Graphic Design That Works

Job:12-84823 Title:RP-Graphic Design That Works (LDW)

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dwl incorporated

Getting Ahead

DWL was looking for an innovative and interesting

piece to explain the benefits and features of their core

product offering, an Internet software known as Unifi.

“The key objective of this project was to produce a tech-

nology brochure that would appeal to top-level business

people with little or no technology background,” says

in-house art director Shawn Murenbeeld. In trying to

develop a theme that would tie in all of the product’s

key attributes and benefits, the idea of using the human

head emerged. “As the control center for the body, the

human head has many parallels with the Unifi product,”

explains Murenbeeld. “When I looked it up in the dictionary,

there were a lot of different variations I could use, like

‘get ahead and stay ahead.’ It was very powerful.”

The first challenge came in trying to locate a prototype

head to work with, but nothing from mannequins to

wooden hat forms seemed to fit the bill. “I eventually

hired a wood carver and gave him a sketch of what I

wanted. He went in with a chainsaw and carved out a

CLIENT:

DWL Incorporated’s enterprise

customer management applications

consolidate fragmented customer

relationship management (CRM),

back-office, and e-business

systems into unified industry

solutions.

FIRM:

DWL Incorporated

(in-house creative services)

ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER:

Shawn Murenbeeld

MANUFACTURER OF HEADS:

Sculpture Connection

ILLUSTRATOR:

Shawn Murenbeeld

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Michael Kohn

COPYWRITER:

Alex Baird

ABOVE: On the cover image, a

wooden head was sanded and

oiled. Then old computer parts,

purchased from a junk store, were

attached with reusable adhesive

putty called Tac’N Stik. The interior

is broken up into six modules,

each featuring a key attribute

of the product.

Graphic Design That Works

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194-215 84823 12/12/05 8:10 AM Page 196

Job:12-84823 Title:RP-Graphic Design That Works (LDW)

175# Dtp:120/163 Page:197

Text (DS)

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rough shape with no eyes or gender,” recalls

Murenbeeld. “Once I had the carved heads, I just

added stuff to them.” Several Styrofoam heads were

also carved. Everything from international magazines

and newspapers to refrigerator magnets, connectors,

and computer parts were used to symbolically convey

the message of each key attribute. “For the module on

security, I went to a fence place, bought barbed wire,

and twisted it into an invisible tornado,” details

Murenbeeld. “The barbed wire was held in place with

this clever device created with washers and bolts.”

Once the heads were photographed, it was a challenge

to get all of the colors to match and the gradations to

be consistent. The layout, however, was a breeze. Each

spread features the concept illustration, a select quote

from a customer, a clever headline, and the appropriate

text to explain each featured attribute.

LEFT: To illustrate the concept

Push Our Buttons

, various

household knobs are adhered

to a Styrofoam head that is

painted gray and speckled

with black latex paint. The

copy and a customer quote

also work together to convey

the message.

BELOW: The head series is also

used for a promotional packet.

The postcards function as

leave-behinds in customer

hotel rooms at tradeshows.

What Works

By symbolically using the human head in various ways,

the innovative product brochure was able to clearly

explain all of the product’s main attributes and benefits

in an interesting and captivating way, attracting

attention from top-level management. As a result, the

brochure has been well received by both prospective

clients and business partners alike. “IBM was so

impressed that instead of developing materials for us

to promote Unifi, they let us design our own material,”

adds Murenbeeld. Because of the versatility of the head

image, it became the standard icon for Unifi.

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