by Tim Damitz of Rule29

The newest promotion from Neenah Paper is hot off the presses, and it’s designed to inspire creativity. Put down that Wacom pen and pick up an Xacto: the “Striking Every Time” piece for Oxford and Esse premium papers is more than just an engaging visual and tactile experience for recipients. It asks you to interact, and includes several clock faces that you can assemble and actually use–the kit includes a working clock motor.

Conceptualized by Neenah and articulated by Design Guys in Minneapolis, the kit features eight unique designs that are sure to appeal to a wide collection of designers. Says Steve Sikora of Design Guys, “Credit goes to three designers here: Beth Ketter, principal designer, Jai Theige and Joe Anderson. They created the eight paper clock faces included here. We had a riot dreaming them up.  As an aside, we collect a lot of clocks, have for years. We’ve amassed a nice collection of mid-century modern clocks, some by notable companies like Howard Miller, others pure kitsch. We have one room that holds most of our workstations that is ringed with giant clocks. For 14 years they have served as a reminder of the value of a client’s time — and thus a designer’s time.”

For those that are a little more adventurous we encouraged you join in the fun and create your own clock face designs. Just click back to the main blog page and scroll to the bottom to see the “It’s Contest Time” ad.  Click on “Get Started” visit to request some free (can’t go wrong with that) samples of Oxford and Esse papers to build the clock of your dreams!. Have a go at playing the role of clockmaker and submit it into the contest.

Rule29 had the privilege of working with Neenah to create the online portion of this exciting promotion. The goal was to interact with the design community that is already involved in Against the Grain, on the blog and through Twitter. By creating an extension of the blog, the interaction and overall feel are unified and familiar to those exploring the entries.

By visiting neenahpaper.com/clockcontest, users can take a photo of the time-telling work of art they created and enter it into a contest to potentially be used in Neenah’s next iPhone and iPad app. On the site, visitors will find all of the current entries and be able to vote on their favorites. Find a gem? Want to promote your own? Facebook and Twitter “share” links allow you to post the creations in the wide world of social media and gain those important votes.

Click back to the home page and to see the contest link so you can get started started. We’re excited to see what ingenious clock designs the great community here comes up with. So get going – time’s tickin’.

(Tim Damitz is a designer at Rule29 Creative, a strategic design firm based in Geneva, IL with a strong belief in making creative matter™. rule29.com)

New Promo: Design Guys and Rule29 Keep Neenah Ticking

One of the clocks (fully assembled) that is included in the kit

Another assembled clock that is in the kit

Neenah Paper
Welcome everyone to our Twitterview with Erika Firm of Delphine Studio. We are so excited!

Delphine Studio
Hi Neenah Paper. Thanks for having me. So excited for our twitterview.

Neenah Paper
Tell us a little about yourself/your business?

Delphine Studio
Delphine is my stationery line, inspired by my life as a graphic designer, artist, business owner, entrepreneur, paper geek, and mom.

Neenah Paper
You have an unusual living situation, can you elaborate?

Delphine Studio
I live in a 4generation house, with my husband, 6yo son, parents, & grandmother, Delphine. It’s not for everyone but perfect for us.

Neenah Paper
I think that is amazing- for all to work and play together! Love it!

Delphine Studio
It is fun. Everyone in the house also helps out in some way with the biz. Delphine is my grandmother and namesake of Delphine.

Neenah Paper
You actually have a journalism background and wanted to write for magazines. How did you get into graphic design?

Delphine Studio
I wrote for mags & papers after gradschool. I was always in art directors offices instead of writing. They encouraged me to design.

Neenah Paper
Interesting aside that we both actually studied at University of Georgia at the same time but never knew each other until now.

Neenah Paper
We met you as a winner in our PAPERWORKS contest about 3 years ago & fell in love with your work. Tell us about that experience.

Delphine Studio
Thank you! It was my first real award & the cash prize helped pay for my 1st trade show, The National Stationery Show. Happy to report little guys can win.

Neenah Paper
http://twitpic.com/16ffwl -  If you look close you can see the Neenah “N” award in the photo!

Neenah Paper
Finding inspiration can b tough even w something you love. Where do you find inspiration for the lovely letterpress things you create?

Delphine Studio
Where don’t I find inspiration! Sometimes I wish I could turn it off. I even design in my dreams.

Neenah Paper
Tell us about the feeling you had when your products were first featured in a major publication?

Delphine Studio
As a journalist I was used to seeing my byline in print; 1st time story was about me &  felt oddly thrilling.

Neenah Paper
Since then you have been featured in so many big name publications- I saw your stuff in Martha Stewart magazine once! Woot!

Delphine Studio
Yes and now we have an ad with Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. It’s thrilling to see Delphine there.

Neenah Paper
A lot of the work you are doing is going digital- in your opinion how will that benefit or detract from letterpress?

Delphine Studio
Digital printing has expanded our  audience & increased overall exposure to letterpress printing.

Neenah Paper
How big a part does the paper you print on play into your design? Or which comes first paper choice or design?

Delphine Studio
I come up with a collection concept & color scheme, often inspired by paper; then refine the design based on final paper choice.

Neenah Paper
As a small business owner, do you think there is still value in attending or exhibiting at tradeshows?

Delphine Studio
While traffic & sales are down, absolutely there is still value in exhibiting. You can’t replace face to face networking or the fun.

Neenah Paper
Can you talk a bit about your passion for greener printing/greener business?

Delphine Studio
It’s just always been a part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are of picking veggies in our backyard organic garden.

Delphine Studio
It just seems natural for me to apply green practices to my business.

Neenah Paper
I know you also love your printers and the people you work with…

Neenah Paper
What’s the value in finding that core group of professionals?

Delphine Studio
With a great core group, work rarely feels like work.

Delphine Studio
We’re invested emotionally in our work: correspondence that ultimately makes someone happy — & what’s not to love about that?

Neenah Paper
Sounds great to me!

Neenah Paper
Do you think that you can find those types of resources through a social media outlet like twitter?

Delphine Studio
You can find anything on twitter!

Neenah Paper
So true!

Neenah Paper
What’s next for Delphine Studio?

Delphine Studio
New save the date designs, a digitally printed collection of greeting cards, & licensed invite designs from fab friends.

Delphine Studio
I’m on formspring, so you can always ask me questions there: http://formspring.me/DELPHINEstudio

Neenah Paper
Thank you so much Delphine Studio!

Delphine Studio
Thanks so much Neenah Paper. This was so fun.

Delphine Studio
PS … go Dawgs!