Indirect Applause
As the 2015 season materials came together for the Adirondack Theatre Festival, the new Executive Director, Chad Rabinovitz, offered a prominent placement of the Trampoline logo on the materials. Our answer, as it always has been, was a polite pass.
It’s our agency policy, when working with non-profits, to put their mission first. The addition of extra messaging can often be a distraction from the real focus of the work. It really amounts to visual clutter, which means: reduced impact. Organizations like ATF have to compete for attention as it is.For 12 years now we’ve created effective communications for the Double H Ranch, the Fund For Lake George, Glens Falls Rotary, The Annenberg Foundation, Glens Falls Hospital, The American Lung Association, The Napier Initiative, Shelters of Saratoga, and SerioüsFun. We’ve always kept our logo out of the project.Even so, new business will walk through our door and mention a capital campaign we created for Crandall Public Library, nearly seven years ago. Exciting work has an impact, and word gets around.We’ll enter the pieces in design competitions at year’s end, and, with any luck, collect accolades after the fact. But, when consumers are involved, our agency is always trying to create messaging that is clear, concise and memorable.We relax this philosophy on the ATF season brochure, where sponsor logos are grouped together. I’ll admit I like seeing our name alongside other clients and community leaders who have worked together for years to promote ATF.Our active clients including Lake George RV Park, the Lake George Area, Finch Paper, and Glens Falls National have consistently supported the Festival.Previous clients like JMZ Architects, Six Flags Great Escape, Parks Heritage Federal Credit Union, the Town of Queensbury and the City of Glens Falls, Fountain Square Outfitters and Associates of Glens Falls have stepped up this year, too.Philanthropic pace-setters like The Wood Foundation, The Chronicle, and Mannix Marketing support events and efforts to improve the region year-round. These are organizations we’re proud to be listed with.I was worried that our answer would insult Chad, and leave him thinking that we’d prefer not to be associated with the work. In truth, we could not me more proud of what has been illustrated, designed and produced.
The season will kick off in two short weeks, enticing theatergoers downtown with the promise of a talented equity company, and new productions of fledgling plays—or a night filled with music. When the crowds arrive, they should be greeted by the face of the Adirondack Theatre Festival, not a lot of other nonsense.
We’re lucky to be able to use our talents in support of something.