Brand Interview – Jacob Cass, Just Creative Design
How long has your company been in business? Please tell us a bit about your company, its mission, goals…
I started the company in 2007 and it has been going strong ever since. I am a sole proprietor and offer graphic design services to clients around the world, which includes web design, identity design, branding, logo design, etc. My mission is to solve business problems through strategy & design, not just decorate.
Do you donate to charities? Tell us about that also and why.
Yes, I donate every year and have so far donated about $20,000 via a number of fundraisers held through my blog. The reason is simply because I am in the position to help others and what goes around, comes around.
Philanthropy
Here is a sample of my philanthropic efforts over the past few years.
Raised USD$3607 for the 2011 Eastern Australian Flood Victims via an online fund raiser.
Raised USD$15,000 for the 2011 Japanese Earthquake / Tsunami victims via virtual sales on Second Life.
Raised USD$1620 for charity in my 2010 Design Group Writing Project
I participate in the Design4Kids program that helps underprivileged teens in developing countries become successful designers
Every year I participate in the Blog Action Day initiative to raise awareness of important global issues. 2008: Poverty 2009: Climate Change 2010: Water
How did you know what typeface (font) would be right for your company wordmark or logo? If your logo has an illustration, describe why that art was the right thing, animal, place, object, etc…
The typeface used in my logo design is understated, simple but with character, suited perfectly for the name “Just Creative Design.” If you look closely you will also see that the logo features a pencil made out of the initials JCD. I actually wrote an article on the process of choosing the name & creating the whole identity.
How did you decide on the right color palette to fit your company look and feel?
See some of the steps to the final logo.
How did you decide which type of designer to work with, or did you design your own identity and web presence?
Myself.
In what order did you present your company to the world? Did you start with marketing and products, or website, blog and social media?
Blog and website then social media. I’ve never spent a cent on advertising since starting.
How long after the launch of your company did you start pitching in social media?
Straight away.
Did you do research or study any software, take webinars, teleclasses, before approaching any area of your marketing or web presence?
No, but I wish I did. I learned the hard way, experimenting myself and making mistakes.
Do you advertise locally in newspapers and/or nationally in magazines? Are they effective?
No, but I have been featured in numerous papers & magazines. They brought in a short burst of enquiries, but nothing steady like Google.
Do you advertise online using Google, Facebook or on other company sites? Are they effective?
All of my referrals from search engines are organic and that’s how I get the vast majority of my clients. Having good SEO is highly effective & recommended.
When you printed your products, packaging, business cards and other print marketing did you choose an online printer or visit a local vendor?
I had a printer contact me to try their services. I ordered some cards from them and I am still using that batch today!
Did you know anything about different types of papers, when you wanted to print your marketing materials?
Yes, but there was a limited option from this vendor which made it easy.
Have you ever used “green” technology in printing, using FSC certified papers or recycled paper and if not, how likely are you at trying this on a next project?
Yes, I have for some client projects. I make it my business to educate my clients about these types of papers, even if it is an added expense.
If you sell products, are they produced in the USA or abroad?
N/A
Is there anything you haven’t yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
See more of the world!
To learn more about Jacob Cass and Just Creative Design, visit the links below:
Website :: http://justcreativedesign.com
Blog :: http://logodesignerblog.com
Website :: http://logooftheday.com
LinkedIn :: http://linkedin.com/in/justcreativedesign
Facebook :: http://facebook.com/justcreative
Twitter :: http://twitter.com/justcreative
