Werner Design Werks

Werner Design Werks started 25 years ago in 1991 and have been at 3 location since they have first opened. "We create designs that work hard for our clients. We build brands that have a story and a personality beyond the shelf. We create ‘living brands’ that evolve and grow. And we believe that for any brand to live up to its promises, it has to be honest and hardworking. Just like the studio that helped create it." This mission statement captures what WDW is striving towards in the design world. I really like that they put a description of their design process as well as a graphic to try and explain how the company functions. They start off with learning, exploring, designing, and implementing to come up with a solution. Their studio is actually pretty different than the ones that I have seen before. They have no reception area, the offices aren't hidden behind doors or cubicles. Everything is out in the open. I like this idea because the studio would then be connected to the clients more and they would feel more comfortable, however, whenever I am designing anything I like to have my own space and a bit of privacy to create my magic. There are three people that work at the office right now. Sharon Werner, the founder of the studio as well as Sarah Forss and Abby Haddican as senior designers.

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There is only one case study that I found on their website and it's for Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day. It's amazing to see the whole process on their website because it highlights each step and how they came up with a solution. They started out with learning who Mrs. Meyer was and learning everything about her and what she wanted to achieve with the soap. From their they researched the time period from when it was made and how they can bring out that past while also making it modern. “WDW created rich layers of design that allowed us to engage our consumers in endless ways. This approach helped us immediately stand out on the retail shelf in a sea of sameness. WDW helped us evolve the brand as we rapidly gained market share in major retailers across the U.S. Not only are they amazing designers, they also are strategic business thinkers – always working to ensure we remain true to the essence of the brand in every execution.” This was said by the founder of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day.

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Some of the other stuff on their homepage was stuff that I didn't really recognize. However, going though their designs I could tell that most of their designs are very colorful and plays heavily on type. I also really liked their saying on their homepage; "We are storytellers, artists, and designers. We understand that every brand has a unique personality and its own story to tell; we explore, craft and cultivate that story with honesty, integrity and originality. We combine strong visual language with informed design solutions to create work that not only positively impacts commerce, but also transforms culture." Overall, from the vibe of their website I feel like it would be a pretty fun place to work and learn new techniques from experience people.