We were approached by a former client, now at BlackRock Inc., about working with her to brand a new internal education platform for their employees. Once we were briefed and informed that continuous education was a cornerstone of their corporate culture, the intention was clear: as the world’s largest asset management company, BlackRock was first investing in their most valuable assets, their people.

After taking inventory of all current learning channels across BlackRock’s internal learning management system, we worked with the BlackRock project team to create an identity and branding system called the BlackRock Academies that would unite all current and future company academies.

Once a series of 6 academy websites were launched, the goals shifted to increasing employee engagement in these new continuous education resources. One early marketing strategy was BlackRock Academies Week. Once each quarter, we created internal campaigns to promote awareness and inspire engagement. To measure the effectiveness, we partnered with their LMS software provider to pull weekly data reports on employee engagement. The data provided insight for future marketing efforts.

SCOPE OF WORK

Academy Branding:
eLearning Review
Identity Design
Academy Branding
Website Design
Iconography

Engagement Marketing:
Content Visualization
Design & Animation
Graphic Illustration
Website Design
Iconography
Storyboard Development
Copywriting
Video Design & Editing
Animation
Music Direction

In 2017 LaCoste Design Co. began working with BlackRock Inc. to form, launch, maintain and promote the BlackRock Academies. We observed the impact that Learning and Development can have on a company when done effectively.

Tomorrow U was born out of our simple love of learning. We believe an educated world is a better world. Education is also the best investment a company can make in a sustained culture of loyalty, teamwork and growth.

We created this entire niche business from concept to brand launch and continue to work with interested clients and parties to this day.

SCOPE OF WORK
Company Formation
Strategic Direction
Brand Strategy
Naming
Creative Direction
Logo Design
Identity System
Brand Design
Brand Standard Guidelines
Website Design & Development
Social Media Branding
Branded Apparel

This CASE PAPER Promotion was a collaborative project we worked on with Stoyan Design, finalized just as COVID hit and sadly never made it to the printer. It was to be used as a sales tool for a new Case Paper southern California distribution center. Case is serious about their reputation of being a reliable source for paper and paperboard, but the company culture doesn’t take themselves so seriously. They had a history of tongue and cheek advertising and other promotions that kept their audience and customers entertained. Or at the very lest, warranted a smile. We picked up on their insatiable sense of humor, as well as their new brand message of always being “On The Case” to deliver CASE FILES.

Creative Director: David Stoyan Wooters
Art Director & Designer: Kerry LaCoste
Illustrator: Michael Wertz
Photographer: Walter Urie Photography

Project Scope:
Concept
Art Diection
Design
Production

A memorable visual identity is the solid foundation on which to attach your brand. At LaCoste Design Company we create identities that are uniquely memorable and leverage the true nature of the organizations they represent. We do this by listening, observing, researching and collecting information about our clients and their industry in order to accurately capture and create an identity that is yours alone.

Mister Window Holding Corp. enlisted LDC to reimagine their identity when new ownership bought the company in 2019 from the original 1977 founder. We worked with directly with the President / CEO to first update the logo and then extend the identity system to all aspects of their branding and marketing, from signage and appeal to their fleet of existing service vehicles.

Scope of Work:
Brand Strategy
Creative Direction
Logo Design
Identity System
Branding
Signage
Vehicle Wraps
Apparel
Marketing
Sales Tools

LaCoste Design Co. had been involved from day one developing the strategy and brand — in conjunction with the Sagent marketing team — for this start-up generic injectables pharmaceutical company. We continuously refined, developed and improved their branded communications from print to digital to trade show booths and event promotions.

SCOPE OF WORK
Brand Strategy
Identity System
Brand Standards
Trade Show Marketing
Advertising
Trade Show Booth Design
Product Sheets
Products Video

We’ve had an interest in graphic illustration for some time now. Having the opportunity to create our own images, especially when they are more concept driven, is a real thrill.

HOPE is HERE and NOW. This is the theme and outlines Project HOPE's purpose in their 2011 Annual Report. HERE is anywhere there is poverty, illness, disaster and disease. NOW is today, tomorrow or as long as it takes to complete their work. Project HOPE has worked for more than 56 years fighting disease, saving the lives of the most vulnerable, focusing on education and training to create healthier communities for the future. And their mission continues.

Project Scope:
Creative Direction
Design
Print Production

Nextteq, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and comprised of Nextteq LLC and Nextteq International LLC, is a trusted, global leader in the industrial hygiene and safety industries. We partnered with Robinson Brand Builders (a long-term strategic consultant to Nextteq) and Cosmic Digital Design Studio (development and SEO) to design their new international website.

The main challenge for our team was to organize over 250 products in a way that was user-friendly, and functionally efficient. The site was divided into 8 product sections and further subdivided for other products that fell within the main 8 sections.

After working on this project for more than a year before the COVID Pandemic hit, progress slowed and eventually other priorities and projects at Nextteq took precedent and this site was never finished. However, our team did design and complete an e-commerce website for Nextteq in 2021 and 2022 called the Sampling Depot.

Project Scope:
Creative Direction
Art Direction
Design
Development

We played an interesting role in working with The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC). Much of the projects and general work did not follow the usual path of branding and design. A lot of the early work involved helping the Chief Learning Officer (CLO) try out ideas and strategies she had for effecting company-wide change. These exercises included exploratory graphic and image work with supplied content and not always the certainty of a finished deliverable. It was highly collaborative and exciting work because of the impact it could have.

Scope of Services:
Identity Design
Data Visualization & Design
Executive Leadership Presentations
Corporate Brochures
Infographic Design
Speaker Series
Social Media Marketing
Website Design
Programing & Development
Iconography Design

ALPA Construction is one of the fastest growing healthcare construction companies in America. Teaming up with our friends at MHdezign and The Eloquent Arrow for a rebrand, we were all very excited to get to work. We worked closely with ALPA to create a vision for the brand which put them at the top of healthcare developments across the Country.

With a tagline like “Spaces Transforming Lives” and a new vibrant look, we were able to steer ALPA into a market where they will continue to thrive and excel the brand’s expectations.

SCOPE OF WORK
Branding
Strategy
Identity Refresh
Tagline
Print Collateral
Signage
Apparel

This Abbott Molecular image book was a joint venture between Mark Joseph Photography, LaCoste Design and Strategic Alliance International. It was created to announce, inform and educate the city of Des Plaines IL, government officials and Abbott stockholders about the new molecular facility being built there. The plan at the time was that Abbott Molecular would be a spin-off company from its parent Abbott.

Project Scope:
Creative Direction
Book Design
Photo Art Direction
Print Production

Courier Corporation is a full-service publisher, printer, distributor and marketer of educational, specialty and religious books. Through a wide range of pictures and words, the chapters of Volume II tell the story of how Courier achieved a leadership position in the book industry.

Project Scope:
Creative Direction
Art Direction
Copywriting
Design
Production
Print Supervision

Through it’s grant-making, The Joyce Foundation supports efforts to protect the natural environment of the Great Lakes, to reduce poverty and violence in the region, and to ensure that its people have access to good schools, decent jobs, and a diverse and thriving culture. The conceptual development and storytelling throughout this report helps visualize their core mission of enabling positive change in all of the above areas.

Project Scope:
Creative Direction
Photo Art Direction
Design
Production
Print Supervision

As a sole practitioner, J. Christopher Davenport gives his full heart and focus to each project and offers the unique experience of knowing that every aspect of the project was developed and executed by the Principal.  Chris produces richly beautiful designs that are a unique reflection of the Owner and their specific needs rather than a forced expression of the Architect’s will. In other words, for each build there is a personal story. And with Chris's brand identity, it starts with his own. Client's will no doubt ask, "what's that J. stand for?"

Project Scope:
Creative Direction
Logo Design
Identity System
Social Media Assets

We designed this site as a collaboration with Hinge, a research and strategy communications firm from the Washington DC area. The clean and sophisticated look provided the pharmacy benefit services company exactly the update they were looking for. While the circle design elements provided navigation functionality as well as reinforced the branding from their existing logo.

Project Scope:
Creative Direction
Art Direction
Page Design

At the time this brochure was created, photographer Mark Joseph was know for his exceptional location-based and portrait images. After interviewing and getting to Mark better, and how his personality and process played into capturing great photos, the concept and form of this brochure came into focus.

Mark summed up simply that if his preparation and process was good, he knew the end results would take care of themselves. This brochure literally unfolds utilizing what’s called a roll-fold format and the metaphor of a travel journey to represent the thinking and process behind his award-winning images.

All photography is the copyright of Mark Joseph Photography Inc.

Here's a sampling of self-promotion projects dating back to the beginning of LDC. But enough about us, we're really more interesting in promoting you!

Over the years LDC has worked with many other creative agencies to help visualize and design their website projects, or have led our own team of collaborators on behalf of our clients. This is a sampling of the sites we’ve been a part of creating.

We have had the pleasure of designing books for, and with many incredible individuals. From inception to delivery of the final printed samples, LaCoste Design Co. has partnered every step of the way with the authors to bring their works to life.

Book projects showcased:

Let’s Learn Our Way Through It, Shall We?
Author: Ekpedeme “Pamay” M. Bassey
Designers: Kerry LaCoste & Chelsea Chick

Fifty Ways to Better Social Media
Authors: Melissa G. Wilson, Kerry LaCoste, Nancy Marmolejo
Designers: Kerry LaCoste & Sharon Burdett

The Inclusion Paradox
Author: Andres T. Tapia
Designers: Kerry LaCoste & Brian Traina