Nead in the News
Nead Featured in Cleveland Plain Dealer "At Work"
October 14, 2007
Agencies Firm up Branding, Design Merger
August 20, 2007
Moss "Back from the Future" to Grow Partnership
July 30, 2007
Nead Brand Partners Adds Event Branding Services
April 17, 2007
Brian Willse Adds Fresh Perspective to NBP
January 10, 2007
Westfield Bank Web Site Featured in Financial Publication
December 15, 2006
Martinis Over Midtown Celebrates the Power of Stories
November 10, 2006
"My City, My Town" Branding Initiative Underway
August 1, 2006
A Bank Branch That’s Anything But Ordinary
June 29, 2006
Early Success of Midtown Mornings
April 14, 2006
Cleveland Plain Dealer - October 14, 2007
Mark A. Nead
Age: 37
Partner, Co-Founder
Boondock Walker, LLC
Cleveland, Ohio
Best thing about my job: The opportunity to do something I'm truly passionate about. Each day brings a new challenge, a new opportunity. Never once have I considered my occupation a "job." And our coffee/martini bar isn't so bad either.
Biggest challenge: As a brand strategy and experienced design firm, we require a team with many varied disciplines. These include writers, strategists, designers, planners, facilitators and programmers. We're very conscious of the culture we're working to develop, so it's essential that our team have strong chemistry. It can be a challenge finding that ideal fit.
Biggest surprise: I'm pleasantly surprised at the volume of opportunity that exists in the branding arena, especially among service-based firms. Let's face it, we're in an experience economy, and businesses realize they need to pay close attention to who they are as organizations, and how this plays into delivering their brand promise.
I worry about: I try to avoid worry, although this can be easier said than done. More than worry, I'd say I can be anxious. Business requires one to wear many hats, which can certainly make it difficult to close the door at the end of the day. But it's important to manage the emotion and not let it consume you.
Most important lesson learned: Align with people who share your values, be it partners, clients, employees or contractors.
Best advice I ever got: Create a business that serves you, rather than one that you serve.
Parting shot: Walk the walk.
Crain's Cleveland Business - August 20, 2007
Familiarity, it’s said, breeds contempt.
In the case of Nead Brand Partners, Newbomb Design and David Moss, it’s leading to a merger and the creation of a new Midtown branding and design firm, Boondock Walker.
Nead co-founder Mark Nead, Newbomb founder Brian Willsie and Mr. Moss, former director of the Future Center at the Cleveland Institute of Art, should have all the legal wrinkles ironed out by the end of September.
Nead Brand Partners, founded in 2000, has focused largely on business-to-business branding and counts insurers Progressive Corp. and Oswald Cos. among its clients. Newbomb, also around since 2000, works more in print collateral and publication design. The two firms have worked from the same office at 3635 Perkins Ave. in Cleveland since January.
“We were already working together and collaborating on a lot of projects, so it made sense to share the space,” Mr. Nead said.
For some time, though, Mr. Willsie said, “We were casually thinking that this could be something else — something bigger.” Enter Mr. Moss, who brings a strong digital media résumé to the table — his experience includes designing animation and interactive signs and kiosks — and the guys realized they had the makings of a triple play.
“When you get together, you can take on larger projects,” Mr. Moss said. “This is kind of the spirit of why we’re getting together.”
Though they’re planning to keep the agency’s employee roster small, the Boondock Walker founders are banking on the strength of their existing network of creatives.
“Really, we’re altering our model a little bit and building a network of partners and putting a strong team together for each client,” Mr. Nead said.
Mr. Moss added, “If we use the model of the network economy, we’re lean and mean and we can handle major projects, but we have that single point of (client) contact.”
Nead Brand Partners co-founder Mark Zust will remain an adviser to Boondock Walker, while Messrs. Nead, Moss and Willsie will be the firm’s partners.
The new shop’s offbeat name is drawn from a gadget Mr. Moss’ grandfather cobbled together to transport a fishing boat through the Canadian wilderness.
July 30, 2007; Cleveland, Ohio - David Allen Moss, Founding Director of FUTURE Center at the Cleveland Institute of Art, recently stepped down from the Midwest’s premier Design and Tech Transfer Center he launched in January 2006.
Moss has aligned with Nead Brand Partners, Cleveland-based strategic branding and design firm, in a move that will spark the merger of three Cleveland-area independent design firms in September. The eminent merger will combine the strengths and client-base of Nead Brand Partners, Newbomb Design, and Moss Media, respectively.
“It’s a no brainer. We immediately realized the powerful solutions we can offer our clients, as well as all the ways this differentiates our firm,” says Moss, newly named Creative and Strategic Partner. “It begins by putting our strategic branding process to work for ourselves... for a change.”
Make that a big change. Come September, the firm will emerge under a new name and broadened service offering.
Together, Mark Nead, David Moss, Brian Willse and Mark Zust bring more than 60 years of combined experience in brand strategy, communications design, digital media, and corporate identity development to their evolving enterprise.
“With the addition of David as Partner, we are able to extend unrivaled expertise in leading-edge digital media design and development to our existing clients, partners, and prospects,” says Mark Nead.
Moss, whose background includes foundations in journalism and the music industry, intends to leverage a national network of narrowcast clients and associates, immediately moving the firm forward in the adoption of state-of-the-art brand delivery platforms.
“There’s no firm in town that has both strength in strategic branding and graphic design, in addition to technical knowhow and keen perspective in the world of digital media design and integration,” says Moss — whose client portfolio includes companies like Best Buy, Wynn Las Vegas, Bloomingdales, Red Lobster, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and BP
Former Creative Director for EDR Media, and Lead Designer for American Greetings Interactive — Moss says he’ll continue to push Greater Cleveland to work the creative class into its new economy. As a top advocate for the Creative Industries — collaborating with IngenuityFest, ASM, Case, CSU, and others, he plans to re-ignite the popular Tuesdays@FUTURE series of Innovation Forums he spearheaded at CIA/FUTURE. David will continue to serve Ingenuity Festival’s technology and marketing advisory committees, the board of STRI, the Friends of the Cleveland School of Arts new curriculum committee. Likewise, he works with GameHub, CPAC, NOCA, AIGA, and a variety of community initiatives.
Moss on the Forefront of Digital Media
David Allen Moss has been on the forefront of experience and interaction design for over a decade. As Creative and Strategic Partner with Nead Brand Partners, he specializes in leading-edge narrowcast and branded experiences across the design spectrum. From early adoption of web technologies, to shaping the emergent field of narrowcast and digital signage — Moss helps clients identify opportunities to develop breakthrough interactive, produce rich-media applications, and champion new design categories.
Moss returned to Cleveland in the late 90’s, on the heels of established careers in music and journalism. But it was his tech savvy that set the pace of innovation for employer AG.com, where he managed the design and production of AG’s portfolio of B2B websites. Meanwhile, he established an independent design practice, Moss Media. He’s since created brand packaging for retailers like Wal-Mart, Kroger, Lowes, Target, and Home Depot. <http://www.aginteractive.com>
At EDR Media, Moss was instrumental in building their national narrowcast “hub,” creating a series of award-winning multimedia, digital media networks, and video applications — for companies like Wynn Las Vegas, Best Buy, Summit Racing, Gateway Computers, Costco, and Red Lobster. He also created breakthrough interactive kiosks for organizations like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Norton Museum of Art, and General Electric. <http://www.edr.com>
Recently, as Founding Director of FUTURE: Center for Design and Technology Transfer at the Cleveland Institute of Art, David managed the design, renovation, and launch of the Midwest’s first comprehensive Design Center from the ground up. While there, he established advanced student production studios, opened and ran curatorial for Greater Cleveland’s only Design Gallery, created the Region’s first arts/tech business incubator, and spearheaded outreach and advocacy programming such as the popular Tuesdays@FUTURE regional innovation forums. <http://future.cia.edu>
Driven by a passion for the Arts, David believes the Creative Industries can serve as catalysts of Cleveland’s emerging new economy. He serves on the board of STRI, and has been invited to serve on a number of advisory committees including IngenuityFestival, Red Room Revolution, Cleveland Graduate Studies Center, and Friends of the Cleveland School of the Arts. <http://www.davidallenmoss.com>
April 17, 2007; Cleveland, Ohio - As a complement to its strong portfolio of brand development and management services, Nead Brand Partners (NBP) announces its new Event Branding capabilities. Much more than traditional event planning, event branding is focused on creating a total event experience that supports a company's brand, including pre-event, at event, and post-event touchpoints. "If an organization is going to make a sizable investment in hosting an event, they need to consider the objectives and the implications to their brand. What messages do they want guests to take away, and how do these messages relate to the brand? What is the follow-up strategy?", says Mark Nead, NBP principal.
Mark suggests that each and every point of contact throughout the event should be considered thoroughly, from parking to entranceways, bathrooms to signage, music to lighting. Among NBP's event branding clients is Kaiser Permanente, who hired the firm to develop strategic messaging and design for a business advisory event. NBP also created a total event experience, including multi-media displays and a post-event follow-up strategy. "Guests want a deeper, richer event experience today. Companies have the opportunity to connect with their audiences in so many powerful ways, whether it be through one-on-one interaction, multimedia, through dynamic visuals and sound, and even with the right food and drink. Each of these touchpoints represent an opportunity to connect the guest to the brand, so they must be carefully considered and delivered," says Nead.
Please contact Mark Nead or Mark Zust at 216-431-9301 for more information.
January 10, 2007; Cleveland, Ohio - Nead Brand Partners welcomes Brian Willse, owner of Newbomb Design, and a genuinely cool guy. As Creative & Strategic Partner for NBP, Brian brings his more than 11 years of experience in graphic design and illustration to branding. In 1995, Brian founded Willse Design & Illustration, now Newbomb Design, an award-winning creative firm specializing in design for print and new media.
He has created brand marks and comprehensive identity systems, print collateral, editorial design and illustration for such firms as BioEnterprise Corp., Case Western Reserve University, Hear/Say College Music Magazine, HVACR Business, Kaiser Permanente, Mode Organic, Rocky River Brewing Company and YMCA of Greater Cleveland.
Brian’s many talents include art direction, graphic design, publishing and book design, illustration, magazine art direction and web design. More importantly, he's a dedicated family man with a loving wife, two beautiful daughters and an adoring labrador named Taj Mahal. Brian is funny, smart, and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. We're proud to have him under our roof.
December 15, 2006; Westfield Center, Ohio - In the Summer of 2006, Westfield Bank celebrated the opening of their new Medina branch and the launch of their new website, www.westfield-bank.com. The site, designed by Nead Brand Partners, features streaming video testimonials from real customers, easy to use account transactions, and an interface that is simple and down to earth, reinforcing Westfield Bank’s commitment to making their clients’ lives easier.
The Westfield Bank website was recenty featured in the industry publication, Internet Banking Growth Strategies. Below is the article, courtesy of Internet Banking Growth Strategies, Source: Westfield Bank.
The Westfield Bank website was recenty featured in the industry publication, Internet Banking Growth Strategies. Below is the article, courtesy of Internet Banking Growth Strategies, Source: Westfield Bank.
Throughout its Web site, Westfield Bank ($265 million, Westfield Center, Ohio) proudly incorporates the tag line, “Dream Big, bank small.” Reflecting this line, the bank has created a Web site that combines the appeal of a hometown bank with many of the attractive features offered by larger financial institutions. Here are just a few features you’ll want to check out:
Video testimonials from satisfied customers are featured on the bank’s home page. For example, one of the video clips is of a businessman who owns three Waffle Houses in the area. In his two and one-half minute video testimonial, he explains how the bank was there to help him when he first moved into town. He says, “I don’t think of them as my bankers. I think of them as my friends.”
The video clips tell of the bank’s top-notch customer service, caring and knowledgable staff, and products and services that are designed to meet its clients’ needs.
The testimonial videos appear right on the bank’s Web site and there are buttons to play, fast forward, rewind and even adjust the volume. Below the video testimonial is a short write-up about the featured customer, a description of their business and a brief look at their relationship with the bank. The customer testimonials can be viewed here.
A straightforward “How To Bank With Us” chart shows customers all the convenient ways they can deposit funds at the bank. This includes options such as visiting an ATM, scanning and transmitting checks at their office, driving to a nearby branch, mailing a check or using the bank’s convenient courier service. The How To Bank With Us chart can be seen here. Below this chart are links to the bank’s online deposit and loan applications. Plus, the page includes a link to a PDF of the bank’s “Account Transfer Kit.”
A comprehensive Health Savings Account resource center includes helpful information for both HSA account holders and employers. It answers questions such as “What are the tax advantages of HSAs?” and includes information about how to make a deposit or a withdrawal from the account. There’s also a link to a PDF of an HSA application.
A “How Can We Help You” section quickly steers customers where they need to go with links to sections such as “CDs and IRAs” and “Reorder checks online.” The page, which is located at www2.westfield-bank.com/howhelp.aspx, is accessible from every page of the Web site.
Source: Westfield Bank, Westfield Center, OH; phone (800)368-8930; e-mail bank@westfieldgrp.com.
November 10, 2006; Cleveland, Ohio - More than 175 Clevelanders shared their stories, ideas and passion for change at the inaugural Martinis Over Midtown event hosted at Nead Brand Partners. It is part of an ongoing effort to build grass roots initiatives that improve Midtown and all of Northeast Ohio. NBP is leading the charge by creating the "My City, My Town" brand, complete with oversized posters, strategic networking forms, events promotions, clothing, and much more. Posters from the event will soon tour area venues. Stay tuned for further details. Individual stories are posted here on the MyMidtown site. Photos from the event are posted here.
August 1, 2006; Cleveland, Ohio - Beginning in late July, 2006, an exciting new effort was born, as a viral, grass-roots approach to building an initial brand platform for Cleveland was initiated. The My City, My Town brand includes urban districts like Midtown, St. Clair Superior and the Quadrangle, as well as areas representing all of Northeast Ohio. My City, My Town is a long-term initiative which leverages regional pride and economic resources to celebrate the benefits of living, working and playing in Northeast Ohio. The brand reflects the “open source” model of economic development, which looks to maximize shared resources and promote open, inclusive networks while nurturing quality, connected places to live and work.
June 29, 2006; Medina, Ohio - Banks have to be boring, right? Westfield Bank, a modest, home-grown online bank nestled in quaint Wesfield Center, Ohio, decided otherwise. NBP worked closely with Westfield for 10 months, talking to their friendly bankers and staff, as well as customers and competitors, to get to the heart of the brand. The result was “Dream Big, bank small”, which is not only a memorable tagline, but a strategic brand platform and the foundation for how the bank works with small businesses and consumer clients, day in and day out. For proof, you have only to look at Westfield’s one and only branch, which opened June 29, 2006 in Medina. The branch features slate floors and fountain, warm woods, gourmet coffee and wireless access. And no teller lines. This is the banking experience their customers appreciate, and it reflects Westfield’s ability to listen, respond to, and serve their clients in ways the mega banks couldn’t begin to imagine. NBP designed the bank, not because we’re architects or interior design experts, but because Westfield trusted us as their brand champions, and we’re proud to count the Westfield team among our friends.
April 14, 2006; Cleveland, Ohio - Traditionally, Cleveland has been portrayed as a rust-belt city known more for political infighting than progress. Times, they are a-changin’. It’s called the second curve, and it’s blowin’ through dowtown and the ‘burbs, casting seeds of opportunity in those with fertile, open minds. Midtown is one area where change is taking root, practically overnight. NBP branded “Midtown, My Town” as not just a place, but a new way of thinking and behaving. Many people listened, smiled, and got involved, attracted by others who want to make a difference in our town, and beyond. In one week, a new work environment was created, notable for it’s energy, nimbleness and lack of politics and personal agendas. This vibe spawned “Midtown Mornings”, a weekly one-hour coffee and idea klatsch, hosted at NBP. Can volunteers with seemingly few resources and no big foundations behind them get things done quickly and make a difference? Judge for yourself. Here are a few of the initiatives completed or in progress after just two months:
Midtown Branding
- “Midtown, My Town” campaign theme created, along with artwork for promotional t-shirts, ball caps, etc.
- Midtown Blend: Phoenix Coffee created an exclusive Midtown blend, branded package designed by NBP.
Midtown Environment:
- Small green space at Mid-City Building, 3635 Perkins Avenue to be developed with help of a local landscape architect and developer.
- Review of available Midtown facilities and open buildings for possible Innovation Cafe and networked center for businesses, entrepreneurs, incubators, etc.
Midtown Networking:
- Midtown Mornings - Every Friday at Nead Brand Partners, 3635 Perkins Ave., Suite 6 A, 7:30-8:30 am
- Midtown Wednesdays - Hosted by i-Open, at Myers University. Held weekly, 5-6:30 pm
- Midtown Brews - Hosted monthly (at varying Midtown offices). First event held July 6, 5:30-7:30 pm at Webtego, 2530 Superior Avenue, and attended by more than 50 people. The goal is to build dense technology networks to spawn new products, services and support systems.
Midtown Communication:
- Blog Site - “mymidtown.com” posted in early June.
- Participation with “Tuesdays at Future” (Cleveland Institute of Art), Baldwin Wallace, and other innovation zone participants throughout Northeast Ohio.
- Six success stories written and designed for June 28 CSU conference.
- Midtown awareness survey - Test conducted June 16 at Midtown Mornings by Rich Brhel of Myers University. Data gathered for an in-progress report at the June 28 “Building Innovation Zones” conference at CSU.
Are you ready to get involved? It could be as simple as contributing to the Midtown or NeadChange blogs, joining a task team, or stopping by this Friday for coffee, bagels and conversation. Change happens, and it’s good. Visit www.mymidtown.com or http://midtownwednesdays.pbwiki.com for more information.
Come to our place!
It all happens here.
Our fully renovated warehouse space offers a welcome retreat for clients and the perfect venue for day-long strategic sessions. If you’d like to experience the vibe, call us at 216-431-9301 to arrange a tour. Or check it out here.
Nead Brand Partners Blog
Play Nice
September 22, 2006
It seems to me and to others who understand that hierarchical systems, dusty political structures and closed networks are irrelevant to building better economic and social communities, that denial is still a powerful force in cities across the country. Read more.
