Summer 2019

20 May19296 Based in Christiansted, US Virgin Islands, Print City Design Studio is an award-winning family- owned graphic design and print firm that has been recognized locally and worldwide. We have spoken with Kim Mullett, Owner and Graphic Designer at Print City, to talk us through the firm’s expertise, client services, and future. COMPANY Technology has opened up the global marketplace to allow greater connectivity and easy access to foreign markets. Whilst this is wonderful news from a pure business perspective, it presents a number of challenges.The very least of which is competition. So, how do you differentiate your company from a wealth of peers and competitors? The most common answer you will hear is branding. Good branding strategies can make all the difference when it comes to determining the long-term success of any company. Branding, of course, relies fundamentally on a robust strategy of building a company’s reputation, by developing recognizable services and products that consumers can connect with, which requires a collaboration between the client and design team. “We stand by our beliefs of providing passion, ingenuity, quality, and distinctiveness to every client. Print City Design Studio has built a reputation of bringing designs to life - by transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.” With that idea firmly in mind, Print City Design Studio is thriving in this modern, technologically-driven world, with a penchant for creating designs that stand out from the crowd; as Kim explains further. Good design is reading between the lines, so the essence of their business is incorporated into the strategy behind the design. Design, in my opinion, should tell a story, and showcase why you are the best fit for your clients. It has been said by Jessica Ervin that a well-composed design is a holy- grail that many designers seek, but only a few can achieve. Graphic designers, in turn, have inherited the keys to this most essential of kingdoms. “We pride ourselves on providing high-quality products and services by using our passion, pride, and power to elevate others. Since our establishment we have worked with small companies like jewellery stores, dealerships, restaurants, military bodies, IT, media firms, sororities, hairdressers, non-profits – and many more!” Print City’s team dynamic, fosters a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. “We are a family-oriented firm and want to create an inviting atmosphere where clients feel welcomed and valued. The goal is to create long-term – potentially life-long- partnerships with clients. If you treat customers with respect you will be able to assist them in the highest capacity.” Good client service is, as you can imagine, also key in a client-centric field such as design. “When we meet with clients we truly listen to their needs and provide a one-on-one personal service, and work hard to ensure that the final product is a true reflection of the company in question; including the consideration of their ethos, core values, and history. This has proven a useful tool when it comes to staying ahead of a swiftly moving industry: fuelled by technological development, the global design environment has become defined by innovation and constant evolution. Anyone working in the industry has had to be proactive, restless, and eager to improve. Kim agrees, and moves to discuss how Print City Branding Strategies to Help Your Company Flourish has adapted to the needs of the sector and clientele. “As a design firm, you have to be able to adapt to change quickly or be left holding an empty bag. Firms who embrace these changes will keep on growing and attracting larger corporations, due to their versatility. That is why we are making some major changes within our own firm to address these changes. As the industry has changed it has diversified and broadened. Design is now being broken down into more categories like graphic design, branding, web design, digital, social, print, signage, illustration, video, and animation. We have discovered our niche in graphic design, branding, print, illustration, strategy, and signage. I do believe it is important to define your niche and develop your strategy as an expert. “Due to all the changes we are making in the firm, we are redesigning our current website to reflect our technological advances – we expect to launch this new website soon.” Finally, Kim takes a moment to briefly touch on the future of Print City. “We are currently in the process of implementing some new technology in customer communications, print division, adding a web division, expanding our marketing strategies and digital designs. We want to offer a complete solution to our clients that want more than a cookie-cutter process.” Name: Kim Mullett Address: Christiansted, US Virgin Islands Website: www.printcitydesignstudio.com Telephone: +1 844 628 5496