MSLK Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a graphic designer and I have my own graphic design firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MSLK Design?

I have worked with Sheri (Founder, Brand Strategist & Creative Director) on multiple projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I worked with Sheri on a variety of projects. She helped me with creative conceptualization and defining white space opportunity areas. A lot of our work involved upstream innovation and thinking for both startups and established businesses. 

When I was working for the internal packing group of a particular company, Sheri and I collaborated on packaging projects for consumer goods. We also did some work in the health and beauty space, redesigning the hair care brands and their packaging components. 

Our engagements usually began with a kickoff call between me, MSLK, and the client. We tabled all of the objectives, visions, and ideas before conducting research to try to understand the competitive market. MSLK went into some SEO research as well to find out the strongest keywords around our client’s brand and segment, as this could help in the naming aspect of our work. 

From there, we presented our key takeaways and observations to the client. We also presented our recommendations and explained the next steps of the branding project. Once the client signed off on that, we then created a series of key concepts and naming options as well as quick sketches or wireframes showing how those would appear on the client’s package. 

We usually came up with around 3–5 concept territories, and for each of those we produced 3–5 packaging ideas exemplifying a certain theme or message. MSLK and I made sure to present the rationale behind each design to the client.

What is the team composition?

I mostly worked with Sheri. She had a creative team behind her composed of creative directors who manage client relationships and a design strategist who oversees marketing. She’s also supported by a digital team that looks after everything online-related such as website creation. 

How did you come to work with MSLK Design?

I’d known Sheri for 20 years. We used to work together prior to her founding MSLK Design. I decided to work with her and hire her company throughout my design career because it’s always nice to work with people that you know. I also respect the work that Sheir does. She has a great sense of design in the healthy, beauty, and wellness spaces, so whenever I had a project that was in that realm, I knew they would be a good fit. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2004 and our most recent project concluded in September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I usually looked at how well MSLK understood the client’s requirements, how well our output meets the objectives, and whether or not what we produce helps increase the client’s sales. I never had a bad experience with them. 

How did MSLK Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We typically communicated via email, phone calls, or text messages, depending on the project and the client’s preference and needs. I know that Sheri preferred texting, but if a client needed a quick way to get in touch, we would hop on a call or a video chat right away. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sheri’s very passionate about delivering good design that successfully meets the objectives. She is keen on achieving results and ensuring that her team and the clients are happy. I appreciate the fact that she is all about building long-term relationships instead of just engaging in one-off projects. That’s how MSLK became my trusted design partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any complaints about their proces at all. Everything we’ve ever done with MSLK has been very successful 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

MSLK is very strategic and detail-oriented. They work well with clients who understand what they want, can handle structure, and are not all over the place. For any design firm, time is money, and it will be difficult to work with clients who aren’t process-oriented or who do not know what they need.