Lexington, KY - Fusioncorp Design Mediahouse, a Lexington-based Web development and graphic design shop, has found a great deal of demand for its media skills and creativity - not only on the part of paying clients, but also from a variety of local nonprofits.
One example is the Lexington affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
"Mary Allison Belshoff (executive director of the local organization) came to us and asked what we could do for the cause," said Tim Raymer, one of the principals and creative directors at Fusioncorp Design. "She wanted to do things like posters, billboards, flyers, T-shirts - the whole gamut."
To date, Fusioncorp has invested about $17,000 in donated services to the internationally known breast cancer campaign, much of it to promote the public's support of and participation in Lexington's 2011 Race for the Cure on Oct. 15. The reason the company does it is simple, according to Raymer.
"It saves lives," Raymer said. "The less money Susan G. Komen has to spend on the kind of media work that we do, the more money they can put toward breast cancer awareness and saving those lives."
Daniel Boone, Fusioncorp's other principal and creative director, said the firm also developed images promoting the race as part of the package of animations it provided for the jumbo projector screen on the side of a building next to Phoenix Park in downtown Lexington.
"We believe in community and small businesses. We're all in it together," said Boone. "We all started small and are striving to get larger. We find that once you have a strong community base that's mature, then your overall structure is sound. We feel that if we are not giving back to the community in some way, then we are not giving back at all," he concluded.
Another public service client with a limited budget that Fusioncorp is assisting is the Bluegrass Prevention Center. It has a special project called Keep it Real, a youth-driven community effort to educate young people about the dangers of drinking alcohol. The campaign strives to prove that young people are more likely to understand a message if they are allowed to help design it in order for it to have the greatest impact on their peers.
"The students create 30-second public service announcements that include different takes on the dangers of underage drinking," explained Boone. "There was a voting system. The winner got to have their PSA shown on WKYT-TV and in local movie theaters. That's a great one - a good cause," he said.
Again, the pair considers it a privilege to give back to the community.
"In using our skills as designers, we get to live our dream every day. We enjoy using those skills to better the public," added Raymer.
Fusioncorp Design Mediahouse has been around since 2005. Boone, who graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree in art studio from the University of Kentucky, bought out a partner. Raymer, who earned his BFA degree in graphic arts from Eastern Kentucky University, joined the firm early this year. A third member, Erin Boone, Daniel's wife, handles the marketing needs of the firm's clients. She sports a BFA in theatre design and technology.
Together, the team strives to create "the most intricate and effective websites, graphics and brands" and pushes "video development so that it is consistently ahead of the marketplace," according to its website. Other interesting clients include Wilson Nurseries in Frankfort, one of the largest and most out-of-the-ordinary nurseries in Kentucky, and a project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that involves a tugboat museum.
Raymer and the Boones not only support charitable causes but believe in calling upon the unique talents of Kentucky businesses whenever possible. They estimate that about 95 percent of the money they spend to conduct business stays in the state. For example, their Web host is based in Louisville, and most of the printers they use are in Lexington.
"That's part of our foundation: to make sure Lexington survives, Kentucky survives (and) that we do everything we can to ensure that survival," Raymer said.
Picking a supporting cast for a project is necessary for larger projects and Fusioncorp doesn't hesitate to call in its "A-Team."
"We pick local companies out of Louisville or Lexington to meet with our clients. That way, the clients don't feel like they need to go to five different places for one project," explained Boone.
"We have a nice Rolodex of individuals who do quality work. In the end, the client is happy and we're happy. Our motto is 'Clients for Life.' We want to see them grow and to come back to us."
In turn, Fusioncorp is often called upon to perform outsource work for other marketing and advertising companies.
As Raymer is quick to tell everyone, "Small businesses, all the way up to medium businesses, make the world go around. That's who we really care about."