Our Vision
Today’s marketplace is bursting with consumer information—technology to leverage in planning, developing, and tracking marketing communications and fast-changing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) opportunities. We are excited about the possibilities for our clients’ marketing success. Catalyst has been privileged to partner with a wide variety of progressive businesses and nonprofit organizations to assist in their marketing effort. See Our Portfolio of Client Work as well as Our Client List & Testimonials. We’d love to partner with you!
Delivering good marketing communications assistance that puts you in control and confident that the outcome will be as you hope...is the reason we exist! We have been driven for a decade to establish and refine a proven process that puts you in the center of all that is done on your company’s behalf. Simply put, our reference-based approach to developing your communications puts you in the director’s chair. This customer-centered process gives you the assurance that we understand your direction and ensures that the graphic and copy translation of your company’s verbal vision and direction develops into an overall unique marketing image that you feel good about. See our section Our Reference-Based Approach...6 Steps for a more in-depth understanding of our processes.
We would consider it a privilege to hear your story: how you arrived where you are today and what your vision is for the upcoming years. We can help you analyze, plan, create, and rollout any kind of communications appropriate for your needs and budget. Whether you need the development of any of the following communication items or a unique, integrated mixture of several, Catalyst will draw out your unique vision and bring about creative solutions that make an impact! See the kinds of things we do:
ADVERTISING & DESIGN SERVICES
Annual Reports |
Incentive Program Art Logos / Letterhead Kits Magazines Newsletters Point of Sale PowerPoint Print Ads Proposal Design Retail Packaging |
Sales Support Materials |
CONSULTING & MANAGEMENT SERVICES by CATALYST
- Communications Consulting
- Small-Scale Communications Planning & Implementation
CONSULTING & MANAGEMENT SERVICES by STRATEGIC PARTNERS
- Large-Scale Communications Planning & Implementation
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Media Planning & Buying
- Public Relations
Thank you for considering Catalyst Marketing Communications. Our downloadable resources below are all for "your" viewing and/or use whether you work with us or not. Some of the tools in this document have helped us tremendously.
Our Vision |
Our Reference-Based Approach...6-Step Process Our Logo & Letterhead Design Process Our Print Design Process Our Web Site Design Process Our Client Web Site Links |
We hope they are of some assistance to you as well. I will let this site and links do the rest of the talking. 
Please do not hesitate to call me for anything.
Sincerely,
Steve Lee
Founder, V.P. of Creative Services
Our Story
From the beginning, we have been committed to using "visual design and copy references" to aid you in directing us...so that you have control in the process with no surprises.
Catalyst Marketing Communications is an ever-evolving advertising, design, and print solution firm. Since its inception in 1995, founder Steve Lee has sought to develop a better approach to bringing communications solutions to his clients. After eight years of holding various creative positions with local and regional marketing communications agencies Steve had a vision for a more expedient and cost effective way to meet the needs of his clients without sacrificing the high-end creative product he was used to delivering. It was simple. He would bring the clients into the studio to work DIRECTLY with the art director on a more regular basis throughout the project or account. “We wanted the client to have far more control in developing their creative direction and therefore much more ownership in the process,” says Steve. “The account executive still manages the projects but brings the client and creative team together, when necessary, to leverage on-site resources, such as our huge stock image collection, design catalogs, print samples, color swatch books, and more. It is said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words,’ and Catalyst takes that seriously. We simply use these visual design and copy references in creative ways to extract direction and help the client feel understood. By seeing and expressing thoughts via these visual design and copy examples, we build a common-ground basis of understanding for all involved. The process has proven to be the greatest single factor in our growth. Clients love the direct-to-designer interaction!”
With a way to involve clients and get more direct feedback concerning their targeted consumer groups’ preferences, Catalyst was able to more effectively deliver client-specific work. “All good communications start with the understanding that there must be a vital consumer benefit that is the driving force behind everything communicated through word and image,” says Steve. “We go far beyond what is found in most agencies. As a smaller firm with clients who don't always have the budget for extensive market research, we rely heavily on their niche market insights and wisdom. Therefore, having more in-studio client involvement is not only more fun and creative for our customers, it is absolutely essential in order to achieve a better end result!"
In 2000, with a focus on expanding full-service marketing, Steve teamed with agency veteran and marketing consultant Todd Wenzel. This partnership focused on account service and marketing strategy as well as establishing incentive programs for particular clients who had that unique marketing need. Soon after, he joined forces with printing veteran and long-time friend Deborah Gibson to launch Catalyst Print Communications (CPC), a full-service print management company. Under Deborah’s leadership, CPC is able to handle all the printing, fulfillment, and distribution of the clients’ communications. Catalyst later added two more members to the account service team: Scott Santa Ana, a veteran in the management of a broad range of sales and marketing platforms, and Bo Gray, a seasoned copywriter, public relations specialist, and sales strategist. Together, their mission was to take the agency to the next level. “More and more of our clients were asking for full-service, and we positioned ourselves to provide a wide range of marketing services and back-end fulfillment,” says Steve.
From the initial client contact through the final print production of the creative product, the Catalyst account service team applies its deep experience to lead the way. Having worked at every level of the marketing communication development process over the years, this leadership team stands ready to bring its client-centered service approach to any need. “We’re excited about our all-encompassing creative approach that includes complete design, copy, layout, and production services as well as full-service print management and distribution,” says Steve.
As owner and vice president of creative services, Steve oversees the direction of the company and makes sure that client-centered service and commitment to their approach is at the core of everything they do. “Our creative team is like no other and the three senior art directors have been with us for an average of seven years!” says Steve. The Catalyst team of superb art directors led by Steve is credited with developing all of Our Portfolio of Client Work. “Dennis Hughett brings full, high-end Web development and flash capabilities and over a decade of brilliant print design and unusual systems technology experience. We have what it takes to deliver an entire integrated campaign...all in-house. Along with Dennis, Dave Fingerlos brings superior Web design talents as well as a broad-range of digital and classic illustrative gifts to the team. Together, their high-caliber musicianship on a range of instruments as well as awesome songwriting is a considerable creative catalyst to us all (see http://www.shadowlife.com). Pat Lillie, our third art director and gifted designer/illustrator, rounds out the top level of creatives,” says Steve. The Catalyst team can virtually do it all. With over 30 years of combined experience using high-end software platforms, they can develop corporate identities, print designs of every imaginable kind, illustrations, as well as cutting-edge Web and e-mail-based marketing communications. And unlike many creative environments which remain hidden while producing the work, this team enjoys direct client interaction inside and outside the studio whenever necessary. “They were recruited for that reason,” says Steve. “They fit our model of putting the client in the director’s chair, they live it and propel it every day like few other creatives can, and our clients love these folks.”
Catalyst has continually leveraged the latest software, systems, and technologies in order to deliver the highest quality product as fast as possible. Using the latest online capabilities, Catalyst continues to find new ways to optimize design stages, proofing processes with clients, and transfer of final files to the preferred destination. “We have literally cut days out of the process. A job that may have taken a week, now takes as little as 1-2 days ...or sometimes even less,” says Steve. Because of this commitment to their core values, the Catalyst client base has grown rapidly, as has its staff. With it’s staff and strategic partners numbering over 10, Catalyst continues to offer a growing portfolio of both comprehensive marketing campaigns and project work, and has just recently spun-off three subsidiary, market-niche brand-lines, all led by a different sales representative. The firm has represented such diverse clients as Atlantic Records, the National Park Service, and Digital Projection (a former IMAX company). In recent years, the company has produced work for clients such as:
- Barnsley Gardens – a high-end luxury resort, spa, and golf club in Adairsville, Georgia
- Generis, LLC Partners – one of the nations top stewardship
and
capital campaign consulting firms out of Atlanta, Georgia - Midway Islands – an exclusive fishing and wildlife sanctuary located
in the South Pacific on the island known for the World War II Battle of Midway - Morehouse School of Medicine – the medical school affiliated with Morehouse University in Atlanta, Georgia
- Oglethorpe University – a nationally recognized, prestigious private
university in Atlanta, Georgia - Phoenix Air – a full-service air charter, cargo, ambulance service, and
military training organization managed by Phoenix Air Group of Cartersville, Georgia - The Presbyterian Church, USA – one of America’s largest denominations
with over 11,400 churches
For a more extensive client history, see Our Client List & Testimonials.
For more information, contact:
Robert Worley, Sales & Creative Director
Catalyst Marketing Communications
404.993.5385
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