FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative provider of photography, design and marketing services, announced today a new service called “Let’s Paint.”

Company president Justin Schuck has been painting homes and offices for years, and recently he’s been branching out to friends and family, bringing his eye for detail to another field. “We’ve thought of hundreds of different things to call this service from ‘Designers for better bedrooms’ to ‘Artists for Bathrooms.’” Schuck adds that painting has “always been a work of love.”

Schuck has some experience in the interior design area. In 2000 he started Foster’s Interior Fusions with a partner as a division of Foster Industries. Let’s Paint will be the first service offered directly from Justin Schuck and Company and hints at exciting things to come.

The first advertisement reads: “We’ve thought of hundreds of different things to call this service from “Designers for better bedrooms” to “Artists for Bathrooms.” Whatever we call it, we’re offering a new service, something we’re good at: painting. What’s really crazy is that we’re offering our services starting at $200 per room, not including the cost of paint and supplies. We’ve got drop cloths and almost everything else. We’ll tell you what you need when we give you our free estimate. We can do it all from painting a bedroom green to applying venetian plaster to using suede techniques. And the best part is, we’re artists who understand color and focus on details. We’ll even walk your dog. Rooms starting at $200. Call 301 300 1350 today.”

Innovative thinking and competitive pricing from will set Let’s Paint apart from any competitor. Images of recent projects can be found at Schuck’s blog at JustinSchuck.com/blog.




PR-Lets_Paint.pdf

Labels: JSDS, Justin Schuck, Justin Schuck + Company, Maryland, Painting, Press Release, Virginia, washington dc

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative provider of photography, design and marketing services, announced today a partnership with L/A Events of Gainesville, VA to provide a range of event planning services to existing photography and design clients. The new partnership announced this morning by company president Justin Schuck is part of the company's larger goal of "providing more opportunities to give our clients value-added services."

L/A Events is named for the middle names of the founding partners Andrea Lynn Kuchinski and Justin Andrew Schuck. Along with partner Shannon Jacobs, Kuchinski has developed custom invitations for businesses and individuals for special events. With over 14 years in the event photography business, Schuck brings his first-hand experience on both sides of the planning spectrum.

"I've done some really crazy, intense weddings and corporate events through the years. I always talk about this one wedding in 2003 that went from awesome to insane and back to awesome. The church put up scaffolding the morning of the rehearsal, and the bride wanted photos at the U.S. Capitol where the couple met among other things. It was Memorial day weekend and the limo driver disappeared while we were shooting at the capitol – which took a while because of the enhanced security and permit verification process. In the end, we piled the wedding party of 16 into a Honda Accord and a small limo. It was insane, but amazing." Schuck went on to say that the bride and groom still send him messages thanking him for his help that day. "I've had to coordinate permits, lighting equipment, and large staffs for every event under the sun, so it's a natural addition to the business."

Kuchinski, a design graduate from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY began her career in design working on brand development, logos and website design. She brings a conceptual eye and a terrific balance of print and web skills to every project. Kuchinski started planning events in New York and Washington, including several weddings. "I'm excited about teaming up with Justin. We work really well together, and by combining we can do what no other event planner can do: everything, well. I'll never say we're perfect, but we enjoy what we do and that comes out in the process and the final product."

L/A Events will be announcing the launch of it's new website in the coming weeks and asks people to expect a party. The first event of the new partnership is the "Raise for Cancer" fundraising event in Washington DC benefiting the American Institute for Cancer Research in September.



PR-LA_Events.pdf

Labels: business, Events, Justin Schuck, L/A Events, New York, News, Newsworthy, photography, Press Release, washington dc

In addition to publishing press releases, I thought it might be a good idea to showcase some projects I've been working on. The first design you see is from December 2006 when Justin Schuck Photography opened it's interactive photo/media studio in one of the Dubai Media City free zone with our GCC communications partner Sabi Communications.



The following two designs are current works-in-progress. They need help and I've been focused on other things at the moment, but I wanted to post these just to get a feel for what both of my readers (joke) think. I keep going back and forth as to whether I want them to be more of a poster or a magazine spread.

Labels: business, Case Study, design, Dubai, JSDS, Justin Schuck, Marketing, photography, studio

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative photography, design and marketing firm, announced today that it will sell a portion of its domain holdings. The following 15 domains will be available for purchase:

ShameClothing.com
ShameBrands.com
ShameJeans.com
ShameDenim.com
AndrewLiberty.com
AndrewTennant.com
FosterIndustries.com
TheFosterCompanies.com
CrackHeadBitch.com
PunkMotherFuckers.com
PoliticsAside.net
MyGayPenPal.com
TimeIsGoingByReallyReallyReallyReallySlow.com
RolleLaw.com
LAgenceDeSchuck.com

The domain sale is set to begin on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 and will continue through September 30, 2008. All the domains being offered will have a set-price of $35 through the sale period. Domains not sold by September 30 will be sold through BuyDomains.com at variably higher prices in addition to brokerage fees.

Any inquires about specific domains should call (301) 300-1350 or email info@JustinSchuckCo.com.

PR-Domain_Sale.pdf

Labels: Domains, JSDS, Justin Schuck, News, Newsworthy, Press Release, Sale, Schuck Interactive Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative photography, design and marketing firm, announced today the discovery of 3,673 previously unread emails on it's "Deer" server at SIG's Fremont, California collocation facility.

"As part of our reorganization and the preparation to sell company assets, we discovered thousands of emails that were captured and quarantined by the server since January. There are approximately 600 emails sent from JustinSchuckCo.com and JustinSchuck.com addresses that never reached their intended recipients. No error message was ever delivered to any of the affected emails, nor was there any information in the server log." company president Justin Schuck said, clearly shocked by this discovery. "The unfortunate thing about this is that there were vital communications breakdowns on both sides that may have contributed to misunderstandings between the company and our clients. But the vast majority of email appears to be junk mail. We are aggressively sorting and processing these emails and we will address any problem that might surface."

The discovery of the emails comes at a time when the company is suffering from a dramatic loss in revenue brought on by recent client account defaults, as well as rising energy, vendor, and insurance costs.

Any client who believes they have been affected by this server error is asked to call Justin Schuck directly at (301) 300-1350.

PR-Email_Quarantine.pdf

Labels: Blog, business, Justin Schuck, News, Press Release, Security

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative photography, design and marketing firm, was founded just over four years ago by an optimistic entrepreneur who knew a thing or two about success in design and photography. Formed out of the ashes of The Foster Companies, Justin Schuck and Company provides a diverse international clientèle with a complex suite of services including photography, design, and domain management.

Since 2004, company founder Justin Schuck aimed to provide the highest level of customer service with an emphasis on personal relationships and client confidentiality. "Serving high-profile clients in five countries has been an honor." Schuck says. "I've had the great opportunity to meet amazing people and work with some of the most important people in the world."

In a meeting on August 1, Schuck announced that one of the company's largest clients, a political organization, will be defaulting on an invoice of over $5500. This client has canceled future contracts worth over $18,000 due to their pending bankruptcy reorganization. The client's identity is protected by a mutual confidential disclosure agreement that will remain in effect until both parties agree to the public disclosure or if Justin Schuck and Company is named as a debtor in the client's bankruptcy.

Schuck goes on to say, "This will be an extremely difficult time for the company. We are looking into what options are available for us to generate revenue to compensate for the shortfall. With the dramatic rise in energy prices over the last year, we've seen a decrease in the size and scope of many contracts, but we never expected this. When our clients don't meet their obligations to us, especially for completed services and delivered products, it makes it very difficult for us to maintain our financial and contractual obligations."

As a result of this loss of business, there will be some significant changes to the company. Effective immediately, Justin Schuck and Company's newest venture, That's Sick Viral Marketing, will be folded into the JSDS division as part of the consolidation of the business. "Innovative Brand Concepts and Schuck Interactive Group's merger into JSDS will be accelerated in an attempt to drastically reduce overhead. We need to cut our losses while we still can." Schuck contends that the company can come out of this period stronger and leaner, but it's not going to come "without some serious shrinking pains." He adds that "our operations and ability to survive will depend on our ability to renegotiate our existing vendor contracts, reduce labor costs and significantly reduce overhead. We have photography contracts stretching in to 2010 and I want those clients to know that we will be there to capture those special moments."

The company is expected to announce in the coming days plans to sell assets in order to generate revenue, in addition to entering into negotiations with clients who are more than 30 days past due on their accounts.

"If we are not able to secure additional revenue streams it will be difficult to keep our heads above water. I've been doing my part to keep costs under control as much as possible, but as indicated in our recent financial disclosure filings, I have not drawn a salary since May." This isn't the first time Schuck has forgone salary to help his business maximize liquidity. For part of 2000 and 2001, Schuck went without compensation during the reorganization of Foster Companies.

"I'm a tough cookie and I know that in the end, my life will continue to be blessed with new opportunities for success." Schuck said.

PR-State_of_Company.pdf

Labels: Blog, business, JSDS, Justin Schuck, News, Press Release

I never thought I would hear myself say these words: "Thank you Paris Hilton."

Labels: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Energy Policy, John McCain, Justin Schuck

In 2005 I hosted a series of forums for energy providers discussing ways they could use energy conservation as part of a broader marketing campaign. The benefits of this new "greenvertising" strategy seemed obvious to me on several fronts. Energy providers, especially those in competitive energy markets, would be able to reduce consumption using a myriad of innovative power management devices like the EleSaver. Not only would they reduce the strain on the current electrical grid, but they would slow the need for increased capacity and the capital costs associated with infrastructure creation. In addition to these obvious benefits, line operator labor shrinkage would be offset by the creation of new jobs focused on installing power management devices at sub stations, industrial complexes and at an infinite number of other installations.

In my meetings with energy executives I stressed the need to appear ahead of the curve on energy policy. The market has always awarded the innovative thinkers and those who leap forward. As you might imagine, my predictions of a looming energy crisis were viewed with marked skepticism and brushed off as the rants of a young liberal. How prescient I now seem. These same executives are now frantically working to transform the image of the energy industry as one that is forward thinking and invested in responsible ways to reduce consumption.

And how are they achieving this? One word: Greenvertising. I started using this term when I was the Director of Marketing and Operations for SaveTech Ltd./Electric Energy Savings Systems. In 2005 gas prices hovered near $2.15 per gallon until hurricanes Katrina and Rita led to a surge in energy prices across the country. Oil was near $50 per barrel. Now we have seen a 200% increase in fuel costs. The bad news about our current energy crisis is that it's accelerating inflation and weakening the U.S. dollar. However, a side benefit of the changing market is that companies from every industry see value in reducing overall energy consumption and implementing green advertising campaigns.

I've just finished some ad designs for The Inn at Andrews-Green. Take a peek:




Greenvertising isn't an entirely new concept, but it is another effective way for companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors in any market. The smart thing about Andrews-Green is that their capital investments in energy infrastructure will save them thousands and potentially millions of dollars during the life of the inn. Now that's some green everyone can appreciate.

Labels: Advertising, business, Case Study, design, Gulf Coast, Hurricane Katrina, Identity, JSDS, Marketing, Maryland, washington dc

Perhaps you noticed the somewhat sudden design change. Yeppers, gone is the tired previous design. There are still a few kinks to be worked out, but I'm glad this new, clean version is online and here to stay.

I definitely took my own advice about self-editing (see "Four steps forward"). I removed so many unnecessary elements and it looks so much better. I decided that the thick black border had to go and it totally fixed what was wrong with the design. You'll notice a few changes in the near future, including a better system of organizing posts and blog labels, but I don't want too much change just yet.

So, gone is:

And happy am I.

Labels: Blog, design, JSDS, Justin Schuck

Often in design there's a tendency to go overboard, to over design, and I am guilty of this on every single design project I have ever worked from the original Foster Industries logo¹ that I designed when I was 16 to the current Justin Schuck Photography logo². The problem often lies in the drive for perfection clouded by wanting a project to be "everything," when design merely needs to be "something."

I know how easy it is to be carried away with a project. You've put together 3-4 different design directions, and once you've narrowed things down to your final choice you find yourself drunk with ideas and concentrate too heavily on unimportant details. You go over every individual pixel, but it is in this focus that you lose sight of the greater balance of a project.

When I think I have completed a design, I take a step back and ask myself what can I delete? What can I remove from the design? This is usually my saving grace and it is always my advice to other designers. The ability to self-edit in design, in production, in sculpture, in politics is the ability to understand your audience. Nothing was every made better by being made more complicated³.

Too often I see over-thought, over-wrought designs and logos. I see printed annual reports designed in PowerPoint using the same clip-art that Microsoft has included in its programs when Windows 3.1 was king. This disgusts me. Good designers know to remove elements that distract and emphasize elements that enhance the overall objective. If you're designing a report that covers dry subject matter, adding cheesy graphical elements isn't going to make the material any more interesting. In this case, smart font choices balanced with appropriate white space can create a document that is both a pleasure to read, but serves its function well.

I have seen great website designs using complex static and motion graphical elements, but the sites that get it right are the ones where the design is not overboard. (The only exception to the rule of self editing is if your product or client is over-the-top. Paris Hilton as a brand comes to mind, but I still urge caution.)

Another thing that works for me when creating brand identities is to visualize the logo on everything from a kitchen knife to a race car. When I've narrowed down my design to the final direction, I place the logo on hundreds of things I find around my house. Ovens, fans, phones, irons, printers, cars, bags, envelopes, paper, trash cans, buttons, ties, stickers, soda cans, detergent bottles... I could go on forever. This is important for one main reason: you never know what industry a company or organization may go next, or on what product they might want their logo for company-branded gifts. You'll know right away whether the design you chose will accurately represent the company. Even if you're not including more complex items appearing on the website, you'll know if the brand is reinforced.

Applying a logo across a broad range of relevant and irrelevant products also serves another purpose. By experiencing your design this way, you will be better able to argue the merits of the design in any meeting with a client because you have already thought your way down every path the company might grow in the future. And you might be surprised that the client is encouraged to think in a new way about corporate gifts. (It's the design equivalent to adding on to a sale.)

When I reach the end of a given project, I love putting design elements into a digital compost pile to be reincarnated in a future project. I'll keep elements in a complex Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign file for safe keeping. I save everything, even ideas. I recently (about 6 months ago) returned to keeping a "Musebook." I use this to chart thoughts and ideas on designs, political marketing strategies, notes on meetings, you name it. For me and my oft-scattered mind, it's important to have not only all of my ideas in one place, but to have them on good old fashioned paper. It's surge-proof.

Bottom line: remove elements to simplify your design; use clean, easy-to-read fonts with balanced whitespace; lose the gimmicks and focus on how the brand can be represented across a multitude of platforms. Follow these rules and you'll find yourself doing better work.

---

¹ The original Foster Industries logo does not exist in digital form, nor does the original font (Traffic) for the "FI" so the representation appearing above is not 100% accurate, but you get the idea. Yes, I know it's bad. I was sixteen!


² I think I'm happy with the current iteration. It conforms to my desire for symmetry in design and architecture. The current logo came out of a design study to determine what would fit best on our branded products like proof boxes, bags, polos, etc.

³ Stay tuned for a future blog on the logo of "TSG Holdings." I put the name in quotes because I'm not convinced it's a real company. Have you seen their visually offensive logo on M Street NW mocking designers everywhere? It's the worst company logo I have ever seen. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if it weren't new!

Labels: Advertising, business, design, Identity, JSDS, Justin Schuck, Marketing

Finally! An updated design with just a hint of samples!


(Yes Andy, I know it's just a big JPEG, but I'm focusing on photo client projects, not the JSDS site. At least there's something up there!)

Labels: design, JSDS

So to dispel the rumors that I am moving to Rocket City, I wanted to give you all a glimpse into what I've been up to these last two months. It can be summed up easily: I've been cleaning up dog shit; painting my mom's house; and hanging out with my mom at her new home while lining up various appointments for her.

I spent a fair amount of time prepping the surfaces in both her bedroom and bathroom to deliver a sanctuary that is both feminine and luxurious. The bathroom turned out great. (No mess-ups!) I had to cut a line at the ceiling which hasn't been my strong suit. It looks fantastic, although the color is a bit off. The girl at Lowe's thought that the initial color dose wasn't right so she added some more magenta which gave the final product a slightly purple tint. I think I'll do some kind of rag glaze the next time I'm down there. I didn't take any photos of the bathroom since I was running low on time, the color was really light, and I wasn't in the mood for doing a serious color balance.

But check out these shots of the bedroom, my piece de la résistance:




Please take note of the 12-inch-wide tone-on-tone striping which repeats itself in the "tray" or drop ceiling; the coordinating ceiling color; the white molding and doors; and the perfect lines from top to bottom. I'm telling you, it's my best work ever. (Also, the above photos are NOT color balanced.)

Labels: Alabama, Family, Justin Schuck, Painting

Here is an update to the PoliticsAside.net site template. We recently removed all the formatting for the old site and chose a simple, text-only version while we test the new designs. It's less complicated that way. I want to go in a more monochromatic direction. This has two benefits: it creates the illusion of being more "anti" while drawing greater attention to the donate button. There are still hints of the previous red, white and blue theme, but subtlety is cousin of revolution. (Or something like that...)



I've also taken advantage of the same original template created for PoliticsAside.net and used it for the new website for the Law Offices of Matthew Bennett. This takes us in a completely different direction from the current site at BennettShoemaker.com. With the separation of the two partners, it was essential to revamp the brand. It's still a work-in-progress and will likely change some before the final design is complete.

Labels: design, JSDS, Justin Schuck