N E S N A D N Y S C H W A RT Z www.NSideas.com
On the back of each Nesnadny + Schwartz business card you’ll find one word: ideas. It’s the ideas that drove an inexperienced Mark Schwartz and Joyce Nesnadny to form
their own business 20years ago. Having no
preconceived notions of real-world limita-tions, they broke down barriers they didn’t know existed. Few guidelines were followed. No concept seemed too risky.
That irreverent disregard for the status quo helped to position Nesnadny + Schwartz as one of the world’s preeminent design consul-tancies. With offices in Cleveland, New York and Toronto, the venture grew from a two-person partnership into a full service firm
employing 15creative professionals. With a
strong emphasis on new technologies, their collective expertise is rooted in the seamless, cohesive, memorable and cost-effective inte-gration of ideas across all forms of printed and electronic communication.
Innovation does not come without responsi-bility, however. The firm quickly learned that every risk it took meant giving a rationale in return: creativity grounded in logic, con-cepts backed by research, experience driven by results.
Mark Schwartz has been quoted as saying “I don’t think you can do great work without great clients,” a realization that informs every project the firm accepts. Their work includes a diverse portfolio of national and interna-tional clients from both the corporate and in-stitutional sectors.
“We rarely look at design when we brain-storm,” Schwartz states. “We encourage our staff to go to the art museum if they need in-spiration.” That artistic cross-pollination has led to numerous collaborations with fine artists, and has paid off creatively. To date, Nesnadny + Schwartz has won nearly 1,000 national and international awards in market-ing, interactive media, recruitmarket-ing, develop-ment, public relations, investor communi-cations, photography, illustration and graphic design. Additionally, the firm’s work has been featured globally in virtually every periodical devoted to visual communications. It is clear that commitment is at work here. Commitment to the ideas — to the clarity of thinking — to the attention to detail — and ultimately, to exceeding expectations. For Nesnadny + Schwartz, it is through this com-mitment that the voice of each client and project reveals itself.
N e s n a d n y + S c h w a r t z
REL Consultancy Groupneeded a marketing
communications system that was flexible enough to work for U.S. offices as well as their European and Asian locations. With printing occurring on three continents, everything from paper specifications to color matching systems required careful research and planning. The completed system includes a marketing communications package, identity and business papers system, new client reporting tools and a web site.
N e s n a d n y + S c h w a r t z
When Champion International Corporation and International Paper merged, one of the results was
SMART Papers— a106-year-old “new” company.
In addition to inventing and visualizing the SMART name and brand, Nesnadny + Schwartz was respon-sible for virtually every aspect of the new corporate and product-related marketing communications initiatives. This included the identity system and related electronic manuals, trade shows, signage, merchandise, promotional packages, trade adver-tising, swatch books and all related materials.
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How to Look Your Best Survey
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My perspective results from 35 years of on-the-job CEO training at Progressive, throughout which I felt unsure and unqualified to deal with the constant, unpredictable issues raised by contin-uous fast growth and change. I relied on trial and error and often was wrong. We prospered because I searched for, acknowledged and fixed (or ended) mistakes, and worked hard to nurture a few good decisions into profitable growth. Progressive benefits from a culture that makes acknowledging one’s own shortfall a positive learning experience.
Thanks to every person who ever contributed energy and intelli-gence to Progressive. Neither the Company nor I would be where we are without you. Thanks to the 19,490 men and women who will take Progressive into 2001 and beyond for your contributions in 2000. We deeply appreciate the nearly 8 million customers we are privileged to serve. Thanks for your business. Thanks to the agents in the more than 30,000 Independent Insurance Agencies who did business with Progressive in 2000. Thanks to our sharehold-ers for their confidence.
I honor the people who founded Progressive and got it started — my dad, Joe Lewis, founder and first CEO; Jack Green, co-founder and second CEO; my grandmother, Irma Rosenfeld who put up the first capital; my mom, Helen Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky, who, in 1965, financed the two of us when we acquired control of Progres-sive and my brother, Dan Lewis, who has served superbly in a vari-ety of senior Progressive roles over the past 14 years.
Progressive’s pace and aspirations demand boundless energy, commitment and hard work. In my new role, I have the unique opportunity to continue to influence Progressive as it approaches a future which I believe will be even greater than its illustrious past. This is my last letter as CEO, but it’s not good-bye. Take care of yourselves. Be well and happy.
Peter B. Lewis Chairman of the Board Revelation and Thanks
18,000chances for something in the working rela-tionship to go awry. But it hasn’t. The Nesnadny + Schwartz / Progressive collaboration has resulted
in over 300communications-related awards
making these publications the most visible and praised works in the history of annual report design and production.
In 1937, the Progressive insurance organi-zation began business during a difficult but hopeful era. From the start, the Company has been innovators growing into new markets and pioneering new ways to meet consumers needs. In 1956, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company was founded to be among the first specialty underwriters of nonstandard auto insurance. Today, The Progressive Corporation, which owns 76 subsidiaries and one mutual insurance com-pany affiliate, provides all drivers through-out the United States with competitive rates and 24-hour, in-person and online services.
N e s n a d n y + S c h w a r t z
When Shaker Investmentsapproached Nesnadny +
Schwartz they had little brand identity or visible recognition in the marketplace. While they were growing quickly and becoming increasingly successful, Shaker needed a strong, stable and fresh identity system and marketing communications program to help them further expand their business. Nesnadny + Schwartz invented a clean and flexible system of printed and web-based communications tools to help seamlessly underscore the client’s key marketing communications initiatives.
N e s n a d n y + S c h w a r t z
Crawford Museum of Transportation and Industry Graphic Identity System
The George Gund Foundation 1999Annual Report
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Fan Favorites Exhibition
Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art Signage and Wayfinding System
Eaton Corporation 2000Online Annual Report
Lowenstein Durante Architects Graphic Identity System Thompson Hine Computer Screen Saver
