Client: TurnerBatson Architects
Challenge: Leverage third-party recognition to strengthen client relationships and support talent recruitment
Approach: High-impact dimensional mailer that reinforces brand positioning and creative capability
Custom outer envelope with clean, professional presentation
Die-cut folded brochure featuring dimensional pop-out blue ribbon
Interior spreads telling the story of team culture and client impact
The Challenge
TurnerBatson had been recognized by Interiors Magazine as a top “Great Place to Work”—a significant third-party validation in a competitive industry. The question wasn’t whether to announce it, but how to maximize its strategic value.
Business Objectives
- Client confidence: Demonstrate organizational stability and positive culture—signals that inspire confidence in long-term project partnerships
- Talent recruitment: Position the firm as an employer of choice in a tight labor market for architectural talent
- Brand differentiation: Reinforce creative capability and attention to detail through the announcement itself
The announcement piece needed to do more than share news—it needed to demonstrate the same creative thinking and execution quality that earned the award.
Strategic Approach
Audience Consideration
The primary audience was existing clients and active prospects—people who care about organizational stability, team morale, and creative capability because these factors directly impact project success.
For this audience, the announcement served multiple purposes:
- Reassurance: Your architectural partner is financially stable and retains talent
- Pride by association: Your projects are handled by an award-winning team
- Credibility signal: Third-party validation reinforces the decision to work with this firm
Design Execution
Rather than a standard announcement card, we developed a die-cut trifold brochure with a dimensional pop-out blue ribbon that made the award tangible and memorable.
Design decisions:
- Die-cut ribbon: Creates tactile engagement and visual impact—immediately signals “this is special”
- Trifold format: Allows for storytelling progression (announcement → team culture → what this means for clients)
- Custom envelope: Ensures the piece doesn’t get discarded as junk mail before opening
- Quality production: Print quality and finishing demonstrate the firm’s attention to detail
Messaging Strategy
The content needed to balance celebration with client benefit—acknowledging the team’s achievement while connecting it to what matters for clients: great culture produces great work.
Outcome
Primary Success Metrics
- Client engagement: Positive responses from existing clients reinforcing relationship strength
- Talent pipeline: Supporting recruitment conversations by demonstrating company culture
- Brand reinforcement: Physical piece reinforced the firm’s creative reputation through the execution itself
Strategic Impact
The announcement served as more than news—it became a credibility artifact. Clients kept the piece in their offices, and it supported business development conversations by demonstrating organizational strength during a period of industry volatility.
Production Excellence
The die-cut and dimensional elements required precise execution—any quality issues would undermine the message. The finished piece demonstrated the firm’s commitment to excellence in every detail.
What This Project Demonstrates
Strategic Thinking: Understood that the announcement itself was an opportunity to demonstrate brand values, not just share news.
Audience Focus: Designed for what clients and prospects care about (stability, creativity, quality) rather than internal celebration alone.
Execution Quality: Production values matched the message—demonstrating attention to detail through the piece itself.
Business Alignment: Connected creative execution to clear business objectives (client confidence, talent recruitment, brand differentiation).
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