Jennifer Visocky O’Grady

title: Genz-Ryan Rebranding
company: Catalyst Studios
category: Case study

My take on why the Genz-Ryan rebrand rocks:

As a homeowner, I never do preventative maintenance. I wouldn’t know where to begin, and hey, there are spiders down there. I usually just pray to the Disposable Income Gods that things won’t break, but I have no idea how to actually prevent that from happening. I bought a book by the This Old House guys, but got bored before I finished reading it. The Genz-Ryan poster and home guide tips were the Clif notes I had been searching for. I also like the fact that this new knowledge will save some of my hard-earned dollars for design books and dinners out instead of furnace repairs.

As a designer, I’ve done this kind of work (my “plumbing” client manufactured water tanks instead), but not nearly as successfully. Helping a client to understand the strategy behind a rebrand, and then to truly trust the design team is hard work! Often it’s not about the designer’s ability to create strong work, but rather about their ability to sell it.

As a design evangelist, I was encouraged not only by witty copy and attractive visuals, but by the fact that Catalyst took the time to write a case study documenting their process, production and results. Strong aesthetic and conceptual choices were influenced by thorough research, and then supported by smart distribution. Better still, by taking the time to build the case study, Catalyst now has another tool in their sales arsenal. And by sharing it with the public, creatives and buyers alike have yet another testimonial to the value of design.

As a fellow Midwesterner, I really like the “everyman” feel of the project. Wealthy folks don’t worry about their furnaces breaking. I do. And for some reason, I have it in my head that the Sagmeisters and Carsons and Sterlings of the world don’t take on family-run plumbing, heating and cooling projects. I would. I’m delighted to celebrate really good design, for a real client. The kind that might feed my family, or yours. How swell, to be thoroughly inspired by the every-day. Maybe we should reconsider who and what we’re putting up on those design pedestals.

Hats off to Catalyst Studios, and Genz-Ryan. Thank you AIGA Minnesota. Judging your competition was a privilege, and all of the pampering along the way more than makes up for the frostbite.