Success Stories: Brochures

When Master Lock®, a global leader in portable security products, was preparing to introduce its new line of power sport vehicle locks, the company assigned Modus Operandi Design of Milwaukee, Wisconsin the challenge of creating a brochure that would "wow" its target market.

That market comprises motorcyclists, ATV and snowmobile riders and jet skiers, among others, and Master Lock understood that these types of outdoor sports enthusiasts are not easily impressed.

Modus Operandi has been designing brochures and other collateral materials for Master Lock for several years and was well positioned to handle the challenge. "We knew we wanted to create something different, a brochure with an overall design that would capture and reinforce the product features we were selling—toughness and security,” says Steve Wiskowski, a graphic designer with Modus.

When it came to specifying the paper on which the brochure was to be printed, there was only one candidate, YUPO, one of the "toughest" products in the marketplace. Manufactured by Yupo Corporation America in Chesapeake, Virginia, YUPO synthetic paper is acknowledged for its extraordinary durability and its ultra smooth, bright white surface finish.

YUPO is composed primarily of polypropylene resin along with inorganic fillers and additives. Because there are no natural fibers, YUPO is water resistant, chemical and tear resistant, and UV stable. Its surface characteristics also result in superior color reproduction.

Kathleen Weis, a Modus account executive, says, "Although we hadn't specified YUPO before, we were familiar with it. We really liked the look and the feel of the paper, so we went to the client and said, ‘you need to use YUPO for this project,’ and they agreed. The printer, Color Ink (Sussex, Wisconsin), provided mock-ups of the brochure using YUPO.”

The six-page, 8” by 6" brochure, Keep Your Bragging Rights, introduces the StreetSmart Security™ line of StreetCuff® locks, u-locks, cables and chains, all of which are designed to protect sport vehicles from theft. The entire brochure was printed on 74lb. YUPO cover stock with a four-color process and overall aqueous gloss and emboss and die cut. Master Lock ordered an initial run of 7,500 copies and the brochure proved so popular that the company ordered another 10,000 copies just a few months later.

The left side of the front cover is embossed with gray dots to simulate a power sports vehicle handle bar. “We wanted to mimic the texture of grips, and YUPO enabled us to do just that,” says Carol Mittlesteadt, another member of the Modus Operandi design team. “The durable quality of YUPO conveys a feeling of strength—perfect for Master Lock’s line of power sport vehicle locks."

Gray and black are the dominant colors throughout the brochure. “Gray is a good color for this brochure," Wiskowski says, "because it makes the product images pop off the page."

Red highlights are used sparingly to accent the gray and black. The embossing also gives the brochure a three dimensional quality, which is reinforced by drop shadows and beveling throughout the brochure. The back cover of the brochure features very fine text knocked out of a solid black background. This text includes model numbers as well as descriptions and sizes of the various locks and accessories in the StreetSmart Security™ line.

“We were concerned that the product specifications and descriptions might be difficult to read,” Wiskowski says. “But because YUPO has no porosity, even the smallest print is razor sharp and very easy to read."

Modus Operandi is now convinced that YUPO Synthetic Papers have unique qualities. "We'd love to use it again," Weis says. "It was just perfect for the Master Lock project. The client is very pleased with the brochure and, based on the sizeable reorder, it's apparent that their customers and prospects like it too. It's proven to be a very successful brochure for our client.”

For more information, contact: Modus Operandi Design, 1363 N. Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202; Tel. 414.276.4244; Fax 414.246.4266; or visit www.designbymodus.com.

Innovative Iconic Brochure Spotlights New Condominiums Inspired By Philippe Starck

Marc USA Advertising knew designing a brochure for a new condominium project would be no ordinary task. The waterfront luxury housing, called "ICON", is located in Miami's glitzy South Beach area and was inspired by French star designer Philippe Starck. The brochure, commissioned by the Related Group of Florida, needed to reflect Starck's unique, individualistic style. It also needed to appeal to upscale clients interested in buying homes with interiors created by one of the world's best-known contemporary designers.

Starck typically defies usual expectations by conceiving bold and creative public spaces, and then inviting homebuyers to participate in the interior design of their residence. His work can be seen in London, Hong Kong and Paris, but the ICON project in Miami's South Beach is the first Starck project of its kind in the United States.

DURABLE, TRANSLUCENT COVER
The first models of the ICON compound were made from frosted plastic material, representing the modern glass exterior of the fluid "S" shaped, 38-story building. "The outside visual of the structure is very clear," says Dane Buxbaum, Director of Production Services at Marc USA Advertising Miami. "They want to have a unique look on South Beach with this clear looking building, and this was one of the visual clues I took to try to find a paper stock that could represent this."

"We know a lot of the translucent papers on the market that we could use as cover material," remembers Buxbaum. "But most of them had drawbacks, mainly concerning durability. They crack easily, rip, and create a white line when they curl." Buxbaum realized he needed a synthetic stock to give him the durability he needed.

That's when YUPO® translucent synthetic paper, manufactured by Yupo Corporation America (Chesapeake, VA) entered the picture. "YUPO is the only translucent sheet on the market that I know of that is tear resistant and incredibly durable,' says Buxbaum. " It was really the only choice."

The Marc USA design team chose YUPO 62lb. translucent for the cover of the ICON brochure, however the designer did not limit his use of the synthetic material to the cover. It was also used for two "peel away window" pages inside. Starck uses sheer white curtains in many of the rooms he creates. "I took the graphics of curtain folds that we printed on one of the YUPO translucent pages," describes Buxbaum. "Now the reader has to peel away the curtain to get a view of the next page, showing a drawing of the ICON building against a bright blue Florida sky."

The 14.5 x 9.25" brochure has 12 pages and features a sketch of the lobby furnished by Starck, short paragraphs explaining the philosophy behind the ICON concept, raving quotes about the "pop star of the design world," and photos of Starck's international projects and of the waterfront area of South Beach. The central fold-out piece displays the furnishing and interiors of four design packages created by Starck, allowing buyers to personalize ICON residences up to the point of choosing flooring, lighting, and specialty features in "minimal", "classic", "culture", or "nature" styles.

The brochure was printed by American National Ltd., Miami, Florida with a print run of 7,500. "These guys really enjoy working on a project like this," says Buxbaum. "They go the extra mile, time and again."

A STOCK FOR ALL TRADES
With the real estate information package the Related Group provides floor plans for the individual apartments. "We also used YUPO for those plans," says Buxbaum. "Durability was important here, too. Clients are able to write on the plan, and we didn't want any tearing and ripping. And YUPO was used for the business cards, as well."

"We had great results and I will spec it again whenever there is a project requiring durability and a premium look," concludes Buxbaum.

For more information on the Icon condominiums go to www.iconsouthbeach.com.

About MARC USA Advertising
MARC USA is one of the fastest growing national marketing communications agencies in the country with offices in all key regions of the United States. To get in touch with Dane Buxbaum at MARC USA/Miami, call 305-665-5225 or go to www.marcusa.com.