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CO MPA NY R E V IEW
Thank you very much for considering Conscious Creative for your creative partner in this endeavor. We are delighted to have the
opportunity to present you with our capabilities and to help you position your company in a way that will accomplish all of your
stated communication objectives.
Conscious Creative is uniquely qualified to work with your company on this project given that we are keenly aware of the needs
and desires of the green and conscious consumer target market, have ample experience working with sustainability-oriented
organizations, have designed and developed various types of websites, print collateral, video productions and have personal
experience with a variety of sustainable products, not to mention that we most-likely have a personal interest in the subject
matter of your project. Furthermore, we are a socially conscious company that takes great satisfaction in working with other
conscious organizations, and perhaps most importantly, we provide results that create positive outcomes for all. In addition to
this, being a multimedia studio is one asset that our clients value most; we can offer a host of creative services and consider
ourselves a true one-stop shop.
Comprised of an accomplished team of professionals dedicated to both implementing and utilizing sustainable business practices,
we exemplify innovative thinking and personalized attention. While each of our members has extensive experience working
with Fortune 500 companies, we have made a conscious commitment to serving the creative needs of socially conscious and
sustainable organizations as well as those that aspire to implement sustainable practices. Our client list reflects this mission.
Our Clients
California After School Resource Center From the Garden to the Table STAND! Against Domestic Violence
Center for Environmental Health Healthy Child, Healthy World Sustainable Environments
for Health + Shelter
Center for Informed Food Choices History Channel
The Library of America
Chefs Collaborative Hostelling International – No. California
The Performing Home
City of San Francisco, Integrative Spirituality
Department of the Environment To-Go Ware
Jewish Community Center–San Francisco
Compassionate Cooks VegNews Magazine
Jewish Children & Family Services
Conscious Living Wee Generation
Marin County Parks & Open Space
County of Santa Clara, Woodshanti Cooperative
Media Alliance
Hazardous Wastes Division Yoga in the Vineyard
Natural World Museum
Disability Rights Advocates
Nude Food
S E RV I C E S S UMMARY
Creative Services
Creative services cover all conceptual development, art direction, design, illustration, storyboards, research, image search,
copywriting and graphics preparation. This phase of the work involves a lot of time and development and is most important that
our communication around this work is very open and clear. We like to have approximately three to four weeks to develop the
visual concepts. We will provide electronic PDF files via our project management site where you can download the files, and give
us your feedback and changes. We offer you a couple opportunities to make changes once the concepts have been presented
to you, and one final sign-off before we begin programming or layout of print materials. We ask that you submit to us all of the
content (text & graphics) in an electronic format in advance. Text should be provided in a Word document or as a text file without
detailed formatting. Text provided to us should be almost perfect and in its final stage of editing, unless of course you are hiring
us to edit the text. Any photos or other provided graphics should be in a web ready format; otherwise we can provide this service.
Website Programming
Our goal is to demystify technology choices and empower the client with the appropriate tools to match their needs. We include
training in software management, basic search engine optimization, and ensure the final product is compliant with all modern
Internet standards. We recommend Joomla! as our preferred Content Management System (CMS), and Adobe Contribute for
clients who require a less robust editing system. With these strategies, our company is able to build highly functional websites at
a competitive cost. For hosting we recommend DreamHost; their servers are all built according to LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL,
PHP) specifications, the most popular server configuration in use today. This will ensure the best possible security, serve the
broadest group of users, and provide you with the lowest operational costs, all while supporting a green company.
Client Services
Services include overall project management of the team and vendors, research, project planning, printing prices research,
timeline and deliverables. Such responsibilities include having a clear understanding of all components of the project and specific
deliverables for each, creation of a master timeline and individual timelines for each of the components, set up of working
arrangements and organization of the team, brainstorming meetings, management of communications with client and team,
research and determine the best resources to use for your project. For web projects we can recommend a hosting company for
your needs and assure you that they use eco-friendly methods and are aligned with our mission and methods of conducting
business. For printing projects we determine printers based on cost, quality and eco-friendly methods, and management of print
production and delivery. It is our practice to use local, green-certified printers when we manage printing for you. If you manage
the printing, we will specify recycled or tree-free paper and soy-based inks to be used during the printing process. We always
specify at least 50% recycled or tree-free paper, and usually 100% post-consumer waste paper.
P R O C E S S E S & D EL IV ERA BL ES
Pre-Production: The first steps toward creating your video and/or audio project involves determining the concept. This initial
phase usually involves a collaboration between the lead producers from both the client and vendor sides. After the best and
most suitable concept is developed and approved, a script is then written and frequently rewritten a number of times until the
lead producers feel that it is ready to produce. At this point, locations are scouted, a casting call is put out, crew members are
hired, and a production schedule is created.
Production: Depending on the scope and scale of the approved concept and script, the appropriate-sized cast, crew and
equipment are assembled. The range of options, combinations and possibilities are too numerous and infinite to even begin to
enumerate or quantify.
Post-Production: Developing post-production content can happen in conjunction with the production phase once the main
elements of the production are locked down. In this phase, the video footage is logged into a non-linear editing program and
reviewed. The best takes are assembled together, and from those takes a rough cut is made. The client provides feedback which
in turn drives subsequent draft cuts. At this point, sound in the form of narration and/or music are sometimes added. Once the
“picture is locked”, which is to say the final cut is approved, the video is then color corrected and the sound is sweetened and
mixed. Upon final client sign-off, the video at this point is ready for output in the various formats, where it is duplicated and then
distributed.
Video Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production Deliverables
Not all of the items listed below may apply to your project/s.
Pre-Production
• Deliver client questionnaires to determine best development solutions and desired design style and target audience
• Kick-off meeting with client to discuss plans and clarify information after information gathering
• Content strategy questionnaire/interview sessions
• Design & art direction throughout all phases
• Project management throughout all phases
• Development
• Script writing
• Budgeting
• Storyboarding
• Shotlist creation
• Location scouting
• Casting call
• Rehearsal/s
Production
• Direction
• Cinematography
• Sound recording
• Gaffing and gripping
• Hair & Makeup
• Art direction
• Production design
• Production management
• Set photography
• Wardrobe consultant
Post-Production
• Titles, credits & lower thirds
• Voiceover narration
• Selection of b-roll videos and/or photos
• Music selection and/or composition
• Animation/motion graphics
• Color correction
• Audio mixing & sweetening
• Output for broadcast, DVD or Web
• DVD authoring
• DVD layout & design
• DVD mastering & encoding
• DVD replication and/ or duplication
• Distribution
Website Development Process
The development of your Website will fall into one of the following three categories at various stages throughout the process: site
planning & architecture, conceptual & creative, content development and programming & training.
Site Planning & Architecture: The first steps of planning to build your website will involve building or reviewing the site map
based on the content, your feedback and our expertise. The site map includes the naming of the menus and sub-menus and the
order in which they will appear. It also covers how the user will navigate through the site, and it will determine where the content
lives. This process will involve organization of the content so that it can be found in the most intuitive location within the site.
Once the map of the site has been determined and approved we can start with the conceptual development.
Conceptual & Creative: Within the creative work, we deliver fresh, informative, custom designs that will integrate easily into
templates that are compatible with a CMS. Should you hire us to provide branding services as well, we will create a branding
platform with key messaging points and editorial guidelines to establish the voice and tone of your brand and ultimately the
content on your website. The first steps involve a client questionnaire, which we will ask you to fill out carefully and thoroughly.
Your answers will help us understand your desires around the style of how the site should appear so that we can make the best
design and editorial decisions during our creative process. Our creative process will start with two to three design options that you
will be able to choose from, the chosen design will be applied to the site templates. Each custom design concept will show the look
and feel of the site including the top banner area, color palette, font choice, color and size, layout and positioning of the modules
and features that will live on the site. Each concept will also show at least three sample pages such as the home page and two
interior pages.
Content Development: Developing content can happen in conjunction with the design phase once the branding and editorial
guidelines have been approved. If your project is a site update or redesign, we will require a copy deck in Word format of all
the existing copy currently on the site. We will provide an updated copy deck with all of the new content and any agreed-upon
updates to existing content. This process includes two rounds of revisions.
Programming & Training: The first step in the programming process will involve an in-depth look at the approved information
architecture (where content will live and how it is presented to the user of the site.) We will either install a CMS or start building
the site as static pages, on either your existing host server or on our recommended host where you can take advantage of
supporting renewable energy credits, as well as receive additional free tech support related to your hosting account and setup.
There are many CMS’s to choose from and part of our job is helping you choose the appropriate tool for your specific needs. The
majority of our projects utilize free, open source content management systems. We’ve chosen to specialize in a few best-of-breed
CMS’s. Typically, a small lightweight website may use Wordpress, a mid-size website may use Joomla!, and an enterprise-level
website may use Plone. A custom application may be built with the Ruby on Rails framework.
Once the host is configured, we will begin to build the site and to apply the approved design to the template pages. At this time,
we will also install the extra features desired and listed out in the deliverables section of this proposal. We will show you a live
preview of the site before we launch to make sure it is being developed as expected. Before the official launch date, we will do
testing to make sure that the site is compatible with a variety of browsers and platforms. Once, we’re ready to launch the site will
get the client’s final approval and schedule a time for training. The training session will enable the client to edit content, as well
as add new pages to the site.
Website Design, Content & Development Deliverables
Not all of the items listed below may apply to your project/s.
Planning
• Deliver client questionnaires to determine best development solutions and desired design style and target audience
• Kick-off meeting with client to discuss plans and clarify information after information gathering
• Review existing brand current collateral and parent site, and research competitor sites
• Design of sitemap, information architecture, navigation design and link naming (includes one round of client changes,
revision rounds billed hourly)
• Content strategy questionnaire/interview sessions
• Project management throughout all phases
• Setup project management site with milestones, to-dos, team members, upload client content, etc.
Branding & Content Strategy
• Brand platform (brand definition, mission, personality, and experience, as well as key messaging points,
messaging hierarchy, and messaging cheat sheet)
• Establishing brand guidelines, overall messaging, and content development strategy for all external facing marketing mate-
rials, including defining audiences, main positioning message, voice and tone, diction, etc.
• Website content requirements
• Content matrix inventorying all website content
• Marketing strategy recommendations for customer and subscriber acquisitions
• Editorial style guide with samples
Creative
• Art direction throughout all phases of site design & development to ensure design integration as intended (Web design
look & feel to be cohesive with existing identity)
• Design and art direction of one to three initial concepts showing two to three template page styles
• Each concept will demonstrate the site’s look & feel (colors, fonts, images, graphical treatment, etc.)
Includes header banner, navigation bar design, and any custom buttons/modules
• Includes two rounds of minor client changes to chosen concept
• Copy deck (copywriting, copy editing and proofreading)
• Photography review and selection of client-provided, custom or stock photos
• Image editing to any client-provided images to make web-ready
• Design of any additional page templates, features, modules, forms or elements, etc.
• Copywriting for home page and main six section’s landing page introductory text (includes one round of client changes,
revision rounds billed hourly)
Website Programming
• Build of site based on approved site map
• CMS installation and setup (includes: administrator control panel, search engine friendly (SEF) URLs)
• Design integration and navigation build
• Consultation and setup of chosen CMS admin user accounts and permissions
• Installation & set up of e-commerce portion of site (if applicable)
• Design integration of e-commerce portion of site (if applicable)
• Host control panel training, setup of email accounts, etc. (Optional, may be done by client)
• Possible additional technical customizations (depending on special features / integrations)
• Basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) implementation
• Client training for CMS
• Testing of site, platform compatibility, valid XHTML transitional & accessible pages
• Testing of HTML pages and browser compatibility in the latest non-Beta versions of the following browsers: Firefox (Mac &
Windows), Safari (Mac), Internet Explorer (Windows), (additional browsers/browser versions will require additional time)
• Maintenance Contracts may be purchased in 10 or 20 hour packages, and provide clients higher priority in our work queue
Client Deliverables
• Any text or graphical content delivered in a web-ready digital format by due date agreed upon
• Text content should be delivered as Word or Text Edit documents
• Signed proof approvals throughout various stages of the projects
• Access to hosting accounts, domain name registrar, FTP access, etc.
• Access to any payment gateway accounts for any e-commerce portion of site for initial set up
• Signed Terms Contract, deposit and payments by specified schedule
• Timely feedback and communication to all Conscious Creative (CC) team members mostly through project management
website whenever possible
T eam M embers
Cheri Larsh-Arellano
Creative Director, Principal, Photographer
As the founder of Conscious Creative, Cheri Larsh-Arellano serves as its creative director, web architect, photographer, and
sometimes cinematographer. After several years as a professional photographer in Miami, she moved to Los Angeles where she
attended UCLA for graphic design while working as a freelance designer, mostly on entertainment and corporate design. She has
been a graphic designer for over eight years and a photographer for over a decade, and while in LA worked with such companies
as Warner Bothers, DreamWorks, Universal, Disney and AT&T. Upon realizing that these corporate markets did not satisfy her
soul, the idea for Conscious Creative was born. In 2001, Cheri moved to the Bay Area and started Conscious Creative. She is
committed to increasing awareness around sustainable business practices, saving trees and is an avid animal lover. You can view
her photography site at cherilarsh.com, and her cinematography work at vimeo.com/cherilarsh
Mark Arellano
Film & Video Director, Content Editor, Principal
A veteran of the Hollywood film and video industry, Mark manages the motion picture production as well as the copy writing and
copy editing for Conscious. Mark worked in Los Angeles’ entertainment industry from 1997 to 2001, where he attended UCLA’s
film school and was involved in production and development for Miramax Films, production for NBC, and festival coordination
for the Slamdance Film Festival. Mark’s recent credits include a documentary selected by HBO’s Frame By Frame documentary
film series, a documentary that headlined the World Community Film Festival and a short film selected for several international
film festivals. Some of his other recent projects include producing and directing a regionally broadcast television commercial,
a DVD for a nationally touring stage production, a critically acclaimed vegetarian cooking show, and a trailer for a prominent
Bay Area film festival His latest film, “The Lonely”, is currently being submitted to the festival circuit. At the moment, he is the
cinematographer for two films, one documentary and one feature. You can view his personal film site at markarellano.com
Nova Brown
Senior Content Strategist
As a senior content strategist and copywriter, Nova has produced quality content for a wide variety of clients, assisting everyone
from techies to foodies. For over ten years, she has developed strategic website content, promotional print copy, collateral
systems, blogs, white papers, presentations, speeches and more for the likes of TiVo, Kinko’s, Gallo Winery, Williams Sonoma,
TuttiFoodie, Olivia Travel and Visa, among many clients and ad agencies. With a degree in Russian studies, Nova spent three
years in St. Petersburg teaching English and composition and managing a restaurant before moving back home to the Bay Area
to join the creative world. In the last two years, this child of Bay Area hippies chose to put her marketing powers to good use
through helping companies that are working to make a difference in the world. Nova is dedicated to supporting and building
local communities around art, writing, music, and food.
Darcel Walker
Audio Engineer
As the audio guru for Conscious Creative, Darcel ensures top quality audio on all of our film and video projects. Darcel studied
at San Francisco’s prestigious California Recording Insitute, where he specialized in audio engineering. With over eight hundred
hours of studio session work under his belt, he has engineered audio for the majority of the projects in which he has participated.
As an active musician, he has been playing bass around the Bay Area music scene for the past twenty years. He is also a devoted
animal-rights supporter, and has worked tirelessly to ensure the well-being of our animals and the planet on which we live.
Andrew Rado
Senior Designer
Andrew’s been working as a graphic designer and web developer since 2002. He has spent time as an independent designer
and has also worked as an employee for several design firms in the Bay Area. Larger scale clients include 24 Hour Fitness, The
San Francisco Opera, Genentech and Visa, and he’s equally as enthusiastic about the work he’s done with small businesses and
nonprofit organizations. Andrew designs for print and Web with an expert focus on clarity of message. He employs the latest
interactive technology and a unique creative sensibility to distinguish businesses from their competitors. Andrew’s attention to
the visually potent encourages him to paint and photograph when he’s away from the computer. He takes pride in being mindful
of the issues of today’s world and doing what he can to help. Andy holds a B.F.A. in Communication Design from Kutztown
University in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.
Chris Hardy
Senior Web Developer
Chris recently relocated to the Bay Area from a Pacific Northwest rainforest and, while she misses the moss, a little sunshine is
a pretty good trade. Interested in both technology itself as well as in how it impacts community, Chris holds a BS in computer
science and a BA in cognitive science. She quickly gravitated toward the technical and social aspects of the web as it evolved in
the 1990s and has developed websites and database-driven systems since 1998 for commercial businesses, non-profits, academic
institutions and NSF funded research in eco-informatics. Chris is a avid user and supporter of open source technologies and
currently works with PHP, Python/Plone/Zope, and Ruby on Rails in Linux hosting environments. When she’s not standing in
front of a computer monitor, she’s probably out acquainting herself with everything the Bay Area has to offer, either poking
around the city, exploring the countryside, trying out a volunteer program or on a never-ending search for good coffee.
Gabe Scelta
Designer & Web Developer, Project Manager
Gabe Scelta was born in New York, NY and for the past five years has made the San Francisco Bay Area home. He began
programming for the web at sixteen and went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Boston University in
2002. Since then has been designing and coding for the web as well as illustrating and designing for printed media. He is skilled
in XHTML compliant coding, CSS authoring, PHP integration, cross browser compatibility, various content management and
e-commerce solutions, HTML email campaigning and is fluent in all design and development software, including the Adobe and
Macromedia suites of applications. He’s an experienced project manager and marketer and is fully engaged in Web 2.0, SEO
and social network strategies. He has managed and programmed a number of complex sites that integrate various information
sources for clients such as Physicians for Human RIghts, the Department of Healthcare Policy at Harvard Medical School, The Long
Now Foundation, Goodwill of San Francisco, the Northwest Portland Indian Health Board, Peace Action West, and AIDS Housing of
Washington. He enjoys swimming, cooking, writing and painting.
Volker Rathke
Web Production
In his previous work, Volker built and maintained international websites and applications for companies such as Macromedia
and TTZ. Through his work he became more interested in the creative aspects and returned to school to study graphic design.
Conscious Creative now offers him an exciting environment to apply his experience and to round out his graphic and web
design education. Volker believes in a global community that is about social justice, ecological responsibility and peace. He
values his sensitive approach to preserving the world around him and is excited to include these ideals in his vocation. Volker’s
inquisitiveness often takes him on short adventures discovering hidden gems of his surroundings and creative inspiration to look
forward to.
SA M P L E S O F OU R WOR K
YKO is a nonprofit organization that teaches yoga to kids in the inner city communities of Los Angeles. We designed their logo
and stationery in a way that would communicate the playfulness a child would be attracted to, while maintaining a professional
look that donators and parents could respond to in a positive way.
Client: Sustainable Environments for Health + Shelter
Project: Identity Design System
SEH+S is a non profit organization that provides sustainable shelter for homeless shelters around the world. Sustained Note
Records is a subsidiary company that produces music concerts and records as fundraising tools for the organization. Our goal was
to tie in this identity with their current identity, as well as to develop a modern record label logo and stationery system that could
stand alone. All stationery pieces were printed on recycled paper.
Identity Design Samples
go vegan sf Maraday
b r i n g i n g i t ba ck t o e a r t h
INC
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O R G A N I C C A T E R I N G
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Client: The Natural World Museum
Project: 2005 Unite in Green Gala Program
This fundraising program was for the museum’s opening night gala reception for the Urban Jungle Exhibit, which premiered
during the week around World Environment Day in June of 2005. The piece was printed on New Leaf’s Reincarnation Matte 100%
recycled, 50% post-consumer waste paper, using soy-based inks.
CL I E NTS R E F ER EN CES & COM PA N Y GUARANTEE
Client Testimonials
We have worked with Conscious Creative on two long-term projects, including the redesign and ongoing
development of a complex system of websites, as well as photo shoots of our nine hostel properties. The staff
is friendly and responsive, and the quality of their work has been outstanding. I also really appreciate their
affordable pricing and genuine enthusiasm for our mission.
Molly Mitoma
Marketing & Communications Manager
Hostelling International USA
Golden Gate Council
I have worked on and off with Conscious Creative for about five years on various graphics projects for our
organization. They have been great to work with, collaborative and accommodating in challenges when they
come up as they always to and, most of all they are wonderfully creative. Check out our website! Without
reservation I would whole-heartedly recommend them as a creative design and graphics organization you can
and will want to grow with.
Lawrence Wollersheim
Director
Integrative Spirituality
On behalf of everyone at The Library of America I want to thank you and your team for your fine work creating
our website americanearth.org. Conscious Creative was a model of professionalism and the handsome finished
product deftly captures the spirit and substance of the American Earth project. We especially appreciated the
enthusiasm that you and everyone at CC brought to the work. I hope we have the pleasure of collaborating again.
Brian McCarthy
Marketing Manager
The Library of America
Conscious Creative has been positively indispensable to the launch and development of To-Go Ware. From
assisting me at the inception of creating my website and identity, to the overall functionality of my ecommerce,
Conscious Creative has provided exceptional service. Working with a firm whose values are aligned with my
own was a rare treat, and saved me a great deal of time in having to explain what a “conscious market” is or
what is means to be “socially responsible.” Cheri Larsh was often able to complete my thoughts and take my
often-abstract concepts and make functional and efficient use of them on my site. She was able to keep the light
and playful tone that I wish to share my products and message with in my design, while at the same time she
maintained a level of professionalism and elegance that is so crucial.
I have been overwhelmed with the response to my design and proud to send people to to-goware.com. Over and
over again, I am asked “Who did your site?!” I am thrilled to have had Conscious Creative be a part of the launch
of my company, and know that their commitment to the earth and community has added value and customers to
my business.
Stephanie Bernstein
Founder
To-go Ware
Client References
Christie Dufault, Yoga in the Vineyard christie@yogainthevineyard.com 415 519-1150
Brian McCarthy, The Library of America bmccarthy@loa.org 212 308-3360 x212
Jay Tompt, Plan-it Hardware jtompt@chcusa.com 415 359-9914
List of Services
Branding & Identity Design Video Production Strategic Content Development
Website Design & Development Video Post Production Copywriting
Print Collateral Design Photography Copy Editing
Flash Animation Design Illustration Proofreading
Conclusion
Thank you for considering Conscious Creative as your creative partner. It will be a pleasure for us to work with a company that
is both progressive and sustainable. Having you as a client will be an honor for us and we are confident that having Conscious
Creative as your agency of choice will prove equally rewarding. Please visit consciouscreative.com to see more samples of our
creative work. We look forward to getting to know you and to begin working with you.
Thank you.
The Conscious Creative Team