Convoy

Convoy Wins Two EMMA Awards

Matthew Shadel — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:49:41 +0000

We’re pleased to announce that Convoy won 2 American Marketing Association EMMA awards this year!

The first award, in the Print/Collateral category, was for our design work for Live Arts. As the Official Graphic Design Partner for Live Arts for the 2012-2013 Season (and the upcoming 2013-2014 Season), we’ve been creating a wide range of materials: posters, brochures, postcards, mailers… even bid cards for their annual auction. You can see some samples in our online portfolio.

The second award, in the In-House Publications category, was for our designs for a set of classroom and wayfinding signs for Greer Elementary School here in Charlottesville. Our classroom signs combine color coding, photography, typography, and braille to make classrooms easy to identify, even for first-time visitors and non-reading students. We also created a set of directional signs and a large school map to ensure people stay oriented as they move around the school.

Congratulations to Matt Thomas and Michelle Hamson who created these award-winning designs!

Convoy’s Best of Rejected Logos Vol. 1

Matt Thomas — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:21:25 +0000

It’s true when they say that you need to have thick skin to be in this business. As designers, we’re a passionate species. We have strong opinions about our work. We grow to appreciate and like the designs that we create. But when your favorite logo gets tossed out the window and “Option 3″ is chosen the winner, you’ll often find yourself wondering why you got into this field in the first place. Over the years, I’ve probably created over a hundred logos for all sorts of clients. I often find myself looking through old sketch books or our archives to remember some of the lost gems that never saw the light of day. Here are a selection of some of our logos that clients rejected for whatever reason. Some turned out better… and some slipped through the cracks never to be seen again—until now!

Free Brand Submission Deadline Extended

Matthew Shadel — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:26:54 +0000

We’ve had quite a few submissions to our 2012 Convoy Free Brand offer, and more people are finding out about it every day. In order to give late-comers a chance to apply we’ve extended the deadline for submission to December 14, 2012. Filling out the submission form only takes a few minutes, so if your non-profit organization is in need of a new logo and look, apply now!

Live Arts and Convoy

Matt Thomas — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:34:57 +0000

Live Arts is a volunteer theater that has given a home to drama, dance, comedy, music and performance art in Charlottesville, VA since 1990. If you’ve never seen a performance at Live Arts, you’re missing out. The caliber of performer and show selection isn’t something typically found outside the big cities. We truly were honored to have been chosen to be this year’s official design partner for the 2012-2013 Live Arts season! Before the start of the season, Convoy sat down with Live Arts to discuss the existing brand and what the future Live Arts looks like. Equipped with some talented new staff members and the visionary leadership of Executive Director, Matt Joslyn, Live Arts aims to be bolder and more relevant than ever before. Over time, a organization’s branding tends to unravel as guidelines are forgotten about, files change hands, or new employees come on board. It is essential for any company to conduct a brand audit every couple of years to evaluate the state of their brand, marketing materials, and messaging. Convoy conducted a brand audit that addressed the essential assets, starting with the logo treatment, color palette and typography. The new materials we create to promote their upcoming shows are bold and eye-catching. We want to draw people in and help them easily recognize the Live Arts brand. I strongly encourage you to check out an upcoming show at Live Arts. These volunteer lead groups are truly amazing to watch and inspired me in my creative journey.

Announcing Free Brand

Matthew Shadel — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 20:20:23 +0000

We’ve been asked by a lot of non-profits for help with design and website work over the years. Sometimes we’ve got the time and resources to help, and sometimes we’re swamped. Often it’s been frustrating to have to say “no” to a worthy cause. So we decided to take matters into our own hands and schedule our charitable work ahead of time so we can see it coming. Now, when a non-profit contacts us for design we can tell them that we take on free projects throughout the year, and they can apply online for consideration. Thus was born Convoy Free Brand.

Through Free Brand, Convoy offers free branding services to a non-profit that needs help creating or updating their image. We’ll announce the winner on January 14th. If you know of a non-profit that does great work but has an outdated brand, please tell them about Convoy Free Brand!