For Immediate Release 10.20.08
For more information, contact:
Matt Hutton : 217.351.6700
Organized by Graphic Design USA, the American Graphic Design Award annually draws over 10,000 entries from advertising agencies, graphic design firms and corporations across the nation. Big and small, well known and hardly heard of, this much-coveted honor brings designers from across the country to compete toe-to-toe in a single arena where the only deciding factor is talent. And it's that spirit of open competition that draws Spinlight into the fray.
"There's a certain mindset that smaller agencies sometimes have to overcome when dealing with clients who think that great design can only be found in large cities like Chicago or New York," says Matt Hutton, co-owner of Spinlight Studio. "You can tell clients that you have the ability to compete at the highest national level, but it's a whole lot more fun to prove it."
Since 2004, Spinlight has been proving it. In fact, in their second year of competing they earned more American Graphic Design honors than any other company in the country, prompting Graphic Design Magazine to include Matt Hutton and his partner Debby Winter in the magazine's annual "People to Watch" publication.
This year, the company took home seven awards, which is quite an honor in a competition that only recognizes the top 15% for excellence. "It's really rewarding to be recognized for your work," says Debby Winter. "And when you earn an award for doing something that you love, that's even better."
Spinlight took honors for work for local clients like One Main Development, as well as Simply Amish, a national furniture company based out of Arcola, Illinois, with dealers across the country and a growing presence in Canada. Just last year, Hutton and Winter crossed the imaginary line between agency and client, opening their own Simply Amish store at the corner of Walnut and Washington in Champaign, Illinois.
"I think there are a lot of similarities between our two companies," says Hutton. "We both started off small, but we never put any kind of limit on our vision. We simply do what we know and love, and we look for an audience that appreciates that kind of commitment," explains Hutton. "When you look at the world with that sort of perspective, you see a lot of opportunities where others never think to look."
###
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.