Case Study

Patty Montbriand knows firsthand the importance of a quality graphic designer to her company, Concorde Battery Corp. She says experience with the opposite taught her that, and has confirmed that the choice to hire Becker 505 Creative Design Studio six years ago was the right one.

“We have a classic style and our artists in the past came up with things they thought were cool, but we didn’t,” Montbriand says.

Chad Becker, owner at Becker 505, has embraced Concorde’s more traditional graphics’ vision, however. He has implemented it successfully many times over for this battery manufacturing company’s print and online advertisements, web site, labels, and more.

Concorde Battery is located in West Covina, Calif., and specializes in lead acid aircraft batteries, lead acid photovoltaic batteries, deep cycle batteries for communications, as well as auxiliary power for RVs, yachts, etc. Montbriand says the company and marketplace consider Concorde’s products high-end, offering outstanding merit and reliability. “The graphic continuity of all our products really ties into that message,” she adds.

Corporate Consistency

Montbriand says that there is value in this design consistency. When a new product is launched, the look remains the same. “Customers always know it's from Concorde,” she adds.

She stresses the company does not like the more modern look of small letters and open spaces, but that Becker 505 is able to transform Concorde’s vision and materials into an appealing design. Sometimes this includes a background, and other times, not, Montbriand says. The consistency is attained through unique, but common, branding for each product line.

As a battery manufacturer, a challenge Montbriand says the company faces is to fit a lot of copy into a small print area. These details are important to educate customers about Concorde’s unique product details. “But, we don't want these things to look like survey reports or technical papers,” she explains. “We want them to have a little punch for advertising.” And Becker 505 accomplishes this.

In addition to print, banner, static and animated advertising, Becker 505 produces posters and show graphics for Concorde Battery. In the near future, the designers will be working on a catalog and web design for the company, and again, maintaining that cohesive look it appreciates and likes.

Looking at Labels

Montbriand says a project which stands out over the years is the complete revision Becker 505 did of Concorde’s actual product labels. “They are wonderful,” she says. “We are really happy with them.”

One in particular she says really popped was for the Sun Xtender Batteries, which are made with absorbent glass mat (AGM) technology. A new label was needed to replace the basic one comprised of only a logo on white stock. The company heads wanted the background to be a black carbon fiber, a task given to Becker to locate and incorporate in the new labels’ designs.

Montbriand says he succeeded, finding the background, adding personality and then choosing the correct colors for the logo. He inserted the necessary technical elements and designed four unique labels for each battery. “They’re beautiful labels,” she compliments.

Quality Customer Care

In addition to outstanding graphic design skill, Montbriand says Becker 505 provides quality customer care. “He answers the phone,” says Montbriand, with a laugh, but also in complete seriousness. “It makes a difference. If I call and there’s one little thing I don't like and want removed, I want him to answer the phone and do it.” In an ever-increasing e-mail driven business world, she says this level of customer service means a lot.

Becker 505 additionally provides quick turn-around times for projects, and takes any changes in stride. Montbriand says he works with Concorde Battery as a team, and when she can’t verbally relate a vision, Becker comes alongside his client to bring it to life. “Sometimes we can’t get our point of view out,” she says. “We know what we don’t like, though. Small details matter.”

She says Becker is also a “rare artist” and good at spelling, a skill that sets him apart from his peers but likewise appeals to clients. “Chad is very easy to work with,” she concludes. “He answers his phone, gets back to you and is able to make your vision work. And, if you don't have a vision, he can give you one.”