Online
Arts & Literature Journal Increases
Subscriptions Through New Architecture
Information Architecture + Art & Literature
Journal Mental ContagIon
Winter, 2008
In the fall of 2000, Design for the Arts director Karen Kopacz launched the first
issue of Mental Contagion, an online arts and literature journal that is more
than 7 years in the making. This journal has seen a lot of redesigns—supporting
more than 85 issues. The January-February 2008 issue launched a redesign with
revised architecture that saw dramatic results in user behavior within the first
19 days.
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Redesigned Issue* |
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FEB 1-19, 2008 |
NOV 1-19, 2007 |
JUN 1-19, 2007 |
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| Visits |
838 |
772 |
542 |
| Pageviews |
2,408 |
1,645 |
1,374 |
| Visits: Day of Email Blast |
175 |
39 |
52 |
| Subscription Sign Up |
8 |
3 |
1 |
Seen in the chart
above, the redesign and new layout for the email blast shows
dramatic results in user clickthrough to view articles online.
The redeveloped navigation includes social
bookmarking tools for StumbleUpon, Digg,
Facebook and del.icio.us, and a new format that encourages subscription
sign up on every page. A variety of factors were taken into consideration
in the re-architecting process, including creating stable pages
that will never be moved to an archive with the launch of each
new issue. This ensures that bookmarks remain valid, also creating
an archive format that will not be overwhelming to manage.
Publishing a site every month for 7 years creates a mess of pages to update with
each new issue, and because the journal sometimes changes format, this consideration
and others led to the decision to build the majority of the page's content with
php includes. The advantage: when the navigation changes, only one file needs
to be updated.
Check out MentalContagion.com

Table of Contents
A Brand New Identity for an Educational Publisher
Brand Building + Accompany
Publishing
Winter, 2008
Accompany Publishing will be launching 67 new products in 2008. Design for
the Arts has worked with Accompany for 5 years (since the beginning),
assisting with everything from illustrating book covers and CDs, to editorial
layout, Web site and direct marketing design.
Design for the Arts suggested the brand identity initiative in response to
Accompany's request for design work for their new products which would include
books, games and expansion into new product territory. Principal of Accompany
Publishing, Sam Graber, expressed great enthusiasm for setting this important
strategy in motion. Creating a brand identity has been
proven to increase sales and customer trust. Brand has often been called "a
company's promise." It encompasses everything from
color palette and font usage to logo, tagline and placement of key design elements.
This promise is a thread through all materials.
The brand guidline system was created to maintain coherency throughout marketing
materials and products in anticipation of company growth as Accompany Publishing
begins to widen their market to compete with larger educational publishers.
Additionally, the guidelines will be a valuable tool that will assist the multiple
designers who will work with Accompany Publishing to create products and supporting
marketing initiatives. The resulting document revealed an easy-to-access PDF
document with guidelines, brand statements and hard and soft rules. The document
was designed with expansion in mind, as the company continues to grow.

Table of Contents
Creating a Tagline:
The Poetry of Marketing
Brand Building + été Handbags
Winter, 2008
été Handbags makes custom bags in a variety of shapes, sizes
and fabrics, and they look fabulous! Their brand, however, needed help creating
consistency throughout marketing materials, including identitiy pieces and
Web site. In addition to creating a brand identity that
would strongly connect all marketing elements, we needed to develop
consice language that would help potential customers understand that été Handbags
are all about customization and home parties. Design for the Arts led this
initiative and came up with two key phrases that would
appear in all marketing materials to further engage the target demographic:
married women in the 'burbs with some disposable income.
The tagline, "It's Your Style" speaks to the
customizable nature of their product. It communicates directly to
the consumer, making a personalized connection, and conveys a sense of fashion.
Design for the Arts thinks about taglines as the poetry of the marketing
world: each word has a powerful job. Too many or too few words will detract
from expression of just the right sentiment.
Since the majority of été's proftis come from home parties,
a secondary phrase was created and placed throughout marketing materials to
encourage participation. Design for the Arts chose to upscale the language
of "home party" to "soirée." This fit well with
the été name both visually and phonetically, and acheived a dual
purpose that spoke to the right demographic.
"Host an été soirée and été will
gift a portion of the sales toward your handbag!"
Further, letting viewers know that they will get a discount if they host, creates
an effective headline that can be followed with a call-to-action using été contact
information.
Check out eteHandbags.com

Table of Contents
A Novel Web Site
Concept & Strategy + Author Geoff Herbach
Winter, 2008
Having destroyed his life, the suicidal T. Rimberg strikes out on a journey
through history and geography. From Minneapolis to Europe to a fiery accident
near Green Bay, he searches for a father who is likely dead, digs for meaning
where he’s sure there is none, fires out suicide letters to family,
celebrities, presidents and football stars, and lands in a hospital bed across
from a priest who believes that he has caused a miracle.
"The Miracle
Letters of T. Rimberg" will be available April 15th, 2008. The supporting
site was illustrated by Andy Sturdevant and designed and developed by Design
for the Arts. Author Geoff Herbach wanted to create a site that would do more
than promote book, he wanted it to add depth. The site
was developed from the point of view of Cranberry, one of the main characters,
who shares evidence from events that occur throughout the book. We chose
to guide the user to this evidence through location, since the book weaves
the story through 6 different settings via the main character T. Rimberg. Cranberry
even has a blog on the site that continues to reveal information that he discovers
about the main character T. Rimberg, and the events that surround him.
The site integrates quotes and quick facts in
every primary navigtaion section, social bookmarking
tools and is rich with embedded YouTube videos throughout
the site's multi-media pages. Design for the Arts also designed the site logo,
which was loosely based on '60s pop culture and fit the book dynamic.
Check out TheMiracleLetters.com

In order to provide information on author readings and events without interrupting
the site concept, Design for the Arts designed the author's personal site as
a separate entity, accessable only from the homepage and the footer navigation
of TheMiracleLetters.com, for those avid fans who are interested in learning
more.
Check out GeoffHerbach.com
Table of Contents
Do Marketing and Art Mix?
Art Smart + Visual Artist Kathryn Stemwedel
Winter, 2008
There is a wide-spread misconception that artists spend all of their time
creating. (And I know this because the same misconception exists about designers.)
Nothing could be further from
the truth. This is not to say that we do not feel fulfilled (and lucky), but
the fact is we are running businesses. While 9 to 5-ers leave at the end of
the day (usually) and have their benefits taken care of, artists and freelance
designers are forever concepting, planning, doing research, writing proposals,
writing grants, sifting through paperwork, learning the art of scheduling,
becoming project managers, meeting with gallery owners, adding up deductions,
worrying about insurance and retirement and, oh yeah, being creative. At least
that is what we are doing if our endeavor really is a business.
So do artists
need a marketing strategy? Even musicians have a handle on the art of marketing,
due to the competitive nature of their industry. Every musician I know has
a bio, press kit and a one-sheet that lets radio DJs and other industry people
know what label they are on, the songs that should be played, when the tour
is, and so on. Artists need this same kind of organized structure, in order
to efficiently update industry people on their accomplishments and projects,
but unlike musicians, an overwhelming number of artists do not have this
system in place.
Design for the Arts began working with artist Kathryn Stemwedel to help establish
goals and strategy. Designing a Web site that highlights her fine art and her
interior décor has become an excellent tool for her to refer to during discussions
with potential clients. In particular, photographing and posting the numerous
frescos she painted in a prestigous Minneapolis mansion has added a lot of
depth and interest to her site. Highlighting her many experiences, including
her education and teaching experience in Italy,
helps build credibility. Since the launch of her site, her artwork has
been featured in the Twin Cities Gallery Guide (30,000 distributed throughout
the Twin Cities), she has participated in the Rake's Gallery
Grooves series
and we've created and updated documents for press, biography, statement,
past exhbitions and CV that can be printed or emailed to galleries, media or
adapted for the purpose of grant writing.
By providing materials that help artists organize their goals and their materials,
it makes self-promoting more managable. Success is not tied solely
to talent, although it helps and Kathryn has no shortage of it. Many artists
who continue to grow in popularity and prosperity do so becuase, in addition
to their creative skills, they are connected and maintain consistent followthrough
on possible opportunities. By consulting with artists about their goals,
strengths and triumphs—and also addressing issues that deter
successes—a plan can be devloped for helping artists reach their full potential.
Check out KathrynStemwedel.com

Table of Contents
Writing
a Biography for the Creative Professional
Creative's Field Guide + Articles by Experts
Winter, 2008 + Originally Published
in Mental Contagion
The creative professional’s biography can be a valuable tool, a quick
guide to factual information that lends a deeper comprehension of professional
experience and expertise. A well-written biography is informative and engaging,
and will always be clear and easy to read.
The biography is often the reader’s first detailed introduction to the
subject. For both the green and seasoned professional, it plays an important
role in setting tone and moving objectives forward.
The Basics
If a biography is not working for a person, it is working against a person.
Readers appreciate not having to work for the facts or having to wade through
obvious statements and irrelevant information. Unclear or rambling biographies
often determine a specific outcome: immediate transfer to the trashcan.
Some basic rules for writing style follow:
• Write in the third person to create a professional and objective tone
• Write for clarity—beware of abstract or overly-clever statements
• Stay positive and orient content toward information that support goals
• Lead the reader with facts, rather than opinion or conjecture
• One to three paragraphs is often sufficient in length; always write
less than one page
• Use short paragraphs
• Be succinct and remove or rework unclear and redundant statements
• Keep consistent tense
Audience
Each and every person who reads a creative professional’s biography
is a potential candidate to assist in achieving goals.
Consumers
• Consumers, collectors, fans, clients
Financial Supporters
• Investors, benefactors, sponsors, donors
• Decision-makers in awarding grants, scholarships and travel-study programs
Professional Liaisons
• Publishers, publicists, agents, art buyers
• Galleries, theaters
Buzz-Makers
• Media, critics
• Professional peers, social networks, bloggers
Collaborators
• Team-workers, associates, advocates
• Potential partners
The “I” Environment: A Basic Overview of What
to Include
• Name and profession
• Goals, works in progress (be succinct)
• Education and/or experience
• Subject matter, professional focus
• Objective-related accomplishments
• Extraordinary or unique experience
• Contact information and Website (this can be a follow or precede the
biography)
Optional
• Resident location
• Hobbies or special interest
• Family
Where Do I Start and What Have I Done?
Read biographies by professional peers and mentors in your line of work. It’s
a good way to spark inspiration and can serve as an information trigger.
A few things to look for, while reading:
• Composition and information flow
• Style and tone
• Content
Make a list, before you compose. Not all of the items listed will make it
into the biography, but this process is useful for content organization and
can often trigger relevant details otherwise forgotten. Tip: a résumé can
be an excellent resource in the list-making process.
• Professional affiliations and organizations
• Education, training, experience
• Press: reviews or interview by newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and
online media
• Awards, grants and recognition
• Publications and articles; include authored articles or art or writing
published in books, magazines, anthologies or other media such as ads, cds
or brochures
• Leading or assisting roles in workshops or panels
• Related and notable volunteer or pro-bono work
• Prestigious exhibits
Keep It Real, Keep it Relevant, Keep It Updated
Create action statements that are relevant to the objective of the biography.
It is a common mistake to truncate the importance of a statement, or to run
on for sentences without relaying any actual information. The aim is to achieve
balance in how much information is revealed.
Example:
No: “Jane is passionate about art.”
No: “Jane has always loved art made by women.”
Yes: “Jane’s work reflects her life-long relationship with women
in art.”
Update the biography biannually or annually with new information as accomplishments
build. Outdated or less relevant information can be removed as new accomplishments
are achieved.
Proof and Have Proofed
A seamless biography conveys attention to detail, an asset to any professional.
Ask a trusted colleague to read the biography. An objective party can often
catch an important detail that was left out. An informational disconnect can
occur after sentence structure has been repeatedly changed or rearranged.
Things to consider while proofreading:
• Spelling, grammar and errors
• Flow and coherency
• Reader engagement
When applying for a grant or a project with guidelines, be sure to note if
there are specific instructions regarding the length or content of your biography.
Good luck!
About the Writer
Karen Kopacz is a graphic and Web designer living in St. Paul, MN. Her freelance
enterprise, Design for the Arts, provides design, strategy and consultation
for artists, writers and creative businesses of all types.
Karen is director and founder of the monthly-published, online
arts & literature magazine Mental Contagion, launched in 2000. She was
a panel member of Fostering New Culture on the Internet in SXSW's 2005 Interactive
Festival, and is the founder and curator of Reconnect, a ‘Mobile Art
Gallery’ series that takes place at various locations in the Minneapolis-St.
Paul area to help build connections between local artists, business owners
and the community.
Karen's Web design has been featured in the design anthology
Portfolios Online. She has been on the board of directors for the Twin Cities
Fine Arts Organization, is a former art director of First Avenue’s in-house
magazine, has been a columnist and photographer for PitchforkMedia.com and
has collaborated with artists, musicians, photographers, copywriters and editors
for more years than she cares to admit.
For more information about the arts
& literature journal in which this article was originally published, visit www.MentalContagion.com.
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