Markiserv's President, Ryan Anderson, was featured in an article by DevX describing how to push the creative boundaries in graphic design and up-level a businesses performance through creative work. Ryan used a client example from LC Industries, where we saved blind and visually impaired careers by winning Walmart's competitive contract with graphic design modernization. His feature is below:

Our Feature:

Save Nonprofit Jobs With Modernized Packaging

A challenging project for our team was producing graphic design that would save our nonprofit client roughly $2,000,000 in annual sales, blind and visually impaired American manufacturing jobs, and the removal of the nonprofit from Walmart shelves.

Oh yes, pressure to say the least was enough to push myself and the team through the roof!

The main premise here in short: Our client produces sponge mops for Walmart. They are a nonprofit that has a goal of providing meaningful employment to those who are blind and visually impaired. One item they produced is for Walmart which is a Sponge Mop. Walmart was threatening to kick the product out of stores due to lack of innovation and modernization. This would not only hurt the nonprofit significantly in sales but also they would risk losing a handful of blind jobs that were directly associated with producing that mop.

We jumped in with a simple solution: Produce a new modernized look and feel for the product packaging in the short term, while their product development teams designed a new modernized mop. We also wanted to assure we were offering the business development team a modernized pitch deck that would wow the Walmart review panel.

The challenges were against us. Walmart was extremely picky, there was a lot of pressure to perform, and the deadline was tight—less than two weeks! We faced numerous gaps in die lines, print file supply, and communication issues from the nonprofit as the item was so old, it took a lot of navigating to get things rolling operationally and the right files, dimensions, and print vendor plugged in.

We ended up overcoming these challenges by expanding past the graphic design production purely and focused on lending a hand in project management. Helping to corral all the cross functional partners together around our graphic design needs helped us to skyrocket our productivity to perform and start focusing attention on designing.

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We developed a handful of comps, but what won the day was our new Walmart Sponge Mop packaging which can be seen on shelves today. We focused on modernization, standing out from the crowd, highlighting the blind employment, American made, and simplified key features on the packaging. Today, take a look on the shelves. If you see a purple Sponge Mop package (which is the only purple one on the shelves) with “Made with pride by those who are blind,” that is us!

We won the contract and saved jobs—and the mission of our nonprofit partner!

Article Summary:

In the ever-evolving field of graphic design, professionals are continually challenged to think outside the box and deliver innovative solutions. A recent article on DevX delves into this topic, featuring insights from seven experts who have successfully navigated complex design projects. 

One compelling example involves a nonprofit organization at risk of losing a significant retail partnership, which would have jeopardized jobs for visually impaired employees. The design team was tasked with modernizing the product packaging to appeal to contemporary consumers. By implementing updated design elements and clearly highlighting the product's unique features, they not only retained the retailer's support but also preserved crucial employment opportunities.

Another expert faced the challenge of designing truck wraps for a luxury furniture company in Dubai. This project required meticulous attention to the vehicle's dimensions and the integration of Arabic script and cultural elements. Through diligent research and close collaboration with printing professionals, the designer overcame language barriers and delivered a design that resonated with the client's target audience.

Additionally, an infographic designer tackled the task of representing a complex historical event with multiple overlapping narratives. The goal was to create a visually engaging timeline that maintained both clarity and accuracy. This required a deep understanding of the subject matter and the ability to distill intricate information into an accessible format.

These stories underscore the importance of embracing challenges, conducting thorough research, and collaborating effectively in the graphic design process. By pushing creative boundaries, designers can produce impactful work that not only meets client expectations but also contributes to their professional growth.

In conclusion, the path to innovation in graphic design is paved with challenges that require stepping out of comfort zones. By embracing these opportunities, conducting thorough research, and collaborating effectively, designers can push creative boundaries and achieve remarkable outcomes.