Meet the team: Graphic design firm San Francisco Bay area.

We are an award winning team of creative professionals.

Michelle Dunn
VP, Strategist
 
Michelle is a pioneer at integrated communication and online marketing. She has created awarding winning and high impact marketing programs for Blue Chip, Education and Non-Profits clients such as Apple, Cisco, Visa, University of Maryland, Frommer’s Travel Guides, for Dummies and City of San Francisco.
 
As the Chief Strategist for Donohue Design, Michelle creates the roadmap for branding or demand generation programs to ensure that we meet our clients’ needs and goals.

This roadmap guides our clients through the process of program management from inception through results including creative & messaging development, media buying, tracking and measurement reporting.

We execute marketing programs that are credible and compelling to various target audiences, meeting the goals of the organization and providing greatest return on your marketing investments.

Jim Donohue
Creative Director and principal for Donohue Design

Jim has over 12 years experience in the creative field. He is an expert in integrated marketing — incorporating the same design style across print and web (DM, email, website) for a powerful and cohesive brand image.

As principal for Donohue Design, Jim works with internal marketing departments and business owners to create marketing and design solutions that increase sales.

Jim is also a contractor for ad agencies in and around the San Francisco Bay Area: Apple, Agency.com, Schwab, Publicis Dialog, Modem Media, Carlson Marketing, Ketchum Interactive and Providian Financial/The Kessler Group.

Tom Mescall
Copywriter — ACD

Tom Mescall has 20 years of experience in advertising as a Creative Director and Copywriter. He has worked in all forms of media, and his work has appeared in Communication Arts, the London Advertising Awards, the Best of Print, the Addys, the Beldings and more.

He has worked directly with such companies as Apple, Bank of America, Schwab, Amgen and Princess Cruises. He has also worked and contracted with a range of traditional and interactive firms, including Publicis Modem, Carat, Agency.com, and Nimblefish as well traditional agencies like Saatchi and FCB. He spent seven years at Team One Advertising as a Group Director and Sr. Copywriter overseeing the Collateral Division on Lexus.

His client experience includes Apple, Bank of America, Marriott, HP, Adidas, Lexus, Schwab, Sprint, Philips, Honda, Toyota, Weyerhaeuser, Sony, Hyatt, Del Monte, Amgen, Countrywide, Vonage, Princess Cruises, Toshiba and Dannon.

About our methodology

Located in the San Francisco Bay area, Donohue Design has helped clients in North America, Europe and Australia meet and exceed their marketing goals since 1995.

Here are the reasons why:

1. We understand design/branding and technology
2. We offer integrated marketing in a variety of media
3. Our work inflates your sales, not our egos
4. We design and brand to your customers' psychographics
5. We know the difference between media
   

We understand design/branding and technology
When we undertake an electronic media project (website, E-mail blast, online newsletter, etc.) we also take into consideration all the technological aspects involved. We use XHTML and CSS, only do hand coding, and rarely employ Flash. In fact, recent studies show that users are more likely to leave your website if Flash is involved.

We make minimal use of Javascript when there are cross-platform issues with browsers. Why do we take this approach? Search engines have less work to do when crawling through your site, and that translates to higher rankings, more visitors, and more sales. And we ultimately save you money in the end as you need not pay outside web gurus.

We offer integrated marketing in a variety of media
Customers, partners, vendors, analysts, employees, and the press all interact with your company through a variety of touch points. That's why it's imperative that every touch point have the same high level of design and branding that reflects your company’s message in a clear and consistent way.

And that's also why at Donohue Design we offer a variety of services to ensure every touch point offers a superior return on investment.

Our work inflates your sales, not our egos
When it comes to design and branding there is a tendency of both design companies and clients to develop solutions that look cool and cutting edge. Trouble is, such solutions don't always translate to sales.

At Donohue Design our solutions are solely created to maximize your marketing dollars. Yes, they look great and you'll get compliments, but the reality is nothing is developed without in-depth strategic thinking behind it, ever.

We design and brand to your customers' psychographics
Before any work can begin we ask that you complete either a brand audit or a creative brief depending on the project. We want to get into the heads of your customers — what they are thinking, what makes them buy, how they perceive your company and your competition, what is your company’s personality, and so on.

This process ensures that your target market has a clear and strong image of your company that that image is consistent at every touch point (web, logo, corporate ID, data sheets, etc.).

We know the difference between media
It may sound funny, but we know the difference between a logo, a website, and other media. Sounds obvious, right? Well, the fact is a logo that is intricate in design with a variety of colors may look distorted in electronic form or not even reproduce in black and white.

And contrary to popular belief, website's are very limited in both color palette and the number of fonts used. Yes, you can any color and font you want, but the reality is your site will look radically different to users depending on what browser and machine (PC, Macintosh, PDA, etc.) they are using.

At Donohue Design we take all these variables into account when developing your projects. The results? Your customers have the intended experience regardless of the media.

Find out what Donohue Design can do for your company.
Contact us today!