For many designers, LogoLounge is the ultimate web resource for the latest and greatest logo and identity work. As creative director at WestmorelandFlint, my team and I often use the site for inspiration and reference.

Users submit logos and, in turn, can view thousands of designs from the world’s leading agencies, as well as up-and-coming trendsetters. You can think of it as an online inspirational gallery for powerful and thought-provoking design.

The projects in the LogoLounge book series are selected by an international panel of eight judges based on quality, timeliness, relevance, and inspirational nature.

One of the logos selected was for Education Minnesota, the leading advocate for public education in Minnesota. The union asked Flint to design a logo for I Raise My Hand, a public awareness campaign aimed at uniting Minnesotans to support and improve the state’s strong education system. Here’s what I came up with:

The logo was used throughout the multimedia campaign, which consisted of television, online and print advertisements, as well as direct marketing, the I Raise My Hand microsite and the I Raise My Hand Facebook page.

The other logo selected was for Lakeshore, a senior housing facility and long-time client of WestmorelandFlint. They wanted a logo to celebrate the successes of employees who have reached milestones in their positions, as well as residents who have made great strides in their recovery process—to tell them, “Way to Go!” Here’s what designer Matthew Olin came up with:The logo was used as little signs of motivation on note cards, mugs, emails and buttons.

It’s an honor that our team’s logos have been selected among the top designs and designers we all look up to, and it’s exciting to create work that will inspire others as well.

Matthew and I feel honored that these particular identities were chosen. Both logos were for such great causes that it makes it makes their publication even more meaningful. It’s great to see such a beautifully executed, human-centered design recognized on a higher level.

The book will be published on July 1, 2012, but you can pre-order LogoLounge 7 online today.

Some of CCI’s projects include:

Internationally known Ralph Engelstad Arena

Canad Inns Destination Center

Evergreen Hall, University of MN, Crookston

For 30+ years, CCI has balanced quality, energy efficiency, ambitious deadlines and of course tight costs in building new commercial facilities.

The challenge: CCI’s proposal book for new projects didn’t match the quality and innovation level of their services.

Stepped up look

CCI turned to our Grand Forks office for a new proposal book. The deadline was tight, since CCI was presenting its bid for the new Choice Heath & Fitness Center. We worked with the CCI team to write, design and produce the 42-page book, customized to fit the request for proposal.

CCI's enhanced bid proposal book.

Goal #1: achieved

CCI was selected to present for the project! We then worked with CCI staff members on presentation tips and techniques, guiding them on everything from what to wear to powerpoint help tips and the order of speakers.

CCI got the bid!

Today, Choice Health & Fitness is well on its way to completion.

Next step: website

CCI had never had a website. They knew it was important, most of their competitors had websites, yet CCI’s client projects took priority. As CCI continued to focus on its own work, our Grand Forks office and Flint Interactive team created CCI’s website.  The company knowledge was fresh in our minds, and the content for the website was already partially written. We wrote, designed and developed the site, which also features a Bid Library where subcontractors can request secure access to upcoming projects and current project documents.

Here are a few website pages:

The site showcases CCI’s projects and team of employees that make the company what it is today.

The site was built to highlight the beautiful buildings CCI has worked on.

Easy-to-follow layouts take users from projects categorized by industry to services and team bios.

We’re proud to help take CCI to new levels of success!

The FMCVB, the official visitor information center for Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn., has been a client of Flint Group for several years. With so much going on in the Fargo-Moorhead area, the FM CVB was looking for a better way to deliver timely and quality information to on-the-go visitors.

Our solution? A revamped Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) mobile site, Fargomoorhead.org.

FM CVB’s existing mobile site had limited navigation, and its aesthetics were neither inviting nor engaging. And for an industry that is all about meeting and exceeding visitors’ expectations, well, that just wouldn’t do.

Let’s get a before-and-after look at the main pages, just for kicks (and yes, because the new site is awesome):

Mobile Awesomeness, an online resource featuring the best of mobile web development, thought it was pretty awesome too—so awesome that they decided to feature it in their inspirational gallery.

Anyone with a smartphone or tablet can visit the site to access community information. The location-aware guide allows visitors to use the “nearest me” feature to list and sort options, making exploring the community easier. There’s also a “things to do” section, which lets users sort by type of activity or event, beginning with today’s events. Each listing also has a share tool that allows users to share the event or destination on their social spaces, such as Facebook or Twitter.

In order to make the site a valuable community resource, we’ve designed the platform in a way that encourages public participation. Local businesses and organizations can upload calendar information to the FM CVB website, and the content will appear on both platforms. Companies can also email deals or discounts, which are featured on both the website and mobile site.

Since mobile web browsing is predicted to overshadow web surfing from a personal computer in less than five years, we designed the FM CVB site to function within multiple operating systems. Users who enter Fargomoorhead.org into their browser will be sent to the new mobile site, whereas visitors using a basic feature phone will be redirected to the CVB’s old mobile site.

In an age where content is king and accessibility is essential, the FM CVB mobile site gives visitors fingertip access to Fargo-Moorhead’s most pertinent community information.

Keeping those balloons in the air all day keeps Mikaela pretty busy, but in her downtime, she also serves as a SEO/SEM strategist and project manager for Flint Interactive.

Outside of the office, Mikaela puts her balloon-bopping skills to good use as a volleyball coach and competitive player.

A passion for volleyball

“Five years ago, a friend from WestmorelandFlint signed me up to coach club volleyball with her. I had never really seen myself as a coach before, but I jumped at the opportunity to stay active and meet new people,” says Mikaela. “That introduced me to a number of people in the volleyball community, which led to a three-year stint as a high school coach and the opportunity to play competitive adult volleyball in a number of different leagues.”

Mikaela, who played Division I volleyball at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., says the most rewarding part of coaching is seeing the growth and improvement in the girls each season and over the years.

She says, “Watching them change and develop in certain skill areas really makes me feel like I’ve made a difference. There is no greater gratification than having one of my players turn to me during a game with a big smile on her face after a winning block or attack, both of us knowing that it is something we have been working hard on during practice.”

While their athletic achievement is significant, Mikaela also enjoys watching the girls interact with, and make new, friends. She makes an effort to organize off-court activities so her players can get to know each other without the added stress of competition.

“It’s very important to bring fun and enjoyment into the season, because that is what creates the moments that many of them will remember forever,” Mikaela says.

Off the court

Between coaching club volleyball from November to June and high school volleyball from August to November (not to mention the constant balloon bopping), Mikaela only has about a month and a half of downtime. So what does she do then?

“When I’m not coaching or playing volleyball, I enjoy a quiet night at home watching BRAVO TV on the couch. Sad, but true,” she says.

Mikaela admits her life gets pretty crazy, but she says the busyness actually works in her favor.

“I have to be very organized so that I know where I need to be each night of the week. That also keeps me very organized at work, which helps me more effectively manage projects and timelines.”

Maintaining high spirits

Whether she’s at work or on the court, one of Mikaela’s goals is to keep people happy.

“With volleyball, it’s making sure players and parents are getting the most out of their time and money by running valuable, educational practices,” she explains. “At work, it’s managing client expectations and relationships and ensuring our team delivers the best possible end product.”

As project manager for Flint Group, Mikaela is responsible for managing timelines and budgets and assigning duties to team members. In her role as SEO/SEM strategist, she manages paid search campaigns and creates strategy for search engine optimization—all while perfecting her balloon-bobbing techniques.

How does she do it? We’re still baffled.

Get to know a Flintster: Q + A with Mikaela!

What’s your dream job?
Wedding planner or owner of a clothing boutique.

Which job would you not want to have?
Hospice care—I am much too emotional for that.

What was your first job?
Receptionist at a hair salon.

What did it teach you?
Unfortunately, it taught me how to gossip—you wouldn’t believe how fast word travels in those places.

What is one thing you’d be willing to practice for an hour a day?
Sewing.

What’s the best advice you ever got?
To take the leap and move to New York. I was definitely homesick and there were times I wanted to leave, but looking back, I wouldn’t trade that experience. I met some amazing people, and it taught me how to stand on my own and be more independent.

What sound do you love?
Sneakers on the gym floor.

What scent do you love?
Cilantro.

So when the new leadership team at one of the country’s largest privately-owned hotel companies came to Flint Communications with “a new name in mind” we were energized.

Formerly Tharaldson Motels, Inc., the company operates approximately 200 select service and extended stay hotels across 24 states, representing 16 different nationally-recognized brands.

First key audience: Employees

The company, now called TMI Hospitality, employs 175 in the Fargo-Moorhead area, with more than 4,500 full and part-time employees across all operations. The majority of their employees are hotel housekeepers, front desk clerks, maintenance and other staff members who work under the many different hotel brands. The company is now fully-owned by employees, since the formation of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 1999. Perhaps more than in other re-naming/re-branding efforts, the employees at TMI Hospitality were a crucial key audience.

Words to live by

Together with the leadership team at TMI, we created an internal “manifesto” – words for all TMI employees to live by and be proud of. The manifesto states that all employees are Impression Makers, and each person’s job is part of a greater team’s effort to be the very best.

Making an impression

Flint helped TMI Hospitality with a complete re-brand project and plan to officially introduce its name to employees at an event on October 31, 2011. A few of the things we created:

-          A video to share the manifesto and introduce the new CEO’s vision for the company’s future:

-          New logo and tagline

-          Posters and banners with the newly created manifesto

-          Print ads and stationery

-          Public relations media kit, bios and photos for targeted local and national PR efforts that, thus far, have yielded nice coverage, including this article in The Forum newspaper:

TMI Hospitality plans to open four new properties in 2012 and has more ambitious growth also on tap.. Learn more about them at:

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Check this out:

It’s the new logo, which Flint Communications designed last week, now in use by North Dakota State University Athletics for its first Division 1 FCS National Football Title. The NDSU Bison beat Sam Houston State, 17 – 6 in the championship game on Saturday, January 7, in Frisco, Texas.

Welcome home, winners!

Watch the team arrive back to the their home turf, the Fargodome:

Our Fargo office has a long relationship with NDSU Athletics, so we were excited about the special logo design project: we’re even more excited it will now be put to use! NDSU Athletics plans to use it on official recruiting, promotion and other materials from stationery to apparel. If you’re a Bison fan, feel free to download it for your Facebook profile or other social media.

To us, a champion exemplifies heart, drive, confidence and a whole lot of hard work. You’ve got it, NDSU Football. Congratulations!

One of Flint’s most senior employees, donna (the lowercase “d”s are intentional—she started when she was 15, and they just stuck) has been with the company for 23 years. As director of media services, she oversees the Flint Group media planning and buying processes, focusing specifically on broadcast media and retail accounts.

donna had a small flower bed at her condo in Moorhead, Minn., but her gardening “took on a whole new life” four years ago when she moved to St. Cloud, Minn.

A passion for planting

donna says her passion for planting helps offset some of the stress and detail-oriented, rigid work she performs for the Flint media department.

“I don’t have to play by the rules when I garden. It’s very relaxing and therapeutic—almost god-like,” says donna.

Gardening “every day it isn’t raining or cold,” donna takes great pride in her lavish landscaping. She looks forward to summer evenings when people walking, and even driving, stop and ask to see her yard.

Her favorite gardening store is Scenic Specialties Landscape Center, a beautiful 14-acre hobby farm she visits often for planting supplies and project ideas.

donna’s first large-scale project after moving into her new home was restoring the 4,500-gallon pond at the southwest side of the house. The pond, complete with a waterfall and underwater lights, is home to 100 fish, including koi, shubunkins, and orange, white and black goldfish.

Trading her green thumb for a thimble

When she’s not gardening (i.e., when it’s winter), donna trades her green thumb for a thimble.

“Wintertime is for crafts,” she says.

donna hadn’t sewn since she was 13, but two years ago, she began sewing on her mom’s sewing machine—an appliance that is older than her. She started out making simple, patterned mittens from recycled sweaters, which she now sells at Gypsy Lea’s, a store in downtown Sauk Rapids, Minn.

Her most recent crafting endeavors include making winter headbands and wine gift bags, which she gives to friends and family.

Donna usually gets her reusable materials from garage sales, thrift stores and her own “goodwill bag,” but her favorite retail craft store is Crafts Direct.

From antique to trendy

donna also collects vintage dishes, a hobby she describes as “a sickness.”

“It’s really bad—I’ve filled about every cupboard I have,” says donna.

Seeking to condense her generous supply of antique china (or perhaps secretly wanting to make room for more), donna took on a four-day project to restore her childhood dresser with a mosaic top made from crushed, old plates.

The most fun part of the project?

Shattering the plates, says donna.

Are you interested in purchasing a unique, homemade gift for someone special? Contact donna dodge to chat about the possibilities!

Get to know a Flintster: Q + A with donna

What’s your dream job?
Working in a greenhouse

What was your first job?
Waitress

What did it teach you?
That I didn’t want to work on my feet all day.

What’s the best advice you ever got?
Be mindful. Enjoy each moment.

What sound do you love?
Children laughing

What scent do you love?
Baking bread

And I’m not the only one. I’ve heard many admit that Pinterest should come labeled with a warning: highly addictive. Many have said the site even steals from their Facebook time. Now that’s powerful!

Some marketers are already dubbing Pinterest as “next year’s Google+ or Twitter.” So, what kinds of brands can benefit from Pinterest? And how?

Meet SunButter
SunButter is a great tasting alternative to peanut butter made from specially roasted sunflower seeds. It’s also very healthy, tastes delicious and is manufactured in a completely peanut-free facility right here in the Red River Valley.

Team members from across the Flint Group manage SunButter’s social media presence. As personal Pinterest addicts and serious SunButter fans, when the idea of Pinterest was brought up for SunButter, we jumped at the chance. Pinterest’s visual focus was a perfect match for SunButter’s drool-worthy, peanut-free recipes. And, perhaps most importantly, our friends were already there! Moms, the peanut allergy community, paleo dieters, health nuts, foodies—they were already hanging out on Pinterest.

We proceeded to create an account as “SunButter Elizabeth” – openly disclosing the brand, while maintaining our blogger Elizabeth persona (who, in fact, really is a Flint copywriter and social media maven, Elizabeth Hansen). Elizabeth’s naturally warm personality and relatable mom approach helps to humanize the SunButter brand across social media, including Pinterest.

SunButter Elizabeth’s Pinterest adventure has only just begun, but we already have boards centered around the themes of: crafts, inspiration, breakfast, lunch, savory, sweet treats, snacks, smoothies, cookies and “no peanuts, please!”

We’re excited to see how Pinterest aids in SunButter’s continual community building and growth on social media!

Okay, maybe that’s not how the saying goes; but ask Wimmer’s Diamonds, and they’ll attest to a jewelry giveaway’s clout in gaining Facebook friends.

The situation

The company is a fourth-generation, family-owned business that has been serving the Fargo, N.D., area for over 92 years. Wimmer’s Diamonds had been working with Flint for many years, and, after launching their Facebook page last July, came to us wanting to build their fan base.

The solution

Flint Communications partnered with Wimmer’s Diamonds to help them acquire more “likes” through a jewelry promotion on the company’s Facebook page.

The contest was simple, which we’ve found is optimal for maximizing user interaction within social media platforms. New fans were greeted by a landing page instructing them to “like” the page to enter a contest to win a pair of diamond earrings valued at $700.

Having “liked” Wimmer’s Diamonds’ Facebook page, both new and existing fans clicked a side tab to sign up for the contest. Each participant was required to supply their name and email address and answer the question, ‘What is the best jewelry gift you’ve ever given or received?’

The creative

The Flint creative team designed a number of pieces to promote the contest on the Wimmer’s Diamonds Facebook page, including a landing page for new fans, a side tab through which both new and existing fans entered the contest, and a new profile image highlighting the contest.

We also created posters that were hung in West Acres Shopping Center, one of two Wimmer’s Diamond store locations, and designed table tents displayed in the mall’s food court. Finally, our team prepared ads that ran in a number of newspapers, including The Forum, The NDSU Spectrum, MSUM Advocate and The Concordian.

Implementation

With the Facebook collateral and printed pieces in place, Wimmer’s Diamonds launched the contest on November 1 with a wall post.

The contest continued for a month, during which Wimmer’s Diamonds periodically posted announcements about the promotion on their wall, in addition to advertising the giveaway through the posters, table tents and newspaper ads.

Wimmer’s Diamonds announced the giveaway winner on November 30.

Results that sparkled

At the start of the promotion, Wimmer’s Diamonds had 146 fans. Their goal was to reach 500.

Through the contest, Wimmer’s Diamonds gained 368 new fans, amounting to an overall increase of 352 percent and surpassing their goal by 14 fans.

The moral of the story?

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but Wimmer’s Diamonds makes a great Facebook friend.

It’s easy to get wrapped up (oops, unintentional reference to the gifts you have yet to wrap) in the fast-paced frenzy that we forget about the subtle joys of the holiday season—the smells of holiday baking, watching Linus explain the true meaning of Christmas, family heirloom ornaments, the search for that elusive “perfect gift,” and of course, eggnog—magical moments we look forward to all year.

This year, the Flint Group made an effort to intentionally take notice and embrace every part of the holiday season.

We, along with our friends from AdFarm and Media Productions, kicked off the holiday season by donning our Santa hats and joining in the annual Xcel Energy Holiday Lights Parade in Fargo, N.D. Our float was one of 70 that filled the streets of downtown Fargo with merriment on November 22.

Each Flint office took its own decorative approach to get in the holiday spirit. Creative director Ken Zakovich helped his coworkers at WestmorelandFlint “get in the mood” with a festive ornament on the office Christmas tree.

Amid our parading and decorating, we’ve also been rebranding the North Pole, helping Santa establish a social media presence, copyrighting Rudolph red, and creating a PR plan to help Frosty launch his spring campaign against global warming.

With the success of these holiday festivities, we thought it fitting to create a short video to capture our enriching approach of taking time to appreciate this season—to fully experience this holiday and truly savor its subtle joys and moments of wonder.

Take a minute and enjoy, won’t you?

So this holiday season, when you’re at your breaking point—when you don’t think you can take another bite of your aunt’s fruitcake, or when you find yourself wandering the aisles of Target at 11 p.m. on December 23—remember, there’s beauty in everything.

All you have to do is find it.

Happy Holidays from the Flint family. May your holiday season be filled with beauty.