June 2010

GPMF 2010 season
launched in high style

Summer in Chicago means many things to many people, but to Jell (and about 300,000 other fans), summer means 10 weeks of the Grant Park Music Festival. If you’re among the uninitiated, we’re talking about free classical music in Millennium Park at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion — two to three concerts per week. That doesn’t happen in any other city in the United States.

2010 is GPMF’s 76th season and the 10th anniversary of Carlos Kalmar as principal conductor of the Festival. (It also happens to be executive director Elizabeth Hurley’s first season at the helm.)

The media has been buzzing about the current season and the Festival’s ever-rising popularity. The Chicago Tribune recently gave the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus the edge over Ravinia performances by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. And Carlos was recently featured in an interview on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, discussing his tenure and bubbling with excitement about the 2010 season.

The first concert of the season featured guest violinist Elina Vähälä. The program offered Vivaldi, Berlioz, and Respighi on what might have been the most beautiful night of this summer. Upwards of 15,000 — an overflow crowd — turned out.

Of course, planning for the season started much earlier, in the fall of 2009. Jell jumped in to help on a variety of marketing projects: the Annual Fund 2009 mailing, two versions of the 2010 Season Preview brochure, and finally, a series of 8-foot banners posted along side Millennium Park on Michigan Avenue.

See samples of our branding and marketing for Grant Park Music Festival.

The Brown Line torque wrench:
just released and selling fast!

Wow. It’s been four years in the making, but it has finally arrived and is available for purchase — the long-awaited Brown Line Metalworks Digital Torque Wrench. But a wrench is a wrench, right? Not in this case. Digital torque wrenches (commonly used by mechanics who need the precision) are usually quite expensive, out of reach for many consumers. The BLD0212 model from Brown Line incorporates new technology to deliver professional grade performance at big box prices. It even looks cooler than all the others.

Jell has been working with Brown Line Metalworks for 3.5 of those four years, designing the company’s brand program, collateral, packaging, and Web site. We’re very proud to be associated with Brown Line and are convinced this, their first product, will be a hit. See samples of our work for Brown Line Metalworks.

May 2010

Renamed, rebranded, and
booming globally: APS BioGroup

There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a long-time client grow, evolve, and achieve exactly the kind of success they had anticipated or desired. Such is the case with the company formerly known as Advanced Protein Systems, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2003, we began working with President and CEO Bob Davies to develop their brand and establish the company as a preeminent supplier of colostrum to the global market, with a special focus on sales to China.

By autumn 2009, it became clear to management at Advanced Protein Systems that they had completely outgrown the company’s startup skin — in terms of size, business model, offerings, messaging, and appearance. We began discussing a complete rebranding: a platform to express the company's rapid growth, internal segmentation, and global ambitions. Jell led the namestorming and domain research. We chose “BioGroup” as the umbrella, retaining the original brand mark and “APS” for continuity. The new brand and home page would express corporate-level mission, vision, and values (e.g., “advancing excellence in health products”). We would market each of the company’s three current divisions — colostrum manufacturing, proprietary Immulox^® products, and contract manufacturing — through microsites and matching print collateral.

It can be difficult to generate genuine trust, excitement, and gut-level emotional appeal for a B2B enterprise, especially when most of its customers and prospects are spread across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The new Web site would have to offer high energy, compelling tours of the facility, and direct connections to key relationship managers. To accomplish all of this — and capture APS BioGroup’s capacity, technical capabilities, and high quality control standards — Jell Creative directed a two-day photo shoot at the 60,000 square foot Phoenix facility with the excellent team at Stevenson Photography. The resulting imagery can be viewed on every page of the Web site, through a variety of slideshows, and in print collateral.

The highly integrated brand launch, including Spanish and Chinese versions of the Web site, trade show signage, and a global email blast, was completed just in time to synchronize with APS BioGroup’s coming-out party at Vitafoods 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland. The brand’s debut was an exciting end to a whirlwind six-month collaboration with our primary client contacts Katja Zizmond, Andrew Keech, and Bob Davies.

Free Spirit Media fundraiser,
Focus 2010, a big hit at Hootenanny

When former client Kati Rooney (last seen at Rivet Media) called just over three years ago seeking help for an upcoming fundraiser, we could not have foreseen our long-term involvement with Free Spirit Media. But we’re guessing Kati could. Jell soon met FSM leaders Jeff McCarter and Katie Ackert and fell under the sway of their boundless energy and dedicated vision. (In case you’re unfamiliar, FSM offers training and challenging work opportunities in broadcast and creative video production to over 400 underserved youth throughout Chicago’s west and south sides.)

This year’s fundraiser, Focus 2010, was held at the very cool twisty-turny studio of Hootenanny, a local creative editorial and HD finishing shop. The event built on — and in some ways, surpassed — previous fundraisers hosted at RedCar and Resolution Digital Studios. The Free Spirit kids simulcasted the party to attendees on screens throughout the space and worked with Hootenanny staff to build an FSM promo spot, right on the spot. Raffle sales heated up throughout the evening, with everyone eager to take home the grand prize, an Apple iPad. A great party for a truly unique organization.

FSM supporters: watch for a complete brand refresh (already under way if you know what to look for), including an all new Web site!

February 2010

New brand launch: Bridgefield Mortgage

We count this as one of the most exciting projects we’ve directed in recent memory: the complete rebranding of ResMAE Mortgage — historically, a loan originator, recently turned mortgage servicer — as Bridgefield Mortgage Corporation.

Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Bridgefield represents a new breed of mortgage servicing companies that puts customer service very high in its list of core values and works hard to prevent foreclosures and keep homeowners in their homes. We were excited by the considerable thought and energy that management had invested in the new company’s corporate culture and commitment to customers.

Jell Creative worked closely with management at both ResMAE and Citadel Investment Group to distill brand objectives and forge a plan to rename and rebrand the revitalized company. Over the short course of four months, Jell brainstormed through naming, domain, and messaging research to arrive at the name “Bridgefield” — a perfect evocation of both optimism and stability — and then proceeded to orchestrate all elements of corporate identity, collateral, signage, marketing accessories, Web site, and brand launch. We’re exceedingly proud of this client, its brand transformation, and their customer-centric efforts to serve mortgage holders with dignity and respect.

See samples of our rebranding campaign for Bridgefield Mortgage.

Jell has moved!

On February 1st, we began operating in our new location at 4410 N. Ravenswood, Suite 200. Our new office is in a beautifully rehabbed 1890s-era industrial building called “The Delta,” and it’s part of the Jane Addams Development Initiative. (In fact, we're also proud to be associated with Jane Addams, period!)

Those of you who enjoy riding the “L” will be happy to hear you can now visit us by taking the Brown Line to the Montrose stop, then turning the corner onto Ravenswood. Street parking is also available, and for the time being, it’s free.

Long-time clients who visited our studio at 1800 W. Winona know that we’ll miss it dearly — we enjoyed 10 wonderful years at that location! — but we look forward to expanding our business in our new, larger space at Montrose and Ravenswood. We hope to see you there.

January 2010

Resolution Digital Studios
gets a digital rebirth

When it comes to video production capabilities, physical and technical capacity, and diversity of talent, no firm in the Chicago region matches the potential of Resolution. Really. If you’re in the market for something big, cutting edge, or borderline impossible, you should do yourself a favor and schedule a tour of this amazing facility located in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor, built from scratch by brothers Lee and Jeff Facklis back in 2004/2005.

We’ve been watching Resolution since its birth, when long-time client Scott Jacobs first started singing its praises. As several old friends from now-vanished IPA and Rivet Media took up residency at Resolution Digital Studios, we began working with the firm — and sister companies Show Department and The Screen Works — more closely. Resolution’s Director of Marketing, Diane Mercurio, had been lobbying for a new Web site for as long as we’d known her, and she got her wish recently. Jell worked closely with Executive Producer Mitch Apley and the creative staff at Resolution to fashion the site of their dreams, with a powerful content management system to publish their myriad video, 360° VR, slideshow, and presentation assets. All completely iPhone-compatible, of course.

December 2009

Atelier Jouvence puts its mark
on the Art Institute’s Modern Wing

Perhaps one of the biggest cultural landmarks of 2009 was the opening of Renzo Piano’s Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago. Near the center of Grant Park and directly facing off against Frank Gehry’s Pritzker Pavilion, the Modern Wing is very hard to miss. While there has been much debate about the particulars of its architectural design and the not-entirely-modern collection it houses, no one in Chicago can deny that it’s one of the most significant new buildings to appear in downtown Chicago over the past decade. So imagine the pressure you might feel if you were invited to engrave the building’s name into the exterior stone wall — after the Wing opened and was already a very public (and popular) attraction!

That’s exactly what happened to our client Olivier Dumont, the French master carver who, with his wife and partner Sonia Dumont, runs Atelier Jouvence Custom Stoneworks. Dumont had the distinct pleasure of working 75 feet above street level in a 100-foot aerial lift, chiseling letters by hand into the pristine stone wall, amidst the chill winds of September and October.

You can read more about the project and Dumont’s profession in this December 9 Chicago Tribune profile. While Dumont certainly has the experience and expertise required for this prominent commission, we’re guessing he’s happy to take a break from such high-flying (and high-pressure) work, and return to creating the limestone mantels and range hoods for which Atelier Jouvence is most well known.

October 2009

Genus: a cancer breakthrough?

There have been myriad approaches to battling cancer over the years, and great strides in cancer management in the past decade. But can you imagine a therapy that could reverse otherwise intractable cancers without harming the patient? The scientists who formed Genus Oncology can. Based on years of research at Harvard Medical School's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, new therapies from Genus are scheduled to begin clinical trials early in 2010.

The biologically-inclined can delve into the Genus approach at the new site Jell launched at the beginning of October. Here's a gross oversimplification: Genus is targeting a specific protein (MUC1) that grows out of control in the epithelium (surface layer) of cancerous cells. Unlike other pharmacology companies, Genus strives to block the abnormal growth of MUC1 inside the cell, rather than attacking the overexpressed MUC1 proteins from the outside. Their lab trials on a variety of tumors, including breast and prostate cancers, have produced startling results. If the success rate of their clinical trials approaches that in the lab, Genus’s technology may be the most significant game-changer we’ve ever seen in cancer treatment.

September 2009

Commemorating Willye B. White

It was a gorgeous autumn morning on September 26. In Rogers Park, just east of the Howard “L” stop, Caribbean-style drum music filled the street. Dozens of community activists, neighborhood citizens, and civic leaders were gathering at a new Chicago Park District field house to dedicate the facility to a remarkable woman: Willye B. White, five-time Olympian and Chicago philanthropist.

Jell Creative worked for over a year with historian Julia S. Bachrach, Janis Taylor (a close friend of White’s), the Parkways Foundation, and the Chicago Park District to capture Willye’s life and achievements in a permanent lobby exhibit. The fabrication and installation, expertly managed by Colorphonic and The Talent Connection, was completed just in time for the dedication.

The field house was packed with TV news crews and Willye’s admirers, and the line at the podium was long: Maggie Daley, CPD Superintendent Tim Mitchell, Alderman Joe Moore, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Secretary of State Jesse White, CPD president Gery Chico, and former Olympians Diane Simpson-Bundy and Bob Pickens (also a CPD Commissioner) were among the many who competed for a few minutes at the mike to talk about Willye’s legacy. A small slide show of the event and the exhibit is offered here, but you might also want to browse the photos at 24/7 North of Howard Watchers and Lake Effect News.

August 2009

How does one become a FileMaker Visionary?

You could study FileMaker scripting night and day, and build elaborate databases in your free time. Or you could take a shortcut and just wear some special glasses that make you look…well, desperately overcaffeinated.

The back story: client Chris Kubica of Application Architects originally got the idea to launch a “genius bar” at FileMaker’s annual DevCon event back in 2007. Conference attendees with technical questions or tough problems could visit the booth, staffed by FileMaker savants, and get their answers quickly. Jell worked with Chris to create the FileMaker Visionary brand, and it has become one of the key attractions at DevCon. (The t-shirts are always a hit.)

For FileMaker Devcon 2009, we looked for a special draw to the booth, something that reminded attendees how dedicated the FileMaker Visionaries were to educating the masses. What could be better than bona fide hypnotic genius glasses, guaranteed to clarify even the knottiest database problems? Jell found the glasses, tested them thoroughly in our laboratories, and then fabricated the commemorative display card. Yes, we're keeping an eye on eBay.

June 2009

Grant Park Music Festival —
the coffee table book…

Did you know that Chicago has been graced with free classical concerts in Grant Park for 75 years? Or that this amazing civic tradition can be traced to a Depression-era public works program for unemployed musicians, pioneered by labor leader James C. Petrillo? Or that certain guest artists, like Lily Pons (in the 1930s) or Van Cliburn (in the 50s), could draw crowds well in excess of 100,000?

We learned all of this and much more. Now you can too. Working closely with authors Tony Macaluso, Julia S. Bachrach, and Neal Samors, Jell designed the 248-page definitive history of the Grant Park Music Festival, Sounds of Chicago’s Lakefront. The book celebrates the history of the Grant Park Orchestra & Chorus and the Festival’s future in Millennium Park. This is a lively, visual history — full of lovingly restored archival photos and stunning contemporary aerial shots, not to mention everything you want to know about Grant Park’s creation and how the concerts migrated from their original temporary wooden band shell to Frank Gehry’s gleeming Jay Pritzker Pavilion. And, to top it all off, the book features a foreword by Ron Magers and an introduction by pianist Van Cliburn.

The initial, limited-run hardcover edition will be available in mid-June. We strongly recommend reserving a copy now — for yourself or for any friends or family who love Chicago and classical music under the stars.

…and the online experience

The book was our first salvo in celebrating Grant Park Music Festival’s 75th season. The second was the complete reinvention of the GPMF Web site as a cutting-edge fan-culture site and tourist magnet.

The site has just about everything you’d hope for: a popup streaming music player chock full of Grant Park Orchestra & Chorus recordings, a customizable playlist, video clips, photo galleries, interactive calendars, a Flash timeline, podcasts, maps of nearby attractions, and copious notes on season offerings and performers. We believe GrantParkMusicFestival.com will become one of the most hotly visited sites for Chicagoans and tourists seeking entertainment through the summer months. There’s plenty to discover on the site now, but keep returning to look for new features as they roll out.

See samples of our rebranding and marketing of the Grant Park Music Festival.

May 2009

The Free Spirit Media bash

May 21 was the night that Chicago’s media elite — producers, directors, agency creatives, editors, and everyone else in the video, advertising, and broadcast business — came out to shift their focus from the daily grind to a higher ground. That was the night we celebrated Focus On Our Youth, a fundraiser for Free Spirit Media, the wonderful not-for-profit dedicated to teaching all aspects of media production to under-served urban youth.

As usual, the kids involved in the Free Spirit Media program were the stars — shooting the party in progress, interviewing attendees, and reminding all the partygoers exactly why their support was both crucial and worthwhile. Red Car Chicago costarred as the generous host, offering their wide-open studio space and a gorgeous deck with an amazing view of the Chicago River (not to mention the would-be Spire!). Jell’s contribution, as with the inaugural fundraiser in 2008, was design of the invitations, email alerts, and online ticketing page. For a little extra spice this year, we kicked in a big, bold yellow-and-black poster, plastered throughout the space, as a constant reminder of what the party was all about.

Stump’s latest and greatest

Yes, the elections are over (for now), but if you’re the type that couldn’t get quite enough of the blow-by-blows at Politico, Huffington Post, or DailyKos in 2008 — or even now, in 2009 — then you should pick up this new title from Chicago author Stump Connolly.

Connolly’s publisher, Dead Tree Press, hired Jell to consider some cover designs shortly before the new volume was to debut at Amazon. (In the world of political journal books, one must move very quickly from Election Day to Publication Day, or else things tend to go a bit stale.)

Stump takes readers for a wild ride through the back alleys and service roads of the presidential campaign trail. With a sidecar view of the major media units and a keen eye for the absurd, Stump provides a very good sense of what it’s like to be an independent, citizen-style reporter covering a huge, multimedia travelling circus. (We also recommend his 2004 journal, Talk’s Cheap, Let’s Race!) For a low-budget journalistic road warrior like Stump, it's the accumulation of myriad press credentials, each symbolizing another hard-won media-room clearance, that keeps the blood moving and security guards opening doors at the next big deal. And thus we arrived at the final cover design for The Long Slog.

April 2009

Rebranding Credentials

Heading into their 13th year, our new client Credentials Solutions had already embarked upon a name change when we met them. Credentials had pioneered the automation of student records management with their patented online degree and enrollment verification service back in 1997. That was a huge hit with both universities and employers. Their success in automating degree verification was soon followed by a host of other online “back room” services dedicated to streamlining tedious administrative and clerical tasks — everything from ordering student transcripts to parking permits to pet licenses. To slightly oversimplify, at many of their client institutions, you simply don’t have to stand in line anymore.

But with the expanding range of services, they were quickly outgrowing any narrow (or easy) market description. Our charge was to pick up on the new solutions-oriented name and give it full expression, with a fresh corporate umbrella, broad messaging platform, a full brand architecture, and a complete suite of support media, including logo packages, collateral, Web site, and a trade show system. Focused on the core message “Relax,” we worked with Exec VP Jack Weber to launch the new branding system online and at key sales events in time for the spring push.

A new site for a great organization

Where does one start when it comes to describing the Carole Robertson Center for Learning? Their reach? (At their three West Side facilities, they nurture and educate hundreds of low-income families, 75% of which live below federal poverty level.) Their history? (Formed in 1976, the center was named in honor of Carole Robertson, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair — the four girls who were killed in the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham.) Or perhaps their achievements and awards? Their grass-roots leadership? Their cool annual fundraiser at Schubas?

Okay, you might not have heard of them before, but you get the idea. This is one of those relatively rare not-for-profits that not only gets admirable things done but actually expands and improves year in and year out. Learn more about the Carole Robertson Center at the all-new crcl.net site. If you’re a corporate leader looking for a worthy way to give back — either financially or in volunteer hours – look no further.

The Week Behind relaunches

Journalist, filmmaker, and author Scott Jacobs has been running an online magazine since 1992. That’s right — 1992, roughly three or four years before most of the world discovered the Web. Back then, Jacobs was running IPA, the film and video post house which helped produce, among many other things, Hoop Dreams and Wild Chicago. Scott was always attracted to both storytelling and emerging technology, so IPA’s online journal, The Week Behind, was the natural result.

Jell redesigned the site in 2003 to take advantage of templates and modern CSS — but it was still a static HTML site and a labor of love for the editor. By late 2008, Scott had had his fill of hand-coding and asked us to redesign the site using the WordPress engine as a content management system. We did a complete overhaul, adding new departments, advertising administration, a photo gallery, and capacity for video embeds. The new site, updated with a more contemporary ezine design, launched April 15. The publication’s 17th anniversary will be celebrated in October at Quimby’s.

December 2008

Rock solid at Zera

Three generations. 51 years and counting. And — as they like to say — “You can’t scare us.” That’s Zera Construction, Chicago’s leading concrete restoration firm. These are the guys who repair stadiums, parking structures, and plazas after time and weather have taken their toll. Zera routinely takes on disasters waiting to happen and makes them solid again (and, in some cases, solid for the first time!).

Jell had the pleasure of working with Zera principals Chris and Tim Zera, along with marketing lead Sean Parnell, to completely reconstitute the firm’s brand. With more and more projects outside the midwest, especially in relatively far-flung locations like Florida and Hawaii, the Zera brothers wanted a fresh look with top-shelf marketing materials to reinforce their leadership position among prominent structural engineering firms and property managers around the country. Come back soon to see the print collateral.

See our rebranding of Zera Construction.

Promoting new products from Atelier Jouvence

How do you maintain customer loyalty and continue to generate excitement for big-ticket items in these skittish times? First, keep those lines of communication open at all times. Second, never stop tooting your horn. Third, let your customers know how much you appreciate them. Those were the basic principles underlying our Fall 2008 promotion for Atelier Jouvence, the country’s leading purveyor of handcarved stone mantels and range hoods.

Jell worked with owners Sonia and Olivier Dumont to craft email blasts and an integrated marketing campaign to announce and capitalize on their new line of standard mantels for 2009. By combining many points of contact in a short period — enewsletters, a more compelling home page, stronger SEO, postcard mailings, and a stylish “Mantels 2009” sweepstakes microsite devoted to rewarding loyalty among customers in the trade — Atelier Jouvence not only stayed on the radar throughout the holiday season, but also generated considerable B2B buzz within their core business community of interior designers, architects, and home builders. Plans are already afoot for fanning the fire in 2009.

November 2008

Finding Chicago Wilderness

For over a decade, the meticulously restored and protected wilderness areas of the Chicago region have remained something of a well-kept secret. Sure, there are those suburbanites lucky enough to live next door to a prairie, savannah, or forest preserve, but many others (especially inside the city limits) find the concept of “chicago” + “wilderness” hard to fathom. Besides, living next to a prairie doesn’t exactly guarantee appreciation. We’re willing to bet there are many neighbors around those preserves who wouldn’t mind seeing the “weeds” cleared out in favor of turf grass.

So it would probably come as an even greater surprise to millions of folks living within 100 miles the Loop that there is a very large and well-respected organization guiding the restoration and management of these amazing nature reserves. That would be Chicago Wilderness, an alliance of over 230 member organizations throughout northeast Illinois, southern Wisconsin, northern Indiana, and southwest Michigan. The CW alliance is now 12 years old, but they’ve somehow managed to remain an even greater secret than the 360,000 acres that they’ve protected. And that’s why CW’s leadership began working with public relations firm PCI in early 2008 to crystallize their public positioning, core values, and messages. In August, Jell was invited to join the year-long effort and to provide comprehensive branding services. At the end of a very intense three-month collaboration with CW and PCI (including focus groups throughout the region), Jell produced a new identity, tagline, slogan system, Web site, annual report, and myriad other pieces of collateral for the organization, all in time for their Autumn Benefit Dinner and 2008 Congress. We count this as one of our most remarkable rebranding successes to date.

Dan Seiler, sound + video

Jell first worked with Dan Seiler back in 2005, shortly after his publishing company, Seiler Media Group, released a great little educational video aimed at helping public speakers and panelists deal with a wide array of microphones in various speaking situations. That effort was something of a side project for Dan, whose bread and butter had always been sound engineering, sometimes for public events, but often for big video productions.

Well, Dan returned to Jell recently to establish a new corporate identity, bolster his core business, and promote his newer offerings in camera work. With a greatly expanded gear pack, Dan is now capable of handling many ENG and EFP shoots, documentary-style jobs, and multi-camera live broadcasts. We did the full suite — Web site and print identity — even including branded blank discs and USB drives.

October 2008

Panther East goes national

With great pride, we recently relaunched Panther East as a full-featured ecommerce site. Jell began working with Panther East, the largest supplier of equipment to commercial roofing contractors on the east coast, in 2006. Back then, the mission was to revitalize and modernize the site, but to preserve the online business model, which was strictly RFQ (Request for Quote) and mostly regional in scope. About one year ago, owner Richard Moore decided it was time to shake things up and begin selling nationally. The new site keeps the RFQ model intact — especially for heavy-duty equipment — but for a large range of products, adds the ability to order online. Customers can shop by Job Type, Category, Brand, or tags, and mix and match “Quote” and “Buy Now” items in their shopping carts. With twice as many brands and SKUs as one year ago, Panther East in now arguably the leading online shop in the contractor supplies category.

LPC celebrates out in the open

After years of hosting very cool holiday-themed fundraising events in the conservatory’s work area — known as the “Hothouse” — the Lincoln Park Conservancy trotted out a new tradition this year: the Glasshouse Gala. The old Hothouse Holiday was certainly fun and creative (remember the amazing WreathArt auctions?), but the new annual event aimed for a different, and decidedly tonier, feel. Jell worked closely with executive director Steve Zelner and development/marketing director Catharine Bell to set the bar very high indeed. Save the Date postcards, 6-panel invitations, and commemorative postcard bundles featured tightly cropped images of the Lincoln Park Conservatory’s most colorful flora by enthusiastic local photographers. Hundreds of supporters turned out on October 17 to party in the great glass rooms designed by Joseph Lyman Silsbee and to bid on items ranging from naming rights for a new orchid to a week in a rustic villa in the south of France. We highly recommend supporting the Conservancy and getting on the invite list for 2009.

Kansas, meet Kansas

If you were in Chicago circa 1989–1993 to witness the “Joe’s Basement” phenomenon on public access TV — or have visited the video archive at Ow Myeye Productions — you may think you know all there is to know about video editor and producer Joe Winston. (You may alternatively know Joe for his wild documentaries of the Burning Man Festival back when that event was still pure anarchist fun.) But what has Winston been up to lately? For the past two years, Winston teamed up with producer Laura Cohen to create a documentary inspired by Tom Frank’s popular book “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” This is a really compelling doc, so check the WTMWK site frequently for upcoming showings. The movie has been making the rounds of local screenings and film festivals, and recently opened the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita where it sold out three screenings. Congratulations Joe and Laura!

August 2008

Premia Capital in the Wall Street Journal

Longtime client Hilary Till of Premia Capital Management, LLC landed on page C1 of the Journal. Carolyn Cui, in her August 15 “Ahead of the Tape” column, reports on Till's research on recent market volatility. “Commodities were on their own in doing quite poorly,” Cui quotes Till. The latest fallout, Cui summarizes, “seems linked to economic factors, such as declining demand, not to mention Congressional hearings targeting speculation as well as portfolio rebalancing after a huge run-up. The upshot: A rebound will likely turn on market-specific momentum and the basics of supply and demand.”

Haitian zombies?

How did Jell get involved in a project about zombies? When we met cardiologist Reynold Ducasse, he was working on a new book, The Haitian Zombie Secret, a novel with a healthy dose of nonfiction. The book explores Haiti’s fixation with zombification. Delving into a bit of cultural psychoanalysis, Ducasse sheds some much-needed light on the undying myths and their origins. With his scientific perspective and research, the author hopes to set future generations free from the superstitions that have kept Haiti mired in fear and injustice.

Ducasse’s book is now available through Amazon, Abebooks, and Alibris. Jell created the companion Web site — an author’s blog — that offers interesting news, articles, and links on the subject. For the most clearheaded analyses and some frequently humorous views on zombies and their role in Haitian culture, visit The Full Zombie.

May 2008

Show Department, rebranded

25 years is a major milestone for any company. Our client decided to celebrate in style on May 22 with a red-carpet party at its U.S. headquarters in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor, with about 600 event management, production, and agency professionals in attendance. The celebration also offered the perfect venue for Show Department’s new logo and brand position: “Event Driven Communications.” The company has been staging events huge and small around the world for a very long time, but has grown substantially, with a cutting-edge affiliate offering production (Resolution Digital Studios) and one of the world’s leading supplier of projection screens (The Screen Works). The new position was clear: Show Department is all about events — great events.

Staging is still their specialty, but we needed to tell the world that Show Department could enter at early stages of the game to offer brainstorming, guidance, and support for every aspect of the event at hand — even broadcast and mobile video production. Their spectrum of services, all focused on the power of the special moment, is nicely captured with the tagline (“Event Driven Communications”), but we went one step further in the slogan: “Make Great Happen.”

The anniversary party was a hit, with plenty of longtime clients taking a fresh look at Show Department — as well as Resolution Digital Studios and The Screen Works. Handouts included branded sports bottles and a multidisc brochure highlighting recent projects for Walgreens, Starcom/Kellogs, Intersport, and Bravo/Top Chef.

Mile one: launching Marathon Pharmaceuticals

“Taking Pharmaceuticals Further” — that’s the vision of Marathon Pharmaceutical’s founder Robert Altman, an industry veteran who has worked his way from a chemistry PhD at Harvard and an MBA at The University of Chicago through sales, marketing, and management positions at major players like Astellas Pharma US. Marathon, based in Northbrook, is on the acquisition trail and plans to grow through strategic partnerships and targeted commercialization of niche products. Jell worked with Marathon to round out the brand and evoke the corporate vision online.

Celebrating connections with Free Spirit Media

It’s always nice to become acquainted with a not-for-profit that achieves amazing results against tough odds. A great example would be Free Spirit Media, the organization that mentors West Side kids and offers them invaluable training and real world experience in video production. FSM was founded in 2000, based on Jeff McCarter’s HoopsHIGH project, and is sponsored by numerous foundations, agencies, production houses, and media outlets, with many of the supporters offering volunteer time and workplace access. For their first major fundraiser, FSM decided to put the emphasis on all the wonderful connections created by this professional network of good will. Board of Directors president Kati Rooney and Resource Director Katie Ackert asked Jell to help sponsor Celebrating Connections by designing the invitation. One thing led to another, and we threw in an online ticketing and donations system, along with an email marketing template. Attendees at the event, hosted by Resolution Digital Studios, were treated to great food and drink, but the biggest treat of the evening was watching the FSM crew in action. They coordinated live switched coverage of the entire party, complete with teenaged newscasters, camera crew, and engineers. Free spirits perhaps, but absolutely professional.

April 2008

More soon!

We’re looking forward to June. By then, we’ll be able to stop at a new shop in the One East Delaware building and buy a box of designer cupcakes crafted by Gail Gand, the famous pastry chef of Tru. In anticipation of the grand opening, we recently posted a teaser page for More Cupcakes , LCC with the full-blast Web site to follow. Owner Patty Rothman has assembled an all-star cast to create the unique look and feel of More — decidedly more Miesian and high-style than your typical bakery — and we’re happy to lend a hand. Cupcake fanatics in Chicago will have much to talk about this summer.

Finally: the Brown Line Metalworks secret is out

It can be hard to keep a secret, but we’ve done it for a year and a half now. We’ve been looking at some very cool prototypes of a fairly revolutionary hand tool invented and engineered by Chicago’s Brown Line Metalworks that will change the market for torque wrenches. Until now, weekend mechanics who didn't have a grand or more to shell out on a professional digital torque wrench were stuck with just a few low-end non-digital options at the local hardware store. The new Brown Line model, which combines a microprocessor, LCD and LED controls, and their Double Gear Sensing System (patent pending), offers a level of precision that only professionals enjoy now. And the price is right — but that part is still a secret. If you want to see the tool and you like Vegas, here’s where to go.

See elements of the brand launch and marketing of Brown Line Metalworks.

March 2008

Levant Capital Management launched

We’re excited to announce the arrival of a new investment management firm for institutional investors. Levant Capital Management, LCC focuses on providing absolute returns on capital. The firm is the creation of Peter Levant, formerly of Northern Advisors, his first independent investment research firm covering commodity futures markets. Peter is extremely hands-on; his research has taken him to more than 35 countries on four continents.

Jell Creative developed the Levant Capital Management corporate identity and Web site.

February 2008

Bridge Strategy Group makes global headlines

Over the past five months, Jell has been working on a new look for Bridge Strategy Group LLC. As we tweaked the existing identity, developed a new capabilities brochure, designed a Web site makeover, and engineered an advanced content management system, our client was up to even larger things.

At the end of January, just weeks before the new site was launched, Satyam announced its purchase of Bridge. As Ramalinga Raju, founder and chairman of Satyam, said: “Bridge Strategy Group is a highly respected organization that is well known for its exceptional professionals and its acumen in seven key industries. By absorbing the company, we gain an immediate influx of 36 brilliant and experienced strategy consultants, most of whom are alumni of the world's best strategy consulting firms and business schools. We also significantly bolster our ability to provide the entire spectrum of services to global customers.”

Sara Whiteley Design gets a makeover

If you’ve purchased a condo in a large development recently, you probably remember “selection day.” That’s the day you return to the sales center to choose everything — carpet, countertops, fixtures, you name it.

As we learned, the leading firm in this field (Residential Development Selection) in the Chicago and Boston markets is Sara Whiteley Design. Jell developed an entirely new corporate identity system for the firm, a capabilities brochure, and a matching Web site. The new look, a blend of corporate sensibility and art-school-edgy, cleanly separates SWD from their competitors, where stodgy is often the norm.

Online reel for Ben Vance

We’ve worked with video artist Ben Vance on several exciting projects over the past 10 years, including the King of Bluegrass DVD published by Straight Six Films and the Times Square Supersign for Wells Fargo. Ben currently produces motion graphics for broadcast and concert tours in Los Angeles. If you’re looking for amazing After Effects from a very bright animator, check out Ben Vance's reel.

January 2008

Sid Lubitsch premieres

Sid has been a well-respected, widely-known DP (that’s Director of Photography, aka “shooter” or “cameraman”) for 25 years, travelling the world and shooting a wide range of commercials, documentaries, and corporate videos. But until now, Sid lacked a Web site. Jell is please to announce the premiere of Sid Lubitsch’s online portfolio, as well as his new identity system.

Author Julia Bachrach
interviewed on Chicago Tonight regarding
Inspired by Nature and the Garfield centennial

It’s always thrilling to see one of your longtime clients interviewed on TV, especially when the topic is a project like Inspired by Nature, the book that we developed with Julia and coauthor Jo Ann Nathan over the course of the past couple of years.

On the January 9th edition of Chicago Tonight, Phil Ponce interviewed Julia about the book and the history of the Garfield Park Conservatory. The interview came on the heels of a wonderful review in the Chicago Tribune Books section, which said “...just in the nick of time, the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance has published a book filled with reminiscences, historical accounts and stunning photos of the West Side’s crown jewel...Bachrach and Nathan’s book shows the landmark for what it truly is: a reflection of Chicago — perpetually in transition, its demography in flux, but fundamentally true to an identity planted long ago, its thick roots now inexorably entwined with history.”

December 2007

Join us at Lincoln Park Conservancy’s Hothouse Holiday

Jell Creative has worked with the Lincoln Park Conservancy for a number of years, promoting awareness of the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool. We have also periodically helped with their annual Hothouse Holiday fundraising event.

This year’s event on Tuesday December 4 is special: it’s the Tenth Anniversary of the Hothouse Holiday. In addition to a Live Auction of work by Dale Chihuly, Richard Hunt, and Victor Skrebneski, LPC will offer a Silent Auction of Wreathart — over 60 holiday-inspired creations by local artists and designers. Jell’s Joe Grossmann created the entry shown here. Please bid high. Supporting the Lincoln Park Conservatory is a great cause.

November 2007

Book celebrating Garfield centennial,
Inspired by Nature, released

For the past year and a half, Jell Creative has been working closely with authors Julia Bachrach (historian for the Chicago Park District) and Jo Ann Nathan (director of the Jens Jensen Legacy Project) to produce a book celebrating the centennial of the Garfield Conservatory. Julia and Jo Ann have produced an amazing history.

Inspired by Nature: The Garfield Park Conservatory and Chicago’s West Side, with a wonderful foreword by Alex Kotlowitz, explores the relationship between this oasis of nature and the surrounding community, and features the reflections of both young and old residents of the neighborhood. The book is rich in names, dates, and anecdotes, but it is also a stunning photo album capturing nearly 140 years of urban society, development, and nature.

In addition to design and proofreading, Jell scanned and painstakingly restored over 135 archival photos of Garfield Park, the Conservatory, and the surrounding West Side community. We also worked with photographer Brook Collins to select 47 full-color contemporary photos.

Inspired by Nature, published by the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance and distributed by The University of Chicago Press, is now widely available in Chicago stores and online at Amazon. We hope you’ll pick up a copy and learn about Chicago’s West Side and early visionaries like William Le Baron Jenney and Jens Jensen.

And yes, between readings, this book will look great on your coffee table. Let us know what you think.