My, my, how we have grown! We are happy to announce the addition of Nevin Laughlin to our Creative Department.

Nevin joins us with knowledge of all things web and will be acting as an Interactive / Search Engine Marketing Coordinator. He graduated from Shepherd University with a BFA with a concentration in Graphic Design. He will be helping us create some seriously awesome work.

He is originally from Greencastle, PA (or Smalltown, USA, as he likes to say) and is currently living in Towson, MD. He likes making homemade pizza, traveling, watching live music, and web design.

We look forward to working with you, Nevin!

Recently, we worked with HeimLantz of Annapolis and Alexandria to define a new corporate identity for their brand. You can see what their old site looked like in this image.

From Old:

Former website for heimlantz.com

They gave us the freedom to work our magic to design based on the needs of their target audience. We created a new brand identity from an updated logo to signage, print collateral and a website. Take a look below, click images to see larger size.

To New

Partners at HeimLantz in Annapolis, MD with new wall signage

Corporate identity for HeimLantz

Brochure for HeimLantz’s Alexandria location.

HeimLantz.com

Recently, we launched a new website for Harbourtowne Resort in St. Michaels on the Eastern Shore. The site reflects recent renovations to the hotel and golf course, and helps show off the property to people looking for a golf getaway…or a place to get married near the water…or a convenient location for a meeting. Needless to say, we had several audiences to cater to.

The new site more accurately highlights the strengths of Harbourtowne in general, but more importantly the site speaks directly to Harbourtowne’s main audiences: meeting planners, weddings, golfers, and people on vacation in St. Michaels. With more succinct copy, and better organization, people can find what they want more quickly.

One of the main reasons that Harbourtowne decided to have us redo their website was that their old design was outdated, even though it was done just four years ago. With the rapid pace that the internet is evolving, sites that are only a few years old are now undergoing full redesigns in an effort to keep up with the trends. Heck, even Google, the most popular website ever, recently redesigned their website.

We didn’t just re-design, but we also added some really cool functionality. Now meeting planners can download RFP’s directly from the website. There are also more robust photo galleries with better functionality. Finally, we added social media icons so that our audience can connect with us on Facebook or see our photos on Flickr. Overall, the site is much more user friendly. Click on the picture of the new site below to see it in action!

Last week, I came across a post on Toxel.com (a favorite site of mine) about 15 Examples of Modern Web Design. Yes, these are all cool looking and provide visual stimulation, but they go beyond just looking sweet. Check ‘em out:

Web technology is expanding exponentially in so many ways, and we should embrace it, especially if it makes life a little bit easier. And that is what modern web design is about. Things like Cascading Style Sheets, or CSS, are enabling web designers the ability to create amazing works of art while still enhancing functionality and site efficiency.

And although CSS and other web technologies aren’t necessarily new, they continue to update and change for the better, allowing increased usability. Their usage continues to enhance design and functionality, two things that go hand. And yes, while the sites above are artistic and beautiful, they are more than just pretty. They connect function with identity, which is just good design.

We recently launched a new site for Strayer University at www.strayeru.com. This site focuses on Strayer University campuses in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Strayer focuses on working adults seeking to continue their education with a certificate or degree program. They offer flexible programs that are online or on campus that fit the busy schedules of working adults.

Visitors to the site can read stories about continuing education such as learning which degrees are most financially rewarding in 2009 by reading the blog section of the site. The site allows visitors to interact by leaving comments or filling out a form to request more information about Strayer’s programs. Here is an excerpt from a recent post:

“The recent economic recession has put a squeeze on the national job market, forcing employment hopefuls to reach back into their skill set to seek out jobs they may not have been prepared to go after. FastCompany recently posted a list of the top employment opportunities for 2009. These are the top ten areas to seek employment this year:

1) Nursing and Medical Services….”

Link to their site in your reader and keep up-to-date on continuing education.