A new approach to hospital fundraising
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital frequently receives emails, cards and letters from patients touched by an unusually kind or attentive clinician. Was there a way to share these thoughts... more >>
Spaces create branding opportunities
The old days of installing dark paneling and generic artwork to decorate corporate lobbies, meeting rooms and hallways are over. ITW, a 100-year-old manufacturing company... more >>
Alternatives for small, specialized reports
A smaller entity within a larger organization often has its own reporting needs. The Nursing Department of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital had stories, data and goals to report—apart from the hospital—that support the prestigious Magnet designation it earned... more >>
Complex Change, Simple Design
Smith has partnered with global manufacturing giant Illinois Tool Works (ITW) for many years to create annual reports that do much more than house a 10K. These pieces have been carefully written and designed to create inspiring profiles... more >>
Getting more from website redesign
When Fortune 200 manufacturing company Illinois Tool Works (ITW) decided to update its website, Smith saw an opportunity to deliver more than new graphics... more >>
Showcasing Corporate Social Responsibility
As long-time partners in creating ITW's annual financial reports, Smith developed a multi-level strategy to guide ITW in organizing and communicating its efforts in a companion corporate social responsibility report... more >>
Illustrating the value of research
As a research partner to major government entities and non-profits, NORC produces volumes of data with a far-reaching impact on public policy and society. NORC asked Smith Design to help bring this data to life in its 2011 Annual Report... more >>
Connecting employees worldwide
Ask an ITW employee where he or she works, and you’ll hear "Miller," "Avery," "Hobart"—or any of the 800 brands that comprise ITW across 57 countries. Employees strongly identify with their brand and geographic location, and not necessarily with ITW... more >>
History as a marketing tool
Telling the story of an organization’s past can provide a competitive advantage, especially after a major organizational change. When Lake Forest Hospital—a 110-year-old, independent community hospital... more >>
Targeting health care decision-makers
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital knew that educated, insured women with children—a desirable demographic for the hospital—make the majority of a family’s health care decisions. The hospital was already targeting Health Report, its patient/prospect magazine, to select zip codes. Why not make it more relevant to this group... more >>
What does it mean to reach 100 years?
ITW has relied on Smith for many years to create annual reports that capture the interest of investors and financial analysts and answer critical questions about the company's performance. When it reached its 100-year anniversary... more >>
Polishing your corporate image
Many people have never heard of ITW, a 100-year-old, leading business-to-business industrial manufacturer with over 800 brands under its belt. Even less well known is that ITW is making a concerted effort to dramatically reduce its carbon footprint... more >>
Repositioning through redesign
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital's health and fitness centers are luxurious, state-of-the-art facilities with a vast range of classes and amenities. But you wouldn't have known that by looking at the website... more >>
Saying thanks in a bold way
Sometimes it pays to think outside the box when companies seek to boost employee relations’ activities. When ITW celebrated its 100-year milestone, it took the meaningful step of thanking those that made it possible—its employees—on key billboards... more >>
An exhibit company gets its own look
Smith has relied on the ingenuity and fine craftsmanship of EDE, a trade show, museum and architectural company, to help bring many concepts to life for our clients. So we were delighted and flattered when they asked us to redesign their own collateral and online presence... more >>
Trade Show company gets its own showcase
When one of our favorite vendors asked Smith for help with marketing efforts, we jumped at the chance to showcase the incredible craftsmanship and creativity of their work. EDE Corporation offers comprehensive fabrication services for business trade shows... more >>
Fresh purpose for a beloved exhibit
A point of pride at National Opinion Research Corporation (NORC), one of the top academic research firms, is the large wall exhibits designed by Smith that adorn its Chicago headquarters.The exhibits' vivid photography and intriguing stories... more >>
Tapping into testimonials
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital has one of the region's largest networks of diagnostic imaging (X-ray, MRI, CAT scans) testing. And unlike many in-hospital labs, the centers offer fast appointments and results, digital technology, easy parking, and staff with... more >>
Leveraging Consumer Opinion
Not long after the two institutions merged, both Lake Forest Hospital and Northwestern Memorial Hospital were selected as the top choice among consumers across multiple clinical categories... more >>
Bring company history out of the archives
A minimalist, hallway-length timeline engages visitors, clients and employees with the history of the NORC organization and its brand. NORC is a highly influential research institution that has had its pulse on American public... more >>
stories + stats =
stronger fundraising
A long-time client, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, asked Smith to take over its 2010 Dean’s Vision—a publication indispensable to its recruitment and fundraising efforts... more >>
Finding
Your Way
Whenever new facilities are built or expanded, too often than not, the notion of "wayfinding"—clear, branded signage that gets people where they need to be—is an afterthought. Those charged with building, approving and planning spaces are experts in how best to structure space, but not necessarily... more >>
Reports that shift perceptions
For a recent annual report, Lake Forest Hospital sought to showcase the exceptional physicians, top-ranked services and clinical expertise found at its facilities. Although local healthcare consumers value the community hospital... more >>
Balancing naming and design
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business asked Smith to help it resolve a facilities challenge : How do you balance the aesthetics and design of a space, with the commercial sponsorship or donor recognition required... more >>
Hospital website puts patients first
As part of a larger effort to refresh the Lake Forest Hospital brand, Smith redesigned the hospital’s web site, integrating patient-focused images as well as content created from other marketing tactics...more >>
Do your walls work as hard as you do?
Look around at the open spaces in your organization. Are you missing opportunities to extend or reinforce your brand? Smith transformed several blank walls within the University of Chicago's Harper Center with vivid, life-size portraits of students, alumni and faculty... more >>
A promise to LiveWell
Lake Forest Hospital holds a special niche, increasingly rare in healthcare: the personalized feel of an independent community hospital in Illinois' most exclusive community, with the cutting-edge technology and specialists usually associated with larger, academic institutions. As the hospital... more >>
Creating an Exclusive Position
When a longtime tenant moved out of the iconic 190 S. LaSalle property in the heart of Chicago’s financial community, real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle came to Smith for help. The former tenant had taken up a large portion of the property, and the move created... more >>
A Virtual Front Office
Smith transformed this school's three-page static site into a virtual front office for busy, web-savvy parents—or those new to the area—to explore the school and do everything they needed online... more >>
How do you pay tribute to innovation?
ITW is one of the world's largest manufacturing corporations, with a history of innovation spanning nearly 100 years. Much of the company's growth and leadership has been due to discoveries by employees on-the-job that led to patent-protected products... more >>
Helping a local school compete
The board of the well-respected Willmette Community Nursery School came to Smith with a request we hear often: “We need a website.” But the school had some challenges beyond not having a workable website. Declines in the local preschool population meant that this North Shore school... more >>
A showcase for innovation
The phrase “we’re there” is one that you'll often hear at ITW, a leading, global industrial manufacturer. That's because ITW's products can be found in everything from cars and mobile phones, to wind farms and suspension bridges... more >>