It’s hard to believe that it’s already November… where did the year go? Apparently there’s a lot of truth to the old saying that days go faster when you’re busy! For us here at Squid Ink, that’s certainly been the case, and I must say I’ve been grateful for work and the strides forward that we’ve been able to make with clients both old and new.
Our spring and summer months saw us working through another successful season with Music Theatre of Wichita, and with the Wichita Wingnuts baseball team. We also added a few more web clients, including one in particular that ended up with an outstanding e-commerce site. If you’re interested in bowhunting, make sure you check out www.magnusbroadheads.com.
We generally gear-down a bit at the end of the summer and take a brief pause between projects, but this year we ended up moving full-steam ahead in support of a renewed association with the Wichita Thunder. The transition of ownership and a new philosophy about promotion has been a welcome change for the Thunder, and also for us. New opportunities seem to be surrounding them and we’re very happy to be a part of their team again this year. Along those lines, our work with the Thunder and INTRUST Bank Arena has gotten us noticed a little further south, and we managed to get a foot in the door with the Tulsa Oilers hockey organization.
Things look bright for Squid Ink going into winter, with no shortage of things to do and some bright lights on the horizon. I want to say a very sincere thank you to my team for all of their dedication and hard work… it’s been a great year so far!
What an exciting year it has been for Squid Ink Creative! The Squid Team began its 2011 creative journey designing posters and ads and shooting TV spots and sneak peeks for all 5 hit Music Theater of Wichita shows. Making Music Theater’s creative projects come to life every year can be a challenge as it’s the Squid’s job to make each of the 5 shows shine individually, while simultaneously adhering to the specific upbeat Music Theater brand. It’s a challenge that keeps us on our toes – one we look forward to conquering every year. From Music Theater season straight into baseball season, the Squid Team stepped up to the plate bringing cohesive brand designs to both The Wichita Wingnuts and to the National Baseball Congress World Series Tournament. Baseball teams may get a short rest between seasons, but there was no rest for the Squid. Hockey season and the Wichita Thunder’s 20th Anniversary season was upon us. Now, the Squid’s goal was to design a one-of-kind logo for the Wichita Thunder, representing their 20th Anniversary in the Central Hockey League. Beyond the logo, the Squid Team designed posters, giveaways, season tickets and the supporting motion graphics that go into making an exciting game-day experience. If you haven’t seen the annual Thunder Intro Video, which can be viewed on our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/squidinkcreative, we suggest you get over there right now to see what the buzz is all about!
These exciting creative opportunities kept us swimming along fast and hard this year – it’s a wonder we found time to fit much more into our work-tank. But, we are Creative Squids and keeping every talented tentacle submerged is our specialty. Spaced throughout the larger projects in 2011, the Squid Team provided INTRUST Bank Arena with motion graphics and video support for the 360 degree ribbon board, video display, and a giant 30’ X 30’ sign that can be seen from Kellogg. We took on a complete branding project for Evangelical Friends Church. We also did the redesign of two of our long-standing clients’ websites, Tech Systems and Magnus Broadheads, whose original sites we established several years ago. In addition, we redesigned Magnus Broadheads’ online store and are currently designing packaging for their products, which will completely absorb the newly redesigned brand.
In the midst of heavy work, we realize changes are a necessity for our company to achieve growth and success. We have hired Meeghan Dunleavy as our Director of New Business. Meeghan brings a range of talent to this already diverse team, with experience to serve your business in marketing, sales, project management, entertainment, promotions and customer relations. This will allow Squid Ink to provide more specialized services to our clients. We want to handle your marketing and advertising needs along with all things creative. As we branch out in the vast area of Social Networking, we will provide what it takes to help you sort out your social campaign on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or whichever network may come riding in on the next wave.
As we wind down a successful jam-packed year, we just can’t help but feel enthusiasm for our future! We are thrilled about all the changes being made to better serve our clients. Our ultimate wish is to provide our clients with a marketing, advertising and creative partner for the life your company. If you are looking for a team of creative professionals that will understand and help enhance your brand then you’ve come to exactly the right place.
Squid Ink Creative and You… Let’s swim together in creative genius.
Frank Lichtlin, Chief Creative Officer & Managing Partner
Rival (ri – val) – (noun): One who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor.
The Squid cave has been a flurry of activity this week in anticipation of a heated battle between both of the undefeated Wichita Thunder and Missouri Mavericks. The Thunder front office asked the Squids for a special intro video to mark this intense rivalry hitting the ice in Wichita tonight; thus we swam over to the INTRUST Bank Arena earlier this week for a super secret shoot.
While we can’t show you everything yet, Syd the Squid wanted to give you die-hard Thunder fans a little preview to hype your anticipation for this heated rivalry. If you’re like us, you just can’t wait until the moment when this video will show in the darkened Intrust Bank Arena to the roar of thousands of Thunder fans.
One other thing though… Syd felt like making you work for a preview this time, so grab your phone and scan this QR code for you super secret sneak preview!
Until tonight… GO THUNDER!
Meeghan Dunleavy, Director of New Business
It’s that time of year again – the leaves are changing, the temperature is dropping and Hobby Lobby has Christmas decorations in stock… all of which means one thing, another intro video for the Wichita Thunder! This was an awesome project to work on this season, as it is the celebration of the team’s 20th year. With such history and tradition rooted in this organization, I wanted to pay proper respect to those players, and fans alike, that have worn the Thunder sweater proudly.
I really wanted the beginning of the video to highlight past Thunder players, victories and, of course, the 2 CHL Championships! The Thunder front office provided some photos to work with and I began piecing them together. I decided that creating a montage of the photos would be the best visual way to highlight the team’s rich history. I was able to animate the photos and give them life. Another aspect of the intro video that I wanted to improve, and focus on, was my use of the camera features within Adobe After Effects. After a few attempts, I was able to slice together the montages and make them come alive to create an atmosphere of excitement.
When this intro video shows for the first time inside the darkened Intrust Bank Arena, mere minutes before the first game of such an anticipated season, I hope I will have given all Wichita Thunder fans something to be proud of.
While I can’t show you the whole thing… I’ve managed to sneak a peek of the opening video into my blog post. So to all the great Thunder fans out there, get pumped up for the first puck drop of the season, tonight at Intrust Bank Arena!
Don’t forget to make time this Thursday, September 23, to stop by booth 511 and say “hello” to us at the 2010 ExpoSure event, being held at Century II Expo Hall from 10am to 5pm.
We’ll be handing out brochures, demos, and more goodies than an all-night sushi bar!
Just in case you missed us in print… here’s a link to a wonderful article written by Molly McMillin at the Wichita Eagle about the evolution of our agency. This piece appeared in the Business section of the paper on Wednesday, May 12, 2010.
The crowd arrived early Saturday night, ready to storm the new Intrust Arena with enthusiasm for their own Wichita Thunder as they set out to wipe Tulsa off the weather map.
The shiny new arena sports huge screens, bright lights and notable venders including an Irish Pub stand and more tasty morsels than the avid food junkie can sink a tooth into. Only a few red padded seats remained after over 13,000 fans aging from 3 months to 93 years poured into the arena, filling it nearly to capacity and waited in anticipation for the competition to commence. Donning Thunder jersey’s old and new, with Guinness’ and pretzels in hand, fans were eager to roar when the Thunder made their entrance. It all set the stage for a remarkable fight (better make that several fights) and a superior show for all!
The Squid showed his face from the start, featuring an exciting video introduction on the Big Screen, welcoming the Thunder onto the ice, while preparing the crowd to fire up for an extraordinary contest between these rivals. Before the game got underway, the players began their first scuffle, a carry-over from 24 hours earlier, where in Tulsa this same match-up ended in a huge Thunder win! No doubt, some obvious unfinished business was in need of settlement. For the Squid, these brawls translate to enticing video clips, edging on the feisty crowd and giving us a chance to show off our creative genius each time the Thunder rolls out another fist or slams another opponent’s helmet onto the frozen tundra. Are we encouraging physical endangerment to human kind here? You bet your sweet funnel cakes, we are! Hey, we’re not even sure if these guys are human in the first place. What man withstands obsessive nose gashing and head bashing abuse to lift himself up off the ground and go back for more? Thank you Sir, may I have another?
The Squid had his hands in all kinds of great video throughout the night, from the intro up until the very end. This arena is alive with stimulation down to every last detail, including a video ribbon which encompasses the entire perimeter of the stands, where Squid Ink producers had the privilege to create some fantastic plugs for Thunder and Intrust Arena sponsors as well as some amazing close-up shots of each player as they were introduced onto the rink. We showed up on the big screen during icing penalties, in between periods and each time the Thunder scored.
Unfortunately for most, a bittersweet ending would wrap up the night, with only one video clip revealed to celebrate a goal scored for our mighty Thunder. Not enough to beat Tulsa this time around. Overall though, Wichita put up a snarling fight, entertaining and full of heart was this Thunder team in their snazzy new home. If you missed it, I encourage you to come out and support the Thunder (and us) this week or every week if the mood strikes you. They’ll be plenty of excitement to make it worth your while and win or lose, I can promise you this. This Squid certainly knows how to play the game! Come to the next Thunder game to see more great Squid work just like this.
From all of us here at Squid Ink Creative, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May all the blessings of the season be upon you, and may the new year greet you with bright promises for the future.
Enjoy a bit of holiday cheer from our office to yours… Happy Holidays!
Over the last few days we’ve sent out several copies of our press release to local and regional publications, and will be sending out more over the next week or two. Please enjoy, and be certain to share the news with your friends!
A new advertising firm has been formed in downtown Wichita. Squid Ink Creative is poised to take on new clients and new challenges while Swimming in Creative Genius.
Wichita, KS, December 2009: A new creature is now prowling the dark sea where fierce design solutions lurk in the shadows. Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the studio, we would like to announce the monumental discovery of Cephalopoda Incaustum Creativia, better known as Squid Ink Creative.
Squid Ink is a full-service agency, meaning they can provide in-house support in graphic design, photography, video production, web design, and multimedia. The ability to achieve this array of service under one roof translates to shorter time-to-market, lower costs, and a more intimate experience for clients. “This is a flexible and dynamic agency, capable of handling any design project and any client. The fact that we can handle all disciplines here in the studio means fewer hassles and less worry for our clients, along with lower overall costs. We are a single-source agency ready to handle whatever the client throws at us,” says Derek Pletcher, Creative Director for Squid Ink Creative.
Ultimately, their objective is to become a trusted part of a customer’s marketing team, forming long-term relationships and focusing on the client’s needs. In today’s rapidly changing marketplace, they will be the creative support staff a client relies on to remain unique and visible in a sea of mundane identities.
Squid Ink Creative invites you to dive into an ocean of possibilities and discover all that lies beneath the surface. They have their tentacles into everything, and are prepared to serve up a plate of creative calamari that’s in a league of its own!
For more information visit www.squidinkcreative.com or call Derek Pletcher at 316.260.3805.
