Why We’re Different

Vision + Collaboration

The ability to cultivate beautiful, targeted solutions that connect a viewer and a marketing piece is one of Cryst Design Communication’s defining traits. Another is our dedication to clear, open communication with our clients. As well, we have the wisdom to let the client’s knowledge of their services, products and customers form the foundation for a project while allowing our experience and creativity to build unexpected and successful solutions upon it.

These traits have served our clients well and combine to form a unique blend of services and partnerships that define Cryst Design Communication.

Off-Site Creative Direction

One such unique service is our Off-site Creative Director program. Born out of a collaborative relationship with our first client (see the sidebar at the right), this program is designed to:

Help organizations improve their marketing efforts without having to take on additional salaries, benefits and company resources that could be used more efficiently.

Not every organization is structured to manage and employ a team of talented people that can tackle the wide variety of graphic design and marketing needs confronting the modern business:

  • web development and maintenance
  • brand development
  • sales collateral
  • advertisements
  • social media management
  • event materials
  • press materials

…it can be a daunting task to develop so much while staying in budget.

At Cryst Design Communication our Off-site Creative Director program helps businesses with limited in-house capabilities develop first-class graphic design and marketing programs without interrupting your existing workflow or exploding the budget.

How It Works

Our Creative Principal, Brian Cryst, will work directly with your existing Marketing team to:

  • Plug in to your organization’s mission, goals and standard operating procedures
  • Dissect your position within the marketplace or industry and identify what separates you from competitors
  • Analyze those strengths and weaknesses and develop a course of action to turn challenges into opportunities
  • Assist in implement marketing initiatives to achieve goals and strengthen your brand

Every organization’s need is different, so each course of action will be different. Some organizations may have an in-house marketing staff capable of carrying out plans, but they need assistance in bringing together a strategic campaign or overall brand vision. In this case, Brian can step in and assist in developing the strategy and vision to move your business forward.

In other cases, an organization may have strong marketing leadership but need assistance in carrying out the marketing plan. In that case, Cryst Design Communication can act as an off-site graphic design and implementation team to carry out those plans.

Benefits

The Off-site Creative Director Program provides:

  • The benefits of having first-class graphic design and marketing capabilities without the overhead of additional employees
  • Award-winning design capabilities seamlessly integrated into your existing marketing team
  • A fresh, outside perspective on your marketing efforts
  • Flexible partnership agreements that provide the services you need while being conscious of budgetary constraints

Back in 2007, when Cryst Design Communication was first formed, a colleague referred us to a company called the Hilton Head Health Institute (now referred to as Hilton Head Health)— a destination for people who are ready to change their lifestyle to achieve permanent, healthy weight loss.

At the time that we connected, they were researching local advertising agencies around the Hilton Head, South Carolina area to work with on a more permanent basis, but needed a few marketing pieces in the meantime. We were hired on a project-by-project basis to develop a billboard, a coupon book, and new business cards. The billboard project came first, and we provided three initial concepts. Hilton Head Health immediately gravitated to a type-based solution that read, “Where weight is lost. As in never found again. Ever.”—with their logo and web site URL next to it. They loved that we were able to succinctly capture the spirit of their program in an intelligent, straight-forward manner.

Next, we completed the coupon book and business card projects which led to a few print advertisements and a realization from Hilton Head Health: they didn’t need a full blown ad agency. The relationship that was building between the marketing team at Hilton Head Health and Brian Cryst, our Creative Principal, was a seamless fit.

Hilton Head Health stopped researching local ad agencies and we worked out a mutually beneficial agreement for Cryst Design Communication to provide services on a monthly basis. And that precise moment is when Off-site Creative Direction was born.

Brian visited Hilton Head Health shortly thereafter to immerse himself in the Healthy Lifestyle™ program. Since that visit in January of 2008, through weekly phone meetings and e-mail, Cryst Design Communication has been acting as an off-site creative director and graphic design team—from 1,000 miles away! In those three years, we have completed hundreds of projects together while building a more dynamic and engaging visual brand. To see more samples of the work we have done together, please see the Our Work section.

Understanding that we each have the opportunity to leave a positive impact on the world around us cannot be understated…