Author and creative director Paul Arden articulated: “Do not try to win awards. Be true to your subject, and you will be far more likely to create something that is timeless. That's where the true art lies.” Our team at STARMEN agrees fervently with this sentiment from the famed Saatchi and Saatchi alum.

Author and creative director Paul Arden articulated: “Do not try to win awards. Be true to your subject, and you will be far more likely to create something that is timeless. That's where the true art lies.” Our team at STARMEN agrees fervently with this sentiment from the famed Saatchi and Saatchi alum.

Still, while the winning of awards never serves as our primary motivator, we make it a point to pay proper acknowledgement to every single accolade that comes through our firm. We’d be remiss if we did not maintain a sense of gratitude, and we believe this helps us remain firmly rooted in our craft, as well as consistently accountable to each new client endeavor we embark upon.

The W³ Awards is one awards program we particularly appreciate. Judged each year by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, the W³ is comprised of the industry’s top-tier professionals, assembled on an invitation-only basis. Judges come from companies and creative firms from all over the world, including Big Spaceship, Condé Nast, Disney, MTV, Wired, and more! Additionally, the W³ is the first awards program of its caliber wherein small agencies and international firms are as likely to win as Fortune 500 companies. By removing team size as a mitigating factor, the judging process is able to focus solely on the work itself, allowing recognition to be fairly attributed to the creative and marketing professionals behind the best videos, sites, and marketing campaigns of the year regardless of where they’re based.

This past year, we received two Silver accolades from the W³ Awards for our work with nonprofit LA2DC (www.la2dc.org) in the category of Activism, and for fashion label, KAYAT Design, in the category of Fashion.

Submissions in the Website category are judged based on the following components: creativity, usability, navigation, functionality, visual design, and ease of use.

Through its rigorous evaluation process, the W³ honors its commitment to recognizing the best of the Web, and we are truly humbled by our inclusion in this year’s cycle.  These awards are a true testament to not only the solidity of our team, but the strength of our client partnerships as well. Such recognition is rarely achievable without all components working synchronistically toward their common goal.

Any opportunity to furnish a campaign with our strategic and creative faculties is motivated first and foremost by the utmost in client satisfaction. However, while it goes without saying that the receipt of awards is an entirely subsidiary form of gratification, we also appreciate the opportunity that competition provides for us to truly fine tune our craft. 

Any opportunity to furnish a campaign with our strategic and creative faculties is motivated first and foremost by the utmost in client satisfaction. However, while it goes without saying that the receipt of awards is an entirely subsidiary form of gratification, we also appreciate the opportunity that competition provides for us to truly fine tune our craft. 

We are pleased to announce that we were awarded a series of accolades in the latest cycle of the Communicator Awards. Honoring excellence in marketing and communication, this organization is one of the largest of its kind, receiving over 6,000 entries each year from all over the world. The prestige associated with the Communicator Awards offers recipients “proof and validation that their work is highly regarded by their peers within the industry.” This recognition speaks deeply to our insatiable creative energy, and relentless pursuit of excellence as a team.

The Awards

The Communicator Awards are sanctioned by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, and the panel of judges is derived from an invitation-only “who’s who” assembly of over 600 of the world’s most esteemed professionals from the media, communications, marketing, and creative fields. Judges represent an array of the top media firms, including: Disney, Condé Nast, MTV, Time, Yahoo!, and more! Beyond innovation and craft, the Communicator Awards seeks the ability of a project to truly move its audience — to emotion, to action. 

Our agency was fortunate to receive nods in last year’s cycle, and in 2014, the Communicator Awards has again honored our agency with a series of Silver Awards of Distinction. 

"The key is to greet each new client endeavor with a fresh reverence for its unique challenges. No branding project should ever be approached formulaically because what makes a brand different from another of its kind what should be isolated, cultivated, and celebrated to create growth for that brand."
— Armen David, Executive Director

Our work with Linda May Properties has been a frequent award-winner, and from this year’s Communicator Awards, we’ve been recognized for a commercial campaign showcasing our client’s exemplary standing in its field of international real estate, an online video campaign, as well as website development in both the Real Estate and Specialty categories.  Additionally, our work with LA2DC (www.la2dc.org) — a nonprofit dedicated to awareness of world genocide — received an award for website development in the Activism category.

The meaning behind these awards is two-fold: not only do they serve to commemorate our valued client relationships, but they affirm our core abilities as a team.

Looking Onward

Above all else, we know that to be successful in our field is to remain suspended in a state of constant effervescence, with our ingenuity as vibrant as our work ethic. The industry authority held by the members of the Communicator Awards is unmatched in terms of its collective experience, and subjecting our work to such expert scrutiny is but one of the many avenues through which we seek to grow. Moving forward, we are excited about new opportunities to serve as proprietors of creative and strategic excellence for all we work with.

Let us preface the forthcoming by stating that the meaning behind our recent win at the 2014 Horizon Interactive Awards is two-fold. First, over the course of its thirteen entry seasons, this award has become one of the most distinguished in the field of interactive and creative media. So it goes without saying that having our work recognized by an organization so renowned by our industry is truly the sincerest of honors. 

Let us preface the forthcoming by stating that the meaning behind our recent win at the 2014 Horizon Interactive Awards is two-fold. First, over the course of its thirteen entry seasons, this award has become one of the most distinguished in the field of interactive and creative media. So it goes without saying that having our work recognized by an organization so renowned by our industry is truly the sincerest of honors. 

Secondly, the rigor required to be competitive in the Horizon Interactive Awards is a nod not only to our final product, but to the tremendous discipline of the whole STARMEN team.  

The 2014 award cycle was one of stringent competition. Over 1,200 entries were received from over 27 countries around the world, including: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and almost all 50 of the United States of America.

This magnitude of competition holds us to the highest of standards, and brings all the more meaning to the receipt of these awards for our team.

The Awards

We are truly honored to have not one, but two, of our recent projects honored in this award cycle. 

For our work on the Linda May Properties website, we’ve earned a Gold award. Our work with Linda May has also been honored with the Summit Emerging Media ‘Innovator’ Award, as well as the ‘Best in Class’ Award from the Interactive Media Awards.

As well, we’ve earned a Silver award for our work with L.A. Banquets. With each of these awards comes a celebration of a very valued client relationship, as well as a testament to the truly prolific nature of collaboration. 

Why We’re Honored

Perhaps one of the most significant things about a Horizon win is the circumstances under which it is received. The panel of judges spans all levels of the interactive media field, and so submissions are evaluated by industry peers whose qualifications stem from their very own active participation in the different avenues of this wonderfully creative, multi-faceted line of work. In addition to creatives and developers are project and account focused individuals who represent the importance of a final product being not just beautiful and engaging, but truly at the height of usability.

The pride we feel for our work is trumped only by an overwhelming sense of humility. We’re honored to have been a part of such outstanding client projects, and welcome you to reach out if we can be of service to yours. 

We’re pleased to announce our work on the Linda May Properties “Live Your Luxury” campaign has received recognition from the AVA Digital Awards. This project has previously been the recipient of awards from other organizations, including the distinction of Best in Class from the IMA Awards. We are deeply honored by this most recent recognition: a Platinum Award for excellence in website design and development, as well as a Gold Award for our “Live Your Luxury” video marketing campaign.

We’re pleased to announce our work on the Linda May Properties “Live Your Luxury” campaign has received recognition from the AVA Digital Awards. This project has previously been the recipient of awards from other organizations, including the distinction of Best in Class from the IMA Awards. We are deeply honored by this most recent recognition: a Platinum Award for excellence in website design and development, as well as a Gold Award for our “Live Your Luxury” video marketing campaign.

While it is with great pride that we accept these accolades, we would be remiss if we did not pay proper tribute to the journey itself. You see, the AVA Digital Awards is a competition that focuses not just on the end-product, but on the planning, conceptualizing, creative direction, design, and overall production process of digital campaigns of all shapes and sizes. Honoring remarkable work at every stage of the process is the hallmark of these awards’ unique significance to our agency, and we - as a collective agency - owe this honor to each individual facet of our team.

The Significance

Renowned for their stringent standards and internationally-acclaimed credibility, the AVA Awards are judged annually by the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals. 

Each piece is evaluated and judged on individual merit in contrast to other awards programs where entrants are judged in relation to other submissions in their categories. 

This practice only lends further credence to the overall significance of these awards because it is evidence our work is prolific in its own right, on its own terms, regardless of other projects taking place elsewhere.

The Journey

Our biggest challenge with Linda May Properties was that it faced an industry with a rapidly expanding digital presence. We created the “Live Your Luxury” campaign in an effort to not only enhance perceptions of the Client’s brand in the minds of existing and future clientele, but to allow the company to maintain its competitive edge in an increasingly web-based marketplace. 

We knew immediately that a successful campaign for Linda May would equate to one squarely rooted in the company’s long reign at the height of its industry. The firm has consistently been ranked within the top 1% of Coldwell Bankers Realtors® internationally, and so our work necessarily built on that momentum. Our Client’s quality of work speaks for itself, and so our aim was not to build a site and marketing campaign that spoke not more loudly or boastfully, but more wisely, about our Client’s stature in its field. The resulting “Live Your Luxury” is an elegant yet succinct expression of this merit.

As a successful web presence becomes increasingly paramount in today’s modern marketplace, so too does the need for a sharp, well-defined message. And from these needs, the “Live Your Luxury” campaign was born to not only provide our Client with an attractive, functional tool to facilitate business, but with a carefully crafted communication apparatus, one that would speak both to its values and relentless, “always on” ethic.

We are proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish on behalf of our Client, and incredibly appreciative of the opportunity to further sharpen our toolset in the process.

We find that our insatiable pursuit of excellence necessitates continued evolution, and such is the primary reason we enter our work into competitions like the AVA Awards. Relentless in this endeavor, we find that placing our proudest pieces in line for public scrutiny forces us to produce our best work, and we’re steadfastly aligned with the philosophy that excellence isn’t a stagnant milestone. Instead, it is a constantly advancing finish line requiring a tenacity of spirit, and a constantly evolving repository of skills and ideas. 

Innovation is perhaps the cornerstone of our modern society, and for good reason. Innovation helps us progress; it heals us, enriches us, and entertains us. It connects us as a people in ways prior generations could never have dreamed. But all too frequently, marketers with raw ambition aim to catapult their campaigns into fresh, new territories simply to be the newest or the most different, all without a clear motive in mind.

Innovation is perhaps the cornerstone of our modern society, and for good reason. Innovation helps us progress; it heals us, enriches us, and entertains us. It connects us as a people in ways prior generations could never have dreamed. But all too frequently, marketers with raw ambition aim to catapult their campaigns into fresh, new territories simply to be the newest or the most different, all without a clear motive in mind.

Perhaps one of the biggest buzzwords across industries today, innovation is the driving force of thousands of initiatives embarked upon each year by companies and their marketing teams, big and small. Yet for the thousands of new companies and products put forth into the marketplace, very few stick around long enough to make a huge impact in the way we as humans live our lives. That’s because most self-proclaimed innovators are eagerly in pursuit of the what without a truly impassioned why.

Simon Sinek outlines this point very poignantly with his concept of the Golden Circle. Perhaps the key takeaway from Sinek’s concept is this: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” 

As an agency, we work to develop strategies for our clients that expand on this very principle. We recommend our clients aim to answer the following before they embark on any new marketing or branding campaign. Not only does it allow them to get to the root of the why behind their innovational work, but it also saves them the hassle of needing to realign an already in-motion project later down the line:

1. Why is my company important or special to its industry?*
   
2. Why should a customer choose my product over others in the marketplace, and what benefits does my product have over the competition?
   
3. Why should existing and potential customers align themselves with my company?
   

*This is perhaps one of the most important questions your company could ever hope to answer because it is the single-most important factor in assessing your necessity and relevance to your industry.

Innovation is an intangible what, qualitative in nature, and therefore cannot be measured by the numerical data you’ll no doubt reference to assess your campaign’s success. Thus, innovation on its own will not suffice as a motivational tool for any initiative. 

Instead, consider the ultimate customer experience that could be had with your brand and the output from your innovational endeavor. Ultimately, you most likely want to enhance the user’s life in one way or another. But how, and again, why? 

For this reason, we believe that at every step of the brand development process, checking the pulse of a project’s decisions is crucial. The appropriate answer to any choice driving a creative or content process should never be “because that’s what everyone else is doing”. Riding the coattails of another shop’s innovation will always, without fail, lead you farther away from what’s truly authentic for your company, and lead you closer to the clutter.

In marketing, like in life, it’s often all too tempting to take the road of least resistance. At the end of the day, opting to ride the coattails of another organization means one essential thing for your brand: someone else is not only in the lead (leaving you in its shadow), but that leader is also in the driver’s seat, dictating the journey for yours, despite the inherent company to company idiosyncrasies.

And so, we believe that only by first identifying the why behind your company’s what can your organization truly experience authentic brand growth. When people can align themselves with your company’s values and innovational spirit, they will care about your company’s output.

We believe the key reason to buck the trends lies in that very point. The things that make your company unique to its industry are the very points that justify your company’s existence and relevance to its market. But in marketing, foregoing the tried and true in search of a new idea or way of communicating with consumers can mean the difference between a campaign that merely satisfies the status quo and one that is truly groundbreaking.

We're honored to have received an Innovator Award from Summit International's Emerging Media Awards (EMA) in the Real Estate/Neighborhood/Community Website category for our re-brand of Linda May Properties. But the reason why we're proud to have received 'Innovator' might surprise you.

We're honored to have received an Innovator Award from Summit International's Emerging Media Awards (EMA) in the Real Estate/Neighborhood/Community Website category for our re-brand of Linda May Properties. But the reason why we're proud to have received 'Innovator' might surprise you.

The Real Value of Receiving 'Innovator'

We enter these meritorious international competitions frequently; We want our work reviewed by some of the world's best design, marketing, interactive media, and branding professionals because we know that each of the major competitions has high standards of excellence. Holding our work up to these high standards helps us to grow. This latest award is tangible proof that we're at the top of the best brand development firms out there. Our participation helps hold us accountable to our own high standards, and to our clients, and that is extremely gratifying.

The other aspect of gaining endorsements from the major competitions is that it provides us with the opportunity to celebrate our client relationships and our clients' own excellence. For example, our web branding of Linda May Properties — a luxury real estate company in Beverly Hills that has been in the top 1% for the last 12 years — has not only earned the Summit EMA Innovator Award, but also a MarCom Awards Platinum, the Davey Awards Silver for Visual Appeal, a W3 Awards Silver for Creative Excellence on the Web, and Interactive Media Awards Best In Class in the Real Estate category. Our clients are at the forefront of every win. When STARMEN wins these awards, our clients gain accolades, and increased exposure as well.

Pushing the Bounds of Creative Excellence

Summit's Emerging Media Awards are threefold: Visionary, Innovator, and Leader. Winning Innovator is even more precious given the fact that Summit's 2014 Emerging Media Awards cycle included over 1,200 entries from numerous countries, with only a mere 7% of entrants earning recognition.

"The Summit Emerging Media Awards (Summit EMA) evolved through a need to recognize and celebrate creativity, innovation and those pushing the bounds of creative excellence in all forms of emerging media," states the Summit International Awards website.

The EMA is open to marketers, coders, designers, developers, innovators, visionaries, and leaders in the exciting realm of digital media. The EMA recognizes entries that introduce new methods, as well as entrants who are thought leaders in emerging media, and demonstrate excellence on the web via apps, videos, mobile sites, and social media.

Summit provides the theatre for boutique firms to compete on a global stage with its international panel of judges, and entries from all over the world. Judges (representing small, medium, and large firms) and universities, all recognized in their fields, hail from institutions and specialties the world over.

All said, this year we're planning to continue to submit our work to the major award entities for invaluable feedback and validation. As a solution-oriented agency, we love helping clients transform challenges into opportunities. And who knows? Maybe the work we do for you will earn prestigious recognition too!

Contact us today to kick-start a future campaign win.

We believe that the only way to predict the future is to create it. And at our core, we are an agency dedicated to the creation of positive change through strategic brand development.

We believe that the only way to predict the future is to create it. And at our core, we are an agency dedicated to the creation of positive change through strategic brand development.

In 2015, we want to find even more ways to bring positivity and success to our clients, specifically in the way of branding. Our approach to business design and brand building will include more diverse and intensive marketing strategies, bolder brand stories, and more personal digital experiences. Whether you are a start-up, consumer product, B2B enterprise, or a non-profit, branding affects how customers perceive and relate to your brand.

Our 4 Guiding Principles to Making Brands Work in 2015:

Sharing Compelling Brand Stories

When it comes to branding, one thing hasn't changed in decades, if not centuries of advertising: compelling brand stories are crucial to success. Growth takes strategy, and every strategy needs a compelling story to heighten emotion that results in a desired preference. We continue to strive to create wonderful, entertaining, inspiring and unforgettable brand stories for our clients with the use of top-notch copywriting, design, research, and technology that evokes emotion. So, as 2015 brings even more innovative and memorable digital advancements to the forefront of our culture, we will embrace them wholeheartedly for the good of ourselves and those who trust us to build and grow their brands.

Humanizing the Digital Experience

Our narrative continues to support the idea that branding and design is all about getting personal. Getting hands-on is always a challenge in this exciting digital age, but we plan to accept the challenge and come out on top. In a crowded marketplace, companies should always be looking for ways to connect emotionally with customers, and to become irreplaceable. We will focus closely on collaboration this year so that we can discover and utilize the best ideas from listening to our partners - not just hearing them. Some of the best ideas for our strategies synchronize a personal connection between consumers and our work. At the height of every campaign, we want to feel the satisfaction of knowing that we've sparked a real, positive emotional response in the hearts of our audience.

Mobilizing Brand Experience

Creative genius can strike on variety of wavelengths or devices, anywhere - anytime. Yes, it is totally possible, and we offer ourselves as proof. When you work with great clients like we do, it's easy to come up with awesome ideas day-in and day-out - but without the ability to share content and brand stories, what good are they? This year, we want to work our existing creative process into new, mobile-based strategies. The more, the merrier!

Design Thinking Fuels Strategic Innovation

Design thinking is the search for the magical balance between business and art; structure and chaos; intuition and logic; concept and execution; playfulness and formality; and control and empowerment. It's all about creative ideas - and then knowing how to execute on them. We have the resources, the ideas and the knowledge. And this year we will continue to build powerful strategies that benefits both our clients and our team so that the question always remains, "That worked well! What's next?"

Looking Ahead

Has your company evaluated its 2015 branding goals? When you collaborate with us, you'll be at the forefront of your industry when it comes to understanding and deciding when branding is needed, and if a rebranding is the best option. We want to help you create the new standardization in the midst of a creative ever-changing culture.

What are your big branding challenges this year and how may we help you? Contact us here https://www.starmenusa.com/contact

Read more on our blog http://www.starmenusa.com/blog/

We are deeply honored to have won MarCom’s Platinum and Gold in the website category. Our web branding of Linda May Properties — a consistent award-winner — took the Platinum, while our website for Anoush Catering —another frequent award winner — earned the Gold.

We are deeply honored to have won MarCom’s Platinum and Gold in the website category. Our web branding of Linda May Properties — a consistent award-winner — took the Platinum, while our website for Anoush Catering —another frequent award winner — earned the Gold.

Accuracy, Fairness and Credibility

From individuals to media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies, the MarCom Awards is the largest of its kind in the world with over 6,000 entries each year. The Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) provides the judges, who are known for their accuracy, fairness, and credibility. Even professional organizations that run their own competitions enter their work in the MarCom Awards which is a true testament to MarCom’s reputation.

One notable difference between the MarCom Awards and other competitions is that the application process does not require any written description of the project’s value by the entrants, because the judges want to base their perception of the creative excellence and value of the entry on the entry itself, rather than on the entrant’s imaginative description of the project’s value.

Judging Criteria: Quality, Creativity and Resourcefulness

With MarCom, the size and reputation of the entrants don’t matter, as the work is judged on its merit alone. The entry’s perceived budget is also taken into consideration by the judges. There’s something really thrilling about accomplishing a lot with less, as well as the innovative use of resources at hand.

Judging takes place over an intense, two-month period in ‘judging rooms’ in Washington, D.C. and Dallas, Texas. The judges are senior-level, experienced marketing professionals who are either freelancers or have their own company.

It’s All About Brand Strategy

Linda May Properties’ branding challenge was that they’ve been Coldwell Banker’s top luxury real estate seller for years, which made them the primary target of their competition (and the competition’s increasing digital agility). Linda May Properties needed to refresh their brand in the minds and hearts of their existing and potential clienteles, and increase engagement with their audience. We were compelled to create the extraordinary “Live Your Luxury” experience for visitors to the website — the web videos we produced were of primary importance to this end.

Anoush Catering had a different sort of branding challenge, in that its sister company, LA Banquets, an event venue company, was well-known, but people didn’t realize that Anoush catered offsite events, too. Anoush needed to make sure their target audience understood the robust catering side of their business. Our approach included a visual focus on Anoush’s fusion fare, most of which is based on Mediterranean cuisine, and on their offsite venues.

Transforming Challenges to Golden Opportunities

We say, “Bring it on!” No matter what your branding challenge may be, there is a powerful solution. We’ll take that challenge head on, and turn it into an opportunity for your brand identity to convey you clearly and engagingly. That positions you to be as good as you truly are, which compels your targets to take action. We’d be honored to help you meet your branding challenges for a stronger brand position.

Winning the Davey Awards’ Silver for Visual Appeal is thrilling, but the visual appeal of our “Live Your Luxury” campaign for Linda May Properties — a top 1% international luxury real estate team in Beverly Hills — is only the tip of the branding-berg. Nine-tenths of the campaign lies in its cohesive strategy, designed to compel people to feel Linda May Properties' expertise within the luxury real estate industry, along with their personalized care, and their “always on” mentality.

Winning the Davey Awards’ Silver for Visual Appeal is thrilling, but the visual appeal of our “Live Your Luxury” campaign for Linda May Properties — a top 1% international luxury real estate team in Beverly Hills — is only the tip of the branding-berg. Nine-tenths of the campaign lies in its cohesive strategy, designed to compel people to feelLinda May Properties' expertise within the luxury real estate industry, along with their personalized care, and their “always on” mentality.

The Largest and Most Prestigious Awards Competition for the “Davids” of Creativity

In its 10th year, the Davey Awards honors the best web, design, video, advertising, and mobile from small firms worldwide. The advertising and interactive agencies that entered their creative in the Davey Awards cannot exceed $25 million in annual billings.

The Judges and the Judging

The Davey is sanctioned and judged by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA), an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms. AIVA members include executives from organizations such as Condé Nast, Disney, GE, Keller Crescent, Microsoft, Monster.com, MTV, Push, Publicis, Sesame Workshops, The Marketing Store, Worktank, Yahoo!, and many more.

The judges evaluate the distinctiveness of each entrants’ creative, and award both gold and silver in each the different categories.

One Big Idea and a Little Rock

The Davey Awards statuette — approximately one foot tall and 5 pounds — is custom-designed and handcrafted to represent a modern interpretation of the David and Goliath story icons, a fitting tribute to the accomplishment of all of the Davey winners. As Davey Awards states, “one big idea and a little rock” can fearlessly slay a giant brand identity challenge.

In the case of our campaign for Linda May Properties, the informiddable giant was its own sustained success, which had ‘inspired’ its competition to step up its game. Our client needed to remain visible and audible to its existing clients, while attaining and holding onto potential clients in the digital realm. If you’re facing a giant (or three), let us know how we can help.

We’re exceptionally proud to have earned W3 Awards’ Silver for Creative Excellence on the Web for the videos we produced as part of our integrated branding campaign for Coldwell Bankers Realtors® Linda May Properties, a top 1% international luxury real estate team located in Beverly Hills.

We’re exceptionally proud to have earned W3 Awards’ Silver for Creative Excellence on the Web for the videos we produced as part of our integrated branding campaign for Coldwell Bankers Realtors® Linda May Properties, a top 1% international luxury real estate team located in Beverly Hills.

The W3 judged the videos on content, technical execution, implementation, and overall experience.

W3 Levels the Playing Field

When it comes to the W3 Awards, size doesn’t matter. The W3 is the first major web competition to be accessible to the biggest agencies, the smallest firms, and everyone in between. Small firms are as likely to win as Fortune 500 companies and international agencies.

Sanctioned and judged by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA), the W3 panel of judges is amassed from an elite group of professionals from the acclaimed media, interactive, advertising and marketing worlds. AIVA members include executives from AgencyNet, AvatarLabs, Big Spaceship, Block Media, Condé Nast, Disney, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Fry Hammond Barr, Microsoft, MTV Networks, Polo Ralph Lauren, Sotheby's Institute of Art, Wired, Yahoo! and many others. Simply put, the judges are highly qualified, which makes winning all the more significant.

The Challenge

The big challenge with branding Linda May Properties was that their success inspires the competition. They’ve been in the top 1% of Coldwell Bankers Realtors® internationally for the last 28 years. With the rise of social networkingand increasing industry shift toward the web, competing teams were beginning to implement a variety of technologies to enhance their brand exposure locally and internationally. Thus, our client needed an integrated, well-defined campaign — one that superseded those of the competition, in order to establish new clientele, and cultivate long-term relationships with existing clients.

The Key to Our Client’s Success Led Us to the Solution

Linda May Properties’ team, with each member playing a strategic role in ensuring a smooth process from client inquiry to beyond the close of escrow, is its key differentiator. People buy from people, and if there is an entire team of experts working on the client’s behalf as is the case at Linda May, all the better.

To position their brand, we created videos that introduced their core team of experts with complete transparency. It was this opacity that painted an instantly embraceable portrait of their unwavering customer care, personalized attention to detail, highest ethics, legal understanding, and unparalleled strategic marketing expertise in the field of luxury real estate.

This transparency personalizes the real estate experience, imprinting Linda May Properties’ brand in the hearts and minds of their target market, and winning us W3’s Silver for Creative Excellence on the Web.

All successful marketing initiatives begin with a comprehensive brand strategy focused on customer experience, which is why Linda May Properties’ brand identity has been so successful. In addition to earning W3’s Silver for Creative Excellence on the Web, our “Live Your Luxury” campaign for Linda May Properties won the 2014 Interactive Media Award’s™ Best In Class in the Real Estate category.

What are your big branding challenges, and how may we help you? We welcome you to let us know!

We’re deeply honored to have won Summit International Awards’ Platinum for Marketing Effectiveness in the website category for our branding of Anoush Catering, Southern California’s premier Mediterranean caterer.

We’re deeply honored to have won Summit International Awards’ Platinum for Marketing Effectiveness in the website category for our branding of Anoush Catering, Southern California’s premier Mediterranean caterer.

Beyond the Ordinary to the Extraordinary

Summit International Awards (SIA) was created to honor agencies that have exceeded the usual fare to create something truly impactful. SIA is one of the oldest and most prestigious organizations to administer marketing awards, using stringent evaluation criteria with blind judging processes.

The Judging Criteria

The judges evaluate whether the creative successfully influences, changes or reinforces the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of the target audience. The Marketing Effectiveness Award judges weighed the strength of both the big idea and the creative approach. They also took into account the strategic planning used to overcome barriers, as well as how the creative execution of the website moved the audience closer to action.

The Challenge

For the past 27 years, Anoush Catering has been well-known as the place to fulfill your catering and venue needs but remained unrecognized for its international, Mediterranean-inspired food. This challenge limited the Anoush business model from flourishing as a catering company outside of its sister company, LA Banquets (previously known as 'Anoush Banquet Halls'). With the rise of LA Banquets, Anoush needed a well-defined catering brand positioning to establish a new clientele outside of its venue business.

The Opportunity

With the introduction of its sister company, Anoush discovered an opportunity to maximize its catering business by repositioning itself as a qualified catering company that can serve alongside its available wedding venues and banquet halls, as well as partner exclusively with off-site venues.

The Solution

Our focus was on establishing the Anoush brand as a premier, full-service catering company for large-scale events, and to highlight their exceptional partnerships with notable venues across Southern California.

The strategy was to present Anoush’s credibility and recognition as a leader in providing quality food and event services. We also needed to highlight the Mediterranean culture without alienating a mainstream audience. We embraced Anoush’s values as a family-owned business, and their family-centered culture brand. Lastly, we needed to convey Anoush’s vibrant personality and enhance employee, chef, and partner engagement.

Anoush Catering’s website had to satisfy two criteria. First, it had to function as an online lead generation tool. To do this, we had to simplify the user’s experience in order to get them to contact Anoush as quickly as possible. The second, was to illustrate the Anoush story, and reinforce the brand's culture.

Well-Earned Platinum

We’re grateful for organizations like Summit International Awards. Their rigorous standards elevate our industry, as well as promote innovation.

The importance of brand development and strategy is so often overlooked, but in the case of Anoush Catering, strategic rebranding with business objectives overcame an enormous obstacle to expanding their business.

We feel extremely honored to have won the 2014 Interactive Media Awards™ Best In Class Real Estate category for the website and video we created for Linda May Properties. Entries were judged by an impressive lineup of IMC members, and submissions were scored for their usability, feature functionality, content, aesthetics, and cross-browser compatibility. The Best In Class title is only awarded to contenders that receive a close to perfect score on every scale.

We feel extremely honored to have won the 2014 Interactive Media Awards™ Best In Class Real Estate category for the website and video we created for Linda May Properties. Entries were judged by an impressive lineup of  IMC members, and submissions were scored for their usability, feature functionality, content, aesthetics, and cross-browser compatibility. The Best In Class title is only awarded to contenders that receive a close to perfect score on every scale.

IMC is a nonprofit organization founded by leading web professionals in New York City. Their mission is to promote the best practices, and push the leading edge in website design, application development, usability engineering, privacy protection, e-commerce security, accessibility, standards, advertising, publishing, and corporate communications.

Recognition Begins With Our Clients

Consistently ranked in the top 1% of Coldwell Banker Realtors® internationally, Linda May Properties needed to distinguish and exude their luxury brand of pristine standards, well-earned credentials, extraordinary experience, and unparalleled customer care. Linda May and her business partner, Guy Levy, asked us to develop a rebranding campaign that showcases their reputation as preeminent luxury real estate specialists. From understanding their target market to storyboards to messaging, we developed the "Live Your Luxury" campaign, which was adapted to their digital and traditional media touchpoints.

Every effort you make to communicate with your market either enhances or dulls their perception of your brand. In order for your company’s identity to stand out across all media platforms, an intentional and cohesive campaign is needed.

For Linda May Properties, we saw the website as “home base” for the "Live Your Luxury" campaign. This platform would best convey their team’s distinction, prominent name in real estate, and encourage interaction with its growing global audience. Utilizing a clean, media-centric layout, our team strategized to develop and produce a branded video series that communicated the team’s unique client-broker process, or, as Linda May herself refers to it – its philosophy.

Recognition Valued

The Best In Class Interactive Media Award™ is living proof that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Linda May Properties and our team of professionals converged to create something truly impactful.

To learn more about STARMEN’S award-winning work, click here.

Client satisfaction is our gold standard, but being recognized by the prestigious Hermes Creative Awards for our digital advertising work for One Dress A Day feels pretty wonderful, too. While client satisfaction is our real reward, we’re deeply appreciative that our work won a Hermes’ Gold. 

Client satisfaction is our gold standard, but being recognized by the prestigious Hermes Creative Awards for our digital advertising work for One Dress A Day feels pretty wonderful, too. While client satisfaction is our real reward, we’re deeply appreciative that our work won a Hermes’ Gold.

“Honoring the messengers and creators of traditional and emerging media,” the Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals. Hermes judges, members of the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), examine each entry from the standpoint of concept, writing, design, and media. The judges viewed and assessed over 5,500 entries in the 2014 competition. 

One Dress A Day is an online clothing retailer that aims to help foster better fashion decisions at a faster pace by releasing one new, unique dress each day of the year on its website. The award recognizes our work to create a digital campaign for the company's launch in 2013. We created the concept and design for the advertisement with the client's goals in mind to successfully launch the brand, stand out to viewers on websites, and drive traffic to the new site. As the featured advertisement on People.com, our campaign exceeded traffic expectations and sign-ups on the teaser site. These web leads created the initial user-base, and equipped One Dress A Day with the opportunity to further "win" the loyalty needed for their brand's growth.

Want to know how STARMEN helps brands earn awards? Contact us today to learn more. 

The start of 2014 brought a wave of accomplishments at STARMEN. We’re pleased to share that our video for "Discover Your Path" won two Telly Award Bronzes for Best Promotional Branding and Cause Marketing.

The start of 2014 brought a wave of accomplishments at STARMEN. We’re pleased to share that our video for "Discover Your Path" won two Telly Award Bronzes for Best Promotional Branding and Cause Marketing.

The Telly Award is the premier award honoring the finest film and video productions, groundbreaking web videos, commercials and films, as well as outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs. Now in its 35th year, the Tellys are embracing an atypical judging process. Rather than competing against other work, entries are now being judged solely based on their creative merit as individual submissions. The judging panel consists of members from the Silver Telly Council, a distinguished group of media professionals dedicated to upholding the fundamentals upon which the competition was established. Another intriguing detail about the Telly Awards is that its trophy statuettes are designed by the same firm that does the Oscars and Emmys.

Our video for "Discover Your Path" was also awarded Best In Class at the 2013 Interactive Media Awards. Check out the case study, here.

Photo credit: Adweek.com

Most people assume that extending their brand’s reach to the masses will be astronomically expensive, costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. General opinion suggests that the more embraceable the brand messaging is, the more it will cost. However, this is no longer necessarily the case.

In this day and age, brand messages travel at the speed of a click, with content being consumed on an array of different devices, and across platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Google+. Create compelling messaging in the right format, and it won’t be your brand doing the heavy lifting. Instead, the people your message reaches will evangelize your brand through all of their own communication channels. 

Photo credit: Adweek.com

Most people assume that extending their brand’s reach to the masses will be astronomically expensive, costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. General opinion suggests that the more embraceable the brand messaging is, the more it will cost. However, this is no longer necessarily the case.

In this day and age, brand messages travel at the speed of a click, with content being consumed on an array of different devices, and across platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Google+. Create compelling messaging in the right format, and it won’t be your brand doing the heavy lifting. Instead, the people your message reaches will evangelize your brand through all of their own communication channels. 

Catalyzing word of mouth ‘buzz’ is the new, smarter and less expensive way to generate and promote brand awareness. In today's beautifully integrated world, it’s more viable than ever to create compelling content economically. Crowdsourcing king, Frito-Lay, developed 'Crash the Super Bowl', an annual commercial competition wherein entrants submit their homegrown commercials for a chance at a monetary win, and the chance to see their work aired during that year's game. This is a win-win situation for the Doritos brand that enables them to cut production costs almost entirely (apart from airtime, and the monetary portion of the prize package), all while dramatically increasing brand awareness, community, and loyalty.

In another campaign, Chevy partnered with MoFilm’s creative community, inviting filmmakers to create their own 30 and 60-second spots highlighting ‘significant human moments’ with the Chevy brand, with the winning commercial airing alongside other Chevy spots during the Academy Awards telecast. The ultimate example of ‘spend less, win big,’ though, is a Tesla commercial called ‘Modern Spaceship’ that two recent college grads — James Khabushani, 25, and RJ Collins, 24 — made on their own for $1,500. Tesla and CEO Elon Musk loved the spec commercial, and the project garnered tons of publicity for James and RJ, who created the commercial in one 12-hour day using their friend’s home and Tesla Model S.

These case studies stand as a true testament to the fact that you simply no longer need to spend big bucks to create quality brand awareness. An evolving and innovative generation is using technology to produce content of the highest quality at an extremely low cost, and usergenerated content is a wonderful way to build a communal relationship with your marketplace. We’d love to help your brand shine, and be über-sharable across platforms … affordably.

Creating award-winning work is always our goal here at STARMEN, but when two of our clients, Hampton Inn and Discover Your Path, each earned a distinguished accolade in the Interactive Media Awards we were particularly excited. Both organizations launched a revitalized website to highlight their refreshed brand identity, and we’re so glad to have been involved in each of these respective endeavors.

Creating award-winning work is always our goal here at STARMEN, but when two of our clients, Hampton Inn and Discover Your Path, each earned a distinguished accolade in the Interactive Media Awards we were particularly excited. Both organizations launched a revitalized website to highlight their refreshed brand identity, and we’re so glad to have been involved in each of these respective endeavors.

Check in at Hampton Inn

When Hampton Inn approached us about redesigning their website, we wanted to assess their objectives for consideration during the design process. The goal was to create a microsite linking to Hilton’s booking system that would increase online bookings, and further enhance their digital presence. The new site specifically aimed to distinguish the Sherman Oaks location as a unique destination by highlighting local attractions, and using bold hotel imagery.

We utilized a clean layout with easy navigation to let potential guests easily find the information they were looking for. To help people get a feel for the Hampton experience, we added photo galleries for all room types and amenities. We then took it a step further, and incorporated interactive tours for every room so users can enjoy a virtual 360 before even checking in. We’re thrilled that the new site earned the Outstanding Achievement Award for Travel/ Tourism by the IMAs!

Discovering yourself with DYP

When faced with adversity, what’s the best thing to do? According to former Olympian contender, Heather Hennessy Howell, and Dodgers pitcher, JP Howell, you should stay positive, and exercise your strength to overcome life’s obstacles. This dynamic duo have triumphed over some incredibly difficult personal challenges, the culmination of which inspired them to co-found Discover Your Path (DYP). DYP encourages youth to achieve their goals by making good decisions, and staying focused.

Heather and JP wanted to share their journeys in a highly visual way, so we produced a branded video that lets users “Discover DYP.” Along with the video, we rolled out ‘PathPacks’ — a kit with t-shirts, journals, and other swag, including daily reminders to remain on a positive path. The website also features tools to help kids get involved, and connect with each other’s stories. DYP’s rebranded website earned IMA’s Best in Class title in the IMA Charity category!

Congratulations to Hampton Inn and Discover Your Path on these prestigious achievements!

The team here at STARMEN is always busy strategizing, and such was the case during our recent New Year kickoff meeting. What made this year's assembly particularly interesting is that we decided to take it a step further, going public with our resolutions. Some may call it a risk, but we like risks, and have a fabulous creative and technical team to help us reach these goals.

The team here at STARMEN is always busy strategizing, and such was the case during our recent New Year kickoff meeting. What made this year's assembly particularly interesting is that we decided to take it a step further, going public with our resolutions. Some may say that opening up about our goals for the year is a risk, but we think of it as a way to hold ourselves accountable for all we do in the year to come. What's more, we're proud of the fabulous creative and technical team to help us reach these goals.

#1 - Up The Talent

Of course, we're grateful to have such a diverse team, and last year's awards reinforced the savvy of our fine troupe. Our creative, strategic, and digital marketing expertise produced work that not only surpassed expectations, but more importantly, created a lasting impression on our agency. What we do is rewarding! To better serve your shifting needs, we’re expanding our network by hand-selecting talented team members with skill sets that will complement the growth we're after. This ultimately allows us to scale our team to fit your greater and longer-term goals. 

#2 - Pursue the "Why?" 

Say 'adios' to the days where an attractive design alone produces long-term results. It’s counterproductive to invest time (and money!) into producing creative work that looks great but lacks sustainability and substance. We want to build on our portfolio of success, and we'll therefore push ourselves to deliver work that not only looks great, but meets our clients’ pressing goals. The key is to keep the big picture continually visible before us. While continuing to launch expertly executed campaigns, we’re committing to repeatedly refer back to the 'why' behind our work to guide our decision-making, maintain focus, and ultimately produce meaningful results.

#3 - Be Selective

We don't want to simply "date" our clients. While our business once operated project-to-project (akin to the dating world), we now crave long-standing partnerships. Doing so enables us to grow with your team, become further invested in your brand, and tackle greater challenges in pursuit of sustained success for your brand and company. With this new outlook, we’re able to be selective with the clients that we take on. Let's face it… great relationships share a similar vision, and grow together with time, becoming stronger. It's a wonderful feeling when both teams are excited to enter a meeting knowing what it will lead to. If that isn't love, we're not sure what is. 

#4 - Go Broad

With multi-channel marketing, it's impossible to declare a ‘secret sauce’ solution that will work for your brand or company. Instead, it's imperative to respect the process, and determine which strategies will prove successful as part of your broader cohesive marketing effort. We'll take accountability for your success in every channel by analyzing the metrics, and implementing solutions based on performance. Love is in the details - and data! This year, we're focused even more on metrics in order to make the best recommendations for your brand.

We picked up 3 silver trophies recently at the 2013 W3 Awards and Davey Awards, demonstrating our versatility in creative brand marketing.

We picked up 3 silver trophies recently at the 2013 W3 Awards and Davey Awards, demonstrating our versatility in creative brand marketing.

The W3 Awards and the Davey Awards both received over 4,000 entries from dozens of countries. The W3s honor excellence in websites, web marketing, and web video, while the Daveys pay homage to the best small firms, agencies and companies around the globe. Both competitions are judged by the International Academy of Visual Arts, a members-only organization of leading creative professionals. The IAVA is a virtual ‘who’s who’ among the entertainment and advertising industry, including Condé Nast, Disney, GE, Keller Crescent, Microsoft, Monster.com, MTV, Publicis, and Yahoo.

Hampton Inn & Suites

W3 Awards: Silver Winner, Websites- Hotel and Lodging

As part of the renowned Hilton Hotels brand, Hampton Inn wanted a unique website that would help distinguish them from other hotels, and increase online visibility. We designed and developed a microsite that linked to Hilton’s booking system and highlighted the hotel’s local attractions, complete with new photo galleries, and interactive 360-degree virtual tours. 

Minus Zero "Results. Finally."

Davey Awards: Silver Winner, Online Film and Video - Videography/Cinematography

When Minus Zero set out to refresh their brand identity, one element we had to include on their new website homepage was a video to immediately inform users about the company's mission and vision. The video needed to support the brand ideology of “Leaving Nothing to Chance,” so we incorporated a few key clips of CEO Sabastian Huynh with poignant imagery and audio.

Tamrac.com

Davey Awards: Silver Winner, Websites - Consumer Products/Services

A leading manufacturer of camera bags, Tamrac approached us for a refreshed website, which would easily guide photographers through the purchasing decision. We built a customized platform with an interactive product catalog, dealer locator, and dealer login resource center. The result was a visually inspiring experience, and one we’re proud of. 

These wins come on the heels of a few noteworthy events here at STARMEN. We were recently featured in the LA Business Journal, and had a party at our newly renovated offices, celebrating our growth as an agency. As we close out 2013, a year that has brought us new challenging projects, we look forward to an exciting 2014.

We are so grateful for everyone on our team who made these award-winning projects come to life, and, of course, none of it would be possible without our amazing clients who continue to push us to do our best!

MARKETING: STARMEN ditches fixed-rate jobs for retainer relationships.

MARKETING: STARMEN ditches fixed-rate jobs for retainer relationships.

STARMEN is excited to announce that our work with charitable organization Discover Your Path has recently been awarded the Gold award in the latest cycle of the International Competition for Marketing & Communications Professionals (also known as the MarCom Awards). While this isn’t the first award this endeavor has received, the receipt of a Gold MarCom brings with it a very special, very gratifying sort of satisfaction.

STARMEN is excited to announce that our work with charitable organization Discover Your Path has recently been awarded the Gold award in the latest cycle of the International Competition for Marketing & Communications Professionals (also known as the MarCom Awards). While this isn’t the first award this endeavor has received, the receipt of a Gold MarCom brings with it a very special, very gratifying sort of satisfaction.

For over two decades, the MarCom statuette has endured as a very esteemed symbol of distinction within the marketing and communications industries. The MarCom Awards is the largest competition of its kind with over 6,000 entry submissions received and evaluated each year, and its trophy graces the shelves and cases of some of the most prominent firms in the world. However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t clarify that this award’s lofty prestige isn’t the only reason we’re celebrating!

First and foremost, we’re pleased at the opportunity to honor our clients at Discover Your Path with yet another esteemed distinction. Having also received the Best in Class title from the 2013 Interactive Media Awards, Discover Your Path is the brainchild of former Olympic contender Heather Hennessy Howell and Dodgers pitcher JP Howell. The nonprofit organization aims to inspire youth to set and attain goals through sound decision-making. The Howells tasked our team with reappropriating their online presence with a fresh design that would lend itself further in the encouragement of the children they work with. The components we produced included a new brand identity, an intuitive, user-friendly site design, a branded video inviting users to “Discover DYP”, as well as PathPacks, bundles of promotional material featuring daily reminders that were given out at Dodger games to further encourage choosing a positive path. These components combined created a truly powerful directive, and we’re extremely proud that the work continues to receive such prestigious recognition.

As a branding agency based in Hollywood, we're aware that you don't always need an excuse to party. But sometimes you have a solid reason to celebrate, and here at STARMEN, we certainly do! 

After scoring over 12 design awards this year, we wanted to pause and thank the people who made it all possible- our clients and creative team. Their support allows us to do what we love and take risks. To show our appreciation, we hosted a private event for a night of Re/VISION, a chance to celebrate the past and preview our future with the people who matter most to us.

As a branding agency based in Hollywood, we're aware that you don't always need an excuse to party. But sometimes you have a solid reason to celebrate, and here at STARMEN, we certainly do! 

After scoring over 12 design awards this year, we wanted to pause, and thank the people who made it all possible- our clients and creative team. Their support allows us to do what we love, and take risks. To show our appreciation, we hosted a private event for a night of Re/VISION, a chance to celebrate the past, and preview our future with the people who matter most to us.

In addition to honoring our clients and team, we were excited to present our recently remodeled office. We wanted to complement the historic features of our building by fusing some elements of classic Hollywood into the decor. Since the area has such a rich history and background, we decided to reach out to the people who know the area best - the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. They put us in touch with a company that dug through their archives to unearth the perfect photos for our walls. Originally shot back in 1923, these images were scanned at a high resolution to create custom black and white landscapes. The aerial view of the Hollywoodland sign is a trip back in time, and we have no doubt that Harry Chandler, the LA Times publisher who built the sign, would be proud to see his work displayed on our lobby wall. Though the sign was a $21,000 billboard for Chandler's real estate development, and has since evolved in both appearance and meaning, its iconic message will always remain: "This is a place where magic is possible, where dreams can come true."

It's All About the Details

As a design agency, we believe that love is in the details. Some of our favorite details in the office are ones that adorn the lobby. And most of them are functional, in addition to being artful and unique. The vintage Vista 500 tube radio that sits among our bookshelves provides an ambiance that hasn't been felt for over 50 years. The new acoustic gramophone also radiates tunes as an iPad is nested inside (a great blend of vintage and modern technology). Our 1920s cash register did likely function at one point, but now collects glances instead of bills, and weighs a lot more than you would guess. An old typewriter reminds us that instead of typing away on our smooth iMacs, our industry's ancestors once used those bold, bulky keys for communication.

The Dramatic Before and After Changes

During construction, we knocked down the wall to our neighboring suite, and created a fresh and open floor plan, complete with a new lobby and lounge area, creative lab, and meeting room.

STARMEN looks forward to continued growth, and an even bigger office to accompany that growth in the years to come!

We feel very grateful that as our team here at STARMEN grows, so does our awards list! We recently received 2 Summit awards for our work with Minus Zero and DirecTV.

We feel very grateful that as our team here at STARMEN grows, so does our awards list! We recently received 2 Summit awards for our work with Minus Zero and DirecTV.

Since 1994, the Summit Creative Awards has enabled creative firms to receive the recognition they deserve. This international advertising competition offers participants a unique opportunity to showcase their talents alongside similarly positioned agencies, and to have their work judged by experts in the advertising field. This year, the Summit Awards received entries from over 50 countries across 5 continents. The competition is geared toward smaller and mid-size agencies that produce great work, but are normally overshadowed by large companies with significant budgets. The Summit Awards gives smaller agencies a chance to earn some deserved recognition among their industry peers.

Submissions were judged on concept and execution in design, broadcast, and interactive media by judging panels comprised of industry professionals from across the globe. Judges included entities like Wieden & Kennedy, Tribal DDB, Grey Advertising, TBWA/Chiat/Day, Y&R, The Art Institute, New York University, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy & Mather, and Saatchi & Saatchi.

Gold Award: Minus Zero, Product/Service Promotion Video

Minus Zero recently approached us to redesign and rebrand their online presence. In addition to refreshing their identity, we developed, filmed, and edited a video to be featured on their new website homepage. The video introduces users to the company’s CEO, Sabastian Hunyh, and gives a brief overview about Minus Zero.

Our objective for the video was to create a story-driven piece that would help define the brand, and engage users on the new website. We steered clear of the dry “corporate” video feel, and instead captured the essence of their new identity: passionate, exuberant, and results oriented. The executives we were targeting don’t merely sit behind desks — they embrace a sports-like mentality, love taking risks, and are design-oriented.

To showcase these attributes, we incorporated a few key points from their “Leaving Nothing to Chance” brand platform, and combined them with bold images, clips, and audio. The result was a visually-rich portrait of Minus Zero that we’re proud of, and it marks our first award for video production!

Silver Award: DirecTV, Entertainment website (Roguemedia.tv microsite)

When DirecTV launched their first television series, Rogue, they wanted a digital press kit that would give users a behind-the-scenes look at photos, cast/crew bios, and full episodes. We created a microsite to match the dark and ominous tone of the show using a “skeuomorphic” approach with textures like paperclips, manila folders, and wood. DirecTV also wanted the site to be viewable from mobile devices, so we implemented an adaptive design with a custom content management system. See the work, here.

We are grateful to have such an amazing roster of clients, as well as the talented team to support them. Creating award-winning work is always our goal, so we are grateful for these two recent awards from the Summit International Awards!

Just as everyone figured out the mechanics of SEO, everything changed. Here's what you need to know:

Google and other search engines have recently been updating their search algorithms. As the biggest name in the game, Google has pioneered the way with two major algorithm updates: Panda and Penguin.

Just as everyone figured out the mechanics of SEO, everything changed. Here's what you need to know:

Google and other search engines have recently been updating their search algorithms. As the biggest name in the game, Google has pioneered the way with two major algorithm updates: Panda and Penguin.

What was once acceptable can now impair a company’s ability to be found online. Under these new algorithms, websites that are found to be catering to the search engines rather than producing fresh, relevant content will be relegated to the bottom of search results. Overall, Panda and Penguin target websites that churn out thin content, spam backlinks, practice keyword stuffing or hidden text, include plagiarized content, and enact a number of other outdated, frowned-upon SEO techniques. 

The Panda and Penguin updates give the illusion that Google is making big changes in the digital realm, but in reality these updates are just part of a larger trend. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and the increasing popularity of handheld devices have changed the way people find, share, and discuss information. To stay relevant, businesses need to publish interesting content regularly, and share it through social media. By doing so, the same businesses will also find that Google’s new rules for SEO will be met naturally, and that is entirely the goal.

“We want people doing white-hat search engine optimization (or even no search engine optimization at all) to be free to focus on creating amazing compelling web sites,” stated Matt Cutts, Distinguished Engineer on Google’s Webmaster Blog.  “Another step is to reward high-quality sites,” stated Mr. Cutts.

Does this mean everyone should stop all SEO practices? 

Not necessarily. SEO should be used as a way to promote quality, authoritative content. Keyword research and analytics will still improve the quality of a site if used naturally and efficiently. Backlinks must occur naturally, however. The thought process is this: if a website caters to its audience, relevant keywords and backlinks will manifest naturally, and webmasters don’t have to do a thing. People will share useful or interesting content with their friends and followers. With Google’s new updates, this organic interaction trumps even the best laid-out marketing plans. One of the best ways for a business to regularly release shareable content is through a blog. When done right, blogging is a great way to create content, and encourage engagement. Share each new article on relevant social media platforms for maximum impact.

To address social media’s obvious impact on the world, Google’s updates look for likes, shares, and engagement —especially on Google+ because, well, it belongs to Google. Regardless of the platform, branding should be consistent throughout a company’s online presence to give the target audience a reliable image with which to associate. As with traditional websites, social media pages should be geared at providing the target audience with a memorable experience. This goes beyond branding, and delves into the murky terrain of engagement. Social media has lowered the barriers between businesses and their target audience. Engagement is important to building brand trust. A successful brand embraces this shift by giving followers not just great content but the ability to communicate directly with the company.

Are the Panda and Penguin updates perfect? Unfortunately, no. There has been some collateral damage to legitimate sites, and negative SEO practices have in some ways become easier. 

Competitors can more easily employ shady backlinking schemes for your website, effectively decreasing its value. Your original content is also at risk of being copied, and having the time stamp changed, making your site look like the copy cat. The best way to minimize the impact is to be proactive. Set up a Google alert for your website, and develop your authority through Google Authorship. If you find foul play, there are legitimate ways to deal with it. Google encourages anyone affected by backlinking sabotage to use their disavow tool.  

Photo Courtesy of Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS

Above all else, human engagement is the new SEO. Businesses should ask themselves what interests their audience. Answering that question through blogging, engaging in social media, and creating an easy-to navigate website are key. Hire a writer, hire a designer, hire a social media coordinator, and make sure each knows your industry's ins and outs. Once upon a time, customer service and interaction were reserved for in-person, phone, and even email conversations. Today, these conversations can happen anywhere in the digital sphere. Google’s Panda and Penguin updates support these modern trends.

It’s been a warm summer, and things are hot over here at STARMEN. Right on the heels of the Horizon Awards, STARMEN was awarded 7 trophies from the 19th annual Communicator Awards! The competition receives entries from both small and large agencies from all over the globe. Self-touted as “the largest and most competitive awards program honoring creative excellence among communications professionals,” the Communicator Awards received over 6,000 entries this year. Winners were chosen based on quality of the entry, regardless of company or agency size or project budget.

It’s been a warm summer, and things are hot over here at STARMEN. Right on the heels of the Horizon Awards, STARMEN was awarded 7 trophies from the 19th annual Communicator Awards! The competition receives entries from both small and large agencies from all over the globe. Self-touted as “the largest and most competitive awards program honoring creative excellence among communications professionals,” the Communicator Awards received over 6,000 entries this year. Winners were chosen based on quality of the entry, regardless of company or agency size or project budget.

The competition is overseen and judged by the International Academy of Visual Arts, an exclusive organization comprised of 600+ executives from marketing, advertising, and media firms. IAVA members include professionals from Condé Nast, Coach, Disney, MTV Networks, Sotheby's Institute of Art, Time, Inc, Victoria's Secret, Wired, and Yahoo. Another cool detail about this particular competition is the fact that the trophies are made by RS Owens, the company that produces the Oscar and Emmy awards!

We were also psyched to see our integrated design efforts score some recognition. We won silver trophies for corporate identity in the logo and package design categories, as well as brochure design. Creatively-designed packaging and brochures help make brands more memorable, and we’re proud that both our interactive and traditional branding efforts earned a spot on our growing list of award-winning achievements:

Check out the winners!

• Chadburry - Gold Winner, Fashion Websites Category

Chadburry is a European-based fashion designer and manufacturer of handcrafted menswear, and won in the Fashion Websites category. (click to view website)

• 1999 Avenue of the Stars - Silver Winner, Real Estate Websites Category

1999 boasts an exclusive real estate hotspot in Century City, and took home a win for Real Estate Websites. (click to view website)

• Esmond Natural - Silver Winner, Corporate Identity Print Category

Esmond Natural embraces an “East meets West” approach to their nutritional supplements, and won for Package Design in the Corporate Identity Print category. (click to view website)

• J/P Haitian Relief Organization - Silver Winner, Charitable Organization/Non-Profit Websites Category

• Juel Park - Silver Winner, Visual Appeal Websites Category

Juel Park is a renowned designer of haute couture lingerie, catering to A-list celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, and won for Visual Appeal Websites. (click to view website)

• LA Banquets - Silver Winner, Corporate Identity Print Category

LA Banquets is a premiere banqueting destination in Los Angeles, and won for Brochure Design in the Corporate Identity Print category. (click to view website)

• Minus Zero - Silver Winner, Corporate Identity Print Category

Minus Zero offers corporate leadership and training to senior executives, and won for Logo Design in the Corporate Identity Print category. (click to view website)

Contact STARMEN today to start your own award-winning campaign.

After winding down an exciting 2012 with 12 trophies from the W3 Awards and Davey Awards, STARMEN is gearing up for summer on an equally bright note. We recently took home 4 wins from the 11th annual Horizon Interactive Awards! The international competition was created to recognize excellence in the interactive media field. This year, there was some tough competition, as the Horizon Awards received thousands of submissions from nearly all 50 states and 25 countries across the globe. 

We’re particularly thrilled about this recognition, not just because the statuettes are shiny and handsome, but because this competition embraces a unique approach to judging. The panelists aren’t just design experts — they’re our industry peers — other digital media professionals with varying skillsets and capabilities. In addition to an end-user panel, the judging crew included Creative Directors, Chris Nation of Hitcents and Flavio Masson, of 10012.com. That meant the designs couldn’t just look nice, they had to function well, and with purpose. Here at STARMEN, we always keep functionality at the forefront of our creative process. Aesthetics are meaningless unless they offer a creative and strategic solution. We are honored for the awards bestowed on us for our work on the following campaigns:

After winding down an exciting 2012 with 12 trophies from the W3 Awards and Davey Awards, STARMEN is gearing up for summer on an equally bright note. We recently took home 4 wins from the 11th annual Horizon Interactive Awards! The international competition was created to recognize excellence in the interactive media field. This year, there was some tough competition, as the Horizon Awards received thousands of submissions from nearly all 50 states and 25 countries. 

We’re particularly thrilled about this recognition, not just because the statuettes are shiny and handsome, but because this competition embraces a unique approach to judging. The panelists aren’t just design experts — they’re our industry peers — other digital media professionals with varying skillsets and capabilities. In addition to an end-user panel, the judging crew included Creative Directors, Chris Nation of Hitcents and Flavio Masson, of 10012.com. That meant the designs couldn’t just look nice, they had to function well, and with purpose. Here at STARMEN, we always keep functionality at the forefront of our creative process. Aesthetics are meaningless unless they offer a creative and strategic solution. We are honored for the awards bestowed on us for our work on the following campaigns:

And the awards go to...

J/P Haitian Relief Organization provides relief and emergency services in Haiti. Following the catastrophic earthquake in 2010, J/P HRO immediately stepped in with rescue efforts. In anticipation of their 2 year anniversary, J/P HRO partnered with us to launch a completely redesigned website. We focused on a new design and strategy for a web experience that would visually communicate the mission of the organization through film and video.

John Foley provides individual and corporate leadership training. Best known for their inspirational keynotes, the company has worked with some of the biggest brands worldwide. We are grateful to be a part of John's 'Glad To Be Here' team, and the experience challenged us to maximize our performance. The website gives readers a taste of what John’s incredible presentations can offer executive and management teams across industries.

Our Creative Director, Anthony Wiktor, designed an alternative movie poster for Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln." Wiktor also designed a campaign around his creative concept, which was quite a contrast from the film's actual marketing campaign. "I wanted to use a darker tone to create a more dramatic visual that matched the feel of the film," says Anthony. The poster is now featured on the Lincoln movie website.

Win #4 is a Gold Award for our own website in the Self Promotional Website category.

Click here to read the full press release about the awards from the Horizon Interactive Awards.

STARMEN's award-winning Creative Director, Anthony Wiktor, is featured as an 'industry expert' in Web Designer Magazine’s Hot 100 issue (#205), which is currently on newsstands this month. Anthony is featured alongside web design industry giants such as Eric Meyer, Andy Budd, and Patrick Van Kann. The article features experts chiming in on 2013′s hottest web trends, tools, and talent.

STARMEN's award-winning Creative Director, Anthony Wiktor, is featured as an 'industry expert' in Web Designer Magazine’s Hot 100 issue (#205), which is currently on newsstands this month. Anthony is featured alongside industry giants such as Eric Meyer, Andy Budd, and Patrick Van Kann. The article features experts chiming in on 2013′s hottest web trends, tools, and talent.

Anthony shared his thoughts and insights on which web design tools and trends to look for in 2013, including an awesome boilerplate for responsive, a mobile-friendly framework called ‘Skeleton,’ and the emerging popularity of 'parallax' design.

About Web Designer Magazine

“Web Designer” is the flagship publication for international web creatives, offering expert project-based tutorials across modern disciplines such as HTML, CSS, jQuery, Flash, Photoshop, WordPress blogging, and mobile apps. Accessible to hobbyists and professionals of all skill levels, the content is constantly informed by agency profiles, breaking stories, and cutting-edge trends. Each issue features a CD packed with invaluable design resources, and project files for the tutorials in the magazine. Read more from Web Designer Magazine, here.

Through their "Create" campaign, Adonit, a cutting edge consumer creative-technology start-up, is redefining the way we think of "creators." By assembling a group of leading artists, designers, engineers, writers, educators and entrepreneurs, Adonit is seeking to highlight how people across the creative spectrum are using technology to expand productivity and creation in their respective crafts.

Through their "Create" campaign, Adonit, a cutting edge consumer creative-technology start-up, is redefining the way we think of "creators." By assembling a group of leading artists, designers, engineers, writers, educators and entrepreneurs, Adonit is seeking to highlight how people across the creative spectrum are using technology to expand productivity and creation in their respective crafts.

In the field of design, they're tapping into the visionary mind of Starmen's Creative Director, Anthony Wiktor, to better understand his unique creative process.

It's human nature to Create. Early on in life we seek out tools to help us grow ideas into reality. We start with crayons and building blocks, and later in life progress to paint brushes and protractors. We are more than consumers. We are all creators at heart, and to create in today’s digital world, we need tools that empower us to make, build, and develop our ideas. -Adonit.net

Anthony, who is featured in Adonit's new commercial, teamed up with the start-up to offer a fresh perspective on the concepts and practical technological application of graphic design, content strategy, and web development."I was honored to work with Adonit and I appreciate the opportunity to be recognized outside of my technical abilities," Anthony said, "first and foremost I'm a creator. I'm an artist."

Adonit absolutely agrees, and, in fact, this very idea as the springboard for their new campaign: "We believe creativity is found in more than just artists, painters, and musicians. Creators are anyone searching for new solutions to get more out of life."

Anthony's favorite Adonit tool is the JotFlip, a precision stylus and fine pen. Check out the full line of Adonit products at Adonit.net and start creating!!

What an honor! We're excited to share that we've taken home 2 Gold Awards and 4 Silver Awards from the 7th Annual W3 Award Competition!

Check out the winners inside!

What an honor! We're excited to share that we've taken home 2 Gold Awards and 4 Silver Awards from the 7th Annual W3 Award Competition!

We're thrilled to share that we've been awarded with 2 Gold and 4 Silver Awards at the 7th Annual W3 Awards! The W3 is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, interactive, advertising, and marketing firms.

This year the W3 received over 3,000 entries from top companies and agencies worldwide. The W3 AWARDS honors outstanding websites, web marketing, web video, and mobile apps created by some of the best interactive agencies, designers, and creators worldwide. Being selected a W3 Winner is a tremendous achievement, and we are honored to receive these wins! 

These accolades follow STARMEN being named “#1 Rated Web-Design Agency in Los Angeles” by Web Designer Magazine earlier this summer.

Visit www.w3award.com for a complete list of W3 AWARD winners, and check out our award-winning websites below.

Chadburry.com: Gold for 'Best Fashion Website' and 'Best Visual Appeal'

Chadburry makes finely crafted, interesting, and unique menswear. The Swedish brand has a strong connection with the classical ideologies of precision tailoring, while also adopting a very modern view on texture, colour, and character. The fabrics are hand selected, and are manufactured in Europe.

JPHRO.org: Silver for ‘Best Charitable/Non-Profit Website’ and ‘Best Homepage Design’

J/P Haitian Relief Organization is dedicated to saving lives, and bringing sustainable programs to the Haitian people quickly and effectively. Following the devastating earthquake of 2010, J/P HRO began working immediately on the ground to make an impact in Haiti. J/P HRO works with both governmental and non-governmental agencies to deliver immediate results where the need is greatest.

AIGA’s sold-out Professional Series talk, ‘The Importance of Studio Culture & Identity,’ was held at Continuum’s work-space in Venice Beach.  The discussion brought together STARMEN’s Executive Director, Armen David, as well as Braven Greenelsh, Candice Brokeshire, Michael Stinson, and moderator Eduardo Braniff (CEO of Imagination the Americas).

AIGA’s sold-out Professional Series talk, ‘The Importance of Studio Culture & Identity,’ was held at Continuum’s work-space in Venice Beach.  The discussion brought together STARMEN’s Executive Director, Armen David, as well as Braven Greenelsh, Candice Brokeshire, Michael Stinson, and moderator Eduardo Braniff (CEO of Imagination the Americas).

Armen defined his studio's culture as "a group of like-minded individuals that share unique qualities and purpose.” According to Armen, “Culture is not possible without thought leadership. It starts with a well-defined platform; Mission, vision, and values are essential to defining culture that produces long-term advantage and sustainability.” He also believes that culture is dynamic, and must be embraced, not managed.

The Professional Series comprises conversations about today's business of design. Professionals and entrepreneurs from a range of design enterprises gather to discuss how each are growing their businesses through financial modeling, business development, recruitment and retention, innovation practices and, above all, great design.

Photos by PaulDimalanta.com

We were excited to be a part of DISH International's social media initiative by developing and launching a series of branded YouTube channels to target their long list of language communities. ‘DISH Filipino,’ the first of DISH International’s channels that we designed, includes a custom video slider, drop down menus, and custom banner feature. 

We were excited to be a part of DISH International's social media initiative by developing and launching a series of branded YouTube channels to target their long list of language communities. ‘DISH Filipino,’ the first of DISH International’s channels that we designed, includes a custom video slider, drop down menus, and custom banner feature. 

Creating a Brand's Desitination on YouTube

Brand Channels on YouTube allow marketers to create a brandable and customized interface on YouTube where they can connect and create persistent relationships with their customers. Brand Channels act as a distribution outlet for video content, and as a destination for users to engage with your brand. The design of your channel page should reflect your brand identity.

As you can see in the case of DISH International, we customized the channel theme and design to reflect the brand that has been established on the DISH Filipino TV website. Though the 'art of branding' is critical to your channel's visual presence, the success of your channel is largely dependent on the content that you upload.

Visit YouTube.com for more best practices!

We at STARMEN are not ones to jump on 'bandwagons', whether the subject matter is politics, celebrity gossip, sports, or business. However, we're all aboard the latest bandwagon traveling along Gap's tracks to logo disaster. Gap’s new logo and branding campaign have widely been referred to as the “Gapgate controversy,” a questionable attempt at designing a new logo, and an even more tasteless approach at trying to market it. There has been way too much recent attention around the new Gap logo, and as a result, we've decided to come up with our own visual ‘solution.’

We at STARMEN are not ones to jump on 'bandwagons', whether the subject matter is politics, celebrity gossip, sports, or business. However, we're all aboard the latest bandwagon traveling along Gap's tracks to logo disaster. Gap’s new logo and branding campaign have widely been referred to as the “Gapgate controversy,” a questionable attempt at designing a new logo, and an even more tasteless approach at trying to market it. There has been way too much recent attention around the new Gap logo, and as a result, we've decided to come up with our own visual ‘solution.’

Gap has been successful at engaging and sustaining a loyal audience by constantly staying fresh in all aspects of its brand (fashion, marketing, advertising, etc.). Unfortunately, Gap’s revenue and image have waned. Sales at GAP stores (including Old Navy and Banana Republic) have been declining (-8% in 2009), but blaming the economy would be missing the mark entirely.  Gap’s problem is not its logo; it is its brand.

A Brand Panic Move

One of our favorite mottos is “Your logo is not your brand.” This is a message that we communicate to our clients frequently. Gap did not follow this philosophy, rolling out its new logo last week, which appeared to be more of a panic-driven move than a strategized one, as no real design thinking was evident. Some chalk this sudden change up as a response to declining sales, but as Abe Sauer from Brandchannel states, “the Gap brand decided to change the one valuable element it has going for it.” Customers seeing this new change just don't appear to be feeling it. This is a typical mistake most high-profile brands make in an effort to create a valuable 'change.’ Just ask Pepsi how they feel about the whole Tropicana mess. With very notable brands, a complete brand identity redesign or even just a change to the logo can be the hardest task for any design firm. Laird + Partners has done some great work for Gap in past years, but not this time. 

Louise Callagy, a Gap spokeswoman, explained the new logo was intended to be the latest ‘evolution’ for the brand, and added that it had been for the last two years. Callagy explains her position, stating that "[The new logo] is more contemporary and current, and honors the heritage of the Gap brand, but takes the blue box forward." We don’t agree; there is absolutely nothing new about using the typeface Helvetica. (Just ask Eric Spiekermann.) 

Our Solution

The creative team at STARMEN came up with a realistic, achievable solution for Gap. In honor of the 'heritage' that Gap eagerly wants to embrace, we reflected on the first Gap logo and store back in 1969, and found a new way of embracing Gap's original essence in a contemporary marketplace — something with a similar mainstream flexibility as seen in MTV's logo redesign. Rather than being simply an 'add-on', this logo becomes more 'integrated' with the brand campaign, allowing Gap to align its brand initiatives with its loyal customers. Rather than placing the retro typeface proportionally in the center of the iconic square shape, we dramatically enlarged it to bleed over the edges. The clean, bold, organic lowercase font gives Gap a fresh new energy that's both friendly and inviting. We believe that our approach gives the logo opportunity to fuse the distinctive Gap imagery, and the square shape demonstrates the flexibility of the new branding. So, what do you think of our alternative? More importantly, what do you think of Gap's perspective? We want to hear your thoughts... and we'd love to hear from you, Gap!

By no means are we saying that the above solution is 'the solution.’ We understand that there is a deeper problem with Gap, and it's not just with their logo, but rather their overall brand. However, as creatives, we couldn't help but offer our recommendations for what their logo could be.

UPDATE: As many of you may be aware, Gap pulled the aforementioned new logo just as quickly as they put it up. There probably won't be much long-term damage to the brand, but our hope is that Gap will know how to approach the whole brand identity redesign more holistically by focusing on the brand itself and not just the logo.

Google and Typekit both released some great news last week. First, Google announced that they are releasing high-quality open source fonts, deemed “Google Fonts,” in the Google Font Directory. They also went so far as to release Google Font API, an HTML-based tool that enables users to implement any of these fonts into a site with the level of ease to which we have been accustomed to from Google.

Google and Typekit both released some great news last week. First, Google announced that they are releasing high-quality open source fonts, deemed “Google Fonts,” in the Google Font Directory. They also went so far as to release Google Font API, an HTML-based tool that enables users to implement any of these fonts into a site with the level of ease to which we have been accustomed to from Google.

But, wait! It gets better! Typekit and Google announced the release of a Web Font Loader to smooth out any issues when putting Google Fonts to use.

The Web Font Loader puts the developer in control of how web fonts are handled by various browsers. The API fires JavaScript events at certain points, for example, when the web font completes downloading. With these events, developers can control how web fonts behave on a site so that they download consistently across all browsers. In addition, developers can set the fallback font's size to more closely match the web font, so content doesn't reflow after loading. Furthermore, the Web Font Loader is designed to make it easy to switch between different providers of web fonts, including Google, Typekit, and others. The code is modular, and we expect to see modules for other major web font providers in coming weeks.

To see an example of Google’s web fonts in the flesh, visit Smashing Magazine.

To download these open source fonts, visit the Google Font Directory.

During our daily industry readings, we came across a refreshing article titled “Our Biggest Brands Can No Longer Be Managed By Nerds,” by brand consultant Tom Hinkes. Companies have been scaling back recently on creatively-led brand solutions, and focusing more on the numbers approach. It was refreshing to hear from a well-respected and experienced brand marketer that great marketing requires a balance of both strategy and creative.

During our daily industry readings, we came across a refreshing article titled “Our Biggest Brands Can No Longer Be Managed By Nerds,” by brand consultant Tom Hinkes. Companies have been scaling back recently on creatively-led brand solutions, and focusing more on the numbers approach. It was refreshing to hear from a well-respected and experienced brand marketer that great marketing requires a balance of both strategy and creative.

More Data Is Not Better Data

“Marketing departments used to be the creative engines powering successful corporations. Now they're overrun by number-crunching nerds. As a direct consequence, despite all the conspicuous focus on "change management," the way brands respond to change in the marketplace has deteriorated. A McKinsey Quarterly article several years ago argued that the key to "better branding" is to build brands "more scientifically." If managers would combine "forward-looking market segmentation" with structural-equation modeling, they could "build a better brand more efficiently." In short: more data, more regressions and more conjoint analysis mean the "brand crisis" is solved. But fluency with buzz words and expertise with spreadsheets do not guarantee brand-marketing competence.”

-Tom Hinkes, AdAge.com

We agree that there is a need for consumer research, but brand marketing is not an exact science, and therefore cannot be driven solely by metrics or statistics. We approach brand marketing with the analysis, discipline and detail it requires, but also with the emotion, vision and creativity that feed a brand’s sustained success.

As an award-winning creative agency specializing in brand design, we are proud to announce the redesign of the STARMEN web site. But ‘redesign’ doesn't really cover it. We’ve made more than an aesthetic adjustment or surface-level change, we’ve ‘refreshed’ internally and externally. The new starmenusa.com reflects our new ideas, fresh thinking, and innovative approach to our clients’ brands, as well as our latest design work. 

As an award-winning creative agency specializing in brand design, we are proud to announce the redesign of the STARMEN website. But ‘redesign’ doesn't really cover it. More than an aesthetic adjustment or surface-level change, we’ve ‘refreshed’ both internally and externally. The new starmenusa.com reflects our new ideas, fresh thinking, and innovative approach to our clients’ brands, as well as our latest design work. 

Our LA headquarters are buzzing with excitement! This site has been a labor of love, created with synchronized hard work, absolute enthusiasm, and meticulous attention to effective design. What remains unchanged is our unwavering resolve: We are here to produce solid, valuable results for you! Now, we just look even better!

We warmly invite you to visit our new site, and enjoy our latest work.

Situated in the heart of Los Angeles, STARMEN separates itself from the plethora of design companies by remaining independent, creatively led, and modest enough in size to work closely with clients.  The November issue of Runway Magazine explains just this! Runway Magazine called us ‘Hollywood’s Rising Stars,’ and their article illustrates how our boutique design agency has found great footing in the entertainment capital of the world! 

Download the full article here.

Situated in the heart of Los Angeles, STARMEN separates itself from the plethora of design companies by remaining independent, creatively led, and modest enough in size to work closely with clients.  The November issue of Runway Magazine explains just this! Runway Magazine called us ‘Hollywood’s Rising Stars,’ and their article illustrates how our boutique design agency has found great footing in the entertainment capital of the world! 

Download the full article here.

In response to the devastating January 12th earthquake in Haiti, the team at STARMEN Design Group has rallied to spread the word, and make it easier to support American Red Cross relief efforts through the creation of a donation microsite. Urgency is needed to assist those affected by this disaster, especially the thousands of abandoned children who are now without homes. Join us, and show your support by donating to the less fortunate during these tragic times. Be a part of the solution, and provide help for the relief effort through the American Red Cross today!

View the microsite, and donate here. Your donations and support are greatly appreciated!

In response to the devastating January 12th earthquake in Haiti, the team at STARMEN Design Group has rallied to spread the word, and make it easier to support American Red Cross relief efforts through the creation of a donation microsite. Urgency is needed to assist those affected by this disaster, especially the thousands of abandoned children who are now without homes. Join us, and show your support by donating to the less fortunate during these tragic times. Be a part of the solution, and provide help for the relief effort through the American Red Cross today!

View the microsite, and donate here. Your donations and support are greatly appreciated!