One way to increase confidence in  a nonprofit is to assure supporters that the nonprofit’s leadership is top-notch. The Hardin-Simmons annual report did this by highlighting the vice president of each department in the University and showing off his accomplishments for the past year—and they are quite impressive! Soapbox enhanced this strategy with a design featuring cutouts of the president and vice president—presenting them in a very “feel-like-you-could-reach-out-and-shake-their-hand” kind of way. The result is a very personable report with a transparent feeling.

Sometimes it’s hard to decide if you should hire a professional to design your promotional materials or save that money and do the work in-house. As a nonprofit, it seems like a great idea to put that money toward your cause instead. But what you may not realize is that while doing an in-house job may not be costing you money, it is costing you something much more important—a professional image. The Abilene P-16 Council approached Soapbox about redesigning their School to Work brochure which was previously done in-house. If you manage a business and were approached by the P-16 Council, which brochure would give you the impression that this was a stable, worthwhile project to become involved in?

Who wouldn’t want to open their mailbox and find an invitation to a ball? Especially when attendees include Captain Hook, Rumpelstiltskin and Mother Goose? Soapbox was thrilled to create this magical invitation for the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature’s annual Storybook Ball, where guests are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite children’s book character for a night of dining and dancing!

It’s always fun to see what amazing shows the Children’s Performing Arts Series will be bringing to Abilene–but it’s even more fun to help CPAS promote them! Designs for this year included street banners, flyers, posters, bookmarks and a sponsorship packet. Buy your season tickets at http://www.abilenecac.org/cparts/index.htm.

Twice a year Soapbox is blessed to work with the folks at McMurry University to put together an issue of the Chieftain, their alumni magazine, that alumni will want to tear into and read from cover to cover the moment they see it in the mail. This fall’s issue was particularly exciting for us, because not only were we responsible for the magazine’s design, but for over half the photography as well, including the photos for two feature articles as well as the cover.

It may seem crazy to think about, especially when we’ve had a record number of over-100-degree temperatures here in Texas, but Christmas shopping is already on many a lady’s mind. And Soapbox is lucky enough to be working with two amazing organizations to create materials promoting fundraising campaigns that emphasis the power of a purchase–you get amazing discounts while the organizations receive funds to continue important services.

The two campaigns are:

The A-Card benefiting the Alliance for Women & Children (www.allianceforwomenandchildren.org/)
The Shop ‘Til You Drop Coupon Book benefiting HeARTS for the Arts (www.abilenecac.org/)

Both organizations are very worthy of support, so visit the above links to participate!

Not only can Soapbox get your community excited about your next event with a well-designed invitation, now we can capture that event in photos to use in your newsletter and on your website!

Yep, Soapbox is now providing our clients with event photography services. In fact, we’re currently photographing an entire year’s worth of events for one of our favorite clients. For a sneak peek at our camera skills, check out these pages from the Totem, the yearbook of McMurry University.

Chief designer, Sheila Kitts, loves her clothesline. And now she gets to help tell the world about it.

Soapbox is thrilled to partner with Project Laundry List, a national nonprofit headquartered in New Hampshire, which leads the air-drying and cold-water washing revolution. You can read more about the work of this amazing organization at their website, http://www.laundrylist.org/.

Soapbox is contributing to the slow-laundry movement by editing and designing the nonprofit’s e-newsletter, Hangin’ Out. Clothesline drying is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to save the planet and save a dollar. We are so inspired by this organization and excited to serve it.

After three years without a mascot, it was an honor to help McMurry University unveil their incredible new mascot—the War Hawk! As a proud McMurry alum, chief designer Sheila Kitts assisted McMurry promote the new mascot by photographing the unveiling events and designing the Chieftain, McMurry’s alumni magazine (right). This issue of the magazine included a red curtain “teaser” cover, introduced the new logo for the War Hawks, and told the story of how the University selected their new mascot. The photos from the event were used throughout the issue as well as highlighted on McMurry’s Facebook Page. Congratulations, McMurry University!

Serenity House Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center has over 28,000 success stories to be proud of. And now, thanks to Soapbox, they have promotional materials to be proud of as well.

When the Soapbox team was called into the Serenity House office, the amazing organization was making due with a tri-fold brochure designed by their in-house staff and printed on their desktop printer. The brochure had one fatal flaw—it was too much about Serenity House, and not enough about the person reading it. So we set out to change that.

With some new, audience-focused copy, a design focusing on the many faces of addiction, and professional printing services from Conley Printing of Abilene, Serenity House can now hand out brochures that mirror the quality-care they provide at their facility. Next step, website…