Where do great new ideas come from?

To all of you out there that think you know design: unless you have a solid design morgue of great concepts to find inspiration from, you don’t have a firm handle on how the process really works!

I have actually met/worked with designers (and even past partners) that don't see the value in going to design shows and never build a library of design other then their own concepts. This is sad because they are missing out or have forgotten why we all went into the field of design in the first place.

All of the greatest creative people from history drew their inspiration from something they were exposed to by a predecessor. My dad always said: “Good designers create, great designers steel!” Meaning that all great designs start with inspiration from seeing something that stirs their creative juices and gets the ideas flowing. Remember: there is a big difference between inspiration and plagiarism!

I recommend that you, as a designer or marketing professional start collecting brochures that make you stop and go wow! Organize them by type and whenever you have a project, take a few minutes to relax and look through your collection. Keep the collection growing too.

There is always a new twist to see and find inspiration from. You might like the approach someone took with the typography on a brochure. You might like the way someone positioned his or her photos in relation to the page and text. You might like the way that a picture was taken and the technique used to make it memorable. Put this all together, coupled with your - skill set and talent, and you have a fresh new design that (hopefully) others may find inspiration from.

I feel that in order to be a great designer, you must first get over the notion that you have the market cornered on creativity and embrace the concept that others around you can provide you stimulating ideas that will help you grow. Confidence and arrogance are very different. Add excitement and curiosity to your lexicon and ideas will be abundant.

- Tom

Great Design Concepts

Advertising and Marketing…Radical Simplicity

In advertising and marketing communication, to many people believe more is more. Cram the page! Say it all - about everything! - and don’t forget the kitchen sink!

The fact is, more ain’t more!

Direction! Focus! Application! Say just enough to nail the sale…and save the rest for a company biography.

Good advertising and marketing design, like the selfless Samaritan, takes one step back to push the message three steps forward. It surrounds the story in a pleasing visual environment, stubbornly refusing to compete for attention. Rather, it is happy to pause the eye – sometimes in inexplicable ways – and tenderly, persuasively draw the reader in.

From corporate advertising to retail advertising, our well thought out creative designs get attention for our clients.

Curran Corporate Design, Inc.Think…Create…Succeed.
Advertising and Marketing Services

Direct Mail…It Really Works!

Post card mailers, call-to-action mailers, dimensional mailers, newsletter distribution, information pieces, circulars – They all have one thing in common. If they are composed with a simple and compelling message and are visually appealing, direct mail works. It works really well.

Couple a well-designed piece with a strong distribution list direct mail can truly be a tremendous source of new business development and support. Direct mail is an ideal accompaniment to strategic advertising when tested in the right markets.

Is direct mail right for your business? It could be. Is Curran Corporate Design, Inc. the best choice for you to partner with in your direct mail campaign? Definitely. Give us a call and lets explore the possibilities together.

Curran Corporate Design, Inc.Think…Create…Succeed.
Direct Mail Services

Hey Brainiack…Where’s Your Web Site?

Flash…eCRM…ePRM…HTML Mail…Delivery Channel Management…SFA Modules…Collaborative Filtering…WLA tools…RSS feeds,,,Affiliated Marketing...raise your hand when your head starts to explode!

There are so many electronic media tools out there designed to convey your message and help you serve your customers better as well as market to new potential customers. But where do you start?

We don’t suggest that you grunt and throw a Mastodon bone at the Moon, but it is important to know your needs and the needs of your customers before you jump on the next space shuttle to planet techno.

That being said, it is important to face some facts. The world is moving to electronic media as the new source for bringing businesses and people together. Electronic marketing is quickly replacing conventional Print, TV and Radio advertising as the way to reach a larger marketplace.

You need to begin to learn more about your options to communicate your services, products and needs to your potential audience...but first, you need a good web presence as your platform for "the world of tomorrow"!

From attractive business-to-business web sites, to full-blown ecommerce initiatives, we have produced effective solutions that help our clients stay on the cutting edge of societal evolution so that they can market smart.

Let us show you how.

Curran Corporate Design, Inc.Think…Create…Succeed.
Corporate website design

The Annual Report…Not a Job For The Novice

The Curran name means annual reports and corporate literature. It is an unarguable fact.

Curran is the first family of corporate annual reports in the United States. From Tom Curran Sr.’s pioneering of the modern annual report in the 1950’s to Tom Curran Jr.’s mastery of financial communications and new technologies, the Curran name has meant sophistication and quality unmatched anywhere.

What makes us better than our peers? It’s simple. It’s in our genes…It’s our life…and it’s who we are. In fact, several other design firms have learned everything they know about annual reports and corporate communications directly from Tom Curran Jr. – a point of pride for us.

We understand that the annual report is the highest form of advertising communications for most companies and is often the single most important document that they produce. It must reach out and communicate to a variety of audiences clearly and persuasively.

A lot can and often does go wrong with the production of an annual report. In this field, experience matters.

Curran Corporate Design, Inc.Think…Create…Succeed.

Annual Report Specialists