I Am Not A Sewer

Detail from a new display that promotes water pollution prevention for Puget Sound Starts Here and The City of Bellevue. The portable display is part of a larger campaign of new educational projects on water quality. I am legend. I am stormdrain.

New Year/New Advert

Here’s our latest print ad due out later this month in Marketing Magazine. Have a safe and happy New Year!

Alternate Ending

Here’s an alternate version of the graphic from our recent year end/holiday email blast. We couldn’t quite make up our minds about which one to use. This seems like a good a place as any to let it see the light of day. Cheers to all.

Vivitiv Vacation 09/10

Vivitiv will be closed for vacation from
December 17, 2009 through January 6, 2010

Design Taxi Interview

This is a bit of old tosh, but Mark Kaufman's interview for Design Taxi, the global creative network can still be seen online. Find out about Mark's illustration and more than you really care to know here.

Smart Mouth iD

Vivitiv is happy to announce the rebranding effort for Smart Mouth, strategic writing and brand consultants. We partnered with the fine folks at Smart Mouth on a new identity, business papers, print advertising and a new web site holding page. Think Smart Mouth!

Big Book of Green Design

We are pleased to announce that we have several entries in the forthcoming BIG BOOK OF GREEN DESIGN coming out in August 2009 from HarperCollins Publishers. Our work was cited for our collaborations with the City of Bellevue, WA. Projects to be in the book include a booklet and traveling display on reducing our carbon footprint, a series of posters on stormwater runoff, and a print advertising campaign for the City’s food waste to compost program. The image above of a Vivitiv self-promotion was also cited. It was a giveaway tote bag made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Eight out of 10 plastic bottles end up in the landfill–a real drinking problem. We have a few left over, please write us if you would like one.

Vivitiv Peer Reviewed

We are pleased to announce that a brochure campaign we created for Drawmark was selected for inclusion into the 2009 Seattle Show, where work in advertising, design, illustration, digital and broadcast media is judged by a top panel of creatives from outside the Seattle market.

Vivitiv is Dropping Science

We have attended several of the Technology Alliance’s Science and Technology Discovery Series lectures over the past few months and recommend them highly for anyone curious about science and technology issues, but more generally we recommend them because they are fun, interesting and inspiring. What better way to spend a morning before heading off to work than to spend it with the researchers, academics, venture capitalists on the cutting edge of innovation in Washington State and beyond. It’s really future now stuff in the fields of robotics, stem cell research, search technology, and sustainability issues. There are lectures in Seattle and in Spokane, so check out the Technology Alliance web site for upcoming lecture schedule.

Full disclosure and brazen plug, the TA is a long time Vivitiv client and the image above shows some of the promotional communications that we have designed for both the Seattle and Spokane Discovery Series lectures.

Vivitiv Holiday Schedule

Our office will be closed for the holidays from December 24th, 2008 through January 2nd, 2009. We would like to thank our families, friends, clients, associates, friends and enemies alike for your support in 2008, and we wish you a wnderful holiday season and a peaceful and prosperous 2009. Cheers.

Vivitiv Fashions a New Online Presence for the NW Trend Show

Pacific Northwest Apparel Association launched it’s new website designed by Vivitiv with technical assistance of McNamara Publishing which is based in Minnesota. The new web site now falls under the brand and identity design that Vivitiv created for PNAA, offers many new features, highlights a name change for their trade show and a new location at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center.

Garden Party

From the good news about good people department. Gavin Groves and TJ Montague Groves of Garden Party Flowers, Vivitiv friends and clients. Better Homes & Gardens Magazine has highlighted their rose stem cleaner in their “Our Favorite Tools” section of the magazine. The rose cleaning device designed and invented by Mr. Groves is also available for sale at the New York Botanical Garden and at fine garden supply shops nationwide. Congratulations to two very talented and hard-working folks. it is always nice  to see good things happen to nice people.

Magnificent Marvelous Me!

For once the statement above is not about Vivitiv. It’s about the new book from Art with Heart, Magnificent, Marvelous Me!, which is aimed at the siblings of children with serious illness or disabilities. Art with Heart is a wonderful organization providing positive support for children and families facing trauma, illness or other crises through therapeutic books and artistic healing programs. We are pleased to announce that along with illustrators, therapists and health professionals from around the world, Vivitiv partner Mark Kaufman has contributed artwork to the new book. You can help this very worthy cause, and thousand of children around the world by donating here.

Bob Walsh Website

Vivitiv is happy to announce that a website that we designed and short film that we produced for Bob Walsh is now up and running. Check out the site to find out about his incredible true life story, his adventures across the globe, his book and speaking engagements. Big thanks to Capitol Media and Promotion Arts for their assistance on this project.

Vivitiv in Step Inside Design Magazine

Vivitiv partners Mark Kaufman and Jacqueline McCarthy are very pleased to announce that we are the subjects of an eight page spread in Step Inside Design Magazine. We know, we know, slow news day. Several months ago we were interviewed by the noted design writer (and heck of a nice fella) Matthew Porter, about our work, our careers in design and illustration, and all things Vivitiv. The greatest thing about the article is the fact that based on these interviews, Mr. Porter has deemed us the Fred and Ethel of American Design. It’s right there in print. A higher honor we could not wish for.

Of course, as thrilled as we are to be featured in a national design magazine – great for the ego don’t you know – we would be remiss if we didn’t thank all of the people that have helped us along the way in the last 18 years, all of the great clients, associates, employees, friends and even arch enemies. We couldn’t have done it without you.

38th Annual Creativity Awards Jury

We are pleased to announce that Vivitiv partner Mark Kaufman has been selected as a juror for the 38th Annual Creativity Awards. Mark will be judging work in the Publications, Illustration, Typography & Photography category.

New Logo For Society of St. Vincent DePaul

Vivitiv recently completed work on a
new logo for Society of St. Vincent DePaul’s
175th anniversary.

Vivitiv Move

Vivitiv is moving.
As of March 1, 2008
our new address will be:
4745 40th Ave. SW, Suite 101
Seattle, WA 98116
vivitiv.com

Shop Talk

Last week, I had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion with students of the Visual Communications Technology program at Shoreline Community College. Joining me on the panel were David Kendall of Kendall Ross, Brian Boram of RMB Vivid and Chris Holt of Coolstone.

I discussed the Evolution of a Recycling Brochure which drew some laughs from the audience. The presentations by the other firms were beautifully designed and explained their firm's creative process. The students had probing, thoughtful questions-it was a lively session that went way over the originally scheduled time limit.

Thanks to Daniela Birch of Theorem and to Bob Hutchison of the college for setting it up.

Roman Holiday

We are back from our Roman holiday. Here is a short Zapruder-like clip of New Year’s Eve in Rome. The big explosion at the beginning of the clip had Mark’s ears ringing for a few hours. Our trip to Italy was absolutely amazing, great art, great food and wine, and great weather, Not hot enough to get a tan, but we are pale, rested and ready to roll. Wishing everyone a belated Happy New Year/Buon Anno.

Mark Kaufman + Jacqueline McCarthy