm going after. (the clientele I am going after will not even recognize their needs in the context of IT.)

Don't emphasize "Just right" in bold letters, unless you drop the quotes I had. As it is it looks too close to Outback Steakhouse's slogan. I know this will mess up the layout you have already for the front cover...

To all contestants: I don't want to mix copywriting tweaks into this design. Please limit changes to truncation or rearranging the major text blocks. Like I said, I would prefer to do text changes after a basic layout has been decided upon, as an addon project.

[Carl]

Don,

I made the text changes and reworked the cover and back panel to include more color.

I didn't get page 2 done, but will have it ready for you tomorrow evening.

Carl...

PDF File Here:

CSWC Brochure PDF (http://www.motiongraphicscreative.com/clients/cswc_brochure2_mg.pdf)

[donw9876]

Hi, Carl,

MUCH better. I am liking this! Thanks for getting back to my wording.

Any ideas on another color for the front cover? I like the composition, which is probably the tricky part. I am lukewarm on the "maroon" theme. Not saying it's unattractive/bad, just... would like to see another color choice.

[Carl]

Don,

I am glad you like the changes.

No problem changing the color. I was trying to stay within your logo color scheme, but can try different colors. If you have any suggestions on color, I will be happy to put them up for you to look at.

Thanks!
Carl...

[Carl]

Don,

I am still working on page 2. It is hot on my plate. I am gonna try to get up early Friday and finish up so you have something to look at by the weekend.

Carl...

[DesignGeneral]

I'm in :)

[ElKootcho]

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/CompSupp_Circles.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[donw9876]

ElKootcho -

*WOW*. With all the electric green it REALLY gets my attention. The color choices ... well... I'm not gonna decorate our living room in them but... That brochure just screams "open me".

I guess I have a fundamental image decision to make here, huh? The sedate "professional" thing or the "you better read me before your competitor does"...

I love the composition of the interior. I had some blocks of text that I didn't really know what to do with, and you organized it VERY nicely.

I never could have imagined this. That's why I came here. Thanks!

A few questions:

There are a few typos. No big deal.

You're using the "flat", non metalized version of the logo. I was only thinking of using the metal version, but the flat seems to work better in this context. My vanity sez to use the fanciest version at all times but this is more readable.

On the "front cover", when it's folded, the prospect will see a small piece of orange along the top edge on the left. Was this deliberate?

[ElKootcho]

Here's the cover alone (a quick crop by the way so no worries on the centering of the type). The orange stripe on top was by design but can obviously be changed. I wanted to show you a "look-at-me" design and I'll have a couple others (conservative and otherwise) for you over the weekend. The typos? No surprise ;) My typing skills are legendary! I didn't run a spell check because at this point it's a time management issue. I want to get out some looks and worry about the fine details later. Once a final design is chosen the successful designer will tweak and make things 100% accurate.

Needless to say logos, images, text, etc can be swapped to your specifications so feel free to ask. Even after you choose a final design tweaks can be made after the fact (by any of the designers).

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/CompSupp_Cover.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[Carl]

Don,

Here you go.

Carl...

<img src='http://motiongraphicscreative.com/clients/cswc1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

<img src='http://motiongraphicscreative.com/clients/cswc2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[donw9876]

Carl, thanks for the new work. I REALLY like this version too! It's coming along.

One question: can you do anything else beside that blank monitor on the final page (at the bottom of "a few more thoughts"? The monitor is kind of directing one's attention without providing any content.

Do brochures sometimes contain a blank area set aside for custom messages or something? Maybe that would be a better use of the space.

[donw9876]

PS: the flat logo is working better in print. The edge feathering works best in a web page where you have actual image transparency.

PPS: Very nice use of colors. Not as bold as Elkootcho, but eye grabbing.

[jonmulk]

I hope to enter this one (although maybe not today). Hopefully get something posted in the next couple days.

Jon

[ElKootcho]

Here's another alternative. Still eye-catching but a little more "corporate". Some of the images are repeated but I wanted to get your reaction before I spent time searching for photos.

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/CompSupp_Blocks.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Here's how it unfolds.

<img src='http://www.smallbusinessstyle.com/DesignOutpost/CompSupp_BlocksFold.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[donw9876]

I've made my decision. ElKootcho is the "winnah" and I award him the prize. (no, this is not an April Fool's joke :) )

The design that I have decided is "it" is the flourescent green brochure with some mods. It's professional *and* eye catching.

The tie breaker was that ElKootcho was the first with bold color combinations and overall composition that satisfied and exceeded my desire for a "wow" effect.

Carl/Cadii, your designs were excellent too. In the absence of ElKootcho's design, I am sure we would have worked together well on this one.

Guys, even though there were only two contestants, I really feel like I got my money's worth and I really appreciate the effort you both put into this work.

[Carl]

Mike - Great Job! I secretly liked your first one best.

Don,

Thanks for the compliments. It was fun working on the brochure for you. You got a great design from Elkootcho!!! As I said above, I liked it the best as well.

Carl...