Who We Are
Addison is an independent brand strategy and communications design firm with a strong focus on information simplification. We combine business understanding with creative solutions to visualize and implement strategic communications that yield measurable results.
Addison applies innovative thinking to our clients’ most demanding communications challenges. From annual reports and corporate responsibility reports to sales and marketing materials, websites, personalized customer communications and more, we make your strategy visible by integrating clear messages with smart design.
The result – strategic communications that enhance your brand and help build stronger relationships with stakeholders, employees and customers.
Our story
For more than 45 years, Addison has been at the leading edge in meeting communications challenges for clients. In fact, we pioneered many of the innovations in the design and communications industry that are now accepted as standard.
Addison traces its history back to 1962, when Dick Lewis and Les Segal founded the company in New York City. As a reporter for The Wall Street Journal during the late 1950s and early 1960s, Lewis wrote an article on annual reports. In his research for the article, he quickly discovered that chief executives of large corporations were less than satisfied with their annual reports.
At the time, there were no companies dedicated to the design and production of these important corporate documents. Seeing an opportunity, Lewis joined forces with Segal, who had been designing corporate magazines. Addison – the first design company to specialize in corporate annual reports – was born.
As our clients’ businesses changed, so did we.
It wasn’t long before many annual report clients began to seek our help with branding and identity work. We rose to the challenge by adding robust branding capabilities.
When clients told us they needed a greater return on their communication investments, we built a simplified communications practice. Our strategists apply plain English writing skills to turn dense, often legalistic prose into concise, readily understood communications. Our process simplification capability lets us help clients to cut through the thickets of inefficient practices, restructuring workflows to reduce internal costs.
With the emergence of the Web and e-mail as essential communications vehicles, we developed expertise in these media as well, extending the reach of traditional business communications in productive new directions.
In an economy driven by technology and innovation, change is inevitable. As you face new business challenges, Addison will be here to provide the market-driven communications solutions that will enable you to compete and succeed.
Why “Strategy Made Visible®”?
Strategy Made Visible® describes the essence of what Addison does. We bring business strategies to life through creative, cogent branding and communications
programs.
In today’s complex and noisy world, every company’s goal is to increase the effectiveness of its communications. We can play a critical role in crafting clear, distinctive messages that break through the information clutter with exceptional creativity through smart design.
Our philosophy is simple: business strategy drives communications strategy.
We believe that vital, meaningful communications can only be created through an understanding of markets, customers and the business objectives of our clients.
We also believe that the best strategy has no value until it is implemented successfully.
Whatever the medium for the message, effective communications requires a perspective that balances creativity with pragmatism, originality with realism. Insight, creativity, and real-world solutions are the inseparable elements of a distinctive business communications strategy, a strategy made visible to the audiences that matter most to our clients.
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