about

•    Who are we?

notion:creative is two creative brains for hire, Aly Anderson & Heather Prandini, that love the process of design and marketing and we thrive off the challenge of setting a product or business apart from the rest.  We are inspired by trial and error, accidents that become great ideas and the benefits and joys of collaboration. We have a great support team we can enlist to help coordinate any job large or small and our combined forces allow us to offer a well rounded, full service design collective.

Our scribble comes from that moment when an idea hits, so you sit down to record it and scribble to get your ink flowing before you start fleshing out your notion. We want to be involved in designing your logo, website or invitation from that first moment. Let us guide you through the creative process. Join our team and collaborate with us.

•    How did we get so smart?

Aly started a one-woman freelance design company in 2004 without any notion that it would grow into a full-fledged design studio in 2010. Her aesthetic mantra is “clean & simple” and her fascination with the uniqueness of each and every one of notion:creative’s clients’ stories is the secret ingredient in her designs (Yipe! Secret’s out!). Her ear and eye for detail give her a beeline to her clients’ brain; a decidedly un-creepy aesthetic clairvoyance. Aly enjoys refueling her creativity while puttering around the homestead she shares with her husband where she raises semi-famous domestic animals, concocts delicious edibles from scratch (many can be found in The Gluten Free Lab‘s sweets cookbook), collects vintage buttons, and spends time with her husband when he’s not out moonlighting as a gypsy guitarist.

Heather’s background in art and visual communication has led her to many different applications of her creative abilities, from sales and marketing to visual consultant. Her head for business combined with her art background provide half of the design partnership at notion:creative. Heather brings to this team a distinctive combination of powerhouse idea generation, a funky artistic sensibility, and a knack for networking, branding and marketing. Driven by her creativity, she thrives on creating visual stimulation for others. Her love of promoting art and creativity in the world has lead her to her roles as designer at notion:creative, head of marketing for The Gluten Free Lab and member of the core creative and production team for The Great Handcar Regatta.

•    How are we different?

notion:creative is all about the relationship. We want to meet you, eat GF cookies with you, (fun fact: we are both gluten intolerant, check out our side project The Gluten Free Lab) and enjoy your company; because it’s when we have a personal stake in your business that we come up with our greatest ideas. And when there’s a mutual respect between notion:creative and the client we just have a whole lot of fun. And if it’s not fun, we wonder “why bother?”.

•    Where are we?

notion:creative is fortunate enough to be located in Northern California’s Sonoma County, where art and design are held in high regard and inspiration is around every corner. Our office is located in  downtown Healdsburg at 134 North Street.

•    What are we capable of? What services do we offer?

At notion:creative we have a diverse appreciation for styles and art, so a successful product will reflect the target demographic’s aesthetic, while keeping clean lines and designs that don’t require a lot of work to decipher.

Brand Development and Strategy.

Our combined backgrounds include educations in business, marketing, sales, visual communication, design, multiple art mediums, photography, writing, editing, management and production. These skills give us a wide range of capabilities and help us approach a brand from all sides. We understand the art and business sides of building a brand. We will research your competition and study current market and design trends in your field, to make sure your look is cohesive and easily recognized for years to come, whether you are starting from scratch or bringing new life to an existing brand.

• logo design (and redesign for old, tired, or ineffective logos)
• finding your niche in the market (studying competition & target demographic)
• development of and placement for ad campaigns (local and national)

Packaging.

notion:creative is fortunate enough to be located in Northern California’s Sonoma County, where art and design, and food and wine are held in high regard and inspiration is around every corner. we’ll admit it, we often buy based on labels. We understand the importance of good packaging and living in such a food and wine mecca, full of wineries, specialty stores and zagat restaurants, has given us an amazing education.

• product/food/wine packaging
• rack cards, store display signs
• staging for expos
• booth design

Web Design.

Websites are key in reaching consumers. They should be easy for you to use. They should not be cluttered with information or hard for your viewers to navigate. They should be ever changing to stay current with the demands of your audience. They should reflect your business from start to finish.

• custom website design
• custom website template design
• custom blog template design

Print Design.

Remember when you used to get letters and postcards in the mail. We loved it. print still makes an impact. It allows you to leave something of yourself behind. We find great joy in being creative when marketing your business. We make you memorable. People will not throw your piece away, they will tack it to their wall.

• stationery design (business card, letterhead, envelope, invoices, labels, tags)
• custom invitation/announcement design
• publication advertisements
• marketing pieces, postcards, newsletters, brochures, price sheets
• catalogs, magazines, guides

Marketing.

Often it takes a third party to help you define your strengths and market as a business. We have exercises, worksheets and tools to help get you focused and put your marketing dollars to the best use. We will organize and streamline your business and thoughts so you are clear on what you do best and why you do it, ultimately attracting ideal clients and establishing a niche.

• marketing plans to help get your business up and running or reorganized
• staging for expos or retail shops (including window displays)

Advertising & Copywriting.

Be clear and be understood. teach your market that your services are essential. by having a single, professional writer there will be a consistent voice and thread that runs through all of your text that will create a flow and ease for your audience and keep them engaged.

• taglines, slogans, ad copy, ghost blogging, bios, mission statement, brochure/newsletter copy, food and wine label copy

Please email us with inquiries at info@notioncreative.com