Insight Categories: Culture & Events

As a branding and marketing agency, Grafik’s mission has always been somewhat the same: to uplift brands and the ambitious people behind them with the insights and creativity they need to become category leaders. But over our four decades in business, the way we communicate our ideas and expertise to the outside world has changed drastically. From faxing and printing to increasingly real-time digital communication channels like chatbots and Slack, we’ve been quick to jump on any modern medium that can help us inspire new possibilities for clients. Over the years, we’ve written hundreds of blog posts and case studies about our work, kept clients and partners in the loop through email newsletters, and shared our ideas onstage at industry events.

The latest channel on our radar? Podcasts. Next year, eMarketer reports that US adults will spend more time listening to digital audio than traditional radio, and podcast ad spending is expected to hit an all-time high. Driven by the mass adoption of smart phones and now smart speakers, businesses have invested millions in developing and promoting custom audio content for audiences around the globe. As a more personal, accessible format, podcasts have a unique and intimate appeal for both listeners and brands.

That’s why today, in honor of International Podcast Day, Grafik is proud to announce the release of our very first podcast, Studio G. It’s a show that focuses on the challenges, trends and big ideas buzzing around our agency, from the stories behind successful rebrands to the trials and tribulations of working with social media influencers. Our first several episodes tap into the strategic, creative and technical brilliance of in-house experts at Grafik, as well as the thoughtful perspectives of our amazing clients, who lead organizations of their own.

You can find all Studio G episodes here on Simplecast, or wherever you stream your podcasts. Each episode is between 10 and 20 minutes long. Take a listen, and we hope that you enjoy!

Each time I watch Judd Apatow’s This Is 40, I like it more and more. It’s funny, and it’s true—the way we measure things changes based on where WE are in the continuum. For example, the older I get, the more I see 40 as not old at all. But when it comes to a strategic branding agency, 40 years seems like forever. It’s also remarkable. How did Grafik get to 40?

 

In closing our two-month anniversary campaign, take a look at the work that represents and celebrates our 40 years of business. I’m proud of it, and all the people who did it. But I also keep coming back to the clients. An impressive list of names to be sure, but what I was struck by over and over was their willingness to break out, to be different, to have faith in our rationales and act on our advice. Thank you all.

When I came to Grafik in 2001 to lead new business development, we were one of the top design agencies in the region. The creative was inspiring, the people familial, the diversity of clients made every day interesting, and the awards kept piling up. Heading this was Judy Kirpich, our co-founder and my mentor and dear friend. Judy ran this firm with passion, integrity, business smarts, and a never-settle mentality. In an industry rightfully famous for chewing agencies up and spitting them out at an alarming rate, Judy gave Grafik its staying power.

 

I never told Judy this (until right now—you can bet your house she’ll be reading this), but Grafik’s success and reputation over a 25-year span made my first few years at Grafik easier than I anticipated. Referrals—for collateral, websites, identity work, advertising, and direct mail—flowed in. A dream come true for a BD guy.

Around 2004/2005, our client relationships and the work began to rapidly evolve. While the referrals were still strong, we started to pursue new opportunities. We hired MBAs in addition to MFAs. We were consulting more on branding, on web technologies, and on business as a whole. We brought in seasoned writers and developers to complement the creative firepower already in place. Clients expected us to talk ROI in addition to color palettes.

The timing was fortuitous, for the great recession was soon upon us. Recessions have a way of exposing an organization’s deficits, and our expanded expertise was a hedge against being viewed as nice-to-have rather than a need-to-have as belts tightened everywhere. We used the downturn to push even harder, seeking to make ourselves and our clients something stronger than we were pre-recession. We stressed three key things:

Be Genuine

Be Credible

Be Differentiating

These three actions impact all aspects of one’s business and are hallmarks of any successful brand. I believe the visionary clients who allowed us to leave an imprint on their business during that particular and fraught time came out of the economic rebound even stronger. So did we. And we’re still working with many of them over a decade later.

But more evolution is needed. I see the agency model as virtually unchanged since long before Grafik’s birth. The current spate of mergers and consolidations are adding little to how agencies and clients can work smarter: how we should share the risk/reward of our collective efforts; how we can truly hold ourselves accountable; how we can better leverage data and technology to inform our strategies and executions.

In This Is 40, Leslie Mann’s character has an epiphany:  “We’re 40 now. We’re going to blink and be 90. We have to make a choice to do things better. I’ve made a list. It’s the do better list.”

I’m proud to say that Grafik has always had a do better list. It goes back to Judy’s never-settle mentality. And because there’s still work to be done, this list continues to evolve. So will we.

Grafik turned 40 this year. An impressive feat. Not many small companies in our industry make it that long. There is a reason that Grafik has survived, and it goes back to what Judy Kirpich, our co-founder, instilled in this company and in each of the partners and staff as they joined the firm. Grafik has always been a place where people are important, ideas matter, and complacency is the enemy.

“We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are.” – Max Dupree

When I started at Grafik in the summer of 1991, we were a boutique design firm with an incredibly sharp CEO. Over the years, we evolved into a strategic branding firm. As we became more ingrained with our clients, they came to trust our recommendations and counsel and began asking us to do more and more. Judy realized that we could charge for our thinking, our research, our interviewing skills, and strategic planning. We helped rebrand our clients and position them for success.

 

 

Come the digital revolution, the deliverables we produced and the pace at which we produced them changed. We moved into new worlds. We partnered with new companies and individuals, who were specialists—researchers, media planners, lawyers, and usability labs. For me, the world changed in the early 2000s. We started working with companies such as Accenture and Sapient, who were performing more rigorous research and usability testing for their larger clients. I remember sitting behind a one-way mirror watching one-on-one videotaped usability sessions for days. It helped me have a better understanding, as well as empathy, for users and of how the work we produce affects them. What was glaringly obvious to me was not obvious to them. I wanted to shout through the one-way mirror—the button is right there! It’s blue! Click it!

That was the point of usability testing—to help UX designers understand how a broad sampling of prospective site visitors think about our products, helping us understand what to refine to make their experiences better and help them achieve their goals.

This understanding of what users think and need affects everything we do these days. Data, analytics, and online tools have evolved exponentially to allow us insights that were much harder to track just a few years ago. However, asking people questions remains a fundamental tool that will never go out of style.

We’ve continued to hire, and work with, very smart, talented individuals who’ve helped Grafik continue to evolve and change. We’ve been in business for 40 years. We’ve changed how we work, our processes, our tools and how we think. As long as we continue to pay attention to what users really want and need, we will continue to help our clients succeed.

Celebrating Grafik’s 40th year in an industry evolving faster than many can even keep up with is a thrill. We’ve seen competitors come, go, rename, refocus, get gobbled up (Thanksgiving pun intended), and throw in the towel. Having been here the last 30 of Grafik’s 40, it’s amazing to me—and a source of great pride—to see we’re still creating great work for exceptional clients, work that impacts their business.

Creating our 40th Anniversary landing page was an interesting process. I spent hours going through archives of our work to decide what we might feature. It involved looking at our digital history, but also combing through filing cabinet after filing cabinet to find, in many cases, our last 1-2 samples of work saved for perhaps this very day.

Reminiscing about Grafik’s ‘best of’ and sharing many client stories with employees who had no idea who those clients were, I was often asked, “So what’s your favorite project?” That is not a fair question. Some of the work I designed; some I directed. Others, I wasn’t involved in but always admired.

Due to the breadth of clients in our portfolio, I can say I’ve always enjoyed learning about new subject matter. The projects that stand out to me are the ones that in the end pushed me creatively, or ones that I directed and saw a designer break through creatively.

If I had to start somewhere, I would say the work we did for the Kennedy Krieger Institute was perhaps one of the most meaningful projects I took part in. It was a turning point for me as a designer, in the depth of research and understanding of the subject matter needed. It’s a project where I was involved in “discovery” before it was called discovery—through client interviews, content strategy, photo art direction, design, and production. To this day I am still very proud of the end results.

 

Second is my memory of a launch at the Smithsonian Latino Center. The new brand was introduced at a gala, including a speech that Judy and I had written. It’s the first time I can recall actually trying to hold back tears because the work, the words, the concept we crafted, was so well embraced that it served as the foundation for their movement. Hearing the leaders in the community articulate what we had designed in print was perhaps the first time I saw our efforts come to life so passionately—transcending paper.

 

With Matthew Shepard’s interment at the National Cathedral recently in the news, a very personal project I brought to Grafik is again top of mind. Directing a young designer, Raksa Yin, we designed a special skateboard used to spread awareness of the Matthew Shepard Foundation’s goal to “Erase Hate”, starting with kids in elementary and high school. During the creative exploration of this project, I saw a designer take a leap forward and create something truly exceptional.

These are the moments I’ve remembered most. Here’s to many more.

The top song playing from my transistor radio was “Night Fever”.

I brought my first record, Queen’s “We Will Rock You”.

The expression “Drinking the Kool-Aid” was coined, thanks to the egomaniacal yet charismatic psychopath, Jim Jones.

Making a Right on Red became the law of the land.

“Space Invaders” was unleashed and took the arcades, as well as all my quarters, by storm.

“Laverne & Shirley”, “Three’s Company” and “Mork & Mindy” rounded out the top three TV shows.

And Ben & Jerry opened up their first scoop shop in Burlington, Vermont.

Speaking of Vermont, it was in the Summer of 1978 that an indelible memory would be made on my impressionable young mind. The setting was a drive-in theater. It was a moonless, cloudless, warm (for Vermont) summer night and I remember the stars being so visible I could almost reach out and touch them. I opted to huddle with my cousin on the grass, not in the car. We sat between two classic drive-in speakers, just waiting for the movie to start. This was the movie we had heard so much about since its release a few months earlier in 1977 but hadn’t yet seen. But if you wanted to experience it at the drive-in, you needed to wait until summer. And boy, oh boy was it worth it. Star Wars leaped off the giant screen and pulled us into the story. The edge of the screen seemed to disappear into the starry sky. I’m not sure how many times we went back to see it that summer. I was drawn to it. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced. It was unique.

 

I’ve been dying to use this expression appropriately ever since, so here goes: “In a galaxy far, far away”, in Old Town Alexandria, a little graphic design shop was being birthed that very same year. In its own way, the founders formed a small rebellion against the industry norm, with principles that valued people over profit. A place where employees would want to stay longer than a year or two. A firm where concept was king and the craft of design was valued. A firm where were you could build life-long friendships. A firm that welcomed the working mom as well as working dads. A firm that encouraged you to take time off and clear your mind. A firm created to last.

Fifteen years later, Providence would see to it that our paths would cross. In 1993, I was drawn to Grafik for those very same principles. Grafik will continue to evolve and reinvent itself like it has for the past 40 years. A long, long time ago, I decided to come here and stay here because, like Star Wars, I was drawn to it. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced. It remains unique.

It is summer, and with that comes the pure joy of finding a great book or two and losing yourself in the narrative, just as I did with Daniel James Brown’s best-selling, The Boys in the Boat.

The story of the Washington State crew team’s 1936 Olympic experience not only transported me to a different era, it showed me how important teamwork and culture are in achieving successful outcomes. This hits home for Grafik and our clients, too.

A key character in The Boys in the Boat is George Pocock, a legendary racing shell builder.  More importantly, he was a thoughtful observer of how humans interact, and a mentor who brought out the best in the crew teams he worked with. One Pocock quote jumped off the page:

“To be of championship caliber, a crew must have total confidence in each other… confident that no man will get the full-weight of the pull…”

This has particular resonance for me as Grafik recently completed a communication workshop led by Michael Cassatly of Cassatly Coaching. This workshop is one of many Grafik will host this year to continue to grow as a team and become a better partner to our clients.

Our goal for this half-day workshop was to improve how we connect. Understanding how we each prefer to communicate helped us gain insight and use tools to better collaborate across disciplines. Key to this understanding was completing a DiSC assessment. By being more self-aware of our own communication preferences and how our styles impact others, a team can reduce much of the friction caused by miscommunications, many of which come through nonverbal actions.

Beyond improving our communication and collaboration with each other and our clients, Grafik is continuing to explore ways to work smarter and more efficiently, so another Pocock quote hit home:

“When you get the rhythm in an eight, it’s pure pleasure to be in it. It’s not hard work when the rhythm comes – that ‘swing’ as they call it. I’ve heard men shriek… when that swing comes in an eight; it’s a thing they’ll never forget as long as they live.”

Not being an expert in crew, the concept of achieving ‘swing’ was a new one for me, but that feeling of being totally in sync with your teammates and feeling invincible is not. I’ve felt that recently with the group working for our client, Nexus. For the past couple of months we have been working with the amazing Nexus team to develop a refined brand strategy and visual identity. While there has been a learning curve, the progress we are making collectively as a client/agency team is really moving the needle—there have even been a few ‘shrieks’ of excitement along the way. Stay tuned for the official launch in the fall.

But the real question to achieving ‘swing’ is how to do so more consistently. While we have had pockets of success using the agile framework, it is now time to fully adopt it across the agency. We have put in place a cross-functional tiger team to make this happen and champion the transition over the next six to nine months. We have defined a few goals that will guide this effort:

1. Empower the team

2. Focus on outcomes

3. Build stronger collaboration (internally & with clients)

4. Work smarter

I believe with the transition to the agile framework, coupled with our learnings on how best to communicate with each other and with our clients, Grafik will continue to “swing” for another forty years.

Things are moving fast in this world; too fast, in my opinion. Lack of time is a global epidemic and it’s destroying people’s ability to feel inspired on a daily basis. It’s the “all work and no play” mentality that is leading people to feel mentally fatigued and stuck. We need to take some time to sit down, have a cup of coffee, and just observe something that we find absolutely beautiful and moving. Inspiration is lost. It’s our job to search for it in our hectic, daily lives.

Here at Grafik we take inspiration seriously, and look for unique ways to solve client problems and build successful brands. Although you can’t force creative inspiration, you can go to places where you know you might experience it. We tried this out last week during an agency outing to the Hirshhorn Museum to see two exhibits: “Brand New: Art and Commodities in the 1980’s” and “The Message: New Media Works.” It felt great to be walking around the iconic circular hallways of the Hirshhorn Museum on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.

Numerous pieces caught my eye, but there was one specific film in the New Media exhibit that really drew me in. It was a beautiful panoramic video set in Haiti called “Halka/Haiti 18°48’05″N 72°23’01″W” by C.T. Jasper and Joanna Malinowska. As I sat down to watch it I realized the movie was coming to an end. As the movie was starting over, I began feeling very impatient with the slow opening scene of the sun rising in a Haitian village. A coworker then informed me that the film was an hour and twenty minutes long. Although I was starting to feel inspired by this panoramic view, I decided to step away from it because it didn’t fit in my busy schedule.

In retrospect, I should have stayed to watch the whole film. I had the time, but my daily routine/habits interrupted my inspiration. So, how do we solve this problem? Inspiration is more important than we think.

There’s a great Harvard Business Review article by Scott Barry Kaufman discussing the importance of inspiration called, “Why Inspiration Matters”.

It breaks down a few key points as to why this matters on a personal and professional level:

1. Three main qualities.
“These are evocation, transcendence, and approach motivation.” First, a feeling is evoked naturally and not forced. Secondly, you experience a vivid, transcendental moment of clarity. Finally you act on this inspiration by expressing these feelings through creativity.

2. Inspired people share certain characteristics.
The article mentions that inspired people are usually more open to new experiences and are more confident. Also they shared the passion of mastering their skills but not in a competitive way. I believe we creatives are more aware of our need for inspiration because we can’t work without it. But it’s not limited to creatives. Everyone needs it, in all fields. We need to be open to finding that spark that will help us create our best work, stay motivated, lead and inspire others.

3. It’s not the same as positive affect.
Feeling enthusiastic about an experience doesn’t mean you are in an inspired state. Inspiration is a slower, more meaningful event, better described as an “awakening”. We shouldn’t confuse these two.

4. It’s the springboard for creativity.
Yes. Inspiration and creativity go hand in hand. Designing while feeling inspired vs. not inspired feels very different. “Inspired people view themselves as more creative and show actual increases in self-ratings of creativity over time.”

5. Setting goals.
“People who were generally more inspired in their daily lives also tended to set inspired goals, which were then more likely to be successfully attained.” If you feel inspired on a daily basis, you will want to set goals and improve your personal and professional skills. There’s always a need to learn something new.

6. Increases well-being.
The article mentions a study where people who were exposed to Michael Jordan’s success brought a great amount of inspiration and well being into their lives. Role models and leaders play a major role in inspiring people to change their habits.

As cliché as it may sound, we need to stop and smell the roses. I personally feel the most inspired after traveling or watching “Chef’s Table” on Netflix. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you feel refreshed afterwards. It will make a dramatic difference in how you think and the work you produce. With that said, I’m really looking forward to our next Grafik outing. I plan on taking a different approach: being more open to new experiences. Perhaps this time I will be able say “yes, I have time for this”.

As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on a remarkable journey that began over 35 years ago. Today, I am both humbled and excited to share that I will be retiring at the end of this year from Grafik Marketing Communications, where I have served as a partner and creative director. It has been an extraordinary privilege to be part of this firm and to contribute to its growth and success.

I started my career at Grafik as a young graphic designer, filled with enthusiasm and curiosity. Back then, the creative process looked very different from today. There were no computers; every concept was sketched by hand, and every design meticulously crafted through manual techniques. Over the years, I have witnessed incredible transformations in our industry—from the introduction of digital tools to the rise of artificial intelligence—each innovation pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve creatively. Today, I’m thrilled to see how AI is reshaping the creative process, opening up new realms of possibility for execution and exploration. The future of design has never looked more exciting.

Throughout my career, I have taken immense pride in guiding both our clients and young designers. Directing creative efforts that build impactful brands has been my passion. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how these brands not only resonate with audiences but also drive tangible results for our clients’ businesses. Equally fulfilling has been the opportunity to mentor talented designers, watching them grow and succeed in their own creative journeys. Their energy and fresh perspectives have inspired me every step of the way.

As I prepare to step into this next chapter, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has been part of this journey. To the designers, production managers, writers, photographers, strategists, AEs, project managers and illustrators I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate with—thank you for your creativity, dedication, and camaraderie. Together, we’ve built something truly special.

I leave Grafik with the utmost confidence in the capable hands of my partners, our senior leadership team, and the talented individuals I’ve been fortunate to mentor. The firm’s future is bright, and I am excited to see the incredible work they will continue to produce.

Thank you for being a part of this amazing journey. As I look ahead to retirement, I carry with me countless cherished memories and a profound sense of gratitude. Here’s to new beginnings and continued creativity, both for me and for Grafik.

With heartfelt thanks,
Gregg Glaviano

Left to right: My partner Lynn and me decades ago. With designer Alex Diaz in 2009 for AIGA 50.

With Eric Roden on Halloween 2017. Johnny Vitorovich, Hal Swetnam, and me circa 2014.

More Halloween fun at Grafik. Lance Wain and me at the Old Town Office.

The Grafik partners and founder Judy Kirpich at a holiday gathering. Mila and me on the way to a Nats game.

It’s hard to believe I started at Grafik on March 14th—of 1989. In our business, design professionals typically hop from agency to agency, building their portfolio and adding credentials to their CV. I chose a different path. I knew in my bones that Grafik was the place for me at my first interview. I met with Judy Kirpich, the founder, Susan English and Claire Wolfman, both senior art directors, and India the company dog. We talked about my experience at small but reputable agencies in Baton Rouge, my work and aspirations. I left feeling I had nailed the interview and, driving down the GW parkway listening to show tunes, there were tears in my eyes because I felt I’d finally found the right fit.

But, no call back. Weeks passed, and I reluctantly took another job. Then procreation saved me: because Judy’s vision was a place where moms could have careers and family, when one of the moms went on maternity leave, I got the call back. And as the late, great Elaine Stritch once sang, “I’m Still Here.”

I’m often asked what keeps me going.

Last week I collaborated with 5 other jazz vocalists and musicians. I had a great time working with the jazz trio, trying out new songs and taking some risks. When you’re at your best it’s never a solo endeavor. It’s a collaboration between you the singer and the musicians. It‘s your job to lead the band, set the tempo, signal how you want to end the tune. But when you’re really on, you’re listening to them and finding moments in a song that you might not have expected or can’t replicate—even when you try.

I’m relating my experience as a singer because I believe it enhances my role as a creative director. As a creative lead, it’s my job to facilitate an environment in which our teams can thrive, experiment, play—and find their moment. Without that freedom to explore, work becomes a chore, and we don’t grow.

As a leader it’s important to listen. Listening requires patience, empathy and a willingness to explore new avenues. In a song, patience lets you try new turns and be in the moment with your fellow musicians, making your performance more unexpected, transparent, and authentic. This authenticity creates a stronger connection between you and the audience. The same is true leading a creative team—the best work comes from giving my team the space to experiment, play, fail at times and own a creative solution.

I don’t sing to make a buck (you don’t want to know what these talented jazz musicians get paid per gig). We play because there’s not an option not to play. Music’s my way of pushing my own boundaries, telling stories and overcoming my fears. It’s made me a more patient collaborator and more confident presenter. It has also allowed me to find avenues to make stronger connections with my clients and, I believe, made me a stronger leader. The most talented designers I’ve worked with have that same relentless passion for design.

“I’ve run the gamut, A to Z
Three cheers and dammit, c’est la vie
I got through all of last year
And I’m here.”

So, after 30 years, why am I still here? I continue to grow. I’ve stayed at Grafik to build on Judy’s legacy and create a different kind of agency. A place that is constantly evolving—or to use musical terms—always in the moment.

Left to right: My partner Lynn and me decades ago. With designer Alex Diaz in 2009 for AIGA 50

With Eric Roden on Halloween 2017. Johnny Vitorovich, Hal Swetnam, and me circa 2014

My debut role as Zangara in Signature Theater’s Assassins, 1993. Performing at Mr. Henry’s, 2018

It’s hard doing things alone.

We all need support. But what, exactly, does that mean?

Support can refer to the collaboration that takes place here within our walls at Grafik—we support each other because we care about each other, professionally and personally. It can refer to our offering digital support, development support, branding support, customer support. It can even refer to the way Grafik empowers our clients to reach their goals. These are all instances of professional support, but there’s personal—emotional—support as well. In every instance, support is not the end in itself, but rather a force multiplier.

We’ve all seen the ripples from a single drop of water falling into a calm surface, spreading outward, but then converging back to the center. That’s the way I see support. Let me tell you how, recently, everything converged on me.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. For nearly two years, we’ve helped the Colorectal Cancer Alliance raise awareness of this preventable disease, even as they do so much to support the patients, families, caregivers, and survivors fighting their individual battles. As a nation of allies dedicated to the mission of ending this cancer in our lifetime, the organization promotes preventive measures—especially screening—and raises funds for critical research.

This past December, in the midst of meetings and deadlines and projects and holidays, I got a call from my mom’s doctor. Her recent stomach pains were caused by a 5cm cancerous tumor, discovered in a follow up colonoscopy. It had likely been growing for almost 10 years. I was shattered. I was lucky to receive this call at work. Immediately, colleagues provided emotional support. But they also provided knowledge and resources I wouldn’t have had without the work Grafik has done in support of the Alliance. And both Grafik and the Alliance have continued to support me as I care for my mom—through the tumor removal, and now through her treatments as she battles this cancer.

Somehow, our partnership with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance does not seem coincidental. Support. I’m supporting my mom in her battle, Grafik is supporting me, the Alliance is supporting countless others. Each of these rings of support continue to spread outward—and back—from all of us affected by colorectal cancer.

We can’t do it alone. Join me, join Grafik, and join the Alliance and thousands of allies today, and every day in the fight to end colorectal cancer.

You can join us as an ally by doing one or all of these three things:

1. Read about and share prevention and screening facts.

2. Wear BLUE for Dress in Blue Day. Tell your friends! Tag #nationofallies

3. Donate.

Together, we all are a #nationofallies. Be a part of our support system.

The other day I had bowl of homemade pesto pasta for lunch. Just prior to a big presentation, a colleague leaned over and discreetly informed me that I had a piece of basil stuck between my front teeth. She offered me a toothpick and breath mint. Boom, just like that I was grateful and indebted. You might say that she’s one step closer to becoming a friend and confidant. What did she do? She was candid, diplomatic, and offered solutions to problems I didn’t even know I had yet. She was in the unique position to view things objectively. She demonstrated candor and acted decisively.

Dictionary.com defines honesty as “the quality of being honorable in principles, intentions, and actions: upright and fair:”
According to the wisest man who ever lived, it’s “Better to be poor and honest than a rich person no one can trust.”
“Honest Abe” lived it.
Billy Joel sang about it.
There’s even a tea named after it.

So why all this fuss about “honesty” in a blog for a branding agency?
Well, I’m so glad you asked.
Perhaps it has to do with my Judeau/Christian upbringing.
Or, because it’s been instilled in me for 22 years from our founder, Judy Kirpich.
Truthfully, it’s both, combined with my own experiences as a Creative Director and Principal.
I’ve seen and experienced the effects of honesty.

Now when you blend honesty with diplomacy and add a pinch of intelligence, look out.

When an agency applies these same principles with new prospects and or clients, it’s powerful.
 
It’s the kind of power that turns skepticism into trust.
It’s the kind of power that transforms vendors into partners.
It’s the kind of power that gets you a seat at the table with the CEO, again and again.
It’s just smart business, which leads to success.

After all, most seasoned clients have a better sniffer than we do. 
They’ve had more experience with agencies from the other side of the table.
They’ve been schmoozed and courted by, pitched and presented to, burned and duped by more agencies than they can count.

So when they finally meet an agency that has integrity, views things objectively, is not afraid to call a spade a spade and one that provides distinct and creative solutions to problems they didn’t know they had, it’s magic.

Although Grafik’s mantra, “The Right Idea,” sounds like we’re all about providing a smart solution to a client’s problem, it’s just the final result. Truth be told, it all starts with honesty, integrity and objectivity.
Intelligence on its own will often lead to misguided outcomes.

Not only does this policy translate to successes with clients, it reaps benefits inside the office walls as well. Employees can gauge your honesty, or lack thereof. Respected leaders must strive to live out those principles in their everyday lives.

It’s about striving to make a difference, on the court and off the court every day. Not to say that I’m there yet, but I’m a pilgrim on a path.

PS: Two oldies, but goodies.
1) EF Hutton was a brokerage firm that produced a campaign series in the 1970’s

2) The Economist: Award Winning Print Ad which was part of a multi-year campaign

Grafik is about to turn 40 (which I’m told is about 135 in agency years), and I’ve been here for 28 of those years. We are a decidedly different organization, offering a greater array of services, yet for all the changes we are remarkably the same. It’s easy to get to the root of the changes. They are driven by the same technological advances that have changed literally everyone’s lives—computers, the internet, smart phones, virtual reality—but magnified when it comes to an organization whose main responsibility remains communicating. So, as the anniversary approaches, I wanted to look at what has remained the same.

Our approach to client relationships

Doing our homework: It’s easier than ever to get information in today’s data-driven world. But the more there is, the more important it is to interpret it all correctly. Heat maps and backlinks can tell you a lot, but so can talking to a human being. Knowing who you are—not just on the surface, but deep within your organization—is essential. This is even more important (and this may seem counterintuitive) when working with a new client in an industry in which we have a lot of experience. I have always found it odd how much emphasis is placed on related experience. I think that’s why so much marketing is “me, too.” It is precisely in those cases where we have an existing knowledge base that we have to be doubly sure we’re looking with fresh eyes. We build on what we know, but also use it to challenge our observations.

We become the client: I can’t tell you how many times in the midst of these deep dives into an organization I suddenly say “wow, they’re a lot like us.” It may simply be that empathy is an important part of the process, or that we actually end up with like-minded clients. The answer to this chicken/egg problem is less important than the fact that it occurs so often, and how it contributes to working as “we,” instead of client/vendor. Sometimes, the client even becomes “us,” joining Grafik, and broadening our perspective to everyone’s benefit.

Telling the hard truths: That “we” relationship creates the trust required to tell a client something they may not want to hear, but that can change everything for the better when it comes to moving a business forward. Our clients challenge us with their business problems, and we challenge them with new ways of thinking.

Don’t be afraid to say goodbye: Grafik has always been picky, seeking clients whose business we believe in, whose people exhibit a shared respect—simply put, clients we believe are worth the valuable energy we invest. Grafik will not take on projects or clients that any one of our employees may find offensive—no matter how lucrative. Every now and then, you start an engagement with a client you just can’t team with. When that happens, say goodbye quickly. It’s not a short-term monetary decision, it’s a long-term viability decision.

Finding and keeping the people who make this place what it is

Hire people more talented than you: We didn’t invent this approach, but we have painstakingly followed it throughout our history. When you find talent, grab it. It can be elusive, but if you really do seek it, there is an abundance of talent in the world (and a lot of it right here, IMHO).

Find work/life balance… today: Maintaining work/life balance in today’s 24-hour connected world is a challenge, but it’s imperative that individuals be allowed to decide how that balance will be achieved. It makes for a place people want to be. You see it in our full-hearted support of maternal and paternal leave so new parents can focus on their most important work. When you have a team who cares so much about doing good work, you won’t be asking folks to work more, you’ll be taking them aside and questioning if they’re taking enough time away from the job.

Look for “fit”: The last thing in the world I want to jeopardize is the camaraderie I see each day. There has always been a “lunch bunch” here at Grafik. There was one when I walked in the doors 28 years ago, and there’s one here today. Different people, same spirit. Someone who thinks they’re better than everyone else can destroy that chemistry. Ours is intact.

Preserving culture is not easy. It takes work. It’s a conscious decision, whether learning new skills, hiring people with new skills, or changing processes, keeping your core means knowing who you are and where your heart is. The foundation for this was laid, explicitly and in a more intuitive way, by Judy Kirpich, who started Grafik in 1978 and recently gave up active management to blaze a new trail as a textile artist.

I can hear her voice in each of the approaches above. But while those gave us a way to grow, a solid foundation on which to add new capabilities yet stay who we are, what I literally hear in my head as we start out on new engagements may be the biggest contributor to continuity amidst all the change. At the end of sometimes grueling downloads, on-boardings, critical strategic and creative reviews, Judy would always say the same thing. And to this day, as I walk out of a conference room, I hear it: “go be wonderful.”