Creating meaningful messages:

This year, our goal was to celebrate the holiday season in a way that felt genuine and uniquely Intrinzic. In looking back on our past year as a company, we took note of the major milestones we accomplished together. Along the way, we have become a strong team and have formed some pretty amazing bonds, not only with ourselves, but also with our clients and vendors – all working together to create and deliver on quality marketing and design initiatives.

Based on this reflection, we were able to develop a clear direction. This holiday season at Intrinzic, we are taking time to focus on “connecting and reflecting” with our teammates, clients, partners and loved ones.

When building on this concept of “connecting and reflecting,” these notions became our pillars:

* Celebrate the holiday while reflecting on the past year
* Honor the connection between us
* Convey authenticity
* Reflect our brand identity

#### 1. CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY SEASON WHILE SAYING THANK YOU
As opposed to our usual focus on savvy business messaging, [the holiday season brings an opportunity to shift to a more emotional message](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/251532) – thanking everyone who helped us this year, those who inspired us and those we truly appreciate.

*Design approach:*

* Keep the verbal content joyful, focus on gratitude and include emotion.
* Include traditional holiday visuals like snowflakes and Christmas trees.

#### 2. GET EVERYONE INVOLVED AND CAPITALIZE ON THE CONCEPT OF CONNECTION
One of our brand attributes is “connection.” This became an important rallying point for the visual team as we started to establish design elements for the holiday theme. Playing on that [concept of connection](http://www.fastcoexist.com/3021539/futurist-forum/the-future-of-branding-is-creating-real-connections-between-consumers-and-pro), we were inspired by linework illustrations and crafts built from string.

*Design approach:*

* Using connection in the literal sense, we included linework in our custom wrapping paper patterns (showcased above) and holiday card design.
* We incorporated crafts using string when planning our winter window display and the activities we’ll do with the children when volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club. Every team member will be involved in the crafting process for each initiative, leaving his or her mark as part of the greater design initiative.

#### 3. CONVEY AUTHENTICITY AND A FEELING OF PERSONALIZATION
[Effective branding is based on authenticity](http://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2014/11/26/five-ways-to-use-the-holiday-season-to-build-your-personal-brand/). When our focus is on the people and who we are as a company, it feels real and truthful. We want to own our brand and celebrate our location. Even on the holiday card, you will see local touches, featuring our unique view of downtown Cincinnati from the city of Newport.

We created custom patterns and illustrations to carry that idea of connection through each piece. You’ll see these features come to life in our custom wrapping paper design, holiday greeting card, [winter window display](https://www.instagram.com/p/_R3Hh8KNb1/) and [social media interactions](https://www.facebook.com/intrinzicinc/).

*Design approach:*

* Our [holiday card illustration](https://intrinzicbrands.com/blog/reflecting-and-connecting) features Intrinzic’s unique view of the Cincinnati skyline, and details such as the river and bridges, and the Newport on the Levee Christmas tree, adding local flair and a personalized touch to the design.

#### 4. BUILD OUR BRAND, CREATING CONSISTENCY ACROSS CHANNELS
Using our holiday theme as a chance to reconnect with people in our network, we created a holiday card, seasonal token of appreciation, social media posts, a lobby display and volunteer opportunities, which all build on one another to communicate our concept. We launched our new brand this year, and with that come a number of opportunities to continue bringing life and authenticity to our attributes.

*Design approach:*

* Bring our key brand attribute of connection to life using brand colors and our tone of voice.

The process of concepting and creating a unique seasonal theme has been one we’ve enjoyed and one that resonates with us all. So, this holiday season, we ask, “How will you be connecting and reflecting?” We hope to connect with you! Spark a conversation with us via [@IntrinzicSays](https://twitter.com/intrinzicsays).