I cut my teeth in the publishing and printing world. I started when I was in college, writing features for the school paper, and by the time I was in grad school, had done almost every job from typing original material for authors to proofing galleys, doing press checks, and then sending out press releases for print and radio on the new book or program.  I have worked as an editor for educational material, functioned as a production coordinator for a multi million dollar program, and manned many trade show booths selling the pamphlets, books, programs, and teaching manuals the company produced.

In those days, graphic designers and advertising copywriters did not have the luxury of computers. One had to approach a project with great thought because mistakes were difficult to rectify. Today, we have a delete button. In those days, it could be the kiss of death.  When you speced a manuscript, you knew how many headers would need 18 pt. type, and how much you could squeeze into an eight-page sig using 12 pt. for body copy. Today, a graphic designer has as many choices as he or she wishes to work with for originality and emphasis; a custom look and feel is oh so achievable.

In those days, there was justified left and right or ragged right, and no type in curves unless someone wanted to cut with an exacto knife. What client could afford that? The print brochures, sell sheets, and catalogs that a creative, passionate team produces today, can take your breath away. We have some samples to prove my point. At Dynamic Digital Advertising, nothing makes me happier than to see print projects, from a single 8.5″ x 11″ one-sided sheet to a four by eight trade show graphic, come through the door. Guess once you’ve worked in print, the ink never leaves your veins. 

Spring is definitely my favorite time of year. My new office is great because I have really nice windows. A row of them to my left and a couple behind. The first time I saw the office, I was concerned because the windows, throughout the building, are high up and not really a direct view outside. Turns out that, whether seated or standing, the view through every window is one of trees from their mid point on up. Breathtaking!

It occurs to me that during spring the trees are in transition. Early on the seemingly dry branches and twigs blossom with life, color, and attitude. Later in spring the blossoms fall, coloring the ground, and the now very much alive branches and twigs become adorned with leaves of complex shapes in limitless shades of green.

What is most compelling and interesting is the way the windows frame the trees as if to feature each grouping as a picture frame would. Each window becomes a work-of-art, combining the best qualities of renaissance, impressionism, and realism. Rich, beautiful, and alive.

At DDA, we believe advertising and marketing is similar.  It is our goal to provide glimpses of reality that feature and highlight the best qualities of our client’s products, services, staff, and capabilities. Framing each with the proper information, aesthetic, and presentation to provide the viewer with a perspective that helps our client’s organization radiate the aura of quality and success.

Websites, photography, videos, 2D animation,  3D animation, CD-ROMS, DVDs, programming applications, illustrations, brochures, sell sheets, catalogs, training portals, copy writing, virtual spins, and virtual worlds… each and every one is a little window shining light in, but also reflecting all the best that our clients have to offer.

DDA subscribes to several business practices and principles that directs everything we do. They are transparency, ethical conduct, and doing the right thing. The practice of these are both just good, sane, logical and practical approaches to client and vendor relations and emotional, cerebral and feel-good-about-yourself practices and beliefs that allows one to look himself or herself in the mirror each morning and sleep well at night.

Some definitions through the eyes of DDA:

Transparency. I like to think I am a good communicator. I know I am a lousy listener. My other career path might well have been as a history teacher and I sometimes wonder if the excitement of the advertising and business world overwhelmed my common sense.

Despite my best efforts, I recognize that four people in a meeting or discussion will leave with four slightly or largely different understandings of what just happened, what information was shared, what conclusions were drawn, and what the next steps are. Since we believe strongly that good process is at the core of all efficiency, somehow each successful advertising, branding, or marketing meeting must result in common understanding, shared goals, and a focused unified vision of the end game.

Transparency tools are woven into and heaped upon every advertising, branding, or marketing project we undertake. DDA TRAC (Time Resource and Accounting) is an in-house developed, Internet-based time tracking database tool. The result is that every hourly billed project including programming, logo design, graphic design, copywriting, photography, video, 2D and 3D animation, illustration, trade show displays, large format graphics, print design and print production for sell sheets, catalogs, brochures, flyers, direct mail, business cards, training portals and tools, CME design and development and even search engine optimization (SEO) is invoiced accurately. No time, not one minute is rounded up or added on, and every invoice is accompanied by a detailed minute-by-minute description of how the time was spent. On time, On budget, On TRAC every time.

Additional tracking and reporting tools abound. DDA’s search engine optimization (SEO) work has a series of metrics that perpetually report website visitation, usage, pathways, experience-based mapping, rankings, and much more. Website analysis means corporate websites can be better understood, improved, and managed.

Online proofing development websites are assigned to each client and each project. Our clients see every project unfold, improve, and take shape and their input is welcomed, requested, and insisted upon every step of the way.

Transparency is as much an attitude as it is a report or tool. At DDA, we believe that direct communication is the hallmark of a truly professional service-oriented vendor. We answer the phone, have project coordinators for each client, welcome questions and love client interaction. Every project is a blend of skills, expertise, information, and point-of-view provided by both the client and DDA.

Call us anytime. At DDA, the Transparency is clearly better.

Ethical Conduct to follow Monday.

Doing the Right Thing to follow Tuesday.

DDA likes to keep things a simple as can be for our clients. For that reason it is only natural that we offer print services on pieces that we design.

The print industry is its own world with terms and processes that are foreign to many. It takes time to understand how everything functions, and just when you think you understand something, it’s bound to change, either because of technology or because of the type of project.

Print projects range from pop-up tradeshow booths, to banner stands, to vinyl banners, to catalogs, to brochures, to sell sheets and postcards. These are all of the more recognizable items that are offered by DDA. We can also meet any other needs you may have.

Each of these items are different. They require different specs for the designer and a different print process to achieve the final product.

In my years at DDA, I have become much more knowledgeable of the print industry than I was prior. It was not something that I was admittedly not interested in when I started, but as time progressed I have developed an interest in how everything comes together.

I enjoy having the ability to explain the process to a client so that they have an understanding of what their project will entail, because if everyone is on the same page than the project will move along much smoother.