AUSTIN TX
Kelly Blanscet writes:
“Graphic Granola is a print + web design firm committed to design for the common good. The quest for meaningful work inspired me to start Graphic Granola 18 years ago, the name being a tribute to my crunchy counterculture upbringing. The shift in our original focus from all-purpose design to do-gooder design evolved organically, as bleeding heart organizations recognized a like-minded ally. Thanks to word of mouth and a perpetually high-ranking website, non-profits now represent 90% of our client base. Sympathetic to the budgetary constraints faced by most NPOs, we give them a 15% discount. In addition to considering what our design is promoting, we also encourage environmentally conscious methods of production. We advocate eco-friendly printing practices (recycled material, soy based inks, maximizing press sheets, choosing eco-friendly vendors), and encourage digital over print whenever appropriate. We’re just trying to use our design skills to help organizations that are working to create a better world. Putting people, planet, and purpose above profits. Is that too much to ask?”
PeopleFund, which provides small business loans, business assistance and education to underserved members of community, partnered with Graphic Granola on rebranding to provide better visual cohesion. A multifunctional, modular media kit was created to eliminate waste and get the most bang for their budgetary buck. Each kit can be customized to their core audiences: donors, investors or clients. In addition to slits and pockets holding relevant materials, the brochures were designed to fold out into posters showing their process via hand-sketched infographics. This iconography throughout the collateral conveys the grassroots nature of PeopleFund’s locally-focused service. All pieces were printed on recycled stock with an eco-friendly printer. As Graphic Granola continues to articulate PeopleFund’s visual branding, Annual Report production has evolved from printing and mailing hundreds of reports, to reducing the number of reports printed, and ultimately bringing the reports online in an interactive PDF format, thus utilizing their website and social media as an economical and environmentally responsible way of getting PeopleFund’s message out.
