Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with web producers, account managers, designers, and other contributors to develop websites that align with our clients’ strategic goals, schedules, and budgets
• Communicate project details effectively to clients, developers, and team members
• Present ideas, research solutions, and problem solve independently
• Learn from team and independent research to allow growth into an Interactive Account Manager role long-term

Qualifications:

• 2+ years of project coordination experience, agency experience preferred
• Basic understanding of interactive and general marketing principles
• Familiarity with the creative process
• Detail-oriented and highly-organized
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage and track project budgets, deliverables, and timelines
• Strong communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Experience establishing and maintaining client relationships
• A solid grasp of Microsoft Word/Excel
• The ability to thrive both independently and as a team member

Additional Bonus Skills & Experience:

• Experience working with WordPress and/or Drupal
• Website QA/bug testing
• Writing website specification documents
• Adobe Creative Suite programs such as InDesign and Photoshop
• Experience with Basecamp and/or Harvest

We Offer:

• Competitive salary and a great benefits package including medical, dental, short-term disability, long-term disability, life insurance, and 401k match
• An awesome open-loft work environment in the heart of Midtown Alley — St. Louis’s Design District — near bars, restaurants, and many creative shops
• A highly collaborative environment with designers, writers, strategists, producers, and project managers working together as a team to create the highest quality work
• The opportunity to learn and grow with one the country’s premier branding consultancies while making a positive impact for our clients and our community
• Paid holidays and generous vacation/personal time

How to Apply:

Fill out this form.
No phone calls, please.

Thanks! We look forward to hearing from you!

The post Now Hiring: Interactive Account Coordinator appeared first on TOKY.

Candidates must show a mastery of brand design, including identity development, design systems, and other print or digital applications, along with enthusiasm for collaboration within a driven, award-winning team.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with creative directors, account managers, strategists, writers, producers, and other contributors to develop creative solutions that align with our clients’ strategic goals, schedules, and budgets
• Communicate creative concepts effectively to both clients and team members
• Work creatively, yet consistently, within a brand across print and digital media
• Maintain current design techniques and seek to innovate

Qualifications:

• A strong and diverse portfolio, with a focus on multimedia brand identity design
• Strong communication skills
• A great collaborator with a positive outlook
• Minimum 2-5 years of professional (post-college graduation) design experience
• A self-starter who contributes innovative ideas
• Special consideration to candidates with motion and digital experience 
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Communication Design, Graphic Design, or other relevant field
• Expert knowledge in Adobe Creative Suite, Acrobat, Microsoft Office Suite
• Working knowledge of Sketch, InVision, and After Effects a plus
• Experience with art direction of photography, illustration, as well as hands-on collaboration with copywriters

We Offer:

• Competitive salary and a great benefits package including medical, dental, short-term disability, long-term disability, life insurance, and 401k match
• An awesome open-loft work environment in the heart of Midtown Alley — St. Louis’s Design District — near bars, restaurants, and many creative shops
• A highly collaborative environment with designers, writers, strategists, producers, and project managers working together as a team to create the highest quality work
• The opportunity to learn and grow with one the country’s premier branding consultancies while making a positive impact for our clients and our community 
• Paid holidays and generous vacation/personal time

How to Apply:

• Fill out this form.
• Include a link to your online portfolio
• No phone calls, please

Thanks! We look forward to hearing from you!

The post Now Hiring: Designer appeared first on TOKY.

The 8mm films captured a gay pool party in the 1940’s. And it was Geoff Story who discovered them 50 years later, sitting in a shoebox at an estate sale. After first watching them in amazement, 20 more years would pass before Geoff rediscovered the films and began wondering who the men were. Soon enough, he was making a documentary (Gay Home Movie) and it was during the course of his interviews that he met Gene Dawson — also known as Miss Gina.

While Gene wasn’t in any of the original footage, he (Gene’s most frequently used pronoun) had known some of the men who were. A single interview blurred into weekly visits where Gene shared his experiences and quickly became a story within the story. On one of these visits, Geoff asked Gene to sit for what became an award-winning portrait.

In 1954, Gene ventured into public as Miss Gina for the first time, and as a trans woman, experienced continual harassment and physical threats from the police. But along with his struggles, Gene also spoke of the thrills that came with his dual identity.

Knowing illness would prevent him from seeing the documentary before he passed away, Gene asked if Geoff would create a personal film with the material they had collected. It became footage that Gene watched daily, until he was no longer able to.

Gene passed away in September 2020, but his experiences and image live on as a part of LGBTQ history. “I wanted to make portrait,” Geoff says, “that would reflect Gene’s fortitude in his lifelong fight for equality and in the face of a terminal illness. I miss my friend, but Gene would be thrilled to know we’re still talking about him. He’s reaching people through his story.”

Geoff received a Gold Award in the 2021 Graphis Photography Annual for his portrait of Gene. The photo is also featured in Gene’s self-published memoir, Farm Boy, City Girl: From Gene to Miss Gina. You can learn more about Geoff’s documentary-in-progress or help uncover more of the story here.

The post TOKY’s Geoff Story Wins Gold in the 2021 Graphis Photography Annual appeared first on TOKY.

We’re looking for a strong digital thinker who loves the challenge of turning tough problems into beautiful, smart, and engaging experiences for the web. You will work directly with our creative leaders to create innovative and thoughtful design and user experiences for a variety of clients across the country.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Concept innovative digital experiences and creative design solutions
• Work closely with writers, brand designers, photographers, producers, and developers to create and execute projects from start to finish
• Develop detailed site maps and wireframes for highly interactive interfaces across multiple platforms; this individual will be heavily involved in site concept development, planning, and user experience processes

Required Skills & Experience:

• 3+ years professional (post-college graduation) experience with a strong portfolio as an Interactive Designer
• Design obsessive, with a solid foundation in typography, layout, and general design
• Tech-curious, with a passion for digital innovation and technology and a solid understanding of tools and trends
• Information architecture experience
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• In-depth understanding of HTML, capabilities of web browsers, Sketch, Photoshop, etc.
• A great collaborator with a positive outlook — no grouches

Additional Skills and Experience:

• Experience with InVision
• Experience with Illustrator and InDesign
• Basic working knowledge of animation

We Offer:

• Competitive salary and a great benefits package including medical, dental, short-term disability, long-term disability, life insurance, and 401k match
• A great open loft work environment in the heart of Midtown Alley, St. Louis’s Design District, near bars, restaurants, and many creative shops
• A highly collaborative team environment with designers, writers, developers, producers, and project managers who work and play hard
• Paid holidays and solid vacation/personal time

How to Apply:

• Fill out this form. 
• Include a link to your online portfolio.
• No phone calls, please.

Thanks, and good luck!

The post Now Hiring: Interactive Designer – Remote Opportunity appeared first on TOKY.

This virtual event is scheduled for April 30, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. Registration is free and open now at creativemornings.com/talks/jerry-gennaria.

CreativeMornings is a free, monthly breakfast lecture series for creative communities with chapters in more than 200 cities. Each month, CreativeMornings chooses a global theme, and speakers are selected by local chapters.

Here’s how CreativeMornings describes the April theme, procrastinate:

The things that we perpetually push to tomorrow’s to-do list can become a mental weight. Even though we know the welcome relief that will wash over us when that thing we’re avoiding is complete, still, we delay, just a little while longer.

Procrastination can be a sort of art form: the art of deferred action. It’s a technique that’s got a bad reputation, one often tinged with shame. But it can also be a way to claim the ways you wish to your time. It harbors creative possibilities, too.

In that game of waiting-waiting-waiting until it’s almost too late but not quite, a coiled spring of potential energy hides, ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice. Narrowing a timeline can be a fruitful creative constraint, an exercise in trusting the unknown. When a window of opportunity shrinks, improvisation and spontaneity might unfurl like a flower in a time-lapse video blooming at super speed, a confetti cannon of petals bursting in full color.

Register at creativemornings.com/talks/jerry-gennaria and learn more about CreativeMornings St. Louis at creativemornings.com/cities/stl.

#CMProcrastinate theme illustration (above) by Elisa Talentino.

The post Jerry Gennaria Talks Procrastination & Creativity with CreativeMornings appeared first on TOKY.

Candidates must show a mastery of multidisciplinary brand design, including identity development, multi-page communications, and other print or digital applications, along with enthusiasm for collaboration within a driven, award-winning team.

Responsibilities:

• Develop creative solutions that align with client’s strategic goals & objectives
• Communicate creative concepts effectively to both clients and team members
• Work creatively, yet consistently, within a brand expression across print and digital media
• Collaborate with creative directors, account managers, strategists, writers, producers, and other contributors to deliver high-quality work that meets timing and budget parameters
• Maintain current design techniques, and seek to innovate

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Communication Design, Graphic Design, or other relevant field
• Minimum 3-5 years of professional (post-college graduation) experience in print design
• Digital and motion experience a plus
• A strong and diverse portfolio, with a focus on multimedia brand identity design
• A strong understanding of print processes and attention to detail
• A mastery of both classic and contemporary typography
• A self-starter who contributes innovative ideas
• A great collaborator with a positive outlook. No grouches.
• Expert knowledge in Adobe Creative Suite, Acrobat, Microsoft Office Suite
• Working knowledge of Sketch, InVision, and After Effects a plus
• Experience with art direction of photography, illustration, as well as hands-on collaboration with copywriters

We Offer:

• Competitive salary and a great benefits package including medical, dental, short-term disability, long-term disability, life insurance, and 401k match
• A great open loft work environment in the heart of Midtown Alley, St. Louis’s Design District, near bars, restaurants, and many creative shops
• A highly collaborative team environment with designers, writers, developers, producers, and project managers who work and play hard
• Paid holidays and solid vacation/personal time

How to Apply:

• Fill out this form.
• Include a link to your online portfolio.
• No phone calls, please.

Thanks! We look forward to meeting you!

The post Now Hiring: Designer appeared first on TOKY.

Each year, Communication Arts’ type competition celebrates the best use of typography as the primary visual element in design and advertising, along with new typeface designs, calligraphy, and hand lettering. 

The Typography Annual 11 jury included, from left to right: Valentina Casali (Sunday Büro), Lucho Correa (Lip), Katy Fischer (TOKY), Gloria Kondrup (Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography), Wael Morcos (Morcos Key), and Milton Un (Carmichael Lynch).

Selections represented 25 countries, including work from Bulgaria, Peru, Uruguay, and Vietnam. Check out the list of 2021 winners in the latest issue of Communication Arts or at commarts.com/competition/2020-typography. 

Reflecting on the experience, Katy says that she “Loved seeing the diversity of work — not only in medium and approach, but also in origin of the work. It was inspiring to see work outside of the United States.” Asked about the trends she observed in the judging process, Katy noted that “Design trends spread like wildfire these days. Dribbble, Behance, etc. give our community a hyper-instant reference of style. If style is used to express new, different or something reminiscent of another, then it gets boring real fast.”

Congrats to this year’s winners! While you’re here, check out team TOKY’s past CA Typography honors:

• 2017: Shift, Test Kitchen & Take Out
• 2016: SWT Living Design
• 2015: Le Chat Putain Identity, Mound City Brochures
• 2014: Woody Guthrie Center Identity
• 2012: Core of Discovery Identity
• 2011: Miles Davis Jazz Festival Identity

The post Katy Fischer Joins Judging Panel for CA’s Typography Annual 11 appeared first on TOKY.

Team TOKY was tasked with branding the new CBD-infused line from renowned chocolatier Maureen Moore of Saddleback Chocolates. Earlier this week, we were thrilled to see KIZMET packaging featured on the Graphis blog.

From the article:
“As artisanal chocolate with unique flavors and infused with CBD, KIZMET revolutionizes the ordinary chocolate bar. This packaging cleverly utilizes old-school candy stripes to show this chocolate doesn’t forget what it is, but the tiny gold marijuana leaf at the top of the box with the slogan ‘Chocolate Meets CBD’ modernizes the delicacy.”

Cheers to Graphis for the feature, and congrats to our clients at KIZMET! Shop the full line of CBD chocolates at kizmetcbd.com/shop.

The post KIZMET Chocolates Packaging Featured on Graphis appeared first on TOKY.

Now, think about how you decide which one to patronize? Is it price? The side of the street? Maybe you’re loyal to one brand because they stock your favorite beverage. Whatever the reason, how hard would it be for you to switch to the other station? Probably not too hard. The prices are almost always the same. The snacks are similar. The gasoline powers your car no matter which brand you choose.

Now, think about your own business. In the era of smartphones, Google, Facebook, and other media, we have a nearly infinite supply of options for almost every need. Your business is one of those options, so how do you stand out from the crowd? No — stop and think — how are you truly different from your competitors in a way that is meaningful to customers? Now, do your customers and prospects agree with you? What will it take for them to switch to your competition? Will they pay a price premium to work with you?

Many people think a brand is the visual expression of your business — your logo, colors, signs, or advertising. You may be more experienced and realize that your brand is the sum total of what your customers believe about you. But have you really considered what that means and how defensible it is? This past year has caused many of us to revisit business relationships and truly evaluate how important they are. You may have even changed or eliminated suppliers due to cost. You may have lost or gained business for the same reason.

Think about the relationships you consider vital to your business and for which there is no acceptable substitute. Does your business fall into that category for your customers? When a prospect asks why they should choose your business, what do you say? Quality? Customer service? Low price? Convenient location? Superior performance? If so, how do you quantify that and is your superiority truly different in the minds of your customers?

It’s easy to believe your own marketing materials — after all, that’s how you sell yourself. But it doesn’t help if you are busy differentiating from your competitors based on something your customers don’t truly value. It’s hard to be objective about what makes you different. And it’s exceptionally difficult to make the hard decisions necessary to be really different.

This year, take a step back and evaluate how you position your business. Ask your customers why they chose you and what it would take for them to leave. Get an objective outside opinion. Don’t be afraid to make the hard decisions.

The post How Truly Different Are You? appeared first on TOKY.

For now, the menu of pizzas, pastas, salads, and cocktails will be available for carryout, dining room, or courtyard dining. And speaking of the courtyard, the name, Edera (Italian for ivy), was inspired by the iconic ivy-covered walls surrounding the restaurant’s outdoor dining space. Much like the food, the Edera brand strikes a balance between upscale and approachable, combining traditional Italian typography with modern stencil lettering. The playful “E” takes many shapes, from the noodle wrapped around a fork to the namesake ivy and the twist atop a refreshing cocktail.

Check out the full Edera menu at ederastl.com. And for more of TOKY’s hospitality branding, scroll through our work for Vicia, Firecracker Pizza & Beer, and Hot Box Cookies.

The post TOKY-Branded Edera Italian Eatery Now Open in the CWE appeared first on TOKY.