For Immediate Release 08.15.10
For more information, contact:
Matt Hutton : 217.351.6700
Champaign, Illinois, August 17, 2010 — "The first time a client walks through the door, you can hear the surprise register in their voice," says Matt Hutton, partner and creative director at Spinlight. And there's a good reason. On the outside, there's little to distinguish the company from a long row of low-slung, metal-clad industrial buildings, nestled on the eastern edge of Champaign. But on the inside, it's a different world, with dramatic lighting, sliding-panel doors and a vast, concrete table — emblazoned with the company's logo — all bearing the tell tale marks of a company that just celebrated 10 years of living out its mantra to "design everything."
Built by designers, for designers, Spinlight Studio is home to a small creative team with more than 150 creative awards under it collective belt. And a far cry from the company's humble beginnings in a small office, tucked above a nail salon in south Champaign ten years ago.
"I think some of our creativity may have originally been sparked by the fumes coming up the stairs," says Hutton with a smile. "But we needed an office fast, and that's what was available at the time."
Together with a partner, Matt managed to scrape together $800 to start a new business. And $600 of that went for the rent. Unlike their current headquarters, the space was hardly custom. Or swanky. "It was an odd hodge-podge of rooms. Down the hall, I remember that there was this strange little room with sloping walls and a bathtub in it for no apparent reason. And there wasn't much signage, so it's a wonder that clients could even find us."
Their landlord was their first client. But others quickly followed, including a large furniture company in Arcola that would eventually become Simply Amish — an international furniture distributor with dealers across the country and Canada. Spinlight played a major role in the company's explosive growth, spearheading a brand transformation that gave the company an up-scale, high-end appeal, underpinned by strong traditional roots. Ironically, it was the technology that the company deployed for this Amish client that first landed the team in the national headlines.
"This was back when a lot of agencies were first making the transition from QuarkXpress to Adobe InDesign," Hutton continues. "We were pushing the limits of the new software with a massive, 500-page catalog. So they gave us a direct line to the programmers at Adobe." Later, Adobe featured their collaboration as one of the company's corporate success stories. It was the first time their fame spread beyond the city limits, but not the last.
After that, the company began picking up a number of national design award honors, including 46 American Graphic Design Awards. Twelve of those came in 2005, when the company took home more AGD awards than any other agency, a feat which landed them in the annual "People to Watch" edition of Graphic Design USA in the following year. In 2009, they also took home top honors in the world's largest advertising competition, with a Gold ADDY that officially placed the company's work on par with Deutsch LA, Leo Burnett Chicago and other top national shops.
With each success, the company continued to expand, quickly growing from a two-person creative boutique to a full-service advertising agency, with a growing list of clients in Chicago and elsewhere. In 2003, they moved into their new building on Staley road, and two years after that, they expanded into an adjoining unit, connecting the two spaces with their usual trademark style — using a 12-foot grain bin to create a dramatic tunnel.
While Hutton's original partner left in 2009, the company continues to experience growth and success, taking on many new clients in the past year. Recent additions include Afni — a leading national provider of contact center and receivables management solutions, as well as CU-MTD, who turned to Spinlight for a complete overhaul of its website.
In 2010, two of the people responsible for much of the company's success — Chris Phillips, senior designer; and John Turner, senior copywriter, officially joined Hutton as fully invested partners. "Expanding the partnership was something that I've wanted to do for a long time," says Hutton. Phillips was a natural choice for that honor, having joined Spinlight in 2003. Turner's connection to Hutton goes back to 1999, when they worked together in a previous agency. In 2005, he began freelancing for Spinlight, before officially coming on board fulltime in 2008.
"In a lot of ways, not much has changed other than the title," says Phillips. "It's great to be a partner, but I don't really remember a time when it didn't feel like I was 100% involved. We design as a team, we think as a team. We play as a team. That's what makes Spinlight 'Spinlight.'" Turner agrees, "We manage to do a lot of work, but we have a whole lot of fun doing it. I think that's the sign of a true partnership."
Other recent additions include Mike Nauman, a designer who joined Spinlight through the company's 10-week Spinternship program. "When you're a small shop, every hire is important," says Hutton. "Mike was a good fit from the start. He's talented. He's funny. And we've already put him to good use on a lot of high-profile projects."
As for what the future holds for Spinlight? "There's no telling," says Hutton. "But based on everything that's happened so far, I know it's going to be good. We have an incredible team, and I can't wait to see where the future takes us from here."
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About Spinlight Studio
Since its founding in 2000, Spinlight Studio has won over 150 local, regional and national awards, including 46 American Graphic Design Awards and 48 ADDYs. Located on South Staley Road in Champaign, the company offers a full range of print, broadcast and digital marketing services for a range of local and regional clients.