Our third Gold ADDY was awarded for our work in developing and creating the Dole Nutrition Institute’s Dole Garden Kit.  Dole and its institute are other star clients of ours.  We’ve loved working with their teams and look forward to many more exciting projects this year and in the future.  It still amazes us that we had the opportunity to produce such a wonderful product and program.  It all started with one small idea – look what it grew into!  Keep an eye out for upcoming product launches for the Dole Nutrition Institute! In the meantime, you can keep up with their announcements on their Facebook page and by joining their healthy conversation on Twitter!

Where do we go from here?  Well, the team is back to work creating some amazing new concepts for both of these amazing clients.  And, the work is off to be judged at the AAF 10th District ADDY awards show!  ADDY’s Round 2, here we come!

We won a total of four awards and the third piece is in category 10B, Special Event Material. (You can read more about our first and second winning pieces here and here) Charged by the Brasserie 19 team to create something fresh, memorable and most importantly, precious, this is what we came up with:

Designed by Associate Partner Jim Miner, the invitation consisted of a printed piece as well as a custom branded 2’’ medallion.  Setting the tone for the night, the invitation instructed guests to present the medallion for entry into the event.  It was a very special evening for hundreds of the team’s closest friends to celebrate Houston’s newest destination restaurant.  Later distributed to their very best customers, these medallions have also become the markers of an exclusive, and subtle, loyalty program.  Owners of the medallion will present these on their tables once they are seated and the wait staff will immediately put in motion a number of small privileges that are certain to make the evening a little more special.  (Note:  We’re terribly sorry, but we don’t have any extras.)

Our fourth and final winning piece is in Category 53, Consumer, Local.  This award category has allowed us to present nine of our favorite branded pieces that all contribute to the strength of the execution of the Brasserie 19 brand across all consumer-facing touch points.  From the coasters andplacemats, to the business cards of their management, everything is branded Brasserie.

We even had the opportunity to custom design their private labeled wine bottles, an effort that not only extends the restaurant brand but also embraces the personal brands of both wine-loving owners who have become well known for their extensive offerings and just-above-retail pricing concept.

Again, if you haven’t eaten at Brasserie 19 yet, you definitely should.  Make a reservation on the Facebook page.  Their food and service are equally amazing and it will surely be a night to remember.  Oh, and they’ll drive you home!

Acumen has enjoyed our relationship with Dole and we have had the opportunity to work with many of their divisions over the last few years on projects ranging from packaging and product design, to branded-space installation, to participating in their internal innovation program.  As our relationship deepens, we are looking forward to an exciting 2012 and beyond with more exciting products and projects to share soon!

This particular project was an exceptionally exciting one that was born out of a very spirited innovation + ideation session we participated in on the Dole campus in early 2010.  And, this was our inaugural project with the Dole Nutrition Institute.

It began as a challenge to create and build unique products that would advance the Nutrition Institute’s mission “to cultivate the seeds of knowledge and provide the public with definitive, easily accessible, scientifically-validated information on nutrition and health.”

The Dole Garden Kit was born.  “Designed to teach kids how food goes from field to fork, the Dole Garden Kit is packed with everything you need to start your own vegetable garden.”

From forming a partnership with Ferry Morse Seed Company, to compiling and writing the garden journal complete with nutrition facts, recipes and gardening tips, to the design of the program itself and the packaging, Acumen and the Dole Nutrition Institute were on to something very special.  This comprehensive kit provides an opportunity for families to learn how and why it is healthy to grow and eatcertain fruits and veggies.  Focusing on their top 12 Superfoods from Carrots to Pineapples, the garden kit containseverything they would need to start and successfully grow their own healthygarden.  Fun, educational and of course, healthy.

We do love Dole.  We love their Nutrition Institute.  We share this award with them and every partner and friend that made this kit possible.  Now, back to creating.  There is much to complete for a few 2012 launches!  In the meantime, join the healthy conversation on Twitter!

First up, Category 72 Logo for the Brasserie 19 Logo System.  Since joining forces with Clark Cooper Concepts in 2010, we have had the opportunity to develop a number of branding projects with their group. We couldn’t be prouder of the work we’ve done for their Brasserie 19 concept that has been chosen for this award. Created by Associate Partner, Jim Miner, the entirety of the brand identity, marketing and communications strategies, menu design, business collateral, packaging design, signage development, specialty and promotional elements, etc. are all based on the strength of this mark.

“Working with Grant Cooper and Charles Clark is a joy.  They not only recognize, but insist on great design.  They know the value and want to see it come to life in every one of their restaurant concepts.  We are happy to oblige,” said Jim.  He added, “They embody everything we look for when choosing our clients.  And, we look forward to many more successful projects with them and their team.”

A nod to an international passport stamp, this mark is fresh yet timeless, playful yet sophisticated and has been described as “simple and gorgeous” and “evoking the spirit of a classic French eatery”.  Thank you @CultureMap and @HoustonChronicle for the mentions, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

So, if you have visited, we’d love to know what YOU thought.  And if you haven’t, you definitely should make a reservation.  Their food and service are equally amazing and it will surely be a night to remember.  Bon Appétit!

Enjoy. Visit often.  And, of course, always comment responsibly.

Jim Miner, Associate Partner

Jim Miner leads with his near 30 years experience in branding, design and innovation.

Houston, TX August 3, 2011 – Acumen Design, a leading Houston design and branding firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of Jim Miner to Associate Partner. Miner will be responsible for creative leadership and production direction.

Founding Principals Dick Lew and Jerry Alexander were both thrilled to make the announcement of the new Partnership.  “Jim Miner is a tremendous asset to the Acumen team,” said Alexander. “His expertise in design and branding, fused with his passion for excellence is reflective of Acumen’s core values,” added Lew.

Miner has nearly 30 years of diversified design experience with an emphasis in product design, packaging, brand identity development, marketing & advertising, environmental design and architectural design. Clients ranging from the New Dallas Cowboys Stadium – Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Miller Lite, Coca Cola, Pennzoil, Jiffy Lube, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, Fina/Total, Quaker State, EZ Mart, Ford, Community Coffee, Dockers, Terex, Ninfa’s on Navigation-Houston, Antones-Houston and most recently, leading the design efforts for Houston’s very own Brasserie 19.

According to Miner, after weathering the recent economy woes the future here is very bright and exciting for Acumen.

Miner is a class of 1984 graduate of Long Beach State, California. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons and has had recent success with his passion for volleyball and his team recently took second in the nation in his age group in the National Senior Games.

Acumen is a design and brand innovation company that specializes in activating consumer behavior. From Branding and Identity, to Brand-to-Space Design, to Marketing and Communications, Acumen’s solutions inspire enthusiasm and drive game-changing results. Smart, strategic and integrated, Acumen looks at projects holistically and anchors creativity in sharp thinking to ensure success. For further information, contact Christine Stevens at 713.520.6685 or christine@acumendesign.com.

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We design all sorts of things. Products, packaging, signage, communications programs, advertising campaigns, marketing platforms, consumer spaces, corporate spaces, experiences, brands, logos, websites, retail connections… the list goes on.

We design in many ways and process is key. Deadlines and budgets are a fact; the amazing results that we promise and deliver each of our clients are born out of effort and process. If you love the design process and are comfortable in collaborative and chaotic environments, we want to talk to you.

Creative Suite – You should know it very well. We use all of the programs, everyday. You should have had several years tweaking your skills in each of these so that they are now seamless extensions of your thinking.

Drawing – We like to “think with our hands” and would like it if everyone we talk to could draw a few things.

Space – It can get loud and disruptive here. It adds to our work and it would need to add to yours too because the space is not going to change!

Digital – It is a digital world and we play in it all the time so you’ll need to feel good there.

Web – Once again, we play here often. You don’t need to program, just understand the how’s and why’s so that when you get in to it you can find your way.

Tequila – If you don’t like the taste that’s OK, maybe you will eventually. But, you should at least enjoy our collection.

Marketing – The entire world of design is interwoven with marketing. You cannot do one well without the other. I hope you agree.

Those are some basics. You will need to show much more. Hint: Attitude is everything. You will need to be comfortable talking, designing with words, sharing and collaborating. We love self starters.  And, we believe that all ideas get better with input and time from others so if you are a solo player, stay that way. We are not.

Want to play? Drop us an email with a resume and a link to your portfolio, or give us a call or mail us your stuff.  We want to see what you can do, understand how you do it and learn about who you are.

Acumen Design
2402 Dunlavy, no. 200
Houston, Texas 77006
713.520.6685
christine@acumendesign.com

Live inspired.

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Acumen is a design and brand innovation company.  We specialize in activating consumer behavior. Smart, strategic and integrated, our solutions inspire enthusiasm and drive game-changing results. We look at projects holistically and are trained in the art of possibilities.  We have an unquenchable curiosity but share a common objective: anchor creativity in sharp thinking to ensure your success.