CLIENT PROFILE: Gwen Hughes

Kartouche was brought in to design a logo and collateral for the release of Gwen's Lost & Found CD in the spring of 2001.

We limited our colors to the dusky red and bright green predominant in the cover artwork and produced a 14" x 22" venue poster, an A2-size folded VIP invitation for media and special guests, a 4-up postcard copied on yellow-green cardstock which was sent to Gwen's mailing list, as well as a 1.5" square logo sticker. Kate also assisted in the planning and staging of the CD release party.

Next, we developed a 2-sided one-sheet (above) covering all three of her CDs. This is a must-have marketing piece for any musician, like a resume is for job hunters. Because Gwen is a songwriter, it is a pleasure to collaborate with her to compose text, and we took a different approach to the standard bio, opting for a series of phrases and quotes and snippets of lyrics to convey a sense of her music and background.

Then we created a 1-sided one-sheet (at left) focusing on The Misplaced Martini, specifically targeting radio airplay for this live performance CD.

After Gwen began using "rustic jazz" to describe her sound, she became concerned that the perky, vivid look of her logo didn't fit with this term, so in 2004 we undertook a re-branding. We considered creating a different logo but decided to keep the existing design, which she liked, and to modify the colors instead. Inspired in part by her "Take the music seriously, but not yourself" philosophy, the darker blue and black are more earthy and evocative of smoky jazz clubs, offset by a splash of warm, whimsical yellow.

Once the new logo was settled, we overhauled her press kit with a presentation folder, a CD label for one-off samplers, a photo sheet, and letterhead which was also used as a shell for her artist bio (PDF), performance list, and "Eight Things That Make You a Better Jazz Singer."

For her 2005 release Instead of Light, recorded in New York with acclaimed Blue Note producer Danny Kopelson, we again developed collateral, including a a one-sheet, an 11" x 17" venue poster, and artwork for a 5-song EP.

Initially, the CD was only available on-line. Later, in order to meet the window for a national promotion opportunity, the full jewel case artwork was flushed out and finalized in just a few days.

Utilizing photos from both the new CD and her previous European tours (which received substantial national media coverage in Italy, Croatia and Slovenia), Kartouche crafted advance promotional materials for Gwen's summer 2006 tour with Electrik Jazz Quartet. We blended EJQ's logo and bio with Gwen's to garner interest in this "Global Jazz Gang."

The one-sheet, sized for A4 paper, and the CD label were uploaded to Kartouche's web site and downloaded in Slovenia for printing and distribution.

Photo of Gwen's poster on a wall in Slovenia.

As Gwen began integrating social media into her marketing, we developed a background for her Twitter page.

We also designed and developed a website for the Continental Dance Orchestra, a 6- to 14-piece band Gwen assembles for society galas, charity fundraisers, weddings, debutante balls, corporate parties, and other upscale events.