DS Design Studio

Small and mid-sized companies that cannot design and deliver every sales and marketing piece in house are the clients of DS Design Studio, a graphic design and marketing practice on Boston's North Shore in Massachusetts. The studio calls itself a hybrid marketing company, offering creative of agency standard together with project management and branding. Its owner has worked on-site and remotely with clients for more than twenty years.

Packaging that sells on the shelf

For packaging, DS Design Studio says it looks at presentation, quality, type, photography, clear messaging and brand recognition, and researches the competition to improve shelf position. Extras include in-store displays, shelf talkers, point-of-purchase pieces, coupon design, QR codes and online promotional links.

Trade shows, signage and vehicle wraps

Trade show support covers design and print management for booth visuals, 8 x 10 pop-up displays, store signage and retractable displays, plus pre-show and follow-up mailings, press kits and promotional giveaways. The studio has designed vehicle wraps for the sports and beverage industries so far and wants to widen into other sectors, noting that a wrap draws attention at a low cost per impression.

Advertising, web and social assets

Advertising is built around keeping interest, staying credible, creating desire and spelling out the benefit. Websites and e-commerce sites carry the brand message because, as the studio points out, a site is often the first impression a prospect gets. Social media assets, digital marketing graphics, email campaigns and collateral round out the list.

Food and beverage, and well-known brands

Food and beverage clients have a section of their own. Past work is credited to brands that include HEAD Wintersports, Gorton's Seafood, Timberland, Swarovski and Oracle.

How a project runs

The studio says it listens to marketing directors, studies their brands and uses senior-level talent on every project. It lists a one-stop approach to integrated design and marketing campaigns, response times that stay quick, and a preference over freelance marketplaces or print-shop counters for clients who want experienced designers.