Anniversary Q&A with Founders Ric and Tim
In 1988, Ric Pace and Tim Deis opened Century Graphics — now Go East — in a small bungalow on Century Avenue. In this interview, they contemplate 20 years in the business, looking back at the tremendous changes they’ve seen at Go East and in design and marketing in general.
What does the 20th anniversary mean to you?
Ric Pace: It’s a milestone: so many years of doing business, so many memories of staff, clients and projects. It has flown.
Tim Deis: Any organization that makes it 20 years should be proud of their accomplishments. I feel good knowing that we have helped companies prosper and grow and have given our staff 20 years of career opportunities. It is also a little humbling to realize that 20 years has gone by so fast.
Looking back over the years, are there any projects that stand out for you from a design, process, client or anecdotal perspective?
Ric: I remember Spring Lake Plastics, one of our first design and photography challenges, where we were trying to be more creative in the way we used the raw product. We wanted to use the client’s clear plastic pellets to create a textured background for the piece, so we backlit them on a glass table. In the shoot, they looked so vibrant, but when we got the proof back, they looked so flat and colorless — back to the drawing board!
Celebrating Longevity in a Troubled Economy
In prosperous times, a company’s anniversary is celebrated with lavish events, tchochkies and the addition of a numeric icon to the logo. But in a troubled economy, a company’s anniversary can, and I argue should, take on a new meaning. It no longer is just a reason to celebrate but a way to create a sense of confidence in the company. This confidence is comforting to both employees and customers, instilling a sense of loyalty that is even more important in down times.
The other day, I heard a radio ad celebrating the 60th anniversary of Schneiderman’s Furniture. They aren’t having a blowout sale. Instead, they used their ad dollars to explain their humble beginnings and the evolution that has taken place over the last 60 years. They credited their dedicated employees for superior customer service and thanked their customers for decades of patronage.
Even in today’s economy, this heartfelt message hit me harder than a 50% off sale would have. I mentally compared them to my perceptions of the national furniture chains and felt a sudden connection with the local company. In an era when big box stores are filing chapter 11 and gift cards are being rendered useless, knowing that they have been around for the last 60 years makes me feel confident that they are dedicated to being here for the next 60.
So while budgets are cut, don’t automatically write-off the importance of celebrating your anniversary. If positioned appropriately for today’s economic climate, it can go a long way towards instilling confidence with your employees and customers. With any luck they will return the warm feelings with a sense of loyalty that will see you through the hard times.
An Employee’s Perspective on Anniversaries
My 19 years at Go East (formerly Century Graphics) allow me to look back and marvel at the design evolution that has taken place with the onset of the digital age. Keylines with wax and color breaks, the typesetter and stat camera have all been replaced by the personal computer, laser printer and PDF proof.
The Internet has created a world-wide audience, a global appreciation for digital design. With powerful software, graphic designers can quickly make changes, allowing for seemingly endless creative possibilities. All these “bells and whistles” have to be used with restraint of course, with regard given to the basic elements and amount of time it takes to do good design.
I’m grateful for the many opportunities and ever-evolving career I’ve had at Go East, and to Ric and Tim, who have always looked ahead and provided the training and technology necessary to be successful in the graphic design industry.
A Business Owner’s Perspective on Anniversaries
Celebrating a business anniversary is a very special event, and it’s even more special when you are a founding partner.
When you open the doors on that first day of business, you tend to think about the next day much more than 10, 20 or even 50 years down the road. But before you know it, you are celebrating milestones of success.
There are many reasons to celebrate an anniversary: to let your clients and prospects know of your sustainability in business, to strengthen your company’s brand and to attract new clients. However, there is one reason that stands out for me — to thank those employees that have helped your business succeed.
Every principal of an organization understands the value of a good employee. During the decades, you see them come and go, and in one way or another, every one of them has helped shape your business into what it is today.
Go East has seen a lot of changes over the past 20 years, but the company has successfully retained its warm personality and appeal because of its employees. And that’s a trait worth celebrating.
Meaningful Corporate Timelines
When a company has been around for a while, inevitably someone says, “We should do a timeline.” And before you know it, one has been thrown together and tossed up on the corporate website — often without imagery or relevant content or any type of interactive functionality.
This, of course, begs the question “what is the real purpose of a timeline?”
Milestone Marketing: Leveraging a Brand’s Heritage
When creating a strategic marketing campaign to celebrate a brand’s milestone, the power of the anniversary’s meaning is what matters most. It shouldn’t be just a reason to celebrate.
What are the steps to developing a successful campaign? Is it enough to add a “Celebrating 25 years” silver embossed label to everything distributed to customers during that 12-month time period?
I say no. Well, yes, go ahead and make the logo, but don’t let it be your entire campaign strategy. Celebrating a meaningful milestone must start with a strategy that encompasses a brand’s external and internal audiences.
