Wagner Design Associates Blog

Wagner Design Associates, an Ann Arbor, Michigan web design and advertising firm, recently created an improved web site for Bonanza Creek Country Ranch. Designed to be user-friendly and visually engaging, the new site depicts the rugged beauty of the Montana guest ranch with professional and amateur photography throughout. Visitors easily navigate information-packed pages to learn more about Bonanza Creek’s activities, history, amenities, and surrounding attractions. Testimonials from recent guests offer deeper insight into the ranch.

In addition to an engaging new design and expanded content, the Bonanza site was fully optimized for both humans and search engine spider visitors.

“We’ve received many compliments on the new site from both our guest regulars and new visitors,” said June Voldseth, owner of Bonanza Creek Country. “But even more satisfying is the significant increase in the number of visitors and the length of their stay on the site. Inquiries and reservations are up!”

Located in Montana, Bonanza Creek Country Ranch is part of a historical family ranch on 25,000 acres with 1,500 head of cattle. Along with daily opportunities for horseback riding, guests enjoy fishing, hiking, or pampering with massage and hot tub. Bonanza Creek has been honored by Travel+Leisure Magazine as “One of Montana’s Magnificent 7 Guest Ranches”. Visit the website at http://www.bonanzacreekcountry.com/ to learn more.

Wagner Design provides a full range of creative design and advertising services to a wide spectrum of industries including high technology, retail, health care, financial, and academic sectors. The firm has won recognition and awards for its work in print collateral, direct mail, electronic communications, and web design, and has been featured in various design publications.

Ann Arbor, Michigan – In a competition of marketing materials for local economic development companies, Ann Arbor SPARK was awarded two first place wins for materials designed by Wagner Design Associates. The wins came in the categories of “print marketing materials” and “website” for populations between 100,001 and 500,000. The competition, sponsored by the Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA), is in its 5^th year. In 2009 the Lenawee Economic Development Corporation was awarded first place for “print marketing materials” designed by Wagner Design.

MEDA, an organization whose objective is to lead Michigan’s economic development through education, networking and advocacy on economic development, announced winners at an awards ceremony held in Traverse City on September 16^th.  All submissions were categorized by the size of the community represented by the economic development organization.  Then they were evaluated based on creativity, content and branding.

Ann Arbor SPARK’s mission is to be the driving force in establishing the Ann Arbor Region as a desired place for business expansion and location by identifying and meeting the needs of business at every stage, from those that are established to those working to successfully commercialize innovations.

Wagner Design provides a full range of creative graphic design and advertising services to organizations in the high technology, retail, health care, financial, and academic sectors. The firm has won recognition and awards for its work in print collateral, direct mail, electronic communications, web design, and has been featured in various design publications.

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Ann Arbor, Michigan – ­ A variety of marketing projects, including new logo and identity package development and web site design were recently produced by Wagner Design Associates for Premiere Land Services (PLS).  The newly created pieces will enhance marketing efforts and upgrade the company’s look to more accurately showcase the breadth of the company’s services. The new website can be viewed at www.plsco.com.

With recent expansion and company development, PLS now specializes in unparalleled resources, solutions and expertise for clients in the telecommunications and energy industries. PLS’s network of highly qualified professionals provides consulting services, oil and gas leasing, title research and curative, site acquisitions, surveying, and ROW permitting throughout the United States.

Wagner Design provides a full range of creative graphic design and advertising services to organizations in the high technology, retail, health care, financial, and academic sectors. The firm has won recognition and awards for its work in print collateral, direct mail, electronic communications, web design, and has been featured in various design publications.

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This is the second in a series of blog posts that highlight work from our Ann Arbor graphic and web design portfolio, and identify and discuss examples of the 7 elements of design: color, line, shape, direction, size, texture, and value.

When color communicates mood, it acts as an adjective. But when line communicates action and movement, it is an element that can best be described as a verb. A line can be either the actual linear marks or an edge where two shapes meet. It can imply speed, relaxation, fluidity, recklessness, pep, flirtation, concentration, and many other kinds of activity depending on what you want to communicate. Urgency isn’t always the best answer; a sense of calm can attract the eye just as provocatively.

Take a look at the Leslie Science Center Logo we designed. The line the designer used creates a circular movement to give the viewer a sense of fluidity—invoking the circular patterns found in nature and life.  It mimics the shape of the earth. The lines in the font compliment the lines in the mark, marrying the fluidity with sturdiness and giving a balance to the logo design in its entirety.

Often, one of the first thing businesses do during a sagging economy is cut back on marketing. Surprisingly, this is usually a big mistake. Art marketer and publisher, B. Eric Rhoads writes, “Staying in front of customers at all costs is critical. Cut your expenses more deeply than you think you need to, keep publishing even though you may not offer as many pages, and when the recession starts getting better, you’ll be wildly profitable and reap the rewards sooner.” While this advice is specifically for publishing an Art magazine, it remains applicable across businesses. Stay visible. That means continuing to fund effective advertising and marketing projects.

If you must make cuts, there are many kinds of relatively inexpensive marketing tactics that can widen your sales net including: blogging, email campaigns, press releases, social networking and the all-important word of mouth. At our Ann Arbor graphic design firm, we find that these marketing options help your company stay visible in a slow economy. But don’t rely solely on them to bring in business. Increase you web presence by updating your website, offering great deals through a targeted direct mail campaign, and yes, keep advertising.

If your company stays visible while others are cutting back, guess who will capture the new customers who are out there looking for your product? You, of course. And, as an added bonus, your clients may assume that your competitors, who are reducing their advertising presence, are struggling. When the economy improves, and competing companies come back in to the marketing ring, you’ll be ahead.

In sum, cutting is bad, remaining visible is fine, but casting a wider net to attract more and fresh clientele is best.

Wagner Design Associates has recently created a life science product development brochure for Ann Arbor SPARK, highlighting the advantages of working with a Contract Research Organization (CRO). Also called Clinical Research Organizations, CROs provide support to the pharmaceutical/biotech industry. They offer clients a wide range of independently contracted pharmaceutical research services to aid in the drug and medical device research & development process.

Services offered by CROs may include product development, formulation and manufacturing, clinical trial management, safety monitoring, toxicology and clinical laboratory services for processing trial samples, data management and medical writing services for preparation of an FDA New Drug Application (NDA), and many other complementary services.

Here in Southeast Michigan, a hub for life science research, life science product development companies are making connections and partnering with CROs. The advantages are many, including the speed to market for a product, which means quicker business success for entrepreneurs. Ann Arbor SPARK, an economic development company can get a successful product development cycle started for companies in the southeastern region of Michigan that will benefit from a partnership with a CRO.

Once established, don’t forget about creating a brand identity. Let Wagner Design Associates help by creating a logo, website, or collateral materials. We’re an award winning graphic and web design company in Ann Arbor with over twenty years experience.