Company Overview
ROWDYDOW bbQ was founded in 2007. It provides barbecue pulled pork and brisket to restaurants, chefs and other distributors. It is also a major provider of barbecue to the U.S. military.
Product
Small & Vertical Pocket Presentation Folder with four-color process printing on both sides of 12pt C2S white semi-gloss stock, coated with aqueous matte and H4 business card slits on the left pocket.
Problem
Product artwork was not print-ready because the resolution was too low. An image with low resolution looks pixelated and bad in print when enlarged. The design would not have been feasible without a print-ready image.
Solution
Customer Service Manager Jennifer Grubb converted the image into a vector using Adobe Illustrator, which increased the resolution.
Story
ROWDYDOW bbQ’s business manager Allison Edelman had a specific design in mind when she called Company Folders for 250 folders for the company’s sales presentations. And, with a little help from Grubb, she was able to get what she wanted.
“It was fairly simple as we knew what we had in mind for a finished product, and Jenny at Company Folders was extremely helpful throughout the entire ordering and design process,” Edelman said.
Edelman discussed her design with Grubb over the phone, but once she submitted her artwork for the design, Grubb knew that plan wouldn’t work.
The image was not print-ready because the resolution was too low for the size it needed to be. The image was that of a corrugated metal, similar to a washboard.
Blowing it up to cover the entire folder would have made it too pixelated and fuzzy, which would have taken away the corrugated look. A larger image with a higher resolution would solve this problem, but unfortunately, one was not available. Thanks to her extensive experience in graphic design, however, Grubb knew exactly what to do.
“…Jenny at Company Folders was extremely helpful throughout the entire ordering and design process.”
— Allison Edelman, ROWDYDOW bbQ Business Manager
“To make sure the customer could get what she wanted,” Grubb said, “I converted the image into a vector image using the Image Trace tool in Adobe Illustrator. This way, she could still use her image, but the resolution wouldn’t be too low.”
The Image Trace tool that Grubb used converted the pixels into lines (making it easily resizable) and gave the image a watercolor effect.
“That gives it a smoother look, maintains the corrugated metal look and reduces any fuzziness,” Grubb said.
Proofs typically aren’t created until orders are placed, but because of the complexity involved with this particular resolution issue, Grubb created the image in advance to properly explain the solution.
Edelman’s vision included the folder style, image, layout and fonts, so once the image modifications were complete, Grubb guided Edelman through the remainder of the process to ensure she received the best options possible. The two most important options were the 12pt C2S white semi-gloss stock and printing four color process on two-sides, which allowed the metal pattern to continue inside the folder behind the pockets with same reflective coating.
While Grubb put in extra time to get the product perfect, for Edelman, the process was a walk in the park.
“Jenny walked us through everything, so she made it easy,” Edelman said.
ROWDYDOW President Angela Keaveny said the final product looked better than they had envisioned it.
“We were blown away when they came in,” she said. “… I love the way the folder functions and its shape. It’s eye-catching, and it’s different. You’re going to open up that folder if you get it in the mail.”
“The ordering process was easy, the staff was very helpful and we love the finished product.”
— Allison Edelman, ROWDYDOW bbQ Business Manager
The idea for the image came when Keaveny saw various washboards on display in a restaurant, she said. “That metal rustic look is barbecue,” she said.
Keaveny said they likely would have waited on creating the folder if their image could not have been used.
“We weren’t going to settle for less,” she said.
She said the folder is part of building a brand around barbecue that doesn’t exist today-something that encompasses the three things people love about barbecue: making it, eating it and talking about it. Keaveny described their look as “modern barbecue chic.”
In the end, Grubb said it was a quick solution, and she was happy to help.
“I’m glad I was able to help her bring her vision to life,” Grubb said.
Edelman said she would recommend Company Folders to others, and plans to use the company in the future.
“The ordering process was easy, the staff was very helpful and we love the finished product,” she said.
