Salt Contemporary Dance

November 13, 2015 serfwerks | Design

The articulation of differentiation

As a Utah-based dance company, Salt Dance’s innovative approach to contemporary dance have attracted dancers and choreographers from around the globe. However, despite some of its groundbreaking methodologies, Salt lacked a clear articulation of its strategy and vision, which became a problem in courting potential donors/sponsors, choreographers and dancers.

“Serfwerks helped us develop a strategy that is key to helping us achieve our goals. It’s already transformed how we think about ourselves and how we present our vision to sponsors and the dance community.”
—Michelle Nielson, founder Salt Dance

Cover of Salt’s Donor Solicitation Proposal

Redefine the Category

When you compete in a mature marketplace, the key to standing out is to re-define the category. As such, Serfwerks developed a marketing strategy that positioned Salt in a new class of contemporary dance that clearly articulated the innovations in dance for which Salt strove. That strategy helped Salt transform an art form into a lifestyle that inspires choreographers, audience members and aspiring dancers to “emerge” into some new, innovative and better.

“Salt’s mission is now something that all of our stakeholders believe in.”
—Michelle Nielson, founder Salt Dance

Interior Spread of the Donor Solicitation Proposal

Articulate Your Key Differentiators

Serfwerks developed a corporate solicitation proposal that relied upon breathtaking visuals of dancers in some of Utah’s most iconic places. The minimalist elements reinforce the notions of evolution, change and emergence that are essential to Salt’s positioning strategy. The strategy was taken even further by a token stakeholders were excited to wear to promote the concept.

Another Interior Spread

“You know you’ve hit the mark when a key benefactor sees the proposal and the performance and tells us that we’ve nailed it.”
—Michelle Nielson, founder Salt Dance

Help Your Audience Understand The Key Difference You Make

Waters Edge Web Site

November 12, 2015 serfwerks | Case Study

Finding Serenity

As a provider of outdoor, man-made lakes, streams, natural pools and water features, Waters Edge’s primary marketing vehicle was an outdated web site that was difficult to navigate and featured great photography of its portfolio projects, but were presented in a way that didn’t do them justice.

Sometimes going to the lake isn’t enough. It’s then that the lake comes to you.

Landing Page of Waters Edge Site Featuring a Carousel of Portfolio Images and Vivid Project Categorization

Once engaged to develop a new web site, Serfwerks’ primary objective was to develop a site that adequately portrayed the serenity and beauty of Waters Edge’s work. With a foundational reliance upon portfolio photography, the design uses minimalist copy only to reinforce the message of the photography. The portfolio of the projects headlines the site, becoming a treat to explore.

Secondary Page of Waters Edge Web Site

The secondary pages let the work speak for itself by featuring a visual listing of projects that open to a gallery of the Waters Edge projects. Headlines communicate the communion with nature found when experiencing the water feature.

Gallery of Water Projects as Shown on Web Site

The web site’s galleries create a rich visual experience.

Endurance Sports Show

November 5, 2015 serfwerks | Case Study, Design, Featured Work, Marketing Strategy, Portfolio Work

Starting from Scratch

Any time a company evaluates whether to become an exhibitor at a trade show, its primary concern is to be able to connect with their target audience. While well-established trade shows are a de facto line item of an exhibitor’s marketing budget, committing to a show with no history is a lot more risky. That created a bit of a dilemma for the first-year Endurance Sports Show as it needed to convince exhibitors to participate, even though it had no history. The Endurance Sports Show needed to prove to vendors that its event was sure to attract enough attendees that exhibitors couldn’t forego the opportunity.

“Serfwerks perfectly communicated our message and told the story about our industry perfectly.” —Shawn Snow, co-founder

Implementation of Marketing Strategy in Branding

Final Solicitation Proposal featured a Stitch Binding

Act Like You’ve Been There Before

The Endurance Sports Show contracted with Serfwerks to develop its branding and vendor marketing strategy. Instead of simply touting the benefits of exhibiting at the show, the marketing strategy we developed harnessed the passion of the athletes who participate in endurance sports. Runners don’t just like running—they practice it as religion. Triathletes don’t train for fun, for them a triathlon is a vehicle to defy the limits of human performance.

Not only did Serfwerks develop the branding for the event featuring, but also developed a vendor solicitation proposal that was used to solicit participation from prospective exhibitors.

“The marketing material Serfwerks created helped open doors and lead to new sponsorships and sales that we would not have had otherwise.”—Shawn Snow, co-founder

Interior Spread in the Proposal

Another Interior Spread in the Proposal

Attendees Viewing Demonstration