Known globally as the author of creative compilations that represent outstanding work in graphic design, David E. Carter selected six logos designed by Savage to be published in two of his upcoming eBooks during Bright Books’ first year of producing creative compilations.

Logos designed for Savage Good and Hansen Partners will be featured in Logos 1 – Bright Ideas Around the World, while additional logos for UT Health, TPC Group, FlexSteel and HTS will be featured in Logo 2.0 – 244 Logo Makeovers and the Design Strategy Behind the Projects.

Bright Books’ first eBook, Trademarks 1 – Bright Ideas in Logo Design, will be released June 2012 while Logos 1 and Logo 2.0 will follow. All eBooks with be available for purchase at http://www.brightbooks.com/Our_Books.html once released.

About Bright Books

Founded in 2009 as Ampixx Books and renamed in 2011, Bright Books is the first mover in producing "creative compilations" as eBooks. Bright Books produces books by David E. Carter and other creative communicators that encompass logos, graphic design, advertising and related fields. For more information, visit www.brightbooks.com.

Robin Tooms, Principal, Vice President at Savage, traveled towards the east coast to judge regional design solutions for the PGH365: AIGA Pittsburgh’s Annual Design Competition and Exhibition.

Selected as one of three notable judges to support the juried show, Robin Tooms, along with Brian Boyl and Richard Turley, will support AIGA Pittsburgh in their annual “quest for design excellence” within the Pittsburgh region.

The competition kicks off with an opportunity for entrants to meet the judges during the PGH365 Cocktails & Critics event at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 17, 2012 at Las Velas in Pittsburgh. Once the judges have selected their winning picks, the PGH365 Awards Ceremony and Gallery Opening will commence on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at Guardian Storage Solutions in Pittsburgh.

PGH365: AIGA Pittsburgh’s Annual Design Competition and Exhibition celebrates and demonstrates a designers' role and process in finding solutions that are effective, meaningful and add value to the community.

Follow @SavageBrands and @AIGAPittsburgh on Twitter for updates about the upcoming awards ceremony and gallery opening or just search for #PGH365.

Energen Announces Its New, Audience-Focused Corporate Website for Investors, Job Candidates and Neighbors

Energen, a growing oil and gas exploration and production company, announced its redesigned website focused on better serving its key audiences: investors, employment candidates and the communities in which it operates.

“Energen.com has traditionally been geared toward the investor relations audience,” said Renee Pugh, director of eBusiness at Energen. “What we set out to do in this latest redesign was to address broader audience needs in addition to providing financial-driven content.”

The new site reflects the company’s changing business environment and its various audiences. Historically a natural gas utility, over the last 15 years Energen has also focused on growing Energen Resources Corporation (ERC), the dominant driver of Energen Corporation's long-term growth.

Savage, one of Houston’s leading branding, marketing communications and design firms, created the overall website strategy, information architecture and design. To balance the greater volume of content, the overall design concept is clean and open.

“We wanted a modern look to reflect the company’s position as a growing oil and gas company. The layout is simple, and our information is presented in a user-friendly way,” said Marcia McAllister, webmaster at Energen.

The new Energen site provides a more complete picture of the company with:

• An in-depth look at each ERC operating area to highlight important information for each oil and gas basin.
• A new Corporate Social Responsibility section addressing industry issues as well as the company’s environmental accomplishments.
• Company culture and community activities for candidates researching career opportunities.

About Savage

Savage is a Houston-based company that provides branding and marketing communications for corporations and non-profit organizations. With expertise encompassing branding, marketing, online and social media, sustainability reporting and investor and employee communications, Savage helps companies develop and sustain leadership positions within their industries through award-winning work. For more information, visit www.savagebrands.com or contact Bethany Haley, president, at (713) 522-1555.

About Energen

Energen Corporation is an oil and gas exploration and production company with headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama. Through Energen Resources Corporation, the company has approximately 900 million barrels of oil-equivalent proved, probable, and possible reserves. These all-domestic reserves are located mainly in the Permian and San Juan basins .For more information, visit http://www.energen.com.

Savage Wins a 2011 BMA Lantern Award for its Collaborative Rebranding Campaign of FlexSteel's Corporate and Product Identity

The Business Marketing Association (BMA) Houston Chapter gave top honors to the collaborative rebranding campaign of FlexSteel, an innovative manufacturer of flexible steel reinforced pipe, in the Corporate and Product Identity Category.

Savage, one of Houston’s leading branding, marketing communications and design firms, and FlexSteel attended the Lantern Awards of Texas Gala, held on Tuesday, November 15 at the Petroleum Club to receive the Lantern Award.

With a unique, revolutionary and relatively new spool line pipe product, Savage and FlexSteel developed a modern brand that echoed the strength, durability and flexibility of the new product line.

“Our objective was to create awareness and acceptance of the product for new markets that represented significant growth opportunities,” said Dahlia Salazar, principal, vice president and creative director with Savage.

The new brand image was extended across a product literature system, online presentations, tradeshow materials, as well as promotion and field materials. In particular, a new website that would appeal to customers who understand the long-term value and performance of the relatively new product led to a strong launch beyond niche markets, increasing website visits by 248%.

“We were surprised by the volume of website hits generated by the newly launched site. The overall traffic far exceeded our expectations, and we are very pleased that it’s become the business development tool that it is today,” said Brian Anderson, director of marketing with FlexSteel. “We are able to point to its exact tangible impact, and receiving the BMA Lantern Award is a great example.”

Established by BMA Houston, the Lantern Awards of Texas has recognized top-quality creative and strategic business-to-business communications for more than two decades. Entries are judged by business-to-business marketing professionals, which evaluate the execution and effectiveness of applied AIDA principles – awareness, interest, desire, and action – among target business audiences. All award-winning entries will be posted on http://www.lanternawards.org.

About Savage

Savage is a Houston-based company that provides branding and marketing communications for corporations and non-profit organizations. With award-winning work, Savage helps companies develop and sustain leadership positions within their industries. Its expertise encompasses branding, marketing, online and social media, sustainability reporting and investor and employee communications. For more information, visit www.savagebrands.com or contact Bethany Haley, president, at (713) 522-1555.

About FlexSteel

FlexSteel is a pipeline solution primarily used in the oil and gas industry that couples the durability of steel with the installation, performance and cost benefits of spoolable pipe products. Highly corrosion resistant and more durable than other flexible pipe, FlexSteel combines the best features of all currently available pipe options to deliver superior life-cycle performance and value. For more information about FlexSteel, please visit www.flexsteelpipe.com.

About BMA

Business Marketing Association is an organization dedicated to serving the needs of business-to-business communicators worldwide and helping them and succeed throughout their business-to-business careers. The Houston Chapter is one of 25 chapters of BMA National with a combined membership of 3,000 professionals.

Quanex “Optimizer” connects with customers through an intuitive interface.

Enhanced lead generation and company capabilities are delivered in an elegant iPad app created by Savage, a leading brand development and marketing agency, and Envoc, a software and mobile app development company.

Developed for Quanex Building Products, the Quanex “Optimizer” iPad app provides immediate access for sales representatives and their customers to quickly and easily prepare specifications based on detailed materials scenarios and gather information using a simple, touch-screen interface.

“Introduction of the iPad app extends the ability for Quanex to maintain a high degree of customer service, gain sales intelligence and reinforce its brand position as a highly responsive and professional supplier,” said Robin Tooms, principal at Savage.

The iPad-based app allows Quanex sales staff to provide custom product details from any location, including trade show environments. It also integrates and co-exists with a similar web-based tool, providing multiple entry points (tablet or desktop) in which app users can gain access to the same functionality and information.

“The Quanex Optimizer’s proprietary technological complexities are complemented by the elegant, yet intuitive user interface designed by Savage,” said Brandon Cornett, mobile developer at Envoc. “While the programming is very technical, it’s very easy to operate and completely branded to reflect Quanex.”

About Quanex

Quanex Building Products Corporation is an industry-leading manufacturer of value-added, engineered products and components, serving the energy-efficient building products markets. It is an ROIC-driven company that grows shareholder returns through a combination of organic growth via new products, programs and strategic acquisitions.  For more information, visit www.quanex.com.

About Savage

Savage is a branding agency that helps companies develop and sustain leadership positions within their industries. The firm’s expertise encompasses branding, marketing, online and social media, sustainability reporting, investor and employee communications, and more. For more information, visit www.savagebrands.com.

About Envoc

Envoc is a software company based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, under the wing of the Southeast Louisiana Business Center. Envoc’s AppMelt mobile development suite provides for the rapid creation of powerful, feature mobile and tablet applications that integrate with existing web and business environments. These apps can be managed and deployed solely within a company’s intranet or published on both the Apple App Store and Android Marketplace for wider distribution.  For more information contact Calvin Fabre at (225) 910-8239 ext 101 or visit www.envoc.com.

Savage, one of Houston's leading branding, marketing communications and design firms, wins an AIGA San Francisco Cause/Affect 2011 Silver Award in the Health and Welfare Category for the creation of the MD Anderson Cancer Center’s I CAN HEAL: Understanding Pancreatic Cancer brochure series.

Due to a high mortality rate, pancreatic cancer often lacks funding to produce comprehensive resources for patients and their families. However, the award-winning, four-part brochure titled I CAN HEAL: Understanding Pancreatic Cancer proves to be an educational and hopeful response to the need for an in-depth explanation of nutrition, supportive care and clinical trials – the three most vital topics related to managing the disease and its treatment.

Doug Hebert, Savage principal and design director, was inspired to create the brochure and acted as the series director and designer because of his father-in-law, Peter Popkin, who passed away 10 months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006.

Recently named a 2011 Cause/Affect “do-gooder” because of his passion for design that affects change, Hebert accepted the second place award on behalf of Savage at the AIGA Cause/Affect 2011 awards ceremony on Thursday, November 3, 2011, in San Francisco.

All award-winning work is posted on www.cause-affect.org, displayed at the AIGA San Francisco gallery from November 3–30, 2011, and entered into the AIGA National Design Archives.

About AIGA Cause/Affect 2011
Established by AIGA San Francisco and sponsored by SAPPI Ideas that Matter, Cause/Affect is a biennial, international design competition that celebrates the work of designers and organizations that set out to positively impact society. For more information about AIGA San Francisco, visit http://aigasf.org/. For more information about SAPPI, visit http://www.na.sappi.com/ideasthatmatterNA/index.html.

About Savage
Savage is a Houston-based company that provides branding and marketing communications for corporations and non-profit organizations. Since 1973, Savage has pioneered the use of new design technology through award-winning work and contributed talent to philanthropic needs. For more information about Savage, please call Bethany Haley, president and brand strategist, at (713) 522-1555 or visit http://www.savagebrands.com/.

In celebration of five years committed to the future of design, UHGAP will present student scholarships along with insights into the profession from five featured alumni panelists.

Robin Tooms, Principal and Vice President of Brand and Interactive Strategy at Savage will be a featured alumna panelist for the University of Houston Graphics Alumni Partnership (UHGAP) Main Event: In Celebration of Five Years at 6 – 9 p.m., Thursday, October 27, 2011 at the Historic Eldorado Ballroom located at 2310 Elgin Street.

Consistent with the theme “Five years of unity. Five years of events. Five years of support. Five years of scholarships,” five selected UH alumni panelists will describe their achievements and careers in five short minutes. Tooms, an accomplished alumna and honors degree recipient in Graphic Communications from the University of Houston, was invited to participate as a featured panelist to educate and inspire future graduates. Robin will share the panel with other UH graduates Joshua Bisch, David Lo, Eddy Roberts and Kirsten Ufer.

During her 18-year career, first as a designer and now developing brand, marketing and interactive strategies, Tooms also received an MBA with a focus on Branding and Marketing from Rice University Jesse H. Jones School of Business.

As an active alumnus of UHGAP, Tooms continues to promote the value of design education and professional development throughout her continued involvement and collaboration with the Houston Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA), where she serves as President-Elect, and the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), where she serves as Membership Director. Tooms also holds an elected position as a member of the national board of AIGA since 2010.

About UHGAP
The University of Houston Graphics Alumni Partnership (UHGAP) promotes the value of design education and graphic design in society. UHGAP connects UH design alumni with the UH School of Art’s graphic communications program and provides scholarships for students. For more information about UHGAP, visit http://www.uhgap.org/.

HOUSTON, Sept. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Savage, one of Houston's leading branding and design firms, has been awarded one of only 22 Sappi Ideas that Matter grants for a project associated with Savage Good, an initiative launched in 2010 that provides strategic creative services to non-profit organizations (NPOs) on a pro bono basis.

This grant will enable Savage to secure printing of two impactful brochures – one targeted at students, one targeted at educators – for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). GLSEN's mission is to ensure that each member of every school community is valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

Savage will apply its design talents to create positive messages and powerful tools that will counterattack the negative aspects and hurtful effects of bullying. These tools will help GLSEN achieve its mission by opening people's eyes and getting them talking – whether bullied or bully, parent or educator – about this often overlooked or unaddressed problem, with the ultimate goal of eradicating the on-campus bullying epidemic.

Says Savage principal and design director Doug Hebert, who submitted the proposal on GLSEN's behalf, "Hearing recent news reports regarding in-school bullying and the traumatic effects it has on both victims' and perpetrators' families, it broke my heart – as the father of a young son – to think that he could ever be the victim of bullying, or contribute to it if he were ill informed. We're all different, but we're all deserving of respect, acceptance and tolerance."

Savage has a record of lending a hand to aid good causes. In the 12 years since the Ideas that Matter program's inception, Savage has been awarded four of its annual grants – more than any other applicant.

NPOs may visit www.savagegood.com to learn how to apply for similar assistance.

About Savage

Savage is a Houston-based company that provides branding and marketing communications for corporations and non-profit organizations. We believe that we need to give back to the community, and we give back what is most valuable – our time and our talent. Our expertise encompasses branding, marketing, online and social media, sustainability reporting, investor and employee communications, and more. Visit www.savagebrands.com or contact Bethany Haley – President, Brand Strategist – at 713.522.1555.

The editors of HOW magazine honored Savage Good by featuring our work in the HOW 2011 Self-Promotion Annual. The Donate a Smile logo received a Merit award in the Pro-bono Promotions category in the October issue of HOW, which bills itself as the leading creativity, business and technology magazine for graphic designers.

Congratulations to Design Director Doug Hebert and Art Director Ashley Rundall for the award-winning design. Donate a Smile, who recently changed its name to Seats for Smiles, is a pending non-profit that provides Houston’s world-renowned Texas Medical Center patients and their families tickets to see a game, enjoy a play, eat a meal, watch a movie – any activity to relax, have fun and get their minds off the serious medical issues and associated challenges the family is groping with. The goal of the logo is to capture the concept of sharing unused tickets with families in need of an escape, while portraying the fun and uplifting effect of Seats for Smiles.

"My husband and I were recently blessed with the birth of our first child, and we are simply over the moon with delight.” Ashley said. “In fact, my little family is what I cherish most in life. I can't imagine how stressful and difficult it must be to watch a loved one suffer – especially a child. So I am pleased on a passionate and personal level to help bring a smile to children and their families seeking care at one of Houston's wonderful medical facilities, such as Texas Children's Hospital or the Retinoblastoma Center of Houston. Being able to do that – and being awarded for it – brings a smile to my face!"

Savage Good is an initiative that provides strategic creative services to local non-profit organizations on a pro bono basis.

See our work in the digital copy of the Self-Promotion Annual, HOW 2011 October issue.

When last we wrote, we were pleased to announce Savage’s three nominations for American Marketing Association (AMA)-Houston Chapter’s 2011 Crystal Awards. At this writing, we’re pleased to share that we came home a winner! Along with partner Ward Creative Communications, we won the Logo Design award for client HTS. We are proud to provide HTS—one of North America’s largest HVAC representatives—design, branding and website support.

Robin Tooms—Savage Vice President, Brand and Interactive Strategy was on hand to accept the award at the gala dinner, May 26. Here, Robin (right) is pictured with incoming AMA Houston president Stacey Eddington (left) and outgoing AMA Houston president MaryJane Mudd (center).

This is proud news indeed, as we were in the running with Houston’s best and brightest marketers: La crème de la crème was out in full force for this 25^th anniversary event, which broke attendance records with some 570-plus attendees and marketers from 160-plus companies and organizations. Out of 76 nominated finalists, 40 companies ended up winning a total of 55 awards. As in years past, we were delighted to be among that number. And we offer heartfelt congrats to all the other award winners, including Accenture, who won the evening’s top award: the Judges’ Favorite

We’re also pleased to be associated with this awards event because it benefits our community via AMA Houston Gives Back, a philanthropic effort that helps non-profit organizations with marketing needs. This aligns with our concern for the common good, as evidenced by our Savage Good efforts—our contribution of our creative talents to inspire positive change in our community.

Also, congrats to AMA Houston for winning the association’s Chapter of the Year award … AGAIN!! This was the fifth such distinction for our thriving chapter—and the only time in AMA’s 25-year history that any chapter has been tops, so frequently. Be sure and visit the AMA Houston website and Facebook page for more info and photos from the Crystal Awards.

If Lady Gaga (considered by some a marketing genius) had been in attendance, she would’ve appreciated all the free press from event speakers and Twitterers, alike!