As we Speak

2021 was a refreshing year. After a 2020 that stretched us all, we got to work creating some incredible digital experiences for our clients and had a lot of laughs in between. We’ve gathered a list of 21 memorable moments that have occurred both inside and outside the walls of Speak that are worth celebrating.  1. We loved where we worked.       It’s no secret that we Speaksters love where we work and it’s nice that our communities... Read More

Graphic Design USA, based out of New York City, recently hosted both the American Web Design Awards and the Graphic Design Awards to showcase the best designs of the year. The awards are open to every­one in the community: design firms, ad agencies, in house departments, institutions, associations, freelancers, students and more. It honors outstanding work of all kinds — the best designs of the year — in print, packaging, internet, interactive, video and more. We wanted to ta... Read More

Ghouls, Gals, and every Speakster in between were invited to compete in our first-ever Speak Pumpkin Showdown yesterday. Any employee, in-office or remote, had the opportunity to participate in the old-fashioned pumpkin carving competition for this year's Halloween party. With a one-hour planning session and a 4-day deadline, our staff could be seen hard at work carving away at their soon-to-be-masterpieces. The fun part? There were no rules on mediums or material... Read More

“Good design is like a refrigerator—when it works, no one notices, but when it doesn’t, it sure stinks.” –Irene Au Good design often goes unnoticed and because of that, you’ve likely never thought about the Tennessee state license plate before. However, if you are a resident of Tennessee there is arguably not another design you see as often as you do the Tennessee license plate, and beginning in 2022 Tennessee will have a new official license plate. ... Read More

When evaluating a digital partner, it’s important to look for an organization with both a creative mindset and a deep knowledge of your organization’s industry. We’ve worked with quite a few industries in our 20+ year history, ranging from construction and real estate to restaurants and ballet companies. A partner that has a knowledge of your industry will better understand industry trends and ultimately the true purpose of your site.  If you’ve found a partner ... Read More

We’re halfway through 2021 and almost a year and a half out from the beginning of the pandemic. We spoke to our team about what the first half of the year looked like for them, as well as what’s on the horizon for the remainder of the year. You might’ve noticed that we’ve grown our team quite a bit this year, so as you read you’ll see some new faces and recognize some old favorites.  What are your favorite things you’ve completed so far in 2021? &ldq... Read More

So you need to do some research. No matter what you’re researching, it’s important to be strategic about the process in which you research, rather than stressing early on about the product or output. The phrase “you find what you’re looking for” can all too often apply to research when you head into a project expecting to find a certain conclusion. Then, you find yourself only looking for information to support that opinion and disregard the data that challenges ... Read More

Our partner, the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, or IHMEC, sits right outside of the city of Chicago. Their mission is to “Remember the Past, Transform the Future” through the exhibition, preservation and interpretation of collections, education programs, and initiatives that foster the promotion of human rights and the elimination of genocide. They host group tours, public programs, teaching trunks for educators, and even operated their museum virtually during t... Read More

You know the phrase first to arrive, last to leave? Well that sums up John Waddell, one of Speak’s Senior Designers. After nearly 20 years as a designer, John knows a thing or two about dedication.  Described by members of our team as compassionate, servant-minded, and diligent, John has only officially been at Speak for a year and a half. Prior to joining the team as part of Speak’s acquisition of Rocketfuel, John worked at Rocketfuel for 17 years. But as a child, John had ... Read More

As a digital-first agency, we believe that a digital strategy can make a difference for any industry, but law offices in particular have a lot to gain from a compelling digital presence. In a competitive space, law offices rely on lead generation and brand recognition to build their customer base. Here’s a few recent examples of how we’ve partnered with law firms to drive results.  Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee We set out to equip BMJRG with a website that refl... Read More

Through a Slack discussion with Speak’s business development team, we explored common misconceptions about the world of sales and what sets Speak apart.   HERE'S TODAY'S STARTING LINE UP:  Jessica: Hi all, thanks for joining to chat about all things business development. Before we get started, I want to know why you think you’ve found yourself in a business development role. Did you always know it was your calling or did you stumble into it? Adam: I guess... Read More

The Back Story Organizations across the country come to Speak to refresh their brand. These organizations are in search of a new look, unified voice, and strong positioning. We believe that good branding can be the very thing that captures the right audience and moves them towards the action your organization desires. Lavin Architects out of Amarillo, Texas, came to Speak looking for a total brand refresh for their long-standing firm of 35 years. After a cross-team renaming exploration, Si... Read More

Through a Slack discussion with Speak's project management team, we explored how they keep projects moving, what they wish you knew before every project you start, and of course a few of Devon's dad jokes.  Here's today's starting lineup: Jessica: Hi y’all, thanks for joining to discuss all things project management. Before we get started, I’d love to know how each of you found yourself in project management.   Andrea:  Hi! Well, after I gra... Read More

The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, attracting nearly 35,000 entries every year in local competitions. The American Advertising Federation, AAF, has a mission to “recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising.” For 73 years, the Memphis AAF chapter has been putting on the ADDY awards for excellence in advertising and marketing. Their call is for entries of local advertisin... Read More

Design trends and technology change all the time. As technology evolves alongside your organization, even the best websites will eventually need a redesign. The typical lifespan of a website is 5 years or less and around that time your site should be ready for a revamp. It’s always a big compliment when our partners return to us for their redesign, and that is a compliment that Mid-South Food Bank has given us not once but twice.  We’ve been fortunate enough to work alongsi... Read More

This year was a challenge in countless ways, but there were some incredible moments along the way that we wanted to highlight. This year is one we’ll never forget and here’s our blog post to prove it.   1. We learned resiliency. The hard way.  2020, the year of the pandemic. We learned that we’re better together when we stay connected and are all in this together. Turns out these cliches are all actually true. While we’ve had remote employees for many... Read More

As we take a moment to pause and reflect on what we’re grateful for, the first thing that comes to mind is our team who makes Speak what it is today. We’re thankful for their commitment to doing good, in their work and in their own lives, unwavering enthusiasm, and heart.   We’re also thankful for our clients. The organizations that we get to work alongside inspire us in so many ways and we’re grateful to help tell their stories. You’ll hear from some... Read More

Cultivating Community, One Tea Leaf at a Time   We are thrilled to finally share with you “Loose Leaves,” a short film created by our cinematography team to tell the story of My Cup of Tea in Memphis, Tennessee.  Providing an important lifeline to the Orange Mound community, My Cup of Tea invites women in who are thirsty for life, justice, and hope. They employ women by teaching valuable life skills as they order, label, bag, market and ship over 30 varieti... Read More

What started as an affinity for World War II airplanes quickly grew to a world-class aerospace and science education center in the Air Zoo’s 40 year history. Founders Suzanne and Pete Parish opened their doors in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with hopes to preserve the legacy of flight for present and future generations.* We began our partnership with the Air Zoo two years ago to create a website that would allow visitors to engage with the content in a fresh way. As more time passes, the need ... Read More

Every three hours in the U.S., a person or vehicle is hit by a train. In 1972, Operation Lifesaver set out to drastically reduce that number through public education and awareness on the issue of safety around trains. Their authorized volunteers give free rail safety presentations to school groups, driver education classes, community members, professional drivers, law enforcement officers, and emergency responders every year.   We work with Operation Lifesaver Inc., or OLI, each m... Read More

“It might take a village, but the village starts with one person” is the phrase that Alex Cohen learned from growing up in Washington Heights, New York. Years later, she and her husband Steven, started the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation that has been inspiring people across the country to engage in philanthropy and community service for over 19 years. While it might sound simple, accurately capturing an organization’s mission is the first step in creating a website... Read More

There are collectively more than 4 million apps in the Google Play and App Store today, but not all are equipped to serve their organization effectively. Determining what elements are essential for your industry is the first step in creating an app.  We are often asked about what the app creation process looks like. Just like everything else in the digital space, it varies based on the specific needs of current or future users. Sometimes, organizations come to us with a vision but need ... Read More

Now that we’re all back in the office, trading pajamas for real pants, we wanted to reflect on what we’ve accomplished outside of work during recently. Hear from a few of our own filling in the statement, “In the month of May, the coolest thing I did was…” Josh Cooper, Director of Creative ...work on my family’s content creation brand called "Uploads of Fun". In May, our TikTok account grew by 395K. From 500K to 895K.  Kindra Svends... Read More

At the beginning of 2020, during our annual Speak Week (a week-long, in-person gathering of our full team), Speak’s founder and CEO, Jacob Savage, challenged us to focus on three things in the coming year: craft, cause, and community. As all businesses and organizations have had to pivot their operations and core functions since March, our focus on those topics is more important than ever. As Speak’s HR Director, I wanted to showcase how we’re pressing into these three ide... Read More