CSU had baggage. Locally, it was often thought of as a fallback school, some naysayers calling it Grade 13. The perception of CSU was seriously lagging reality when flourish stepped in as agency-of-record for the university’s undergraduate recruitment. We drank the “Viking Green” Kool-aid, and made it our mission to spread the new-and-improved word by touting the true CSU story. We developed campaigns around the platform of “engaged learning” to elevate perception and drive enrollment. Communications speak to students on peer-to-peer terms, and to parents about quality and value, all with a healthy dose of real-world, common sense. Once the word got out, real results started to add up, including an 18.5% increase in new students during the launch year, and a 15-year enrollment high. The icing on the cake? A higher caliber student body and better retention and graduation rates, to boot.

"flourish continually surprises us with outstanding creative, innovative media planning and attentive client services. Most of all, flourish never loses sight of the ultimate goal: results." –Cleveland State University

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Strategy, Research, Media Planning, Media Buying, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, Packaging, EGD, Website Design, Website Development, Mobile, Social Media, Photography, Video

Working with a legend is an awesome responsibility. So when Progressive Insurance asked us to help them bring the Official Flo Bobble-head Doll to life, we knew the packaging had to have the high-wattage star power of the gal herself. While staying true to Progressive’s corporate standards and tight structural specs of the manufacturer, her oh-so-quirky personality shines through. 

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Packaging, Copywriting

Furnishing a better world is the mantra of Arhaus. After flourish helped build the brand in home décor for 10 years, Arhaus discovered their customers like to wear the same creative style they live in. Arhaus Jewels was born to bring the artisan-crafted jewelry to that loyal following, and flourish was ready to go up close and personal with photo styling, photography and design of their catalogs and website. The new concept launched in 2010, and since then, the audience for the catalog has nearly doubled to reach millions. How beautiful is that?

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Strategy, Research, Identity/Branding, Print, Website Design, Photography, Video

Fresh and raw. It’s the perfect description for a health and cleansing juice line – and the flourish campaign that launched it. When this artisanal maker was ready to grow a loyal following into a larger market, flourish created the Garden of Flavor brand.  In a market filled with processed fruit smoothie pretenders, the key ingredient was the simple: truth. Within the first year, Garden of Flavor’s growth was healthy indeed, adding 2,000 units per month and a deal for a major regional grocery chain test.   

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Strategy, Research, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, Packaging, Website Design, Website Development, Photography

Music builds better brains. Music also builds community. In preparation for their centennial celebration, The Music Settlement, formerly The Cleveland Music School Settlement, turned to flourish for a new name and brand – and a new way to tell their story. Extensive research crystalized the brand strategy. The new naming convention simplifies and broadens the focus beyond Cleveland proper, embracing their “University Circle” location and access to the world-renowned arts and cultural district they call home. Stylized notes and piano keys build the foundation for the logo while creating the letter “M" for music. Each of the three bars symbolize the compounding synergy of three primary areas of excellence: Music Instruction; Early Childhood; Music Therapy. The Music Settlement’s philosophy? "Early and always.” Bravo to this thriving community where music truly changes lives one note at a time.

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Research, Branding/Identity, Copywriting, Print, Photography

“The medium is the message” is a phrase invented for Avery Dennison (AD), the global leader in labeling, packaging materials and solutions. Innovation is their differentiation, and collateral must be the see-me, touch-me, dazzle-me proof of that ultimate value proposition. AD comes to flourish for creative communications that inspire designers, set off the wow factor and  trigger an irresistible temptation to try something new.

"Time and again we have turned to flourish to help develop integrated, high impact collateral to communicate with global brand owners." –Avery Dennison

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Strategy, Research, Packaging

If money makes the world go round, then powerhouse Charles Schwab is one of the players that keeps it spinning. Initially, flourish worked with Schwab’s retirement plan services division, developing a Graphic Gallery at their Cleveland headquarters where clients could be wowed and prospects could be wooed. Soon after, Schwab conducted an agency rationalization to narrow their 175 Marcom agencies down to five. flourish was flattered to be invited to participate and thrilled to be selected by Schwab/San Francisco as one of the five approved Marcom agencies. We are careful stewards of the Schwab brand, created by Landor. And we’ve implemented the “Talk to Chuck” campaign, developed by Euro (now Havas), across multiple mediums in day-to-day Marcom activities. flourish also developed a print-on-demand solution to support Schwab’s retail events nationwide. 

“flourish is an affordable luxury.” –Charles Schwab

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Strategy, Research, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, EGD, Photography

When you love being in the great outdoors then you know the villain that can spoil your fun is the cold. Now cold has nowhere to hide with the Mr. Heater Hero portable forced air cordless heater. Featuring the first new technological breakthrough in the category in 10 years, the “Hero” offers a portable, quiet, powerful solution to warming up, no matter where your love of the outdoors takes you. flourish collaborated with Mr. Heater on the Hero launch, including product naming, package design, promotional materials and consumer media, as well as trade support sell-in at hardware co-ops. While the Hero is quiet, the campaign results speak volumes: Hero received a product development innovation award; gained new market distribution; increased shipments within the category; and gained market share. What’s that sound, you ask? It’s Mr. Heater Hero’s competitors shivering in their boots. 

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Strategy, Research, Media Planning, Media Buying, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, Packaging, Website Design, Social Media, Photography, Video

Don’t tell the kids, but a trip to the aquarium is educational. They just know it’s fun, and we’ll keep the rest between us grown-ups.  That was our advice to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium (GCA), when they came to flourish for a brand campaign in their grand opening year. Moms with kids 3 to 12 are the big fish in the target market, so our campaign of lighthearted visuals and smart tone works hard and plays well with the whole family. The GCA topped their first-year goals, putting smiles on the faces of 400,000 adults and kids, and converting 35,000 of them into annual pass holders. 

"flourish has brought outstanding creative and innovative ideas to our brand and exceeds the definition of customer service." –The Greater Cleveland Aquarium 

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Strategy, Research, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, Social Media, Video

At Cleveland State University, education is not a spectator sport. “Engaged learning” is their brand, and the new CSU Welcome Center is a 4000 square foot interactive marketing tool to give prospective students a unique immersive experience the moment they arrive on campus. CSU called on flourish for the environmental graphic design, which included concepts like a branded photo booth, a “green entryway,” and iPads preloaded with CSU content in the waiting area. The favorite feature? The ENGAGE wall that lets students explore more than 250 individual CSU majors, career possibilities and points of interest. CSU credits the Center with helping drive double-digit enrollment increases. Apparently, first impressions are lasting ones.

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Strategy, Research, Copywriting, Print, EGD, Mobile, Photography

Good communication tells a story. And what does every good story need? A hero. flourish figured if one hero is good, then more must be better. We cast noted local celebrities in the role of helping to promote the 28-branch Cuyahoga County Public Library’s “Reconnect With Reading” program. The goal was to reach adults, reigniting their love of reading, ultimately to increase the circulation of physical books, despite a shifting consumer preference to digital offerings. Local stars stepped up to help the library with its mission, including NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown, NFL Cleveland Browns player Joshua Cribbs, and nationally-known “Iron Chef” Michael Symon, among others. We’re happy to report an elevated level of PR buzz around the campaign, internally and externally, and, best of all, a reversal of the down-trending in book circulation to a 6% increase in borrowing. Happy ending achieved. 

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Strategy, Media Planning, Media Buying, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Photography

Once a year, the very definition of “dream home” is reimagined. The New American Home, the celebrated showhome of the International Builders Show, is created by the country’s best architects and designers, featuring Timberlake cabinetry. Timberlake partners with flourish to photograph, write and design Portfolio, a coffee-table magazine that defines the brand in every beautiful idea, every fresh innovation, every detail of craftsmanship. And long after the show is over, Portfolio throws open the doors of tours of inspiration 24/7/365. 

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Strategy, Research, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Photography

National custom furniture manufacturer and retailer, Arhaus Furniture, began in 1986 with one store in Cleveland, Ohio. Fast forward: Arhaus now has 46 stores in 18 markets across the U.S. and growing. While theater might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking furniture, Arhaus’ unique approach to retail is to create a theatrical atmosphere in stores. flourish helped Arhaus translate the dramatic “retail theater” experience into marketing and advertising that spurs in-store, as well as web and catalog sales growth. When it comes to helping achieve results, we’re proud to take a seat at the grown-up table.  

"They're a talented group of creative and marketing savvy visionaries."  –Arhaus Furniture

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Strategy, Research, Media Planning, Media Buying, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Packaging, EGD, Photography, Video

Remember when your banker knew your name and maybe even something about your business? Neither did we. Then we met Dollar Bank, the Northeast Ohio division of the 150-year-old Pittsburgh-based bank. Instead of big bank blah-blah-blah and red tape, Dollar Bank believes in relationships. The campaign took on the competition with straight talk and some sly humor, and paid it off with real-world solutions and case histories to prove them. The Northeast Ohio campaign was so successful increasing new business accounts and overall brand perception, that it’s been rolled out in Pittsburgh. 

"For years flourish has continued to deliver the same passion, creativity and authenticity demonstrated during the original pitch." –Dollar Bank

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Strategy, Research, Media Planning, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Website Design, Photography

Everyone in the advertising business has a file of work that got bloodied, bruised and killed. But our dearly departed roamed the earth for a night at a Halloween gathering for the American Advertising Federation. Night of the Living Dead, a showcase (and hellacious wake) for the best work was branded by flourish. We designed the logo, invitation and collateral, including a coffin kit for sponsors with a blood transfusion for tortured creatives.   

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Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, Packaging

What American Greetings needed for a successful Valentine’s Day photo shoot was love…and a great photography team. Cue flourish’s photo arm, flourishphoto. The idea was to showcase the cards and collections offered at American Greetings’ online cardstore.com in lifestyle-driven photography that was fashion-forward, fresh, fun and flirty. flourishphoto offers location, studio and tabletop photography. flourishphoto can coordinate everything from start-to-finish, from pre-production to location scouting to art direction to styling to retouching to videography and editing. We could go on and on about our love for the entire photographic process, but you get our drift. Our belief is if your heart’s in it, then the results shine through. 

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Photography

The jury was out on Cleveland Marshall College of Law. Even though the evidence was clear – top faculty, connected to one of America’s largest legal centers, and 10,000 successful graduates – awareness and enrollment weren’t at the level they merited. We saw the school’s differentiating strength as its unique philosophy of the law as the power to do good: Learn Law. Live Justice. A new entity name and logo, CMLaw, telegraphed the school’s strength and vitality while maintaining unity with the Cleveland State University identity. Communication – from viewbook to website to photography – was testimony to the brand promise. The effort not only increased awareness among potential students; the client credits it with triggering a boost in the school’s US News & World Report rankings.

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Strategy, Research, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Website Design, Photography

The adage “those who can’t do, teach” is not the case with Hawken School, an independent, coeducational college preparatory day school in Northeast Ohio. Although Hawken was exceeding enrollment goals, the distinguished school was entering a phase of planned expansion and felt their conservative image no longer matched their forward-focused approach. Using their philosophy of real-world education along with the tagline “Hawken Ready,” flourish differentiated Hawken from other private education institutions. Campaigns resulted in a unified brand message, a significant increase in admission applications, and an elevated collective GPA. Not only are Hawken students ready, Hawken itself is now poised and ready for what’s next, including their 100th anniversary in 2014.  

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Strategy, Research, Media Planning, Media Buying, Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Website Design, Photography

Cleveland State University had a 315,000-square-foot billboard for branding going to waste. It’s the Wolstein Center, a venue for CSU sports and other events. More importantly, it’s one of the busiest public entertainment and conference complexes in the city. It was flourish’s task to re-dress the space as a walk-in CSU brand for the thousands of potential CSU students, funders, alumni and others influentials that walk through the door. A new CSU color scheme was created, a complete wayfinding system, and other environmental design, which also updated the look and feel of the 20+-year-old facility. A complete collateral package was developed, too, to take the message -- and the brand -- to a broader audience.

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Research, Copywriting, Print, EGD

This is the story of global superstars who’ve never forgotten where they came from. Jones Day is a law firm with 2,400 attorneys in offices in thirty-six cities around the world, but Cleveland is where the legacy began in 1893. To celebrate the history of the firm and its partnership with its hometown, a once-in-a-century gala was planned at Cleveland Browns Stadium for over 1000 guests -- attorneys and the region's civic leaders. The event was branded by flourish, including the logo, event communications pieces, environmental design at the venue and even dining choices. And it may be the first time a flourish-designed logo was translated into an ice sculpture. 

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Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, EGD

For Cleveland State University, sustainability is more than a classroom theory. It’s a tasty take-home lesson from the summertime Earth to U Farmers Market. Originally created with the North Union Farmers Market for students and faculty, CSU decided to share the bounty with the wider downtown community. They asked flourish to design this fresh little guerilla campaign to bring everyone to the table.   

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Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, EGD

Waiting is bad. But anticipation? That’s very good. It’s buzz, and excitement, a hit of adrenaline that makes openings grand. That was the tantalizing effect flourish concepted for The Galleries at Cleveland State University, a centerpiece of CSU’s $30-million Arts Campus at Playhouse Square, the largest theater center west of Broadway. The developing space became the canvas for flourish’s bigger-than-life environmental design that gave passersby a peek at what was to come. “Engaged learning,” the CSU brand, became art as life for the thousands of visitors in the busy theater neighborhood, creating an instant landmark and fan base.

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Identity/Branding, Copywriting, Illustration, EGD

Locavore foodie or farm-to-table activist? Sustainable living or landscape design? Either way, Tim Riffle, woodworker and sculptor, wanted to make urban farming truly urban chic. He looked to flourish to launch his collection of “sturdy, snug and safe homes” with “a visible presence of joy.” We developed his brand as an organic (what else?) extension of his personal artistry. Proof that when you’re standing watch at the top of the food chain, you should enjoy the view.  

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Strategy, Research, Branding/Identity, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, EGD, Photography

It may be home to some of the most famous historic (and prehistoric) artifacts on the planet, but there’s nothing old about the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH).  They’re constantly re-visioning their mission, and a $125M contemporary new building for hands-on learning is their next epoch in outreach. They called on flourish for a fundraising campaign to leadership donors, to tell a story millennia in the making. The results? They’re historic, too.

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Research, Identity/Branding, Print

When Democratic Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton came to Cleveland to debate on the road to the West Wing (for one of them), flourish was literally in the wings. We were chosen to brand the debate, including the debate logo, program, press passes, stage graphics and photography. The debate was nationally televised on MSNBC and NBC affiliates, and moderated by Brian Williams and Tim Russert. There was also a t-shirt designed by flourish that was worn by everyone on Hard Ball, hosted by Chris Matthews. Whether you’re a donkey or an elephant—or some other creature altogether—it’s flattering to play a part in a historic event in support of this land of the free and home of the brave.

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Strategy, Research, Branding/Identity, Copywriting, Print, Illustration, EGD, Photography

Allow us to speak candidly. That was the strategy employed by Weltman, Weinberg & Reis (WWR) in their “Be Frank” campaign. WWR is the nation’s largest creditors’ rights law firm, with 10 offices and 1,300 employees. Their real estate default group had the foresight to predict the housing bubble burst before many others. Similar to making lemonade when life hands you lemons, flourish helped WWR re-brand and promote their real estate foreclosure services to capitalize on the inevitable impending storm. The “face” of the campaign was Frank Veneziano, who is a real-life person in WWR’s real estate division. Frank is known for his no-nonsense, no holds barred, straightforward demeanor. The play on words was used as the foundational messaging in internal and external communications that helped WWR stand out in a crowded field by taking a bad situation, making a bold move, and getting big results. 

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Strategy, Research, Branding/Identity, Copywriting, Print, EGD, Photography

For over a century, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland has been raising funds and creating innovative programs to address social, health and educational issues in Cleveland and beyond. When it came to their Centennial Initiative the bar was raised even higher: the initiative celebrated 100 years of service to the Jewish community, and an ambitious multi-year, multi-million dollar goal. flourish acted as creative lead on the Centennial Initiative campaign, developing materials to appeal to the influential target audience while being sensitive that the perceived value not overshadow the primary fundraising focus. It was equally important that the Centennial Initiative stand apart from annual fundraising, and have multi-year longevity. Federation activities are based on the Jewish values of tikkun olam (making the world a better place), tzedakah (justice), and chesed (kindness). Based on the overwhelming response to the Centennial Initiative, we also believe that generosity should be added to the list. 

"flourish executed flawlessly. It's been a pleasure to watch them grow and move from strength to strength over the years." –Jewish Community Federation

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Strategy, Research, Branding/Identity, Copywriting, Print, Photography, Video