testimonials
Sweet nothings—otherwise known as client testimonials.
“
In a true testament to the approach of this firm, the very first presentation that Studio Incognita gave me was one explaining what a brand actually was, and how we would work together to develop the identity of the Joe Louis Greenway in a way that reflects the voices of the many communities this effort touches.
As someone who considers public engagement to be foundational to every step of the planning process, this perspective was transformational to me. It is a presentation I have recreated many times over with other city executives, to express the value of not just pretty design (which is such a strength of this team!) but the power of active listening.
Since that process began, I have increasingly relied on Studio Incognita on everything from helping me make the case of the greenway to our federal representatives all the way to requesting that Jenn and team rewrite segments of our master plan to better reflect our work with residents.
Jenn and her team have taken extra attention and care to share all of the work done on the greenway identity with Joe Louis’s children and their immediate families, all of whom share the same sense of trust in allowing Studio Incognita to work on representations of their father, frequently marveling over how thoughtfully interwoven his personal legacy and the legacy of Detroit is in this work.
Studio Incognita is a “goldilocks” firm—large enough to support the capacity needed on massive citywide initiatives like this one and small enough to be responsive to the chaotic demands and shifting perspectives of municipal leadership. I trust the Studio Incognita team immensely and wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone interested in learning how powerful the exercise of branding and identity-building can be.”
Dr. Meagan Elliott
Deputy CFO
Former Chief Parks Planner
City of Detroit
“
Studio Incognita was quick and transparent when it came to providing proposals and scoping out work, so I never had to guess about what, when or how much.
They were also flexible in helping me structure a scope of work and set goals, so that I could maximize every dollar I had. I never had to worry that I wasn’t asking the right questions because they were solid partners in helping me properly design my project based on the budget I had to work with.
Studio Incognita provided quick and creative work that helped me visualize the brand messaging I wanted to convey in just the right way. They worked with my team on two campaigns that helped boost business during the critical holiday shopping season in Ferndale: Unbox the Holidays and Like It’s 2020. Both campaigns were incredibly successful on social media— generating over $10K in sales over two months.
I am already planning on working with them again and would highly recommend them to a municipality or other entity focused on putting out compelling promotional content with a clear call to action, and measurable results.”
Jordan Twardy
Community & Economic Development Director,
City of Ferndale
“
We have been fortunate to work with Studio Incognita on several projects, the first being an entire marketing rebrand of our organization.
This included a new logo, messaging, website, and program brochure. Jenn approached the task thoughtfully, assessing our current brand, determining the strengths and weaknesses. She listened carefully as we explained our mission, goals and programming and came up with fresh ideas that supported our work. She presented us with three designs, all of which were stunning.
Since our rebrand with Studio Incognita, we have seen increased engagement from our staff, students, sponsors, and the community. Teachers and other leaders in the organization have aligned themselves with the brand messaging and it has energized them to continue to go out and make a difference in our community. In 2018, we held our most successful fundraising event yet, selling a record number of tickets and corporate sponsorships largely because our improved brand and communications. In the time Incognita has been working with us, we have received many compliments on our materials, and our website has garnered donations from various corporate entities without even being solicited.”
Julie Brunzell
Marketing Director,
Living Arts
“
Jenn Maine and the team at Studio Incognita are exceptionally passionate, strategic, resourceful, and reliable.
We have worked with them on multiple Kresge Arts in Detroit branding projects for over three years now.
A standout project was the work done for the Kresge Eminent Artist Award program. We came to Jenn with a tight turn around time on the brand design and a number of project limitations based on how the design needed to fit with both existing elements, and elements that would be designed in the near future. Jenn heard our needs, asked insightful questions, proposed a clear and expedited design and review process, and ultimately delivered responsive and thoughtful concepts that substantially elevated the visual profile of the Kresge Eminent Artist program. From the start, we have felt like Jenn understands our program, our goals, and our work culture. The brands she creates are a reflection of the intuition and empathy for people and their goals that she is able to bring to every project.”
Christina DeRoos