P&M Wallpaper Creative Brief

Project
• A single desktop wallpaper image that will be used by all 1800 staff of Plante & Moran
across all offices and regions. Something that will help us with our brand recognition.

Technical
• Sizes: (standard) 1024 x 768, 1280x1024 1600 x 1200 (widescreen) 1280x800,
1680x1050
• Leave copy space for icons to left. (1/2 minimum of screen) Somewhat uncluttered
background for icons.

User profile
• All professionals. Business casual to suit/tie. Partners (35-60 yrs old) then Associates
and Consultants, then Staff.
o 2% were born 1933-1945
o 27 % are Baby Boomers (1946-1963)
o 43% are Generation X (1964-1979)
o 29 % are Millenials (1980-2000)
• Preach diversity. Few Asians. Number of Af. Americans. Predominantly white. 50/50
split of males/female.
• Lots of accountants, CPAs, tax, assurance, financial consultants. Go to plantemoran.com
for the overall view. A lot of businesses have blossomed/developed over the years, but
all are centered on business sense. “Universal Advisor”.
• Heavy focus on client service and staff growth. “THRIVE” is a major catch phrase/ad
campaign.
• Pride in Fortune magazines 100 best places to work for 10 yrs straight.
• Predominantly Midwest, international is not a focus; we have a Shanghai office with a fe
folks and will likely have more international locations in next 1-3 years.
• Focus in various industries (see web site)

Objectives
• Should not be stuffy, but not cute either. Balance between the two. Clients will see this
screen when staff start a presentation for example. However, a stuffy/mundane visual
would be devoid of personality and discourage adoption as well as lessen brand impact
• The theme should build on the idea of clients’ ‘thriving’ or ‘growth’. This should focus
primarily on staff and/or clients, however could incorporate business units (practice
areas) industries, services, ideas, geographic footprint, etc…
o Staff growth meaning learning from others, developing in their career, doing
great work, sharing knowledge with other staff/mentoring.
o Client growth means they reap the fruits of our labor, long term relationships
that we cultivate, etc..
• While a deep blue (see site) is the corporate color…this is not a brochure. Be sure to
introduce this color and make it prominent if possible, but this should not necessarily
direct creative.
• The corporate logo must be in the visual. Either the black & blue, reversed white, or
even given illustrative treatment to be more visually integrated.

Conceptual
• Possibly a tree/orchard involved? Show people and work-related themes/icons
embedded in the growth. Maybe a combo of organic and industrial?
• In Detroit area, we are very familiar with Diego Rivera’s mural work at the DIA. The
depth and storytelling, as well as visually compact style would be great aspect of his
work. http://www.dia.org/the_collection/overview/full.asp?objectID=58537&image=1