It appears that our studio philosophy, which is so important to me personally as well as our studio and team, and a reflection of our most successful clients that continue to thrive in this challenging economic environment, has finally become part of the bigger discussion as expressed in this article on Branding from Fast Company. It is encouraging to see this opinion in more influential press and I find it long overdue; the idea of honesty and authenticity as a core standard in the development of brand and promotion is phenomenal, especially as the world is becoming SO saturated with messages and professionalism built on half-truths, false promises and growing distrust. It was inevitable, but really, just starting to become part of the more mainstream business consciousness. I have always thought of this approach as common sense, but then ethical behavior was instilled in me personally by the lessons and experiences of my upbringing through my parents, Walt and Ginny Marquardt.

As we continue here at m+ to redefine our practice and bring to the forefront the original Marquardt Design Collaboratives mission and intent I first outlined when I formed my independent practice decades ago, we plan on bringing forth even more transparency and authenticity to our client experiences and solutions, in ways not historically exposed by practitioners seen in any of the many areas of services we provide.

When I first read this article it reminded me of our approach to the HON basyx furniture division brand and identity work we executed. We created a complete brand and roll out based on the idea that the product be presented for what it is, not what it could be made to appear as. People buying entry-level office product know they are not going to be receiving high-end executive desking and the quality and prestige expectations that go with that type of product, but you could never tell that to most entry-level manufacturers, who present their product in this false light as a sell. It is standard practice that commercial brand promotions use trust building and enticement as a means for manipulation to achieve their short term goals, with no genuine concern for sustainable return on investment.

No one in this market segment was being honest about what this product really was: cheap, simple, basic product that is easily accessible and extremely inexpensive, which is a great initial furniture investment for a small business. That point, combined with our particular client’s pragmatic, Iowa-based, honest and affordable lean-manufacturing approach that could produce to order and turn around delivery almost instantly, easily informed the solution which created the foundation of our brand strategy work in developing the basyx brand and promise. This new division was entry-level product, supported by the values and truth of the company, for what it was. This was authentic. Subsequently, we created a desire based on the reality of the product, cost, accessibility and the company as it was which provided very successful results.

see our basyx brand development case study

Watch as we (m+) develop more ways to present the realities of brand development, design processes and resulting deliverables. This will include case studies that will expose everything about particular projects we have executed and our clients will share. We will dissect everything from negotiations prior to proposal approvals, to the actual functional outcomes after completion of the work, both successes and the problems, that only become clear months after all the glossy photography is completed, and the work handed over to the client to utilize. We plan on highlighting what we actually do and that means what clients actually pay for – the process, with the deliverable being the result of the process.

We also will be including:

• examples of specific project contract agreements, how they work and can represent the process honestly and clearly to clients
• the way fees are determined/presented
• specific hourly estimates for completed projects both from at the beginning (predicted), and at the end (actual)
• why sometimes these do not match and the responsibilities we all bring to the table when this occurs

Do note that the information we plan to start sharing is typical of most every design studio of almost any size and type, regardless of what they may “present” prior to project start as part of their marketing efforts to secure work. We think it’s time we start to be as authentic about ourselves as an industry, in addition to looking for it from our clients and in the solutions we provide.

Should we fear that competition will take advantage of this kind of transparency? Well, anyone who knows me knows I don’t spend much time peeking out the front door of the studio worrying how other firms operate to determine my practice’s position or processes. And without core values and intent that are true and real in everything someone does, this becomes useless, empty pieces of information anyone can procure if that is their intent. Our clients can confirm that it is not the form of how we contract or fee structure that makes our work desirable other than being clear, it’s our soul… and how we capture their soul in our work.

Every client loves to be lulled into a trance by sophisticated, imaginary images of the world of perfection. Few are prepared for the reality and contradictions of the process much in the same way that consumers of their product are unprepared for the realities of their products once they buy into the half truths about them. If every step of process and execution is approached with transparency, authenticity and presented to the world with truth, the return on investment will go well beyond the financial successes it will produce for everyone who touches the experience. It could over time, change the world.

This is going to be fun.

From the mind of Tom Marquardt, founder and principal of marquardt+