Original Logo Design and Logo-update services:

• Custom logo design for Portland, Oregon small-business startup.
• Formatted to work for web, print, or other media use.
• Logo was easially updated when business changed its name.
• Used for graphic design for print ads & marketing materials; integrated with web site.

click here to see this live web site »»

A great example of helping an established brick-and-mortar business get in the loop with an effective web site presence. In addition to getting their site up to speed, we’ve provided print design for mailers, extensive copywriting & content development and an aggressive search-engine optimization campaign.

Small-business Web Site Features:

• Combined new design graphics with existing artwork into a standards-compliant web site platform.
• New web site design powered by a Content Management System(CMS) for easy administative updates.
• Custom AJAX-accordion navigation keeps site organized and easy-to-use.
• Extensive copywriting and content development for all sections of web site.
• Aggressive SEO-campaign produced significant improvement in search engine rankings.

Backstory:

When Pioneer first approcahed us in 2008, their site looked OK, but not on all browsers. While the graphic design was a good fit, the site code was totally out of date and malfunctioning, and there was no easy way for Pioneer to update the site; and worse, they were experiencing a “case of the disappearing webmaster”. Getting updates done was a major issue, because they also didn’t have any real content, and there was no reason for people to actually use the site. And none of this helped with their search engine rankings.

Total site overhaul, preserving existing branding…

We started by getting all their “digital ducks in a row” and putting them back in control of their web assets. Pioneer had a great logo, and the basic “look” of the site was a good fit. So we used those existing assets to save them money, and re-coded the site to current standards. We created some new graphics, and added an AJAX-accordion navigation system to increase click-through rates and page-view times. Just getting their site up to date with correct document structure provided a huge boost in search engine rankings immediately.

Extensive content development + SEO (Search Engine Optimization)…

To really make Pioneer’s website a quality reflection of their business, we provided extensive copywriting services, generating about 100 pages of unique, original, search-engine ready content. While their previous site had absolutely no content, their new site was packed with full descriptions of all of their products, services, and company information. All this new content not only established Pioneer as a legitimate web site, but provided the start for an extensive SEO-campaign.

Aggressive, on-going SEO campaign…

To really be successful in a very competivive market on the web, Pioneer needed to pursue multiple avenues to rank higher in search engines for all their services. Their ratings soared as we engaged our “SEO-Launch” services package, which encompassed everything from thorough market research for keywords, an overhaul of their Google Maps & Small-Business listings, social networking, and further development of keyword-optimized original content.

Print Design and Web site integration…

In addition to covering all the bases above, we helped Pioneer get design completed and to the press for a major direct mail campaign, for print ads in local publications; see their print design case study…

Share your vision for your website and let us help you get in the loop!

click here to see this live web site »»

As Barrett Ecological grew more successful, they identified a unique need in the market. PermacultureForRenters.com is an active custome-themed WordPress blog run by the founder of Barrett Ecological.

Custom WordPress theme, Personal/Professional Blog web site:

• Custom web site design, powered by WordPress Content Management System(CMS).
• WordPress support empowered Portland Oregon small-business owner to run his custom blog.
• Event-calendar system helps post important event easially.
• Custom navigation plus automatic sub-navigation keeps site organized and easy-to-use.
• Search Engine Optimization, integration with Google Analytics to track site stats.

View their current site.

Benjmain Scott ~ principal

Graphic Design: I am passionate about the way that great design “works” to communicate effectively, and relish the art of an eloquent presentation. With experience in magazine design, newspaper layout, print advertising design, and (of course) the Web, your design “voice” will speak loud and clear in a crowded market.
Content Development: In addition to a code-level understanding of search-engine optimization, I draw upon a journalism degree and career-experience as a staff editor and freelance writer for newspapers, magazines, and trade-journals to craft content for marketing campaigns and Web sites. As a published commercial and editorial photographer, I create, manage, and leverage image-assets to help you tell your story.

First business card design, using the original “Gaiascapes” business name…

Second and Third business card design, after change of business name.

Fourth business card design; moving away from the traditional format to a slimmer (1″x3.5″) card that stands out from the usual handouts. This minicard also provided huge savings on normal print runs.

Leave-behind promotional postcards, using the original “Gaiascapes” business name; includes openloop copywriting services…

Print-ad designs for local eco-directory “The Redirect Guide”; Barrett started with a single ink (black) and shifted to 2-color and eventually larger ad size.

The green color here is a little funny, as it was a spot-color ad with no control over the ink color, and the screen color does not match the ink color.

Here’s some quick links to sites we’ll be showcasing in the Portfolio soon:

• VagabondOpera.com
• pioneergasfurnace.com
• ardentcaredental.com
• barrettecological.com
• permacultureforrenters.com
• dcpdx.com
• realtyrobin.com
• urbanhaven.org
• tinctoriadesigns.com
• tracefind.com
• wcdentistry.com

click here to see this live web site »»

Our work with Vagabond Opera –through 4 years, and 3 versions, of their web site– stands as an excellent example of our adaptability and commitment to continued service. The evolution of this site also underscores the power of a client-driven website running on WordPress…

Features:

• Custom web site design, powered by WordPress Content Management System(CMS).
• WordPress support empowered band members to update their own web site (while on tour!).
• Social network integration for Facebook & MySpace.
• Two original web site designs; launched at different times to match album releases.
• E-commerce / shopping cart integration.
• Integrated mailing list & gig-calendar systems.

Backstory:

The Portland, Oregon based Vagabonds originally got in the Loop in early 2006. They had just wrapped up a new album and a major photo shoot, and needed a fresh graphic design for the web site to match the album cover and images. Their old web site design was also plagued with non-standards-compliant code and was not only a bear to update, but didn’t work right in new browsers. Their logo was also just a bitmapped piece of clip art, and wasn’t really meshing with their new look.

Success (#1)…

This (first) rebuild of their web site focused on their rich vaudeville aesthetic, and established a traffic-flow model that increased usability. It was a major graphic design shift, helping to establish both their aesthetic and their credibility. The new web site design also included a logo overhaul which would sustain them through the next album.

Success (#2)…

About a year later, they were ready to upgrade the site with some functional new tools. We helped them move to a new hosting service specifically for musicians, and integrated a calendar, a mailing list system, and hooked up their e-commerce album sales system. We also continued to support them by helping to add new pages of content designed to help usability by different kinds of visitors.

Success (#3): Conversion to WordPress!…

By early 2008, Vagabond Opera had taken off, and was touring internationally under the management of two different agencies. They needed a website that not only looked and performed well, but could keep up with their globetrotting success. In less than a week, openloopdesign converted their entire site to the WordPress platform, integrated all their existing tools and content, and provided tech support to the band as they posted fresh content from their first European tour. Some of the photos from their tour are hilarious, and we were elated that our web site design and support could help them get Live on the web. You can check out a screenshot of that web site design at right.

Success (#4!): their current web site…

By 2009, Vagabond had evolved even further as a band, and had yet another fresh new look from a great photo shoot and hot new album cover art for their upcoming release. They again needed a total graphic design overhaul to match their new look. We pulled together a completely new design aesthic for the site from their new album art, and matched the (new) graphics to their existing web site’s standards-compliant code. Because we had a solid foundation of standards-compliant code, the site did not have to be recoded, cutting the costs of the new design implementaion in half. And because we used WordPress, all we had to do was upload the files, and click a button in the web-based admin tool, and the new design was running immediately. All their existing content was still there, with no extra work, but a fresh new look.

In case you missed it….

• Because we used standards-compliant code, they got a whole new web site design for half the cost, and…
• …because we rely on WordPress, all of their content stayed live, automatically, with no extra work.

Now that’s cause for an album-release party! If you’d like to see a live demo of how these two WordPress web site designs switch, contact us.

click here to see this live web site »»

Since 2006, we’ve supported the evolution of Barrett Ecological. In addition to the original site design, we’ve provided logo design at their initial start-up, re-branding after a change to the business name, and print design for business cards and print ads, always flexibly adapting to their needs as they adapted to the market. And when they launched a second business that grew from their success, we were there to help with that too.

Small-business Web Site Features:

• Custom web site design, powered by WordPress Content Management System(CMS).
• WordPress support empowered Portland, Oregon small-business owner to easially control his website.
• Integrated mailing list & event-calendar systems.

Original Web Site Design + Logo Design, Business Cards, and Print Ads.

Barrett Ecological first launched in 2006 under the name “Gaiascapes”, drawing on the rich textures found through the ecological landscpaes they created. Their first branding package emphasized very organic artwork that was used for both the site design and for print ads, business cards, and promotional leave-behind postcards.

Re-branding, Updated Web Site Design, Conversion to WordPress.

After a successful launch and first year, “Gaiascapes” had already expanded its offerings and decided to broaden their positioning with a change to the business name. So we updated their logo, and re-branded the web site while converting it to WordPress, so they could easialy update and control the content of their own website.

View their current site.