Hello everyone!

As we previously spoke about, we at MVC have been working with Dream Rides 4 Kids, a Los Angeles based non-profit organization dedicated to instilling self worth in at-risk teenagers. After our initial photo shoot, where we captured some of the most exotic cars ever made, we worked with our client to produce a strong brand platform to help launch the company.

At the heart of the DR4K brand, lay a balance waiting to be struck: How do you bring together the vision and ambition of a non-profit organization with the adrenaline-pumping, organ-displacing-speed and energy of an exotic car event? The more we looked at the challenge, the clearer it became: DR4K was something special. So we got to work on making a unique brand identity for it.

We started with the logo. Since Dream Rides 4 Kids was essentially a non-profit organization, the logo had to convey the professional yet compassionate facet of its existence. At the same time, because the event revolved around riding in the hottest cars ever made, it needed to possess the thrill and edge people have come to expect from high-end automobiles.

After a lot of creative development, we finally came up with a logo design that suited these requirements.

The client loved the striking yet simplistic design of the logo; it was a success. The DR4K logo is now being used on all promotions and communications across all platforms, just as it was intended.

One of these projects is Dream Rides 4 Kids, or DR4K. DR4K is a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles that works to bring at-risk teens together with luxury sports car owners – mentors, at a quarterly event. Through the mentors and this exciting and exhilarating platform, DR4K hopes to inspire troubled teens achieve their goals and true potential while forging friendships that will last a lifetime.
The following images are from the DR4K photo shoot.

The Ferrari 430 Scuderia

DR4K Founder Karen Sundstrom with a teenage model

The stunning Ford GT

MVC Creative Director Jason Pires giving instructions for the next set of shots

Deep into the shoot, with all the cars lined up

Dream Cars

Clearly, this was no ordinary photo shoot! These images will be used in the branding and advertising campaign MVC is developing for DR4K. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be producing a brand platform that truly encapsulates the amazing ambitions of DR4K. Stay tuned!

Situation:

After reviewing several agencies, Armen Art, a furniture design and manufacturing company, chose MVC as its marketing partner. Armen Art realized that MVC understood the severity of its situation and is passionate about helping its partner clients create powerful results in the face of adversity and change. MVC presented Armen Art with a powerful creative vision and an unprecedented strategic approach that would be essential to the company’s future. MVC’s strength in lifestyle marketing, modern visual style and strategic thinking served as the right foundation for the leading brand that Armen Art needed to become.

When Armen Art partnered with MVC it was facing an internal renovation that included a change in leadership at a time when the industry itself was experiencing a generational transition and a waning economy. In its 30 year history the company had not made any changes to its brand and marketing. From a sales perspective the word “Art” in the name Armen Art Furniture had become a misleading roadblock as the art and accessories market had grown into its own distinct and thriving segment of the industry. The old logo, two ribbon style and interlaced “A” letters, didn’t do much more to communicate the company’s values or even offer an idea of the type of products the company sold. To worsen the scenario, the company’s marketing strategy had ignored the web. In essence, the company was in danger of failing if it did not make immediate and drastic changes.

Solution:

MVC realized that Armen Art was in need of a complete reinvention of its brand, which would include a fresh new market position and a marketing strategy that leverages the power of the web.

MVC knew that to reinvigorate the company’s appeal it would need to connect with the lifestyles of modern day consumers even though it does not sell directly to consumers. It would also need to demonstrate to its clients within the industry that Armen Art Furniture understands what consumers want in terms of design, quality and price. With this mentality, MVC would go on to help Armen Living bridge the disconnect between its products and the end consumer as it was perceived in the minds of the buyers. Ultimately this would set the platform for consumer brand awareness that will drive the behavior of industry buyers and create further interest in the Armen Art brand and products.

To start the process of rebranding, the Arment Art company name and identity needed to offer a completely new and fresh impression of the company. Through extensively studying the market, Armen Art’s history and the vibrant new product line introduced by the company’s new leaders, MVC decided that to reposition Armen Art it needed project the company’s values beyond those of just a company that sold furniture.

With the understanding that consumers now look for furniture that can help them enhance their lives and express their unique personalities, MVC substituted the word “Art” for the word “Living” in the company’s name, and kept the “Armen” so as not to lose the company’s core personality, culture and existing brand equity. To compliment the new name “Armen Living (Furniture)”, MVC created the tagline “Furniture for Contemporary Lifestyles” to encompass what the company offers and that can be further qualified by the remaining facets of the company’s branding and advertising.

Having set the initial feel for the company’s brand, MVC would then create a modern logo that directly reflects the form and idea of furniture, and a color palette that exudes the warmth of a joyful life while balanced by an air of self-assured sophistication.

MVC would then bring the marketing to life with the campaign titled “This is Living” which gave context to the company’s new name and that is supported by custom lifestyle photography and images depicting the alluring aspects of a sophisticated contemporary lifestyle.

Through the use of a dynamic web video presentation that introduced the direction of the new brand and the vibrant new collection MVC succeeded in generating immediate buzz as well as new business for Armen Living. The video proved to not only keep viewers tuned in to its entire message, but it was also distributed virally through the internet by furniture enthusiasts and followers of the new brand.

Building on the “This Is Living” campaign, MVC created an elegant catalog designed to compliment and unify the eclectic and diverse nature of Armen Living’s new products. MVC also designed and developed a fresh new company website for Armen Living. The website not only features an optimized SEO framework but also social networking aspects that allow users to share the products and content on Facebook, Twitter and other networking websites.

MVC continues to expand the reach of the new brand through a carefully planned and executed marketing strategy which includes PR and advertising campaigns, email marketing.

After only five months of partnering with MVC, Armen Living experienced the best month in sales that it had in over 2 years. The company is not only steadily growing again, it is also poised to be an industry leader in the coming years. The partnership between Armen Living and MVC Agency has been a true success in terms of brand positioning, marketing strategy and most importantly in terms of financial growth for Armen Living.

To learn more about specific aspects of the new brand:

Logo/Brand Identity:
http://www.mvcagency.com/#/works/?cat=55&id=102

Video Presentation:
http://www.mvcagency.com/#/works/?cat=51&id=106

Website:
http://www.mvcagency.com/#/works/?cat=50&id=105

Catalog:

http://www.mvcagency.com/#/works/?cat=52&id=101