Profile
of Creative Director
What is Marketing
Communications?
Reflections:
Image or Substance?
Experience
Process
PROFILE
OF CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jeffrey D. Willius
- Twenty-five years experience in marketing
communications
- Graduate of Amherst College –
B.A. Fine Arts
- Attended University of Minnesota
School of Architecture (three years)
- Cited twice for excellence in publication
design by the Center for the Advancement
and Support of Education (CASE)
- Graphic identity work published in
American Corporate Identity
- Articles and releases published in
Popular Science and many newspapers and trade journals
Jeffrey Willius offers a unique combination of talents in graphics
design and copy writing. This confluence of verbal and visual
disciplines in one creative mind lends uncommon conceptual and
thematic integrity to his marketing communications work. He has
served organizations in business, education, the arts, health
care, social service, the environment, religion, technology and
government throughout the eastern half of the United States.
Willius has become noted as a creative yet meticulous designer,
specializing in the coordination of entire graphic image and publications
programs. He has designed materials to achieve a variety of marketing
objectives – from selling 99-cent hardware items to conveying
the merits of a university’s $1.3 billion capital campaign.
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WHAT IS MARKETING
COMMUNICATIONS?
WMC was among the first firms to use marketing communications
in its name. Originally, the term was used to stress the design
and writing disciplines, while minimizing the political, fiscal
reporting and media relations services offered by public relations
firms, and the media placement role of advertising agencies. Over
the years, WMC’s position and name, while still true to its
roots, has grown to encompass a wide range of creative and production
services. In short, we aim to help you get the word out about
what your organization does and what it stands for. We do this
by creating concepts that get attention; writing that informs,
educates and compels; and graphic design that reflects the attitude
of your business, the spirit of your organization.
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REFLECTIONS:
IMAGE OR SUBSTANCE?
In much of today’s anything-goes advertising, the truth
is mercurial; the distinction between image and substance blurred
beyond recognition.
At Willius Marketing Communications, we believe that your organization’s
image is no illusion. It should be a true and clear reflection
of your best characteristics.
Every organization has outstanding—often unique—qualities
worth promoting. Your background; your goals; special services
or products and ingenious ways of delivering them; the interesting
people who make it all work. Unfortunately, especially in smaller
organizations, management seldom has the time or detachment necessary
to recognize all of these assets.
That’s where WMC can help. We’ll look at your outfit
with a fresh perspective and help you discover selling points
you may not have known you had going for you. In short, we’ll
help position you where your image and substance are one in the
same.
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EXPERIENCE
With over 25 years experience in marketing communications, we’ve
helped hundreds of organizations to identify and express their
substance. Large established corporations and nonprofits; small
family businesses and community agencies; start-ups; organizations
like yours.
We’ve designed and written materials to achieve a wide range
of marketing objectives, from selling 49-cent hardware items to
conveying the merits of a university’s $1.3 billion capital
and endowment campaign.
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PROCESS
Listening – We’ve become very good at not only
communicating for our clients, but also communicating with our
clients. The secret of success lies in asking the right questions
and then taking the time to listen. Of course, we won’t hesitate
to advise when we feel it will contribute to the impact of your
communications, but you are always in control.
Measured Steps – Once our background work—interviews
with key personnel, market focus, review of yours and competitors’
existing materials, etc.—is completed, we begin the actual
design process. Typically, several “thumbnail” concepts
and a copy outline are presented for your reaction and input.
One solution, or perhaps elements of several, are the elaborated
and refined in several stages, each of which must meet with your
approval. In this way, we focus our time and talents on only the
most productive solutions, saving you time and expense. Your ideas,
information and goals combine with our creativity and production
management skills to make your communications project everything
you hope for.
Human Dynamics – Besides our creative talents, WMC
is expert in managing the dynamics of the design process. Before
any concept is sketched or a word written, we make sure that all
key players in your organization have a role in the project’s
success (without the inefficiency and frustration of “design
by committee”). When lengthy debate is unavoidable, we’re
known for our diplomacy and patience in fielding different opinions
while keeping the focus on agreed objectives and advocating the
principles of good design. We’ve successfully shepherded
large design projects through months and even years of debate
to happy, effective consensus.
Internal Benefits – In a quarter century of creative
services experience, WMC has learned that the development of your
image and marketing communications materials can prove every bit
as beneficial for your organization internally as it is externally.
At the same time that it is helping you to identify your strengths
and distinctions the design process sometimes reveals a need to
examine and clarify your mission, goals and vision. We’ve
often heard from clients that such introspection helps improve
staff focus, esprit de corps and, ultimately, the quality
and service experienced by their constituents.
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