WHO…we areis an idea-generating duo—a proven, prolific writer/designer team that you can

hire when you’re pitching that mega-buck account and want to make sure you

have enough concepts to totally wow the client and win it.

Sure your own team is terrific and will come up with a batch of brilliance, but

we can add to that awesome mix so you can plaster the walls during your

presentation with work that would dazzle Leonardo and Michelangelo, an

equally awesome writer/designer duo.

WHAT…we dois ride to the rescue with a slew of concepts that are on target strategically and

just what the doctor ordered, whether you’re pitching a medical or

pharmaceutical account or something less ethereal like cereal. We’re not flakes

either. We wrap our minds around the challenge and use your input coupled

with our research to ideate and execute a range of concepts with different twists

on the same positioning or different positionings entirely. We’re complete too,

providing ideas, words and graphics. Get the picture?

WHY…use us?Because we’re not you. We’ll approach the problem differently and come up

with fresh stuff, first of all because we’re creative but also because we will work

without knowing all the constraints, can’t do’s or already done that’s that your

creative team confronts every day. We won’t know enough to know what not

to do—which doesn’t mean you can’t give us parameters and tell us what the

CEO or you hate, or have already tried. It just means we won’t come from that

position from the get go.

Other reasons? Experience, wisdom, wildness, youthfulness, vision, electricity,

passion, gobs of creativity and a compulsive need to awe our clients. We’re fun to

work with too and are not opposed to ribbing mixed in with the meat and potatoes.

Yes, we’re serious, but there’s no need to be gravy (er) grave about things even

when we’re talking turkey. Wanna discuss this over lunch?

Senior

Copywriter

and

Art Director

Team

• With over 50 years

combined experience

in the communication

business

• With over 2,000,000

years engaged in

thought processes

since the first

caveman said, “Lucy,

you have some

splaining to do”

The ProcessStep 1 (Big picture meeting)

We get together and you tell us wazzup. You provide project information, needs,

parameters, deadlines, do’s and don’ts, creative briefs (if available), Hanes briefs, (if

available) and related materials.

Step 2 (The ponderosa)We ponder a little then quickly provide a project estimate including costs

and deliverables (what you get for how much by when).

Step 3 (Complete immersion)We immerse ourselves in your materials, conduct research and contact you with

questions in order to thoroughly understand all aspects of your challenge.

Step 4 (Testing the waters)Over the next few days, Jim and Gary create and liberate one or two initial concepts,

including graphic approaches, headlines, subheads if appropriate and a short, written

rationale explaining why we chose the direction(s) we did. Concepts are usually self

explanatory because if they’re not, we’ve probably missed the boat and have made a

titanic mistake. (Glub, glub, glub.) We get the concept or concepts to you for review.

The Process cont.Step 5 (Digesting and feedback)

You review the concept or concepts then get back to us asap with approval and clear,

constructive (versus destructive) comments.

Step 6 (Batch delivery)Concepts for Hire spends a few more days thinking, designing, writing, honing and toning to

narrow the concepts to our best 5 or 6. If you need more concepts, we can discuss it. If less will

do, we’ll discuss that upfront too. We get the whole batch to you and probably present the

ideas so we can answer any and all questions.

Step 7 (End of the road)That’s usually as far as we go, though we generally include tweaks to concepts after our

presentation as part of the contracted price. By “tweaks,” we mean 3 or 4 hours total for both of

us—copy and graphic design. If you want further refinements beyond that, it’s no problem—

just a matter of price and timing.

Swingline

• Re-invent the Swinglineimage and take it frombeing an expected“staple” on peoples’desks to being a hip andcool tool for today andtomorrow

• Emphasize innovativefeatures that makeSwingline models“fashionablyfunctional”

Objectives

9 concepts that take Swingline from stationary

to swinging. We start way out there…

Talk about positioning it as hip

and cool…it is “the ultimate

accupuncturer”

Swingline makes a broad

statement—and backs it up!

Yes, this is out there, but you’re

not hiring us to be boring and

bland, are you? We take a

visual and copy stand.

..then draw back with concepts, that while

corporate, are still cool

Three pictures, six words sum

up our message

Product positioned as an

accessory since it it fashionably

functional

A fabulous fashion

statement—literally

3 more completely different directions

—to take concept selection to perfection

What’s hotter and cooler

than the salsa? Swingline

steps it up…

New sexy shapes keep Swingline

ahead of the curve

Swingline evolves from

Austraelectricus to Surperbus

Electrocanis

(circa now)

HI-C

• Bring life to the Hi-Cpackage and actuallymake the package partof the value equation

• When it comes toconcepts that aredelightfully childish andcompel a purchase, wedon’t kid around

Objectives

Making Hi-C Hi-Fun

A series of super Vita-Man comics is a

delicious, hip idea that kids and moms

can flip for

Creating a little

character—or a

lot of them is a

natural

The final fabulous

concept straw:

an awesome,

interactive idea

The ability to collect all 5 Huggabug

designs adds continuity and value to

the concept

Koelnmesse

• Our goal for Koelnmesse —a conference and expoorganizer—was to get“green” folks to attendCarbon Forum America,an expo on the dangers ofCO2 that featured ways tocapitalize on the marketthat make it a gas

Objectives

Variations on a Green Theme

Buying and selling CO2 points

has emerged as a major game

in the commodities markets. If

you want to play the game to

win, better attend the

conference

The conference provided a

breath of fresh air in terms of an

opportunity

Down to earth concept

providing a big picture

view of CFA impact

Ironically, the trade show environment shifted. A new name—Carbon TradeEx

America—required a new graphic look and positioning. To get people to elect

to come in 2008, messaging was both elemental and presidential

Our first black president was

gung-ho green. Need more

colorful reasons to attend?

This positioned the

conference as an

amazing place to get green

market guidance

For game-changing shifts on

environmental issues, check

out the conference, mate

Who are

these

Guys?

Jim Ardito

Gary Carbon

• Jim Ardito — Jim has been a professional writer for over 25 years with experience at

Foote Cone & Belding Advertising, as an independent writer, and as a senior writer for

Purohit Navigation, a healthcare communications company. One of the area's most versatile

writers, Jim offers skills in concept development, broadcast and print advertising, electronic

media including Websites and interactive, journalism, promotion, training, employee

communications, positioning and brand strategizing. He has written for the world’s largest

corporations and organizations; had a nationally syndicated newspaper column; was a

speechwriter for singer/environmentalist, John Denver, was on television three times (not

once because he was arrested) and may be the only writer in history to turn a 90-page

training manual on a potassium supplement into a riveting murder mystery called “Face in

the Flambe.”

• Gary Carbon — Gary has been working in marketing for more than 20 years as a

Creative Director, Art Director and designer. His resume includes such clients as Campbell’s

Soup, Disney Entertainment, Abbott Labs, Ford Motors, Caterpillar, Inc. He brings a strong

background of strategic thinking and implementation focused on helping clients achieve

their company’s goals with each project. He’s more humble than Jim so his write-up is

smaller.

Call Jim Ardito @ (847) 902-6562 orGary Carbon @ (773) 588-9730

Call now, call immediately. Operators are standing by!