illustration

For 2012, the Sharps Compliance Corporation’s annual report design reflects the Texas-based company’s mission that is rooted in preservation of the environment.

Headquartered in Houston, Sharps Compliance provides environmentally-sensitive solutions for the proper management of medical waste and used healthcare products. Sharps Compliance also develops solutions that deal with unused and expired patient-dispensed pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter medications.

Previous years’ annual report designs focused on the product development side of the business. For this year, Sharps Compliance chose an option featuring graphic design, illustration and print production elements that reinforce its commitment to the environment. This can be seen in such attributes as color palette, minimalist style for illustration and infographics, and the utilization of eco-friendly printing stock.

Graphic. Realistic. Painterly. Cartoon-like. These are examples of stylistic characteristics that play a crucial role in the effectiveness of point-of-purchase (POP) displays. In many instances, it’s the use of illustration that delivers these attributes in the most powerful way.

For many years, Bob Wright Creative has delivered illustration for myriad POP projects in such diverse markets as toys, wine & spirits, banking, and more. To Ken Townsend, Senior Illustrator, “The initial creative challenge is always fun. Knowing what needs to be produced, along with the requirements of the physical product, creates a unique creative challenge that’s enjoyable to solve.” Ken continues, “It’s a valuable process to collaborate with our clients from the concepting stage through delivery of final production files. We enjoy sharing our ideas from the earliest stages, and then seeing the project through to production.”

As product marketers apply an ever-increasing degree of focus to their messaging, the requirements placed on POP creation have evolved. Ken offers an example: “The trend is to get the product out there. For example, with Fisher-Price Toys, the POPs are many times functional, interactive environments where the product can be touched, moved and tried out. Our illustration directly supports the product by providing the environment in which the toy lives. And more often than not, the retailer will have specific requirements for the POP. So there again, it’s that creative challenge of figuring out what’s going to be the most effective, both in terms of style and mechanics.”

POP illustration is executed in a number of styles, which are of course dependent on the product and the main message. “For example, certain wine brands will want to evoke a hand-crafted feel,” reveals Ken. “So, the look of the POP needs to follow suit with perhaps an engraved or hand-cut look, with a high degree of realism in many cases. With toys it’s more graphical with bright vibrant colors, with a more stylized or re-imagined look. There’s plenty of flexibility in illustration to convey a very focused message.”

With so many years of producing illustration for myriad POPs there are certainly standouts. Ken reflects, “Well, the 10-foot dragon that we just finished for Fisher-Price is pretty memorable. There were lots of mechanical aspects to figure out, and of course the scale of it made for a fun and memorable project. I can’t wait to see it on the retail floor.”

Illustration can be applied to any number of applications in the realm of communications design. POP illustration requires stylistic depth and breadth, and brings with it the opportunity for innovation. Visit our illustration portfolio for more POP application samples.

Here's an old print ad for Kellog's Frosted Flakes from 1955. It features TV host and comedian Garry Moore and of course, Tony the Tiger. I love the style Tony is rendered in.

Here's a recent piece we did for Spectracom promoting their Path Align-R technology. Check it out!

Creative Team Creative Direction: Phil Daggar, Bob Wright Creative Illustration: Ken Townsend, Bob Wright Creative Flash Programming: Jon Daggar, Bob Wright Creative Writer & Audio Production: Tom Cummings, Cummings Creative Learn more about Spectracom and see the web site user interface we created for them by visiting: www.spectracomcorp.com

Our very own Ken Townsend's personal and professional art is on display in a show dedicated to his work!

We're proud to announce that our coworker and friend, Ken Townsend, has his personal and professional creative work on display in a solo show at the Wayne County Council for the Arts.

If you happen to be in the vicinity of Newark and want to see evocative work that reflects Ken's interest in nature, anatomy and symbolism, be sure to visit.

You can get the address and directions here. Or you can download the council's press release in pdf format.

For anyone that works with Ken in his capacity as an illustrator it's a great opportunity to see his personal work and get a different view into his creative talent.

The show will continue through May 29th and is open to the public. Make sure to check it out!