Springtime at The O Group

We’re an independently-owned, boutique Creative agency, so you probably know what we mean when we say the last few years have been “challenging.” As a Branding and Design agency for luxury brands in Fashion, Hospitality, Jewelry and Spirits, things got bad quickly – before many other businesses and the economy-at-large. Times got tough. It wasn’t easy, but we actually expanded our strategic offerings. We’re doing more work with luxury brands looking to get started on or refresh their branding, than at any time since 2008. Nobody is out of the woods yet, but our sense is that the false starts are over and this time, the comeback is for real.

Business has picked up across the board and there are some interesting characteristics we thought we’d share. First, we’re getting a lot of calls from here in New York City (which is awesome) however, many of our “new New York” clients actually do business in the US and abroad. That leads to our next item of interest: We are getting more international inquiries and work than ever before. Over the last few months, we’ve talked to new clients and prospects from Belgium, England, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Spain, Turkey, UAE and more. Never before in our 25 year history have we been in so many discussions with so many different places around the world. Take a look at our newly updated client list.

Also super-interesting, we are smack in the middle of significant consultative, strategic, creative and design work with clients in all four luxury categories where we specialize: Fashion, Hospitality, Jewelry and Spirits. Despite ever-increasing gold prices (or perhaps because of them) Jewelry clients came on strong first, followed by Fashion and now Hospitality. For us, Spirits work dipped the least of our four areas of focus, bolstered by lots of follow-through Design and Implementation. Based on all the activity we’ve seen, we believe people (consumers) are poised to spend again and smart brands are preparing now.

We need to get ready too. The O Group is hiring. We’re looking for the right people to add to our Creative team and there's no better place for us to start looking than with people we already know (meaning you). If someone you know might be interested, there’s more information here.

Hopefully your business is coming back in the same way ours is (knock on wood). We’re looking forward to a busy summer and hope to hear from you soon. If you’d like to talk further, please get in touch.

Loose Lips Sink Ships

Ever since we came on-board with our proprietary Creative Concepting™ brand building process, it’s been tough keeping quiet about Diageo’s new Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum. Our goal: introduce a darker version of the legend of the Captain with a high-end launch kit. Henry Morgan comes (back) to life in a brand book that tells his story and offers product notes and drink recipes too. Also in the box: a custom flask, bitters and a pack of whiskey stones. If this kit gets the buzz we think it will, we’re going to need a bigger boat... Read More

The Enterprise of O

When The New York Enterprise Report came knocking, Orit was ready to dish. Featured in the July column titled “The Company Next Door,” Orit spoke about the evolution of The O Group and her three secrets of success: true client partnership, treating employees as entrepreneurs and investing in the company.

And with more than a 20-year history, The O Group has adapted to changing markets, trends and a handful of name adjustments—all testaments to its founder and fearless leader, Orit.

To view the article in its entirety, click here.

We’re all booked up!

We’re always really proud and excited about having our design work published, especially when it’s by an industry heavyweight like Rockport. Please check out Design Elements, Color Fundamentals: A Graphic Style Manual for Understanding How Color Affects Design by Aaris Sherin along with Letterhead and Logo Design 12 by Oxide Design Co. All told, we’ve got 5 different projects in these two new books and we're hoping for even more in 2012.

Orit is a Yalie!

Well, not exactly. But she was invited to speak at The Yale Club of New York City about how to effectively reach consumers of luxury brands. Hosted by Forbes.com and Guideline, this panel discussion focused on how the Internet has previously been overlooked as a viable communication channel within the luxury marketplace.

Orit echoed what The O Group has recommended to clients all along — that today’s consumer has a higher level of discernment for what is considered to be “luxury.” Brand positioning is critical on the web, making it clear that everyone instantaneously responds to visual cues no matter the forum. (And we obviously practice what we preach... How do you like our new site?!)

Bold & Glamorous: The O Group Rethinks NYC Jewelry Brand Carelle

Congratulations to Carelle — French for "Because of Her." From our proprietary Creative Concepting™ brand-building process, to a new logotype, lookbook and totally customized, eCommerce website, we're proud to be a part of recreating this amazing brand that designs jewelry as a celebration of the modern woman. Parlez-vous awesome? Check out the new website at www.carelle.com.

The O Group Version 2.O

The new online home of The O Group has launched.

The address is the same (www.ogroup.net), but the focus has changed. Graphic design for luxury brands. Samples, news, history — anything you could want to know about the evolution of O.

Red All Over

HOW is it that our stationery and collateral were chosen to be featured in one of the best-known creativity and design magazines? Process. That's HOW. We figured out what we needed, came up with some killer ideas, then rolled up our sleeves and designed the you-know-what out of it. Thank you HOW Magazine!

And the winner is...

...The O Group. (We’ve sure been racking them up this year!)

Our clients have always been champions of The O Group. Now we’re staking our claim in the design industry.

U B the Judge Exhibition
Beauté Du Siècle
Hennessy Six Marque Brochure
IntraOp Medical Corporation Brochure
Senate Square Brochure

2008 ReBrand 100
Valera Global (Merit), Chad Allison (Notable)

Rockport’s The Best of Brochure Design 10
No. Twenty Bayard Brochure

54th Annual Type Directors Club Exhibition
No. Twenty Bayard Brochure (Certificate of Typographic Excellence)

STEP inside design 100
No. Twenty Bayard Brochure

PRINT's International Business Graphics Review, Creativity + Commerce
No. Twenty Bayard Brochure

2008 Design Council Showcase
Beauté Du Siècle

2007 International Design Awards
No. Twenty Bayard Brochure, Salvatore Ferragamo Water Invitation, NYIBC Poster

2011 Fashion & Beauty Week Sneak Peek

Here’s a peek at the new logo and creative direction we’ve developed for 2011 Fashion & Beauty Week. Featuring both emerging and established designers  and industry leaders from New York, New Jersey, and beyond, this year’s gala benefits the Diabetes Research Institute. Join us on either one of the event’s big nights: October 3rd and 4th at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, New Jersey. Yes, you should start planning your outfit now.

Growing our luxury know-how

We are happy to announce the first-quarter additions of Cîroc Vodka, Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky, the Guggenheim Museum, Odegard and Warburg Realty to our roster of clients.

Our expertise within the spirits community has continued to grow, particularly given our history with Hennessy Cognac and Moët & Chandon. Introduced through sister brands at LVMH, the Glenmorangie team has selected The O Group to design its marketing and merchandising materials. And Cîroc has chosen us to provide creative direction for their on-and off-premise materials through our exclusive Creative Concepting™ process.

Further developing our presence in the luxury space, we have also added the rare floor-coverings of Odegard and New York real estate giant Warburg Realty to our list of clients. Even the Guggenheim has taken note, engaging us to work on the branding and collateral for the popular “Works & Process” performance series.

Our bar is well-stocked, our apartment floors are tastefully covered and our tickets are waiting at the box office.

The O Group Takes the Sandy Leong Brand to a Whole New Level

When Jewelry Designer Sandy Leong was referred to The O Group, she was in the midst of a dilemma we see frequently in Beauty, Fashion, Hospitality, Jewelry and Spirits - our areas of expertise. She's an extremely talented designer who's focused on what she does best: designing jewelry. While Sandy had experienced some initial successes on her own, she decided it was time to take her brand to the next level. 

Through our Diagnostic process, we determined that the first iteration of her brand's identity and website simply did not match the quality of the products being offered. In fact, we felt as though that this misalignment was actually inhibiting the overall perception of her rising brand.

Our process focused on developing the strategic and thematic direction for the brand layered with a new visual identity. We achieved this via our proprietary Creative Concepting(TM) methodology, then set out to implement multiple different projects.

In the short term, to get things back on track, we proposed a phased Implementation that included a redesign of the logo and use of existing photography to develop a temporary eCommerce website. Additionally, we customized off-the-shelf packaging and produced a media kit and stationery package.

Our diagnosis indicated that those initial enhancements would sufficiently shift the brand into a position where we could take the necessary steps (and time) to help Sandy Leong - the brand - unlock it's full-potential.

Collaborating closely with our long-term strategic partner, Paula Peterson of Crown Consulting, our goal was to establish a foundation and voice for the brand, with clear goals for growth.

Sandy Leong had this to say: "The moment I step into The O Group, I feel like I'm their most important client - every time! They re-worked my brand and made me think more deeply about what a Branding and Design agency can do for me. It has been a pleasure working with such a talented group of people."

The feelings are mutual and we're already hard at work on Phase 3 of this exciting brand transformation. To keep up-to-date, visit sandyleong.com and sign up for updates.

The O Group + Pure Fare = 100% Good

In June of 2010, the founders of Pure Fare came to The O Group with a concept for a new, upscale, healthy, quick-serve restaurant supported by an industry-first nutrition-tracking website. We knew early on that we'd be able to apply our expertise in branding and design along with our experience in the restaurant industry to create the tools Pure Fare would need to successfully connect with their clientele.

We focused our upfront efforts on carefully analyzing the diagnostic work our clients had done over the course of developing their concept and business plan. We thought their ideas were solid and we could begin by writing a Creative Brief for developing its visual identity with a logo design and tagline.

We identified several attributes that would be critical to Pure Fare's success – developing a brand perception that would be as radically differentiated from other quick-serve restaurant options as the Pure Fare model dictated. We explored several different design directions and explained our rationale behind the designs to our client who ultimately made a selection and we began to tackle the issue of creating the look and feel of the website.

Fortunately, Pure Fare brought talented experts to the table to collaborate on the development of their website. Working closely with Aya Natalia Karpinska on the Information Architecture and DOOR3 on the development side, we crafted a website that exceeded the goals we'd established at the beginning of the project.

"The Pure Fare brand represents significant innovation in how consumers engage with the food they eat everyday," says Peter Neufeld, President of User Experience at DOOR3 Business Applications, Inc., "We were able to bring our extensive capability in interactive application development to the table and partner with The O Group's brand and design team to really evolve a fantastic user experience for the client."

Ultimately, we're just super proud of the work we did for Pure Fare and we're looking forward to their success and working together again in the future. One of their founding partners, Kunal Sehgal said, "The O Group played an instrumental role in assisting with the development of Pure Fare. From branding, positioning, design and strategy, Orit and her team were tremendous to partner with. As a young company, Orit and The O Group's extensive experience working with leading hospitality and restaurant brands was invaluable. Throughout the process, The O Group was a true partner - willing to work with Pure Fare diligently, attentively and always with the best interests of the client in mind. Pure Fare looks forward to working with The O Group as the brand continues to grow."

While it's hard to pass-up the opportunity for a cheesesteak, we're eating at Pure Fare next time we're in Philadelphia. Check out their website at www.purefare.com.

O Positive in 2010

While we're totally psyched to say "Hi" to 2011, 2010 wasn't all bad. In fact, we pushed so hard through the end of the year that we realized it was finally time to pause and take a look back.

The O Group continued our relationships with some great clients like 20 Pine Luxury Condominiums, Audio Video Systems (AVS), Carol Brodie, Danny Meyer's Blue Smoke, the Design Leadership Summit, Grand Central Publishing, Lacoste, photographer extraordinaire Mark Loader, Rémy Martin Cognac, eyewear designer Robert Marc and Sandy Leong Jewelry.

A special note to legendary Italian fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo: Our 16 years together have been an amazing journey and we're working hard to make sure the best is yet to come.

We added some new brands to our client roster too. We're proud to include Chef Michael White and Ahmass Fakahany's Altamarea Group, including our work for Osteria Morini and Ai Fiori, as well as Artisan House and Isabella Fiore Handbags, Canyon Ranch, Carelle Jewelry, Puerto Rico's Destileria Serralles, Philadelphia's innovative Pure Fare restaurant, Kobrand's Appleton Estate Rum, Experiential Marketers MKG and Regal Literary.

In 2010, The O Group was recognized for our luxury branding and design work with lots of awards and inclusion in several publications:

PRINT's International Business Graphics Review, Creativity + Commerce

2010 Letterhead and Logo Design 12

Creative Quarterly 21

The Big Book of Packaging

Coupe International Design and Image Competition 2010

International Design Awards:

Design Matters: Portfolios 01

Logo Lounge 2010

The New Big Book of Layouts

Identity Essentials

Creative Quarterly 18

Beverage Dynamics

We're looking forward to even more success for the firm and our clients in 2011. In fact, we've welcomed some new talent to our growing team – Account Executive Lara Berman along with Designers Greg Miller and James Vetterlein. 

If you're interested in learning more about what we've been up to, click on PORTFOLIO to see some design work or CONTACT us by email or phone. Happy New Year!

Award Winning for Award Winners

As The O Group has started racking up accolades for our design work, we started to wonder if there are any awards for winning lots of awards? Then we realized there is no better reward than being able to share our accomplishments with you.

We're thrilled that our branding campaign created for boutique eyewear designer Robert Marc will be featured in Coupe Magazine's 2010 International Design and Image Competition. Additionally, after having been included in the 2007 and 2008 editions, it's great to again have work selected for the 2009 International Design Awards. Our work for jewelry brand Sandy Leong was awarded 1st place(!) in Corporate Identity and our suite of materials for UNRESERVED: American Indian Fashion and Art Alliance scooped up 2nd place in the Collateral Material category.

We're also looking forward to seeing a few greatest hits being published in The Big Book of Packaging: A Crown Royal cocktail kit, a bespoke gift box for Hennessy Cognac, and in beauty products – packaging for the O'mai Curl Softening System.

Beside the bonus of gaining additional exposure for some of our favorite clients, its exciting to be recognized within the design community. Thanks for helping us celebrate and we look forward to continuing our winning streak with your support and collaboration!

Click here to see the featured work.

Sweet Logo!

The O Group designed the logo for the new Blue Smoke Bake Shop. Located at the front of the venerable urban barbecue mecca from Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, Blue Smoke Bake Shop serves desserts Blue Smoke fans are familiar with alongside a few new introductions. In that vein, Design Director Ken Rothermich and SVP Creative Director, Jason B. Cohen worked with our own Eric Baker and left the Blue Smoke logo (designed by Baker) intact and added typography and an illustration to reinforce the delicious, baked goods theme. So far we've seen it in The New York Times and all over the internet. Oh yeah, we also gained 5 pounds.

Click here to see the logo or here for The New York Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/dining/25Bake.html

Find the "O" in PORTFOLIOS

What's the first thing you notice when you open up the new Design Matters: Portfolios 01? Author Maura Keller decided to showcase The O Group's portfolio and stationery system as the very first case study (pg. 9 to  11) in a book packed with examples meant to educate and inspire creative professionals in today's competitive marketplace.

Our dynamic materials, described as "sleek enough to appeal to luxury-focused clients, while showing off a winning personality," serve the purpose of teasing The O Group's unique approach to branding and design in order to generate interest and conversation from like-minded clients and strategic partners.

According to the publisher, "The Design Matters series provides an in-depth approach to the most common design projects and provides designers with the resources to create work that is not only aesthetically appealing, but also strategy-driven and smart."

It's no surprise those qualities describe just about all the work The O Group does...

Click here to see the featured work.

At The Heart of it All

For the month of July, our Senior Art Director, Karin Satrom, and her mentee, Deanita Redwood, are thrilled that their billboard design in support of gay rights will be displayed on Clear Channel’s “Spectacolor HD” digital billboard in Times Square. The billboard was designed as part of Create! Don’t Hate., a Design Ignites Change mentoring initiative. Twenty-two students from the NYC High School of Art and Design participated, with six of the designs ultimately chosen for display in Times Square. Karin and Deanita have worked together through the AIGA mentoring program for the last two years and Deanita is a regular fixture here at our office. We are excited to support such a talented young woman and hope she'll want to come work for us when she's a design superstar!

2 Books. 2 Shows. 1 Magazine. 1 Week.

Did you catch The Daily Show or Law and Order last week? On Tuesday, June 8, two book jacket designs by the O Group’s Eric Baker appeared on two different shows! At 10pm, The Red Book by Carl Jung was on Law & Order: Criminal Intent on USA Network, and at 11pm, Christopher Hitchens book, HITCH 22 was featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central. To add to the excitement, one of Eric’s typographical illustrations was featured in the On Language section of the Sunday, June 13 edition of New York Times Magazine!

Click here to see the featured work.

The Outstanding O

We’re proud to announce that the National Association of Women Business Owners New York Chapter (NAWBO-NYC) has selected Orit, our very own “O of The O Group,” as recipient of its 2010 Lifetime Achievement Signature Award!

NAWBO-NYC inspires and empowers women business owners and promotes the growth of women-owned businesses. As a unified voice for women of diverse industries and backgrounds, the organization seeks to effect social, political and economic change. The organization’s Signature Lifetime Achievement Award honors remarkable business women who have left their unique mark — their “signature” — on the business community.

Orit, who founded The O Group in 1986 and served as president of NAWBO-NYC from 2001 to 2002, has been a member for 18 years and remains passionate about raising the level of women’s roles in the business world. Patricia Ahaesy, current president of NAWBO-NYC, describes Orit as a member who “exemplifies the commitment, determination and endurance it takes to create a successful, long-term business.”

Orit joins a list of past winners that include fashion designers Diane von Furstenberg, Liz Lange and Betsey Johnson, Barbara Smith of B. Smith’s Restaurant, Caroline Hirsch of Caroline’s Comedy Club and others. The award was presented on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at the NAWBO-NYC 2010 Signature Awards Gala Reception hosted by the Louis K. Meisel Gallery.

Learn more about or support NAWBO-NYC at http://www.nawbonyc.org/

'People' Have Spoken

It's been a few years since The O Group worked with Ruby et Violette on overall Brand Development and Identity Design. So we're very pleased and proud to see them featured in a May issue of People Magazine where celebrities like Rachael Ray, Whoopi Goldberg and Kathy Griffin all said Ruby is their favorite. The article includes pictures of the popular bakery's amazingly delicious cookies and (of course) gift packaging designed by The O Group.

Click here to see the feature and some of our work then go to www.rubyetviolette.com. Yum!

5 Sweet Projects. 1 Big Book.

The O Group recently learned that five of our projects were selected to be featured in the soon-to-hit shelves The New Big Book of Layouts, published by Harper Collins. The second installment in Crescent Hill Books’ Big Books series highlights our work for Salvatore Ferragamo, Chad Allison, Number 20 Bayard, Senate Square and Diageo Reserve Brands Group.

The book serves not only as a showcase of compelling layouts, but also aims to encourage creativity and inspiration in the design world by covering a range of layout styles that were selected as a result of their effectiveness. “We’re proud to be a part of The New Big Book of Layouts. These projects are great examples how our expertise in brand identity and creative development for luxury brands lead to real results for our clients.” said Jason B. Cohen, Senior Vice President and Creative Director.

Click here to see which projects will be featured.

A strong finish to 2009

The past year was challenging for everyone, so we're especially proud of the new relationships we have developed over the course of 2009. Our expertise in restaurant/hospitality, beauty and publishing is evolving as we focus on new clients in these sectors. And we continue to build upon our extensive experience in the spirits and fashion worlds. All in all, we're entering 2010 stronger, smarter and even more focused as the premier strategy and design firm for all things luxury. Some significant clients and accounts we've added to our portfolio include:

APRA - fragrance developer and manufacturer

Aquatalia by Marvin K - fashionable, functional footwear brand

Garrard - luxury jeweler with nearly 3 centuries of history and 21st century appeal

Belvedere Vodka - the world's first super-premium vodka

Beyond Hospitality - hospitality consulting firm for luxury properties

Design Investors - the only investment firm dedicated to growing 
design-driven businesses

Grand Central Publishing - division of Hachette Book Group with 7 imprints

Made in Heaven - new, critically acclaimed off-Broadway comedy

Mount Gay - premium rum from Barbados

John P. & Anne Welsh McNulty Foundation - not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering individuals through education

O'mai - the only in-salon curl relaxer using a proprietary Monoi oil formula

Pianos of Europe - marketing consortium of high-end piano manufacturers

Regal Literary - unconventional, top-tier literary agency

Union Square Hospitality Group - Danny Meyer's collection of 
celebrated restaurants

We know from sales kits

The O Group was just awarded First Place in the Sales Brochure/Sell Sheet category of the 25th annual Beverage Dynamics Advertising & Promotion Awards for its design and production of the Hennessy Black Sales Kit. The competition is meant to highlight the best of the broad array of merchandising and advertising programs created for the beverage alcohol industry. We already knew the design was a hit, because Hennessy asked for a reorder for use in additional markets after the initial success of the launch, but it's nice to be recognized by the industry, too!

Danny Meyer's little piggy

If you follow the food blogs, you've already heard great things about Danny Meyer's latest restaurant debut, which finds its home in the Gramercy Park Hotel. Inspired by traditional Roman trattorias, Maialino means “little pig” in Italian, and the menu certainly offers it up in all of its tasty forms. The O Group worked closely with Danny's Union Square Hospitality Group on developing the upscale yet charming Maialino brand, including the identity package, menus, signage and tableware. We're looking forward to many more meals at Maialino and many more collaborations with USHG.

The O Group means business, too

We win more than just design awards! The O Group received the 2009 Small Business of the Year Award from the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce at its Annual Business Awards Breakfast on November 5, at the Con Ed Conference Center. The awards have been a New York tradition since 1920, honoring entrepreneurs who have built outstanding businesses and contributed to the economy and the community. Orit accepted the award at the sold-out event, in very impressive company. Other award-winners included Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor of The City University of New York for New Yorker of the Year, El Museo del Barrio for the Cultural Achievement Award, Kang & Lee Advertising for Mid-SIze Business of the Year, Ogilvy & Mather for Large Business of the Year, Peninsula Hotels for Global Business of the Year, Daniel Boulud for Restaurateur of the Year, Eneslow Shoes for Retailer of the Year and Green Apple Cleaners for Green Business of the Year. Nancy Ploeger, President of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, said. “We are proud to celebrate Orit and the O Group for their achievements and unprecedented business growth over the past two decades in the demanding luxury brand market. Offering a truly strategic approach, she has built a successful boutique design firm, working with some of the top brands in the New York City and worldwide marketplaces. Over the years, Orit has evolved the company’s capabilities and offerings to meet the needs of an ever-changing marketplace. It is a great privilege for us to present Orit and the O Group with this honor.”

(Off) Broadway-bound

We are very pleased to announce our involvement with Made in Heaven, a new play running at SoHo Playhouse 10/22/09 - 01/03/10. A new comedy by Jay Bernzweig, Made in Heaven is "A Special Needs Love Story" about a set of conjoined twins and the complications that ensue when they each try to follow a separate romantic path. The O Group designed all marketing collateral and advertising for the show, and our take on the key art has been getting rave reviews. Go to http://sohoplayhouse.com/ or http://madeinheavenbackstage.blogspot.com/ for more information.

Ooh, sparkly!

We've started a promising new relationship with Garrard, the venerable British jeweler. Known for outfitting the royal family with opulent masterpieces, Garrard is now positioning itself for outreach to a hipper, younger audience with its appointment of Stephen Webster as Creative Director, the unveiling of an in-store shop at Saks Fifth Avenue and a new retail location at the Dubai Mall. The O Group is working on the design, photography and production of a new look book that will bring Garrard into the 21st century, highlighting classic pieces as well as Webster's more contemporary lines like Fire of London and guest designer Georgina Chapman's bespoke collection. It's all hush-hush for now, but we'll let you know soon as the brochure has been released to the world and uploaded to our portfolio section.

The unveiling of UNRESERVED

The O Group has been working with UNRESERVED American Indian Fashion + Art Alliance since its inception over a year ago. We have developed the full brand identity, including name, logo, collateral and website, and also partner with Company Agenda www.companyagenda.com, supporting their PR efforts. We have been talking to everyone we know about this remarkable organization, dedicated to fostering and encouraging the talents of American Indians interested in exploring and pursuing careers in the worlds of fashion and art, so we are thrilled to announce its official launch.

On Saturday, August 22, UNRESERVED co-founders Gail Bruce and Michael Chapman hosted a cocktail party during Santa Fe Market Week.  The event took place at the renowned art gallery, NIMAN Fine Art www.namingha.com.  High profile guests included LaDonna Harris, Founder and President of Americans for Indian Opportunity, Nancy Jemison, Executive Director of the American Indian Lacrosse Association, Lucia Wyman, fashion designer Patricia Michaels, artist Dan Namignha, fashion designer and artist Virgil Ortiz, and Bill Voelker, Founder of SIA Eagle Sanctuary. 

We'll keep you posted on upcoming UNRESERVED fashion and art events, including the first art event in December 2009 and participation in New York Fashion Week in 2010; in the meantime check out their newly launched website at www.unreservedalliance.org.

This deserves a super premium toast...

As of August 1, we've been named the global design agency of record for Belvedere Vodka. Having worked with Belvedere's US Team for several years on special projects, we're looking forward to developing below-the-line strategy and creative as well as providing merchandising support for this amazing super premium vodka brand. Cocktails, anyone?

So many awards, so little time...

Usually we wait until December to announce all of the awards we've picked up over the course of the year, but we've already received so many in 2009 that it's time for a tally:

Creative Quarterly 15
Silver: Crown Royal Reserve Gatekeeper Kit
Merit: Crown Royal Reserve Launch Brochure
Runner-up: Chelsea Workroom Business Card
Brielle and Keith Wedding Invitation

VI System
Robert Marc, Senate Square and Valera Global

PRINT's International Business Graphics Review, Creativity + Commerce
The O Group Stationery

2009 ReBrand Showcase
The O Group (Merit)
http://www.rebrand.com/2009-merit-the-o-group

1000 Package Designs
Robert Marc Gift Box and Bag, Hennessy V.S Gift Box

Creative Quarterly 14
Best of Show: The O Group Stationery

Step Inside Design 100
Runner-up: The O Group Stationery

Cover Girl

We think Orit looks great on the cover of her alma mater Ohio University's Ohio Magazine. The article has some cool photos of the office and talks about how she got to where she is today. Click here to read it.

Luxury Expertise Required

Orit was interviewed for a recent article in the November 7 issue of the Rapaport Diamond Report. The article, entitled "Luxury Retailing Survival Guide: Top luxury marketing pros offer insight and ideas for riding out the recession." details three industry experts' thoughts and recommendations for luxury brands in an economy that is anything but predictable. To view the full article, click here.

Orit Speaks Up

Our fearless leader was chosen by J.H. Cohn, the prestigious accounting and consulting firm, to speak to its Professional Women's Program, an organized network of women professionals from all levels and practices within the Firm's offices. The program aims to leverage women's unique skills and talents, build community in the working environment and provide opportunities for women to advance their careers. Orit was part of a panel of esteemed speakers including Gail Blanke, President and CEO of Lifedesigns. The discussion centered on how the panelists have embraced possibilities and taken bold risks, leading to success. Orit specifically spoke about the challenges she has faced, including making the costly switch to computer-generated graphic design, over the 22 years she has spent growing The O Group. We think it's safe to say Orit made a good call on that computer issue!

Setting the industry standard again!

The O Group has added another handful of awards to its growing list of honors. Out of more than 10,000 entries, we were among the top 15% recognized by Graphic Design USA with two American Graphic Design Awards. And we are proud to be one of the first professional studios hailed by Creative Quarterly—The Journal of Art & Design. From our logo and packaging ideas to our high-end print collateral, the O name is definitely getting noticed.

2008 American Graphic Design Awards
Salvatore Ferragamo Men’s Look Book
Senate Square Brochure

Creative Quarterly 13
Ruby et Violette Logo
Ruby et Violette Packaging

Artful Pairings

The fine art of the dinner party was revived this week. The O Group and our strategic partner, Creative Edge Parties hosted a sumptuous dinner for 20 on July 16th. These two great creative forces toasted luxury influencers from fashion, real estate, the art world and the social whirl. The theme was Artful Pairings - of food, of wine, of people and a great time was had by all. Watch this space for details of the Fall Pairing dinner.