News | 2008

Larsen is pleased to announce new branding, design, marketing, interactive, and environmental graphics initiatives for clients including Best Buy, Catalyst Community Partners, Cold Spring Granite, College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University, Core-Mark International, Fairview, Lominger International, Maple Grove Hospital, MTS Systems, San Jose State University, University of Minnesota, and Wausau Paper.

Larsen proudly announces three new Larsen Design Scholars: Elizabeth Berschneider, multimedia design, UW-Stout; Ben Moren, interactive media, Minneapolis College of Art and Design; and Sarah Mytych, graphic design, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

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Larsen received “Outstanding Website” awards for Crisco.com and NaterraLand.com, and “Standard of Excellence” awards for Enclos.com, the 2007 MIMA Summit website, and the Best Buy corporate website.

Sites are judged on design, interactivity, content, copywriting, technology, innovation, and ease of use.

Crisco.com received 10 out of 10 for design, content, and copywriting. One judge commented, “Who thought oil could be sexy… you did!“

Speed networking anyone? Join us November 13 at this International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) event at the M&S Grill in downtown Minneapolis. Event opens at 5:30 p.m. IABC members can bring a nonmember for free. Register

Don’t miss There’s No “I” in Design, a lecture, reception, and exhibition featuring the work of Blu Dot, the award-winning Minneapolis furniture company.

Lecture
September 24, 7 p.m.
Blu Dot founders
John Christakos and Maurice Blanks:
There’s No “I” in Design
Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, MN
Lecture registration through AIGA Minnesota

Opening Reception and Furniture Auction
September 25, 6-8 p.m.
CVA Gallery, St. Paul, MN
Blu Dot Furniture Auction 7 p.m.

Exhibition
Sept 26-October 18
CVA Gallery, St. Paul, MN

Larsen is sponsoring this event together with AIGA Minnesota, Shapco, and Target Corporation. CVA (College of Visual Arts, St. Paul) began the Leaders of Design Series in 2005. Past lectures and exhibitions have featured Larsen Design, Michael Vanderbyl, and Steven Heller.

Join Larsen at an informative program in the LifeScience Alley Crossroads Series to learn how leading employers, healthcare providers, insurers, and policy makers are driving healthcare reform.

Consumer Driven Healthcare: Rewarding Valued Care
Wednesday, September 17, 8 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Features a panel of healthcare industry leaders:

• Carol.com
• HealthPartners
• UnitedHealthcare
• General Mills
• Buyers Healthcare Action Group
• University of Minnesota
• Minnesota Department of Human Services
• KARE 11

Healthcare payment reform has important implications for your customers, employees, and competitors. Consider taking this opportunity to learn more from leading local experts.

“Our clients come to us for more than design — they come for thinking and ideas,” says Tim Larsen in an interview in Twin Cities Business magazine. The article notes how Larsen blends “timeless designs with current trends,” and it features Larsen work for the Guthrie Theater and Buffalo Wild Wings.
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The new Best Buy corporate site tells the Best Buy story; captures the energetic personality of the brand; features photos and videos of real employees; and focuses on Best Buy’s international, portfolio, customer, and employee growth.

As part of the redesign, Larsen also “re-skinned” the Best Buy Investor Relations content (to bring it into visual alignment with the new look) and created both print and online annual reports.

Larsen has added four new professionals in Minneapolis and three in California, filling important roles in design, interactive development, account service, and marketing.

In Minneapolis, Jim Madson, president of AIGA Minnesota, joins Larsen as Director of Business Development. Arnold Andres Porras joins as Interactive Designer, Jason Brierley joins as Account Executive, and Nick Richter joins as Interactive Developer.

In California, Mike Harding joins as Account Executive, and Wei Tien Pang and Akiko Ito join as contract designers.

Arnold Andres Porras speaks fluent Spanish, both Mike Harding and Wei Tien Pang speak fluent Mandarin Chinese, and Akiko Ito speaks fluent Japanese. Larsen is delighted to bring the additional expertise of these professionals to our clients.

Graphic Design USA recognized Tim Larsen for his recent AIGA Fellow Award: “In 1971, Tim Larsen got his start as a young graphic designer, working for one of the two major graphic design firms in Minneapolis. When he opened up his own design firm four years later, simply known as Larsen, he launched the next wave of companies that built the vibrant Minnesota design community we all know today.”
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Larsen teams are working on new branding, design, marketing, interactive, and environmental graphics projects for clients including Best Buy, Buffalo Wild Wings, HealthPartners, Image Sensing Systems, Norwest Equity Partners, Banner Engineering, Energy Efficient Solutions, Prime Therapeutics, Albertsson Hansen Architecture, and The Children’s Theatre Company.

Welcome 2008! Larsen is delighted to celebrate a brand new (leap) year.
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