blog

blog http://adaircreative.com/blog/ Flower by Drew Barrymore http://adaircreative.com/blog/flower-by-drew-barrymore/ Last week we launched a website for Flower, a new line of cosmetics by Drew Barrymore. You can check it out at <a href="http://www.flowerbeauty.com" target="_blank">www.flowerbeauty.com</a>. 
Flower is unique in the world of cosmetics. It uses the same prestige formulas you find in high end department store cosmetics, but the Flower face, eye, lip and nail products are available at mass market prices exclusively at Walmart.
At the beginning of this project, we knew that a beauty product with beautiful packaging deserved a beautiful website. Our brainstorming lead to a parallax concept, where the user can get to all of the website content without ever leaving the main page. The approach created a simple yet elegant user experience, where the website user can simply scroll from one section to the next, while individual products rotate in and out from the right. In addition to the product information, the website includes a behind-the-scenes photo and video section, as well as a store finder.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/flower1.jpg" width="550" height="393" alt="" title=""/>
We also created a mobile optimized version of the website for both tablet and phone viewing. Our goal with the mobile site was to keep all of the same content, but to rethink the interface and user experience. The resulting mobile site provides a simple browsing experience where the visitor may swipe through sections and products, swipe through photos, and easily access the store locator map.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/flower2.jpg" width="550" height="349" alt="" title=""/>
You can learn more about the <a href="http://www.adaircreative.com/our-work/project/flower-beauty-web/80">website</a> and the <a href="http://www.adaircreative.com/our-work/project/flower-mobile-website/81">mobile website</a> in our portfolio. Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:04:16 -0600 http://adaircreative.com/blog/flower-by-drew-barrymore/ New Video for JBU Degree Completion http://adaircreative.com/blog/new-video-for-jbu-degree-completion/ Here is a 30-second TV spot we just released for the John Brown University Degree Completion Program. The spot encourages adults to finish their college degree at JBU, rather than continue to be bogged down by the normal responsibilities in life.
We were privileged to collaborate with the amazingly talented Luke Flowers for illustration and Nathan McKey for original music.
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/55046376?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0" width="550" height="309" frameborder="0">&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe> Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:13:49 -0600 http://adaircreative.com/blog/new-video-for-jbu-degree-completion/ Adair Creative Opens Video Division http://adaircreative.com/blog/adair-creative-opens-video-division/ The landscape for a digital company is always changing. Over the past 10 years, I’ve watched firsthand as the distinct mediums of TV and the Internet have converged. The line between these mediums is blurrier today than it has ever been. Just a few years ago, the only option for consuming video content was on TV’s or at theaters. Today, people consume video online at an increasing rate, while watching video on the go via phones and tablets. And this is just the beginning.
For over 5 years, Adair Creative has offered design and digital services that help our clients look good, communicate with their customers, and achieve their business goals. I’ve always felt that video production is a natural extension of the services we provide, but I’ve also always been cautious to not offer a service if it wasn’t our strength. If we were going to offer video production, I didn’t want to be marginal at it.
So today I’m thrilled to welcome Zach Kennedy to our Adair Creative team in Bentonville. Zach joins us to open our video division, Adair Creative Studio. Zach and I have been friends for over a decade, and I’ve admired his work over the years. He brings a deep knowledge and vast experience in all areas of the video production life cycle.
Our video focus is simple: we will tell your story in a meaningful and memorable way. Yes, the quality of our shooting and editing will be strong. But what sets us apart is our dedication to learning your story, and then telling it in a way that moves your audience to action. Just as it is with our other services, we will offer the production quality you can get from the big guys, but without the price tag you also get from the big guys.
Please click below to view our video reel, and join me in welcoming Zach Kennedy to Adair Creative.
<a href="http://adaircreative.com/video-reel/"><img src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/studio-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Adair Creative Studio Video Reel" width="550" height="309" title=""/></a> Tue, 04 Sep 2012 06:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/adair-creative-opens-video-division/ Announcing Our New Website http://adaircreative.com/blog/announcing-our-new-website/ It appears you have found our new website. Welcome.
For some time now, a new website has been on our ToDo list, but sadly, it had been sitting quietly at the bottom of that list. As one month turned to the next, I grew increasingly embarrassed when someone told me that he had visited our website. There was nothing terribly wrong with our previous site, but we all knew it was not the best representation of Adair Creative.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/acg-new-web.jpg" alt="Adair Creative Group Website" width="550" height="392" title=""/>
So with our 5th anniversary approaching, we used this as motivation to bring our new site to the surface. It has truly been a team effort to pull together the concepts, design, writing, imagery, and development work required, even for a simple site like this. I offer a sincere thanks to my team for their hard work in making us look good.
The main purpose of this website is to display samples of the work we have created over the past 5 years. It is one thing to say what we do, and it’s another thing to show what we do. On every website we design, we start with the most important page – the homepage. On this project, we also started with the most important page. But in this case, that was the Our Work page. As we neared time to launch, we still had not designed a homepage, and none of us could come up with much of an argument for even having a homepage.
So we made the decision that no homepage was needed. When you visit adaircreative.com, you’ll be taken directly to the most important page – Our Work. We hope you’ll grab a cup of coffee and have a look around. Enjoy. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:23:50 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/announcing-our-new-website/ Five Years of Extraordinary Clients http://adaircreative.com/blog/five-years-of-extraordinary-clients/ Anyone in my position would be wise to tell you how fond he is of his clients, but I can truly tell you that I LOVE our clients.
As I think back over five years of client relationships, I see entrepreneurs and start-ups, ministries, non-profits, educational institutions, and more. So many of our clients are truly impacting the world in positive ways. This inspires me.
With each new client, it’s a chance to learn about a new industry, target a new audience, and solve for a new set of challenges. Because of this, I arrive at work every morning with energy and excitement for the day ahead.
When I think of our clients…
I think of MVretail. This is a small start up here in Bentonville, originally consisting of two entrepreneurs who left their established careers to follow an idea. They saw an opportunity to create software that would allow companies to manage their mobile work force in the retail environment. They’ve poured over three years of blood, sweat, and tears into this idea, and guess what -- they’re doing it! We’ve stood with MVretail as they’ve moved from idea to income, and they’re just getting started.
I think of Praisecharts. Based in Canada, the only way to describe Praisecharts is “innovative.” I don’t use this word lightly, because I believe there are few real innovators out there. But Praisecharts’ owner Ryan Dahl may be the truest innovator that I have ever known. With the founding of Praisecharts, he innovated the way worship pastors browse, buy, and receive sheet music for their worship services. As our partnership has grown, we’ve gotten to be a part of other innovations – worship planning software, a dynamic chord chart system, a new way for Liturgical churches to plan a service, a new way to train your worship staff, an eBook concept on par with the major distributors out there, and a worship media site that integrates seamlessly with music customers.
I think of Hope Force International. Hope Force is a small non-profit out of Nashville, with the mission of providing relief to people who have had their lives turned upside down by a natural disaster. From Haiti to West Virginia, they are impacting lives. Hope Force can’t help everyone in the world who might need it, but they know the major impact they can have on a life when they show up, listen, offer encouragement, and help rebuild.
I think of NWA Healthy Marriages. Imagine what our families and communities would be like if there was no divorce and no broken homes. This vision leads this non-profit organization to provide couples with training and resources to improve their marriages and relationships. They were the first ever Adair Creative client, and over the past five years I have seen first-hand their powerful impact on our community.
We have way too many awesome clients to name, but as you browse <a href="http://adaircreative.com/our-work/">our work</a> you will meet many more of these extraordinary businesses and organizations. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:21:56 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/five-years-of-extraordinary-clients/ Bentonville Public Library Website http://adaircreative.com/blog/bentonville-public-library-website/ Last week we launched a <a href="http://www.bentonvillelibrary.org/" target="_blank">new website for the Bentonville Public Library</a>. The library is one of the major institutions and destinations here in Downtown Bentonville, and we are honored to have partnered with them on this project.
Despite all of the library’s helpful programs and beautiful facilities, their previous website was sorely lacking. Our goals for the new site were many:
<ul><li>represent the quality of the library</li>
<li>showcase their many services and programs</li>
<li>provide a portal into their comprehensive online research options</li>
<li>make the content-heavy website clearly organized and easy to navigate</li>
</ul>On top of these goals, we built the website on a content management system, allowing the library staff to take over the daily maintenance of the website.
We hope you <a href="http://www.bentonvillelibrary.org/" target="_blank">enjoy the website</a>, and I strongly encourage you to visit the Bentonville Public Library.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/library1.jpg" width="450" height="345" alt="" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/library2.jpg" width="450" height="334" alt="" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/library3.jpg" width="450" height="335" alt="" title=""/> Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:05:08 -0600 http://adaircreative.com/blog/bentonville-public-library-website/ Tusk & Trotter Mixed Media http://adaircreative.com/blog/tusk-and-trotter-mixed-media/ One of our most enjoyable projects from 2011 was a comprehensive mixed media campaign for Tusk &amp; Trotter American Brasserie. Tusk &amp; Trotter is a new gastropub that opened up just around the corner from our office in downtown Bentonville.
We started by assisting the restaurant in establishing their identity, including imagery and voice. The identity features bold and retro typographic elements that compliment the fun and sometimes tongue-in-cheek voice. We’ve applied that identity to just about anything you can think of — menus, kid’s menu, environmental graphics, website, coasters, print/web/outdoor ads, collateral materials, apparel, mugs, product photography, food labels, and more.
Here’s a sampling of our work for Tusk &amp; Trotter.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ttmenu2.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Menu" width="450" height="354" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ttmug.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Mug" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ttcoasters.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Coasters" width="450" height="208" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ttsketch2.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Sketch" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ttphotodessert.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Dessert" width="450" height="262" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ttbillboard.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Billboard" width="450" height="272" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ttbreadlable.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Coffee Cake Label" width="450" height="315" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ttwebsite.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Website" width="450" height="273" title=""/> Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0600 http://adaircreative.com/blog/tusk-and-trotter-mixed-media/ A Christmas Puzzle from Adair Creative http://adaircreative.com/blog/a-christmas-puzzle-from-adair-creative/ <a title="Answer" href="http://adaircreative.com/assets/Uploads/Riddle2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/puzzleblog.jpg" alt="Tusk &amp; Trotter Website" width="560" height="466" title=""/></a> Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:00:00 -0600 http://adaircreative.com/blog/a-christmas-puzzle-from-adair-creative/ Job Opening: Web Developer http://adaircreative.com/blog/job-opening-web-developer/ <div>
Adair Creative Group seeks a web developer who will bring a high level of quality, consistency, and efficiency to web development and programming. The web developer will be looked to as a leader and expert on all items related to web development, and he/she is expected to deliver fully functional website and mobile solutions that meet and exceed project goals and client expectations.
Job duties:
<ul><li>Create standards compliant websites and pages using HTML5/XHTML and CSS</li>
<li>Develop advanced web-based applications including shopping carts / e-commerce, blogs, content management systems, and other interactive items</li>
<li>Develop custom web-based applications</li>
<li>Design and create databases for web applications</li>
<li>Develop mobile applications; both web apps and native apps</li>
<li>Perform maintenance on previously completed websites</li>
<li>Stay current with industry trends and technologies</li>
</ul>Qualities and Skills:
<ul><li>Proficiency in HTML5/XHTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, XML, and AJAX</li>
<li>Understanding of MVC programming, PHP frameworks, and JavaScript libraries</li>
<li>Experience with CMS SilverStripe and WordPress is a plus</li>
<li>Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop is a plus</li>
<li>Experience with Sencha Touch and Titanium for mobile development is a plus</li>
<li>Attention to detail in all phases of a project, including usability/accessibility, design nuances, and technical best practices</li>
<li>Ability to work as part of a team in a fast-paced and deadline oriented environment</li>
<li>Ability to receive and act upon constructive criticism from coworkers and clients</li>
<li>Written and verbal communication skills</li>
</ul>If you are interested in applying for this position, send your resume, qualifications, and examples of your work to <a href="mailto:%20david@adaircreative.com">david@adaircreative.com</a>.
</div> Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/job-opening-web-developer/ Catching Up and Some Recent Work http://adaircreative.com/blog/catching-up-and-some-recent-work/ I’ve been way to quiet on our blog of late, but that’s certainly not an indication that nothing has been happening in the world of Adair Creative. Quite the opposite actually…here are the highlights from the past few months.
<ul><li>At the beginning of May we added Nathan Brauer to our team. Nathan is a skilled web developer, and he works for us from San Francisco, CA. Nathan spent the month May with us here in Bentonville, but he’s back with his family now and will work from San Fran going forward.</li>
<li>In addition to working on many ongoing accounts, we’ve taken on several new clients, including: MerchantView, Tusk &amp; Trotter American Brasserie, Robinson Avenue Church of Christ, ForeverRed, the Kester Group, Highline Technical Innovations, the Bentonville Running Festival, and Blessings Unlimited (a subsidiary of DaySpring). I’m excited to show off some of this new work in the coming months.</li>
<li>We continue to work on a little bit of everything – print design, logo and identity development, website design, mobile development, email campaigns, web application development, search engine optimization, packaging, and more.</li>
</ul>Here’s a look at a few of our recent projects.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/wildcat.jpg" alt="Highline Tech Website" width="450" height="354" title=""/>
Highline Technical Innovations is doing something about high gas prices with their amazing Wildcat Booster series of products. The Wildcat Booster is a hydrogen injection system for cars, commercial trucks, and farm equipment that can greatly increase fuel economy. We launched this website this week.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/kester.jpg" alt="Kester Group Website" width="450" height="350" title=""/>
The Kester Group is a small company that helps organizations get big results in the world of grants and fundraising. I have known the principal Cheryl Kester for many years, and it has been a privilege to help her craft a new identity for her company along with this new website that is hot off the press.
 <img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/smalleyvday.jpg" alt="Valentine's Day Banner" width="450" height="135" title=""/>
In the first part of the year, we created an extensive campaign for this Valentine’s Day event with Gary Smalley. The campaign included a website, email marketing, social media, billboards, online advertising, postcards, an event manual, and more. Pictured here is one of the billboards.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/dayspringemail.jpg" alt="Dayspring Totes" width="450" height="527" title=""/>
We’ve worked on quite a few email campaigns in recent months, including this split test campaign for DaySpring. This particular campaign featured a line of themed tote bags.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/RACOC.jpg" alt="Robinson Abenue Church of Christ Website" width="450" height="340" title=""/>
We recently launched this website for Robinson Avenue Church of Christ. The website is maintained by the church staff via a CMS and the site features sermon audio, an events calendar, and a password protected photo directory for church members.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/jbudlbrochre.jpg" alt="JBU Web Brochure" width="450" height="291" title=""/>
John Brown University just announced their first ever online undergraduate degree in Business Administration. This is the cover of a brochure for the program, and we also shot the photography you see here. Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/catching-up-and-some-recent-work/ Introducing WorshipVue http://adaircreative.com/blog/introducing-worshipvue/ Most of our time at Adair Creative Group is spent working on projects for our clients, but I’ve always had in the back of my mind that I’d like to try our own venture someday. Through a close partnership with <a href="http://www.praisecharts.com/">Praisecharts</a> and <a href="http://www.fer-vent.com/">Fervent</a>, <a href="http://www.worshipvue.com/">WorshipVue.com</a> has given us the opportunity to do just that.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/worshipvue1.jpg" alt="Worship Vue Website" width="450" height="341" title=""/>
WorshipVue is a new site we created that sells downloadable video and still media for use by churches and other ministries. The media ranges from background loops and still images to themed short movies and song tracks.
Just about a year ago, we began to brainstorm the concept for a worship media website with our good friends at Praisecharts and video-producer Fervent. We quickly recognized that we could pool our resources in an attempt to make the best media site available. Late in the fall of 2010, we began design and development on WorshipVue, and we’ve dedicated just about every spare moment around our office since then to its creation.
We’re excited to have launched the WorshipVue beta last week, and we’re eager to receive feedback from new customers on how we can tweak the website and improve the catalog to create a powerful ministry resource.
For me, I have learned so much in this process of creating a web-based business. This experience will prove so valuable as we work with clients every day who are doing the same things with their websites that we are doing with WorshipVue. I’ve got to give it to Nic, Tyler, and Mark on our staff for their dedication to this project, along with the many hours of work by Bryson Moore at Fervent and Ryan Dahl at Praisecharts.
<a href="http://www.worshipvue.com/">Give the site a look</a> and follow WorshipVue on <a href="http://twitter.com/worshipvue">twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/WorshipVue">facebook</a> to keep up with where we go in the future.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/worshipvue2.jpg" alt="Worship Vue Website 2" width="450" height="372" title=""/> Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/introducing-worshipvue/ Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011 http://adaircreative.com/blog/goodbye-2010-hello-2011/ <div>
At the beginning of 2010, my hope was that Adair Creative would continue to mature into a full-service digital agency. As I look back on the year, I see that we did just that. Our core services have always been graphic design and web design and development, but our expertise has continued to grow in a number of related areas.
In 2010, we:
<ul><li>created our first iPhone app</li>
<li>designed and developed other mobile applications</li>
<li>designed and managed many email marketing campaigns</li>
<li>assisted multiple clients in utilizing social media to accomplish business goals</li>
<li>developed a diverse mix of e-commerce websites</li>
<li>refined our Search Engine Optimization skill set on multiple websites</li>
<li>developed new systems for incorporating large amounts of video and other multimedia into online applications</li>
</ul>Every day that we’re at work, we learn. And everything we learn will continue to benefit each of our customers as we move forward in the rapidly changing digital world.
I am also especially grateful for our skilled, fun, and dedicated team at Adair Creative. In 2010, we did not lose or add any employees, and this stability is largely responsible for our success and growth this year.
As I look forward to 2011, I envision more of the same. But in our business, “the same” always entails learning, growing, and meeting new challenges. I want to continue to be the digital expert that you turn to as an extension of your team.
Additionally, 2011 will mark the launch of our first “pet project”. For the past few months, we’ve been working hard on a website idea that we will play a lead role in overseeing into the future. I won’t share all of the details just yet, but stay tuned for more on this in the next couple months.
Happy new year!
</div> Mon, 03 Jan 2011 12:00:00 -0600 http://adaircreative.com/blog/goodbye-2010-hello-2011/ Case Study: PraiseCharts http://adaircreative.com/blog/case-study-praisecharts/ On October 1, we launched the new <a href="http://www.praisecharts.com/">praisecharts.com</a>. For over 10 years, PraiseCharts has served churches around the world by providing sheet music and other resources for musicians and worship leaders.
In March of 2009, we set out to redesign and develop the PraiseCharts website. At that time, we had no idea how complex of an undertaking this redesign would be. But the challenge has led to an incredibly fulfilling project and client relationship.
There is no way I could shed light on all of the hours of meeting, planning, dreaming, designing, building, and testing, but here is a glimpse behind the design and development of the new <a href="http://www.praisecharts.com/">praisecharts.com</a>.
<h3>Old vs. New</h3>
The old PraiseCharts website.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/old.png" alt="Old PraiseCharts Website" title="old" width="450" height="334"/>
<div id="attachment_298" style="width: 450px;">
The new PraiseCharts website.
</div>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/new.png" alt="The new PraiseCharts website" title="new" width="450" height="302"/>
<h3>A New Identity</h3>
At the foundation of the redesign was a new graphical identity. After many rounds of logo designs, we settled on the new PraiseCharts logo.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/pclogo.png" alt="PraiseCharts logo" title="pclogo" width="450" height="287"/>
<div id="attachment_301" style="width: 450px;">
Start On Paper
</div>
We always like to start on paper. Here is one of our early flowcharts.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/flowchart1.png" alt="Flowchart" title="flowchart1" width="450" height="256"/>
We’d routinely leave a meeting with a flowchart looking something like this.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/flowchart21.jpg" alt="Flowchart 2" title="flowchart2" width="450" height="352"/>
Here is 1 of about 10 diagrams our client submitted, outlining the checkout process. Simple, right?
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/flowchart31.jpg" alt="Flowchart 3" title="flowchart3" width="369" height="450"/>
<h3>Design</h3>
We began by quickly sketching out many different areas of the interface. In this sketch, we explored various layouts for the list of songs.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/sketch11.jpg" alt="Interface sketch" title="sketch1" width="450" height="353"/>
Wireframes allow us to quickly block out the design without getting bogged down in the details. We completed well over 100 wireframes during this stage of the project. Here are a few.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/wireframe1.png" alt="Wireframe" title="wireframe1" width="450" height="364"/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/wireframe2.png" alt="Wireframe 2" title="wireframe2" width="450" height="363"/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/wireframe3.png" alt="Wireframe" title="wireframe3" width="450" height="366"/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/wireframe4.png" alt="Wireframe 4" title="wireframe4" width="450" height="349"/>
The concept really starts to come to life when we get to the design comps. I don’t know how many design comps we completed, but we went through at least 30 variations of the homepage alone. Here are a few of the homepage comps that led to the final design.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/comp1.png" alt="Homepage comp" title="comp1" width="450" height="343"/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/comp2.png" alt="Homepage comp 2" title="comp2" width="450" height="366"/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/comp3.png" alt="Homepage comp 3" title="comp3" width="450" height="361"/>
<h3>Development</h3>
Then we started coding. Early in the process, we decided to go with the content management system SilverStripe. This CMS has proved extremely flexible and effective for the project, but it was just the beginning. We had to fully integrate with PraiseCharts’ internal cataloging database, their external customer support suite, and their external email marketing software.
PraiseCharts content managers manage all of the standard content through the CMS.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/backend1.png" alt="Back-end" title="backend1" width="450" height="286"/>
Along the way, we built a completely custom blog and profile management system.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/backend2.png" alt="Blog management" title="backend2" width="450" height="284"/>
<h3>We’re almost there, right?</h3>
As one month turned to the next, our clients at PraiseCharts were extremely patient with the process. We did not want to replace the old PraiseCharts website until all aspects of the new site were fully tested and proven.
We began internal beta testing.
<ul><li>Why does that look funny in IE 7?</li>
<li>Why is the list of new songs showing the list of popular songs?</li>
<li>Why is this page taking so long to load?</li>
<li>Why is the PDF preview crashing my browser?</li>
</ul>Each of these questions was important, and we addressed hundreds of them.
From our internal beta testing, we progressed into a time of public beta testing, slowly inviting in more and more customers. The customer feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and they helped us identify the remaining bugs to clean up prior to launch.
<h3>The Beginning</h3>
We’ve reached the end of 18 months of development and the end of this blog post, but we’re only at the beginning with PraiseCharts. The new PraiseCharts platform has opened the door to many other exciting possibilities, and we’re already hard at work on new developments. Stay tuned for much, much more to come.
<h3>Take a Look Around</h3>
Hop over to <a href="http://www.praisecharts.com/">www.praisecharts.com</a> to take a look around the new site. Additionally, the following video is a great introduction to the new site and many of its features.
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Kjt12MDJ8Lo" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"/> Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/case-study-praisecharts/ The Faces of Mercy http://adaircreative.com/blog/the-faces-of-mercy/ We recently completed a multi-day photo shoot for Mercy Health System of NWA. We visited clinics, offices, and the hospital to capture portraits of the doctors and surgeons who serve Northwest Arkansas. Our goal was to photograph each doctor in his or her immediate environment. Here’s a small sampling of the many portraits we came away with.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy005.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy007.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy017.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy026.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy046.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy049.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy055.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy064.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy078.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy096.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy105.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy123.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy134.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/mercy179.jpg" alt="Mercy Doctor" width="450" height="300" title=""/> Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/the-faces-of-mercy/ An Extraordinary Company http://adaircreative.com/blog/an-extraordinary-company/ When I first met with InvoTek about the prospect of redesigning their website, I was overwhelmed by their passion. InvoTek is a small company that does big things in an understated way. In short, they develop technologies that help people with severe disabilities interact with the world around them. They’re not in it for money or fame. They truly care about making an impact in the lives of those they serve.
They needed a website that would better tell their story, connect with donors and caregivers, sell their products, and boost their new Be Extraordinary program. The Be Extraordinary program connects sponsors with real individuals in need of help but without the financial means to secure this type of technology.
This website is built on a Content Management System, which allows InvoTek to maintain the website content themselves, including the blog area where both InvoTek staff and customers contribute.
Here are a few screenshots from the new website. I’d also encourage you to visit <a href="http://www.invotek.org/" target="_blank">www.invotek.org</a> and view some of the video stories about the lives they impact.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/invotek1.jpg" alt="InvoTek Website" title="invotek1" width="450" height="342"/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/invotek.jpg" alt="InvoTek Website" title="invotek1" width="450" height="341"/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/invotek2.jpg" alt="InvoTek Website" title="invotek1" width="450" height="346"/> Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/an-extraordinary-company/ AXIA 3PL http://adaircreative.com/blog/axia-3pl/ A company without an identity recently approached us, needing a name and logo. The company had existed previously under another name, but along with new ownership came the need for a new name and identity.
This company works in the field of third party logistics, meaning that it works with consumer goods produced overseas and sold in retail stores in the U.S. The company handles all of the logistics from the time a shipment of product arrives in a U.S. port to the time it hits the shelves in a retailer.
Here’s what we came up with.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/Axia3PL.jpg" alt="AXIA 3PL" width="450" height="100" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/Axia3PL2.jpg" alt="AXIA 3PL Business Card" width="450" height="401" title=""/>
The name AXIA 3PL is rooted in the word “axial”. Axial means “forming an axis or a united relationship”. This is exactly what the company does. It forms a solid, functional, and logistical relationship between supplier and retailer. “3PL” is the industry moniker for third party logistics.
AXIA 3PL is a central hub. Products on palettes flow in, and products ready for the shelf flow out. The logo mark is designed to depict this inward and outward flow. Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/axia-3pl/ Our First App: Shiloh Mobile http://adaircreative.com/blog/our-first-app-shiloh-mobile/ We are excited for the release of our first iPhone app. It is available in the iTunes App store as of today.
Shiloh Christian School asked us to create an app that would allow Shiloh parents to keep up with everything going on at the school. The app provides news, blogs, newsletters, calendars, lunch menus, and faculty contact information. Additionally, parents can refer new students directly from the app, choose a Shiloh wallpaper for their phone, and check local weather. The app will also send parents a push notification for highly important and time-sensitive announcements such as school closings.
The app is free and available through the iTunes app store.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/IMG0102.png" alt="App Home" width="320" height="480" title=""/>
 <img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/IMG0103.png" alt="App Screen 1" width="320" height="480" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/IMG0104.png" alt="App Screen 2" width="320" height="480" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/IMG0104.png" alt="App Screen 3" width="320" height="480" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/IMG0105_2.png" alt="App Screen 4" width="320" height="480" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/IMG0106.png" alt="App Screen 5" width="320" height="480" title=""/> Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/our-first-app-shiloh-mobile/ Help For Haiti http://adaircreative.com/blog/help-for-haiti/ For the past few years, we have had the privilege to work for Hope Force International out of Nashville, TN. Hope Force is a non-profit organization that trains, equips, and mobilizes “reservists”, or volunteers, in the case of natural or man-made disasters.
When a series of devastating earthquakes hit the island nation of Haiti in January, Hope Force was among the first to respond on the ground in Haiti.
As the organization’s response to the Haiti disaster took shape, Hope Force asked us to create a series of materials to bring a unified identity to their work in Haiti. Among these items were a logo, website graphics, e-blasts, support letters, a brochure, wristbands, and display materials.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/haiti1.jpg" alt="Help Haiti" width="450" height="162" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/haiti2.jpg" alt="Help Haiti Wristband" width="450" height="248" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/haiti3.jpg" alt="Help Haiti Card" width="450" height="338" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/haiti4.jpg" alt="Help Haiti Card 2" width="450" height="300" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/haiti5.jpg" alt="Help Haiti Website" width="450" height="450" title=""/>
To learn more about Hope Force and their ongoing work in Haiti, visit their website <a title="Hope Force International website" href="http://www.hopeforce.org/" target="_blank">www.hopeforce.org</a>. Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/help-for-haiti/ There’s Something Happening in Downtown Bentonville http://adaircreative.com/blog/there-s-something-happening-in-downtown-bentonville/ We are proud that Downtown Bentonville is the home to our studio. It is rich in history, has a rich business culture, and it is rich in the arts. Downtown Bentonville Inc is a non-profit organization that supports the businesses and culture of Downtown Bentonville.
We recently launched a new website for DBI. The site is built on a content management system, allowing their staff to actively maintain the content. The website is a source of information on the events occurring in Downtown Bentonville, including the popular Farmers Market and First Fridays.
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/dbiweb1.jpg" alt="Downtown Bentonville Website" width="450" height="345" title=""/>
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/dbiweb2.jpg" alt="Downtown Bentonville Website" width="450" height="409" title=""/>
Visit <a title="Downtown Bentonville website" href="http://www.downtownbentonville.org/" target="_blank">www.downtownbentonville.org</a>. Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/there-s-something-happening-in-downtown-bentonville/ Ribbon Cutting http://adaircreative.com/blog/ribbon-cutting/ We recently joined the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, and they were nice enough to arrange a ribbon cutting. Here we are with the big scissors!
<img class="center" src="http://adaircreative.com/assets/ACGribboncutting.jpg" alt="Ribbon Cutting" width="450" height="338" title=""/> Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 -0500 http://adaircreative.com/blog/ribbon-cutting/