Effective Graphic Design
In essence, our sole objective is to make your business look great and communicate effectively to your viewers. We write, design and produce eye-catching print materials and digital media that share a cohesive brand so you can stand up against your competition.
Are Your Marketing
Materials Actually Working?
Everyday, businesses are having materials produced to advertise or market their business to prospective customers. All too often, these materials fall silent in making any impact at all. Could it be that your visual communication falls into this category? It is sometimes a hard reality to do a self assessment but what is the point in spending your budget and your valuable time on missing the mark?
We are a small design firm that really cares about your marketing potency. We can spot a losing campaign instantly and will not stay silent when a customer approaches us with a concept that we do not believe in. We believe our relationship with you is a partnership where we both bring our expertise together to develop graphic communication that truly works. We put ourselves in the shoes of your customer through the whole process to ensure they actually understand what you are trying to communicate.
How We
Stand Out
With a myriad of graphic designers in the market,
why would you select us?
Exceptional Design
None of the other reasons really matter if this one falls short. We ultimately believe you should choose us because we produce great work. Whether it is a brochure, popup banner, logo design or web design, we have an unyielding standard for every project we work on. We are always striving to produce exceptional design that communicates.
We Actually Listen
It might sound like an odd statement but we think this is one of the biggest reasons we stand out from our competition. We seek to gain as much insight and understanding possible before moving ahead. This involves thoroughly understanding your goals and objectives before we dive in.
Unparalleled Service
What good is a designer that is hard to get a hold of? We provide unmatched, in-depth personal care to every customer. When you call us, you talk with a designer, not a receptionist or account manager. We will make you and your project a real priority so you can focus on your business and not chasing after us.
Since our inception in 1993, we’ve had a reputation of turning around work exceptionally fast. We aren’t procrastinators. If we can turn around your job same-day we will do it. Of course some projects require a week or possibly even longer. You need your materials quickly and we are here to deliver.
Cost Effective Design
Since a good portion of our work has always been in the not-for-profit sector, we have always endeavoured to produce highly innovative and creative design while keeping our prices affordable. We continually seek to find innovative processes and solutions to make your bottom line manageable.
One-stop Solution
Creating a strong visual presence in your marketplace can be very complex and time consuming. We simplify this task by offering all the creative services you need in one place—thus helping to create a more seamless brand. We offer complete web design and SEO, logo design, photography and video production.
check out our work
What marketing materials do we produce?
Annual Report Design
Postcard Design
Social Media branding
Direct Mail Design
Brochure Design
Website Design
Logo Design
And More...
Some of our Customers Reviews
“John has been our supplier for many years and consistently exceeds our expectations. As an independent designer, he is able to provide superior customer service and insight into the ethos and needs of his customers. This is reflected in the quality and depth of his work. One of the qualities we at Tyndale most appreciate is the exceptional turnaround time. The quality of his work remains high even if he is given a very short time frame to complete the project. This has enabled us to meet many tight deadlines and increase our productivity.”
Jodi McIsaac
Tyndale University College & Seminary
“I Just got back from our Annual General Meeting with the new board. At one point in the meeting one of the board members wanted to make note of the high quality of the printed material. The other members all joined in and wanted to thank me for the calibre of materials produced saying it is not only professional but speaks very well for the foundation and to the high net worth donors that we will be approaching. So John, I pass on accolades to you. Well done. If you are like me, while it is a joy to do something you love—and for the Lord—it sure is nice to hear the high praise and know we exceeded expectations.”
Jan Kupecz
Advisors with Purpose
“Working with John Cowie has been a great fit for me. From the very start, over 6 years ago, it has been a true partnership. John never took off on his own direction but rather relied heavily on my input when establishing direction. The results have been highly effective marketing every time. There’s no two ways about it—it’s been a team effort all the way resulting in one very satisfied and successful customer.”
Bruce Klassen
Royal LePage Sales Agent
How We Work—Our Process
Our process is pretty straight-forward. Jumping right into design of a project is sometimes needed. Regardless, whenever possible, especially for a new customer or project, we find that careful attention to each stage essential. This increases the overall effectiveness and potency of your marketing materials and brand consistency.
Strategic Planning
To create effective visual communication, you need to understand who your customer is and have a tangible plan to reach them. This process assesses your target audience and creates an overview of the different materials that will be used to engage them.
Hand-crafted Content/Text
Great written copy (text) has always been an underrated overachiever in our eyes. So often content is quickly thrown together without the care it deserves. We will help you develop relevant content that really communicates, complete with paragraph structure strategized for design communication.
Creative Design
Now that we have a firm plan and solid content we can jump into the creative process of designing your materials. This is where we shine. A key focus through this process is brand consistency and development. This ensures that as creative as things may get, brand is maintained.
Fine-tuned Production
Being creative is vital but if the final production of a design is weak, the whole design is weak. Little things like careful attention to typography, calibration and retouching of all photo images and awareness of how this item will appear printed on paper or appear on different devices are all considered.
Printing and Web Design
Once a design is complete, do you have someone managing proofs and coordinating print? We have been managing print for nearly 30 years now and really know what to look for, simplifying your life by coordinating this for you. Need to produce website design or corresponding social media images—we have you covered offering complete design for these important accompanying materials.
Want more? View our portfolio
What About Social Media?
The look of your social media posts actually do matter. They are just one more integral part of your overall brand and set you up for success or failure. We create and produce social media campaigns that stay true to your brand while creating a distinct visual impact showing off your work, advertising your services or just staying in touch.
If you are needing a kick start to your social media and then want to take it over with an established series of templates—no problem. We have completed this many times for customers so they have the flexibility to make posts on the fly when needed while maintaining a consistent persona.
DOES BRAND MATTER For My Business?
The answer would be a resounding “YES!!” Establishing a strong and consistent brand is vital to your business success and customers taking you seriously. No one has confidence in a company that has a new look and varying quality for every marketing piece that comes out.
We help companies develop solid brands that flow through all their communication. This does not mean that every time looks exactly the same with just content being swapped in an out. Instead it means that there is cohesiveness across all items to clearly invoke the message that this company can be trusted. It shows that you know who you are and what you do.
If we are only producing one piece for you, that is not a problem. The first thing we will do is assess your current brand to formulate a strong view of your look. As long as it is professional, we will carry on with our design following the direction portrayed to deliver another item that fits with your brand.
Want an honest assessment of your current brand?
Contact us
and we would be happy to give you our professional opinion and if requested, suggest areas of improvement for moving ahead. If we feel your brand needs a complete overhaul, we are here to help you in this important process.
Complete Visual Communication
Did you know that we offer a lot more than Durham Graphic Design? With a full gamut of creative services in one place, we simplify your business process and ensure your public image is consistent across multiple mediums. Below are just a few of the other services we offer to strengthen and support your marketing impact.
Website Design
+ SEO
Web design has been a vital part of our business for over twenty years now. No business can stand strong without a professional website that engages and converts viewers to customers. We also provide customized SEO packages to ensure your website not only looks good but gets the attention it deserves.
Pro-Level Video Production
A striking video that has a clear message and is professionally edited can really make an impression. We help with creating and script writing to deliver a clear message. Next we provide experienced filming, directing and editing to deliver a final video or series of videos that wow.
Creative
Logo Design
Every serious business deserves a great logo. We are Oshawa logo designers that create simplistic and clean logos that really leave an impact so you are taken seriously. Our affordable logo designs are a great start to any graphic design and/or web design campaign.
Helpful Graphic Design Articles
As you work through the process of deciding if we are the right fit for you, here are a few blog articles we have written that you may find of interest.
ADVANTAGES OF CHOOSING A SMALLER DESIGN FIRM
The personal care and attention you receive from a small design firm like ours is unparalleled. Jobs don’t get lost, you get us when you call us and your work quality and turnaround time are exceptional. We take great pride in being a smaller, more personal firm that makes every customer know they are important.
WHY CHOOSE A WEBSITE DESIGNER THAT IS ALSO A GRAPHIC DESIGNER?
Many businesses hire one firm to their graphic design and another for website design and SEO. This may not seem like a big deal but the chances of maintaining a consistent brand go way down not to mention wasted time in passing files from one to the other. There is a clear advantage to a firm that does it all.
WHY I NEED TO HIRE A GRAPHIC DESIGNER? (INSTEAD OF DOING IT MYSELF)
Often businesses try to save by completing affordable graphic design themselves. This may seem like a great idea at the time until it comes to a review on the results of your campaign. Customers are savvy and can spot in-house work super fast. They are not fooled and will not take your business seriously.