Challenge: New Jersey Young Professionals (NJYP), is a social and networking organization for professionals between the ages of 21 and 39. NJYP's first and foremost objective was to introduce the organization to prospective members while retaining the existing ones. Secondary objectives included: promotion of NJYP events, creating a hub of communication between members, creating a calendar of NJYP events, inform the user of NJYP news, excite and entertain the members, add a revenue stream from online advertising, and promote NJYP to prospective investors and advertisers.

In December of 2005, NJYP began this objective with the proposal of a design contest for its existing Yahoo Group members by asking them to submit a logo that represented the up and coming, fun, eclectic professionals of New Jersey.

Solution: Paul Kiesche Design submitted 3 original logos for the NJYP Logo Contest, all consistent with the desired image, but diverse in design. On January 18th, 2006 Paul Kiesche Design was announced the official winner of the New Jersey Young Professionals Logo Contest. The logo was then finalized and delivered, beginning the start of what would be NJYP's complete design makeover. Soon thereafter NJYP hired Paul Kiesche Design to create customized stationery, an interactive website that would act as the primary base of communication for the group, ongoing promotions and fresh, stylish merchandise for NJYP members.

Paul Kiesche Design worked with NJYP to help gain the necessary developmental capital with a T-shirt Promotion. This Promotion included a custom built brochure website that enticed existing members to pre-pay for a Premium Membership. The Promotion offered special perks that would enhance their experience as an NJYP member. Prior to the actual launch, those perks included, but were not limited to, early access to the site as well as to the email and posting capabilities. It also included an original promotional NJYP T-shirt designed by Paul Kiesche Design.

NJYP was designed to mimic the group's lively youth while simultaneously being simple, clean, functional and informative. All elements of design were consistent with each other as well as the new logo. In conjunction with Daniel Hedden Photography and Painted Eyes Production, Paul Kiesche Design directed a photo shoot of members at an NJYP event. There original photography and video were obtained and later used on the site and for future promotions. Paul Kiesche Design created the original information architecture including: personas, wireframes, sitemap, user flow analysis and more assuring user accessibility, site flow and a five year projection plan for the future expansion of the site. The site fuses Flash and traditional html together, enhancing the visual aesthetics while remaining search engine friendly. The site database was created and is maintained by Visual.com, Inc.

Result: The careful attention to function and a design that depicted NJYP, proved to be a successful blend. Within a week of the pre-launch, over 200 members pre-paid giving them the opportunity to secure a username and a Paul Kiesche Design promotional t-shirt announcing the launch. The site was then released to current members, 500 of which joined before the official launch in July of 2006. Within the first week of that launch, there were over 1,100 registered, active members. The site currently has over 7,500 members (7/07). The numbers of profiles, forum posts, member correspondence and merchandise sales continue to grow. The site continues to increase revenues with it's membership sales and online advertising.

NJYP and Paul Kiesche Design were featured in several publications for the logo contest and new website. The publications included: NJBIZ, The Roxbury Register, Dexigner.com and Designtaxi.com. The NJYP website was awarded the Art Directors Certificate of Excellence from the Art Directors Club of NJ and the Bronze Award in the Horizon Interactive Award.

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