Foxnoggin, a design firm in central Phoenix, was recently thrown a few recognition bones for their comic-style work for eBay and Avnet. Neill Fox, the company’s principal, explained the caveats inherent in such highly-specialized creative direction:
The notion of portraying a product or people as heroic can serve a program’s marketing objectives well. But it takes a unique client to embrace a comic-themed execution; not all corporate brands are suited for this type of progressive approach.
The first campaign, a quarterly awareness program featuring a cadre of civic crusaders called The Preventers, was developed for eBay in a continuing effort to promote workplace safety and security. The program, which encompassed identity, messaging and illustration work, landed Foxnoggin a 2009 IABC Phoenix Copper Quill Award in the category of Employee/Member Communications.
Foxnoggin’s work for Avnet Technology Solutions was executed in a similar vein, but this time featuring superheroes battling the bad guys of the data storage and backup universe. The direct mail campaign highlighted the advantages of the T10k, a new tape storage device from Avnet’s technology partner StorageTek. The mailer included a branded Viewmaster, on which the recipient would view on-message comic cells in a fun and hands-on format. You can see it for yourself if you snag Collins Design’s 2009 edition of The Big Book of Self Promotion – it’s in there.
Very cool stuff. I’m amazed I’ve never heard of them before!
I’ve never heard of these guys either, but I want to go hang out in their office now. Those are some cool, cool designs.
I’m so glad to see Neill and the team being recognized for their work! We work with these guys on numerous projects and they always deliver creative, clean designs.
It’s great to see some innovative work on standard product packaging. It makes the mundane fun again. Kudos to Foxnoggin!