ALLIANCE FOR WATER EFFICIENCY
- STRATEGY
- DESIGN
Client
The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) is a nonprofit, leading force and national voice for water efficiency and sustainability. Simply put: they know what does and does not work, and their entire team works tirelessly, fighting for all of our best interests.
CHALLENGE
AWE deals with water. A lot. The challenge is to continually keep reinventing, through every printed and web-based lobbying, educational, reporting and collateral piece. There are numerous strategic partners, distribution channels, volumes of analysis, that go into everything they produce. Keeping their brand looking fresh while functional is critical.
RESOLUTION
Every budget dollar counts so it is in the planning of projects where hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars are saved. We spend a significant amount of time working to ensure that printing, distribution and shipping efficiencies are achieved - all to save them precious money so they can in turn help save our precious water.
Liberty Home Equity Solutions
- STRATEGY
- Web-based storefronts
Client
Since their 2004 founding, Liberty Home Equity Solutions has grown from a small start-up to one of the largest equity conversion lenders in the nation. Liberty stays true to their values and keeps reworking their approach to better serve their customers.
CHALLENGE
We were tasked by Heather Zeller to create a solution whereby Liberty’s three divisions (retail, wholesale and operations) could place orders and ship anywhere in the country, 24/7.
RESOLUTION
Liberty’s limited on-site storage combined with their need for fulfillment and delivery services meant an online storefront was the perfect solution. The storefront we created shows real-time inventory of print collateral, stationary and promotional products. Usage reports eliminate wasted budget dollars on over- or under-ordering. Heather is a very strategic and forward-thinking businessperson and she empowered us to solve the needs for every division. This equated to a savings of over $12,000 on the very first order.
Altair Eyewear
- STRATEGY
- Promotional Products
Client
Altair Eyewear was created a quarter century ago to provide no-cost board samples and high-quality brands to independent optometrists at affordable prices. They have since grown into one of the top five eyewear manufacturers in the country.
CHALLENGE
Altair manages multiple eyewear brands and requested notebooks and pens that would honor each of their unique brands. The notebooks needed to be small enough to fit into pockets and purses and look and feel high-end without breaking the budget.
RESOLUTION
We worked with Altair’s Creative Manager Barbara Hennelly to understand the specific parameters for each of the brand channels. After a nationwide search to find the right manufacturers with the ideal cover substrates, colors, dimensions and features needed, we created virtual mockups of each item and sent samples to Barbara so she could sign off on the look and feel before escalating these solutions to their respective brand marketing directors. We brought the full project in under budget and the clients were delighted with each and every finished, branded product.
League of California Cities
- STRATEGY
- Trade show booths
- Direct Mail
Client
The League of California Cities works together to enhance their knowledge and skills, exchange information, and combine resources so that they can influence policy decisions and build stronger and effective communities, one city at a time.
CHALLENGE
Every year the League puts on an Annual Conference and over a dozen educational experiences. The League’s leadership and staff are gifted content developers and coordinate hundreds of speakers, secure venues and everything that goes along with putting on events of this scope and quality.
RESOLUTION
ThirdRail co-creates about one dozen educational direct mailers, and works with the League to ensure designs maximize print and mail efficiencies, minimize postage and maximize response rates. One of the unique things we do (after the initial design is done) is that we return the working files to the League’s internal designer who finishes up the content and returns files to us for pre-flighting and printing. Our synergy minimizes production time and helps keep their budgets tight.
Western States Petroleum Association
- STRATEGY
- Trade show booths
- Promotional Products
Client
The member companies of the WSPA dedicate themselves to ensuring that Americans have sustained, reliable access to petroleum and petroleum products through socially, economically and environmentally responsible policies and regulations.
CHALLENGE
WSPA had an opportunity to exhibit at the California Mid-State Fair, needing a 20’x20’ display designed and shipped to and from the show (set up and tear down included). The booth required flooring, furniture, monitors, a sky ring, a VIP area and photo-op backdrops. Other needs for their two-week tenure included branded clothing and name badges, a daily supply of promotional products and graphics and video editing for their Instagram campaign.
RESOLUTION
We consciously put them into a “living room style” setting, allowing their team to create meaningful heart-to-heart conversations with fair-goers about their concerns in relation to petroleum, clean energy and renewables. We leaned towards green solutions - choosing hand fans to help cool the attendees, and electric lighters for evening concert-goers. We created multiple videos using b-roll from footage to set the stage for their Instagram followers.
Valley Clean Air Now
- STRATEGY
- Digital
- Design
Client
Valley Clean Air Now (Valley CAN) is a 501(c)(3) public charity committed to quantifiably improving air quality in California's San Joaquin Valley; a region with some of the worst air quality in the nation. Valley CAN serves as an educational leader and as a public advocate in taking responsibility for the reduction of air pollution by individuals, government, agriculture, business, and industry.
CHALLENGE
Tom Knox leads Valley CAN’s efforts and knows that the inventive and effective work being done right here in California could be exponentially increased by creating new opportunities for affordable emissions reductions through strategic partnerships. Valley CAN had an opportunity to partner with Volkswagen, and ThirdRail helped transform their powerful content into something that visually illustrated this partnership’s opportunity to help reduce air emissions.
RESOLUTION
ThirdRail’s team of designers created a simple yet powerful visual component to Valley CAN’s existing proposal that helped the reader navigate a tremendous amount of content. Fortunately for us, Tom is a brilliant writer, so all we needed to do was to add visual emphasis to the most powerful parts of his content. Tom and his team won that contract, and in so doing, will be able to expand their reach and help to reduce emissions throughout the region.
Ocwen
- STRATEGY
- Clothing
- Promotional Products
Client
OCWEN is one of the largest financial corporations in the world. They believe in a shared set of values, which defines the way they do business with their customers and investors.
OPPORTUNITY
OCWEN gave its employees paid time off to go into their communities to do service work. We were tasked to design a recognizable garment they could wear. We had 3.5 weeks to design, print, fulfill and ship to all of the head offices.
RESOLUTION
We chose a thick but breathable tee, bright lime green in color, and comfortable to wear in a variety of temperatures and humidity levels. Our design was emotional, simple and boldly told a story about the person wearing it as well as giving a powerful statement to the communities they serve. Their employees have worn these tees with pride ever since, and it is a great example of companies walking their talk!