The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) wanted to grow its mentoring program for students from NYC's High School of Art and Design. That meant the program, which pairs members with students on a one-to-one basis, needed to involve more mentors.

Aaron Design, Inc. was asked to develop a publicity brochure to be distributed in September 2002. Everyone was sensitive to the timing — several mentors and students had been directly affected by the events of the previous 9/11, and tens of thousands of NYC students experienced significant trauma.

The client and designer decided jointly that the design should showcase New York City, highlighting scenes, such as the Staten Island Ferry and the Rose Center at the American Museum of Natural History, which demonstrated the City's continued vibrancy. Real mentors and their students were chosen as models.

Once these team decisions were made, Aaron Design added further layers of meaning by emphasizing the paired nature of the mentor-student relationships in the photos and graphic elements, as well as in copy that included the number two.

The result? Thirty new mentors were attracted this year, about twice the number attracted in previous years. Beth Tondreau, the co-chair of the program, says the design "really captured the happy energy of our program. The idea was delightful, the art direction smart, and the attention to detail, superb."
 

Thoughtful promotion tool: Build the relationships that build your business by sending thank you, holiday and birthday cards with your personal note. You can send beautiful and unique e-cards from your desk at no cost by selecting from the frequently changing collection from here. Your friends and family will appreciate them too.

Check Resources for connections to "A Client's Guide to Design" and "Business and Ethical Expectations for Designers" from the American Institute of Graphic Artists, as well as other design resources for the general reader.

Food for the eyes and mind: Take a look at these recent additions to our website in Print Design and Identity Design to see how we've solved design problems for other companies and organizations.
 

1. You want great results: Producing powerful marketing materials is a team sport.

2. Visuals count: When did you last hear someone say, "Ooh, that solid page of single-spaced text is so sexy"?

3. Words count: When the designer needs to take 24 words out of a column, it matters which words get taken out.

4. You're busy: You want to produce a web site, not play "monkey in the middle" with your writer and designer.

5. You're stressed: You would rather let someone else tell the writer that a third of the copy has to go.

6. Speed counts: Your message gets out faster when your writer and designer start at the same time — and are headed for the same finish line.

This piece first appeared in slightly different form in an electronic newsletter published by Jussim Writing Services, where it was titled "Eight Reasons to Choose a Writer Who Works Well with Designers." We are grateful to Jude Jussim for its use. © 2002, Jude Jussim
 

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