Baltimore Graphic Design, Web Design & Marketing | Hardly Square

Without an Edge

Rubbermaid Commercial Products was launching a new product line, the Element recycling solution. RCP needed a website that persuaded their target audience to learn more about the product line, provided a one stop hub containing all of the Element’s marketing materials, and offered a purchasing call to action.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed and implemented a Flash microsite for the Element. The microsite includes a user friendly features and benefits section, the ability to view and/or download spec sheet PDFs, and review all of the sustainability advantages of the new product line. The microsite also allows potential customers the ability to easily findout where they can purchase the new products, download sales brochures, and view other decorative waste solutions that might fit their recycling needs.

Without an Edge

Rubbermaid Commercial Products had excessive expenses in regards to training employees, distributors and end users. Airline tickets, car rentals, and hotels room expenses were piling up. Not to mention they were taking their employees off the job to train them through traditional means. RCP knew they did NOT want to use an LMS and pay per user, but what was the solution?

An Added Edge

Hardly Square created RCP University, a zero cost per learner eLearning platform that extensively lowers training expenditures. RCP now benefits from heightened retention rates due to a complete digital training solution. RCP University features custom designed Flash courses with voice narration, custom application photography, an administrator dashboard, and result tracking that can easily be exported to Microsoft Excel.

Without an Edge

Rubbermaid Commercial Product’s existing Green Site’s marketing message did not encompass all the advantages of their newest sustainable products. There were missed opportunities that would inform their customers and distributors of their latest sustainability mission.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square reverse engineered the existing Flash file to support RCP’s sustainability mission and created additional interactivity for the end user. Hardly Square tailored the Flash file to RCP’s marketing message, putting an emphasis on usability while offering a direct benefit for the target audience.

Without an Edge

Rubbermaid Commercial Products was not fully utilizing all of its options when it came to informing its customers of marketing initiatives. RCP wanted to implement a technique that included involving the customer in an interactive communications platform with a personal touch.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed and implemented a winning social media strategy with the RCP Smart Blog. RCP’s blog has been a great way to connect with customers, announce new produce launches, and simply provide a human face to RCP’s image. It grants their customers a voice and allows them to interact directly with the bloggers. This solution also utilizes a Content Management System (CMS) that allows the administrators to easily update the blog on their own.

Without an Edge

Rubbermaid Commercial Products was not utilizing the social media benefits of Twitter. Twitter can help to define and promote your corporate culture. Even with 140 characters you can say a lot about your work place, your industry, and all your efforts.

An Added Edge

Together, Hardly Square and RCP, set up and designed a custom Twitter page that upheld corporate brand standards. Now RCP is creating a buzz for upcoming product launches, increasing credibility by posting relevant industry insight, and promoting new marketing initiatives such as eLearning courses and microsite launches.

Without an Edge

Rubbermaid Commercial Products’s healthcare clients were not fully aware of the proven performance of their complete HYGEN Microfiber system. Specifically, there was an issue with cross contamination within MRI rooms.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a Flash driven microsite that easily displayed The Issue, The Solution, and The Complete HYGEN System. The microsite’s design leaned heavily on interactivity and engagement which leads to heightened retention rates. Utilizing interactive rollover functionality, RCP was able to offer a quick and click-less method for users to acquire pertinent information.

Without an Edge

Rubbermaid Commercial Products wanted to encourage their distributors to learn more about the new Material Handling product line. They had obtained 1,500 $20 gift cards to entice engagement in the form of an eLearning contest. RCP needed all 3 eLearning courses in one place and needed to be able to track the user specific results.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a Flash driven microsite that introduced the contest through an animation. Once the user had learned the rules and regulations they had the opportunity to access 3 Material Handling eLearning courses coded with user specific result tracking. RCP has now effectively gotten an edge on their competition by educating distributors on their products.

“An organization’s ability to learn and translate that learning into action is the ultimate competitive advantage.” ~ Jack Welch

Without an Edge

Rubbermaid Commercial Products had complexities with a new product line launch. They offered a full line of HYGEN Microfiber cleaning products, but purchasing managers hardly knew how much of each product was needed for their specific situation?

An Added Edge

Hardly Square created a microsite that leads managers through a simple step-by-step form. In the end it calculates the necessary inventory equation based on the supplied information. Now the managers can print their proper inventory data sheets, while the information (including specific user information) is sent to the appropriate RCP representative. This solution pushes sales by offering their customers an easy way to calculate their needs and submit.

Without an Edge

IRWIN Industrial Tools understood that traditional training methods were expensive and less effective than an eLearning solution. IRWIN faced an enormous hurdle keeping their employees well educated and up-to-date on their substantial product line. It was a daunting task considering their employees are dispersed across the globe. They needed a solution and fast.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square created LearnIrwin.com, a zero cost per learner eLearning platform that extensively lowers training expenditures. IRWIN now benefits from heightened retention rates, which lead to greater business results, and ultimately a larger market share. IRWIN has gained an edge on their competition with training that features custom Flash driven eLearning courses including voice narration, custom application photography, specific learner profiles, an administrator dashboard, and result tracking that can easily be exported to Microsoft Excel.

Without an Edge

IRWIN wanted a self assessment eLearning solution for their employees. They needed the quiz to encompass multiple categories of product knowledge, collect learner specific information, and promote the next stages of the learning process.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square created IRWIN IQ. IRWIN IQ is an eLearning web application that gives IRWIN’s employees the opportunity to assess their IRWIN IQ across multiple levels of product knowledge. The eLearning solution not only quizzes the learner, but also promotes traditional classroom training within video throughout the quiz. At the end of the quiz learners can see what questions they got wrong, what the right answers were, print their certificate, and get recommendations for the next level of their training. The training manager can also download all the learner specific results directly to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

Without an Edge

SuiteLinq was presenting at the HITEC trade show in Orlando, Florida. HITEC is the world’s largest hospitality technology show. SuiteLinq needed an attention grabbing animation to display on large LED monitors at their booth. The animation needed to concisely introduce their offering and entice their audience to learn more.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a Flash animation the led the viewers’ eye from point-to-point of the marketing message. The design was highly engaging and SuiteLinq received an abundance of inquiries, which lead to multiple leds.

Without an Edge

SuiteLinq provides integrated communication, on-demand entertainment, and business productivity solutions for property owners in the hospitality, gaming, and timeshare industries. They create new and expandable revenue potential by enabling in-room commerce and delivering a “wow” factor that drives guest loyalty and return visits for properties. The problem was the console interface the property managers were interacting with to utilize these business opportuinites wasn’t as user-friendly as it could be.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a dashboard that heightened the user experience and implemented modern aesthetics that transferred a sense of professionalism to SuiteLinq’s overall image. Hardly Square offered pertinent information up front, making frequently accessed functionality easy to access, and created an accordian navigational menu that opened and collapsed information as needed. Now SuiteLinq’s clients can easily execute the business solutions afforded to them, generating revenue in areas previously underutilized.

Without an Edge

SuiteLinq, a provider of integrated communication, on-demand entertainment, and business productivity solutions for property owners, was attending the 2009 HITEC Trade Show. HITEC is the world’s largest hospitality technology show. HITEC brings the brightest minds and hottest technology to one place, with over 38 years of success. SuiteLinq needed a “Wow” factor for its booth.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed an introductory Flash animation that played on 42″ monitors at their trade show booth. Hardly Square’s Flash design showcased the potential advantages property managers had with the SuiteLinq solution, intrigued potential customers to learn more, and set SuiteLinq apart from the rest of the booths at the convention.

Without an Edge

SuiteLinq provides high-end, cutting edge solutions for property managers to expand their revenue potential. They couldn’t simply come to the sales table with a binded proposal and a smile. If they wanted to drive the deal home they needed to offer highly persuasive visuals that clearly described the advantages of the SuiteLinq solution. But how?

An Added Edge

Hardly Square created custom, Flash designed sales presentations with sound engineered voice narration, and audio. The sales pitch walked their potential client through the features and benefits of their solution, while reinforcing the fact that SuiteLinq is a cutting edge technology provider within the hospitality industry. They established they go the extra mile and naturally landed the job!

Without an Edge

SuiteLinq provides high-end, cutting edge solutions for property managers to expand their revenue potential. They couldn’t simply come to Kimpton’s sales table with a binded proposal and a smile. If they wanted to drive the deal home they needed to offer highly persuasive visuals that clearly described the advantages of the SuiteLinq solution. But how?

An Added Edge

Hardly Square created custom, Flash designed sales presentations with sound engineered voice narration, and audio. The sales pitch walked their potential client through the features and benefits of their solution, while reinforcing the fact that SuiteLinq is a cutting edge technology provider within the hospitality industry. They established they go the extra mile and naturally landed the job!

Without an Edge

Prometric is the leading global provider of comprehensive testing and assessment services. Prometric offers tests for an array of construction based skill sets. This offering is a considerable portion of revenue. Prometric needed a webpage that enticed the targeted learners of these skill sets to use their service.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a web page that’s visually appealing to the target market, displayed the benefits of the services, and included a call-to-action.

Without an Edge

Prometric has an in-depth and involving business structure. The Prometric process includes a number of stages. They needed an animated visual representation of the Prometric process that was smart, simple, and concise.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square sat down with Prometric’s technical team and took the time to learn their process inside and out. It wasn’t until we understood every detail of their offering that we could begin to design a visual representation of their business. We leveraged pieces of their identity within the animation and worked diligently within their brand standards. Now Prometric can leverage a Flash animation that concisely presents their entire business structure and the flow of the process.

Without an Edge

Prometric offers tests for an array of construction based skill sets. This offering is a considerable portion of revenue. They saw an opportunity to increase visibility on this offering and needed a solution that attracted the proper audience.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a Flash advertisement targeting the construction market. The Flash design was posted on their website. The ad strategically walked through the marketing message and ended with a call-to-action. The motion also draws the site’s end user to the ad and demands attention.

Without an Edge

The DSST Quizes, which are an introduction to the rest of their offering, didn’t have a strong enough presence on their homepage. DSST felt potential customers were not aware of all the benefits these quizes provided their learners.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square created a Flash banner for DSST’s homepage that involved the benefits the Quizzes offered learners. The Flash banner not only included a 3D animated cube which incorporated the existing quiz brand standards, but also offered call-to-action messaging for viewers to click directly to the Mini Quiz landing page. This increased click through is exactly what DSST needed to increase revenue.

Without an Edge

DSST offers learners the ability to fast track their education by taking certified college level exams online. DSST needed a compelling way to speak to their learners, letting them know they can earn college credit from over 1,900 accepting colleges and universities nationwide. By passing a DSST exam, learners can benefit from a faster and less expensive path to their college degree. Sounds great, I know. But the message wasn’t entirely getting across.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a Flash animation with audio that simplified the message, spoke directly to the target audience, and was easily passed along via YouTube. Now students are on the fast track to getting their degrees at an affordable price and DSST has increased its online visibility and revenue generating potential.

Without an Edge

Annabel Lee Tavern, a concept-driven restaurant, needed a presence on the internet that matched the presence it has in Baltimore. Annabel Lee, the final poem of Edgar Allen Poe, is the keystone of the restaurant’s unique ambiance. Undoubtedly the website had to uphold this theme, but more so it had to entice the viewer to leave the site and visit the establishment.

An Added Edge

Annabel Lee Tavern isn’t your typical restaurant. It’s a sensory step into a bygone era. So, we designed an interactive experience that broke the mold of your typical site navigation. We branded a beautiful site that matched that of all the hard work the proprietor put into the restaurant. Since opening the doors and launching the site, Annabel Lee Tavern has won more than its fair share of awards!

Without an Edge

The world’s largest software company (Microsoft) and the leading global provider of testing and assessment (Prometric) were teaming up to provide Microsoft Certification eLearning Exams at the discount of 5 for 1. They needed a concise solution that distributed and tracked voucher sales.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed and implemented a point of sales web application that processed voucher sales. The web app included a custom reporting structure and automated email generation with confirmation voucher numbers. The business solution has opened a whole new channel of revenue for Prometric and Microsoft.

Without an Edge

Recycling is a growing opportunity that Sodexo wanted to benefit from. There are multiple solutions out there and all of them have different features. Facility managers needed to fully understand the offering, so they could utilize the proper products in the right situations.

An Added Edge

Sodexo, teamed up with Rubbermaid (RCP), had Hardly Square design eLearning that informed their target audience on the products’ features and benefits. The custom design Flash eLearning course included voice narration, music, and result tracking. Sodexo expanded their potential revenue generation by offering an eLearning course to facility managers with purchasing power.

Without an Edge

The American Wind Energy Association was excited to host its annual WindPower Exibition and Conference, the largest & most anticipated annual event for wind energy. Last year the event had over 23,000 attendees and nearly 1,300 exhibitors. The conference wanted to allow exhibitors to get their marketing materials in front of the attendees of the conference. The problem was they didn’t want to give all of the attendees’ contact information away.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a database driven website solution for the American Wind Energy Association. The website allowed the vendors to filter through all registered attendees by name, state, company, or title. This allowed the exhibitors to target the attendees that they thought most suited their goals. Once the list was submitted, an email with the appropriate information was sent to both the exhibitor and a third party provider, Omnipress. Omnipress then had the mailers, brochures, postcards, printed on-demand and mailed to all of the selected attendees. Value added. Problem solved.

Without an Edge

Technical Concepts, (acquired by Newell Rubbermaid in 2008) is the global leader in innovative hygiene solutions. Technical Concepts recently added to its variety of highly innovative, touch-free solutions with the product launch of the Sani Cell. The issue was the new Sani Cell line had multiple marketing assets conveying all the features and benefits, although they didn’t all live in the same space. Technical Concepts needed an option that offered their target audience a one source solution to all of their new product line’s marketing materials, while pitching the features and benefits of the new product line in an engaging and professional manner.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a microsite for Technical Concepts that increased the visibility of their marketing materials amongst their target market. Whether through an animated advertisement on their homepage or an email blast, all of Technical Concepts’s potential customers were one click away from all the information they need to be educated on. Hardly Square showed how customers stood to benefit from the new product line with a Flash design including a rendering of a commercial bathroom, easily navigated features and benefits section, and access to product spec PDFs and videos.

Without an Edge

Saint Bernard Parrish, home of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, was just ravished by Hurricane Katrina. Council members identified a need to communicate the advantages of the region in an effort to obtain investments. The current website didn’t have engaging content that highlighted the benefits of their infrastructure and logistical advantages.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square visited the region that was hit by Hurricane Katrina on multiple occasions to discover the true essence of what Saint Bernard Parish had to offer investors. We captured landscape photography and created interactive high-stimulus Flash content that showcased the features and benefits of this strategically located region of the United States.

Without an Edge

Saint Bernard Parrish, home of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, was just ravished by Hurricane Katrina. Council members identified a need to communicate the advantages of the region in an effort to obtain investments. The current website didn’t have engaging content that highlighted the benefits of their infrastructure and logistical advantages.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square visited the region that was hit by Hurricane Katrina on multiple occasions to discover the true essence of what Saint Bernard Parish had to offer investors. We captured landscape photography and created interactive high-stimulus Flash content that showcased the features and benefits of this strategically located region of the United States.

Without an Edge

Saint Bernard Parrish, home of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, was just ravished by Hurricane Katrina. Council members identified a need to communicate the advantages of the region in an effort to obtain investments. The current website didn’t have engaging content that highlighted the benefits of their infrastructure and logistical advantages.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square visited the region that was hit by Hurricane Katrina on multiple occasions to discover the true essence of what Saint Bernard Parish had to offer investors. We captured landscape photography and created interactive high-stimulus Flash content that showcased the features and benefits of this strategically located region of the United States.

Without an Edge

K&S Associates is one of the largest independent automobile maintenance and repair facilities in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Although, their online presence wasn’t showing it. They knew their website was dated and they needed to be able to update the content of their site themselves. Not to mention, they weren’t ranking high enough in Google searches. Needless to say, their digital marketing had issues.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a website that is search engine optimized to rank high in Google searches, has modern aesthetics, and a content management system (CMS). K&S Associates’s new website is now generating new leads, pushing sales, and opening doors to new revenue.

Without an Edge

Elite Athletic Club’s website was relatively useless. It didn’t convey the gym’s marketing message within the content or the image. The website’s functionality was limited as well. It did not offer Elite the opportunity to update the content on the site. They couldn’t easily offer promotions on their site and they couldn’t add new services or imagery of those services. But most importantly, Elite was not coming up high in Google searches. Their competition had the edge in online visibility.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square offered Elite Athletic Club essential business solutions and revenue generating opportunities. We created an online presence with modern aesthetics/usability that communicated with Google, boosting their page rank tremendously with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) marketing strategies and increasing the amount of unique visitors. Elite also benefits from the flexibility of their new Content Management System (CMS). They are able to change the content on their new site 24/7 through an intuitive user interface and communicate with their clientele with an added personal touch.

Without an Edge

The World Cocoa Foundation website needed a new information architecture and navigation strategy. The website has over 300 pages of helpful information on cocoa. Viewers who were interested in learning more about the nonprofit organization and the science behind their industry could benefit from finding the information they needed more easily.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square drafted an information architecture (IA) schematic organizing their site in the most effective manner. We then designed the navigation interface to coincide with the IA. Viewers now have all the categories and subcategories at their finger tips without a single click. We also optimized the site with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques. We setup an effective link architecture so search engines can easily determine important pages. We also created a layout that Google spiders can easily catalog along with selecting the proper keywords to drive the appropriate traffic.

Without an Edge

The World Cocoa Foundation was not taking advantage of all the possible media outlets that could capture widespread awareness for their cause. They needed to deepen relationships beyond an email campaign and encourage supporter engagement.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square helped The WCF facilitate collaboration and crowdsourcing by setting up a Facebook Fan page. Now the WCF can activate individuals around their cause by making issues visible and easily available. We designed 6 Facebook Boxes that upheld the WCF image and linked directly back to pertinent pages on their website. We also created corresponding links on the WCF site to the Facebook Fan page.

Without an Edge

The World Cocoa Foundation’s blog and website did not have a consistent look and feel. They were not speaking with the same marketing voice and they were not promoting all the other marketing mediums. There was an opportunity to promote across platforms, while tightening up their image.

An Added Edge

It is Hardly Square’s philosophy that a company’s marketing materials should maintain consistency. Hardly Square matched the design of the blog to that of the the World Cocoa Foundation’s website. We also integrated the WCF’s social media outlets as well. We offered links to the communication platforms and showcase their latest Tweet on the homepage of the blog. Now the WCF is well on their way to harvesting the next generation of supporters.

Without an Edge

The World Cocoa Foundation was not taking advantage of all the possible media outlets that could capture widespread awareness for their cause. They needed to deepen relationships beyond an email campaign and encourage supporter engagement on multiple platforms.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square designed a custom Twitter page for the WCF that upheld their brand standards, creating one concise marketing message throughout all forms of media. Now the WCF is creating widespread awareness for their cause and providing a human voice to their nonprofit. Hardly Square also included a “Latest Tweet” section on both the WCF site and blog, interconnecting all their forms of media and displaying a call to action to follow the WCF’s Twitter feed.

Without an Edge

Even though Sheraton is one of the world’s leading hospitality services in the world, they were aware there’s always room to generate more revenue. And with hospitality revenues as an industry down across the board, it was time to expand their offering.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square, teamed with SuiteLinq, designed marketing materials that created a new and expandable revenue potential by designing internet custom web assets for a portal enabling in-room commerce and delivering a “wow” factor that drives guest loyalty and return visits for their hotel. Sheraton now has the opportunity to generate more revenue by cultivating guest experiences and offering more direct points of contact.

Without an Edge

Even though Sheraton is one of the world’s leading hospitality services in the world, they were aware there’s always room to generate more revenue. And with hospitality revenues as an industry down across the board, it was time to expand their offering.

An Added Edge

Hardly Square, teamed with SuiteLinq, designed marketing materials that created a new and expandable revenue potential by designing internet custom web assets for a portal enabling in-room commerce and delivering a “wow” factor that drives guest loyalty and return visits for their hotel. Sheraton now has the opportunity to generate more revenue by cultivating guest experiences and offering more direct points of contact.

Without an Edge

Kimpton Hotels has always been aware of the need to offer their guest more than just beds and pillows. Hospitality revenues as an industry were down across the board. They needed to generate more revenue, but how?

An Added Edge

Hardly Square, teamed with SuiteLinq, designed marketing materials that created a new and expandable revenue potential by designing internet custom web assets for a portal enabling in-room commerce and delivering a “wow” factor that drives guest loyalty and return visits for their hotel. Kimpton now has the opportunity to generate more revenue by cultivating guest experiences and offering more direct points of contact.

Without an Edge

Kimpton Hotels has always been aware of the need to offer their guest more than just beds and pillows. Hospitality revenues as an industry were down across the board. They needed to generate more revenue, but how?

An Added Edge

Hardly Square, teamed with SuiteLinq, designed marketing materials that created a new and expandable revenue potential by designing internet custom web assets for a portal enabling in-room commerce and delivering a “wow” factor that drives guest loyalty and return visits for their hotel. Kimpton now has the opportunity to generate more revenue by cultivating guest experiences and offering more direct points of contact.

Without an Edge

SuiteLinq knew that Hard Rock would be open to hearing more about how they could expand their offering, increase revenue, and create customer loyalty. SuiteLinq was in need of a few visual examples of the media they could expect for their sales pitch.

An Added Edge

Among other sales materials, Hardly Square created a welcome animation that would be located on their new in-room web portal. The web portal is an entertainment and productivity system, allowing Hard Rock to assemble a perfect combination of services and revenue opportunities.