<span style="color: #808000;">This past year was our first year operating under our new name and specialized positioning. Candidly, it was a tougher year than we had planned for. Of course that could be said for just about any business, and ours was no exception. By mid-year, we knew things were beginning to get austere to say the least. Yet despite the tough economic environment, we managed to get through with the completion of several significant projects that we are most proud of, and is evidence of the deeper and more strategic role we play in our client's marketing. We're delighted to share an overview of those engagements here in this post. As we look back over the past year, we are thankful for the opportunities that have come our way, and the confidence our clients place in our talent and expertise to help them create more value in their brand marketing programs.</span>

<span style="color: #808000;">Being a small, independent firm by design allows us to work with clients that we know we can make a difference for.  We have built a tight-knit group of associations with other specialists in disciplines outside our own enabling us to bring more value to our clients marketing. But at the end of the day, it is the quality of our business relationships and the value we add, not our size, that makes the difference. Here are several examples to prove our point.</span>

<strong>2008 Project Highlights</strong>

<a href="http://www.whitehotcenter.com/.a/6a00d834d6625a69e2010536b58515970b-pi"><img src="http://www.whitehotcenter.com/.a/6a00d834d6625a69e2010536b58515970b-320wi" alt="Pmc" width="398" height="449" /></a>

<strong>PMC Corporation</strong>

This global design,engineering and manufacturer of plastic components for the automotive industry retained PULL to help them position their corporate brand to become a Tier 1 supplier to the global automotive industry.  With corporate headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio and engineering and component manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Europe, PMC required the discipline of a global brand identity to create communication programs the will build the foundation for owning the technical leadership position in the competitive automotive supply chain. PULL created a comprehensive corporate identity design system to anchor their global marketing communications in traditional and digital media.

<a href="http://www.whitehotcenter.com/.a/6a00d834d6625a69e2010536b58a0e970b-pi"><img src="http://www.whitehotcenter.com/.a/6a00d834d6625a69e2010536b58a0e970b-320wi" alt="Emma woodalls" width="402" height="218" /></a>

<strong>Woodall's Publications Corporation</strong>

Woodall's is the leading publisher of print and on-line travel directories for the RV and Family Camping markets in North America. With changing demographics, higher fuel costs and the tough consumer economy, the RV industry is facing significant challenges. What basically started as a discussion on ideas for developing more compelling marketing to the travel and tourism industry, evolved into a completely refreshed positioning of the Woodall's brand. PULL provided guidance on positioning Woodall's as the indispensable travel planning resource for the RV lifestyle. We  refreshed the look and feel of the brand, and created key marketing programs to the travel and tourism industry, and completely redesigned the Woodall' s market and media planning sales presentation to advertisers in print and on-line. These new communications initiatives are scheduled to roll-out in the first quarter of 2009.

<a href="http://www.whitehotcenter.com/.a/6a00d834d6625a69e2010536b58e17970b-pi"><img style="border: 0pt none;" title="OVYF " src="http://www.whitehotcenter.com/.a/6a00d834d6625a69e2010536b58e17970b-800wi" border="0" alt="OVYF " width="427" height="164" /></a>

Every year, we seek opportunities to do pro bono work that serves our community at large. This past year, we helped this small non-profit youth organization re-define its mission and its expression within our community. OVYF serves local disadvantaged teens with educational and occupational development programs outside of the school system.More importantly, PULL consulted with members of the board to leverage this new identity to build a stronger foundation on which to position the organization to apply for donor grants from larger philanthropic organizations who fund local youth development programs they deem worthy of investment.

<a href="http://www.whitehotcenter.com/.a/6a00d834d6625a69e2010536bf570e970c-pi"><img style="border: 0pt none;" title="Exhact brochure" src="http://www.whitehotcenter.com/.a/6a00d834d6625a69e2010536bf570e970c-800wi" border="0" alt="Exhact brochure" width="400" height="308" /></a>

<strong>EXHACT Training &amp; Consulting</strong>

Exhact is a global human development consulting firm headquartered in Germany. Exhact serves C-suite executives in large and small organizations to better manage change as a strategic business practice. PULL consulted with Exhact principals on defining a compelling positioning for their practice that would serve as the foundation of their marketing. We also designed a comprehensive visual identity system that guides the development of marketing communications for their educational seminars.

<img title="novielle" src="/pullinc/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/novielle.jpg" alt="novielle" width="400" height="169" />

<strong>Coapt Systems</strong>

Coapt Systems is a global developer and marketer of facial aesthetic devices for the plastic surgery and dermatology markets. To grow their business outside of their core products of minimally invasive surgical devices, Coapt developed a new technology for the facial dermal filler marketplace. PULL was asked to consult on inventing a completely new product brand under the trade name: Novielle. From the ground up, PULL developed the strategic positioning for the brand, and developed the comprehensive brand identity system, product packaging and brand guidelines for marketing communications to professionals and consumers in international markets.

<strong>A look ahead...</strong>

Despite all the doom and gloom reported in the media on a daily basis, we are looking forward to the year ahead. We are encouraged that there appears to be greater opportunity for small, highly specialized marketing firms. In our case, we continue to narrow our focus on serving diverse clients with deep expertise in corporate and brand identity development. Our expertise is anchored to more strategic consulting and visual design development, helping our clients build more customer-focused and sustainable foundations for their market communications initiatives. This tough economy will favor the specialist over the generalist, and we plan to narrow our focus ever further this year to better deliver on our core value proposition: creating influence for our clients in the marketplace.

There you have it, from all of at PULL, we wish you a most successful 2009!