Michele Allen, Principal of Crux Creative: Branded Environments, Advertising, Marketing, Web & Media in Milwaukee, WI

About

With over 20 years of experience, I bring a wealth of knowledge throughout various mediums to the table. Throughout the years, many of the projects I have contributed to have been recognized in a number of graphic, retail and exhibit industry competitions including VM&SD, How and Exhibitor Magazines. This and my vast experience and knowledge inspired me to open Crux in January 2005.

At Crux, a creative and marketing agency, I have collaborated with companies of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to small-town shops to complete projects including environmental branding, website design, annual reports, brochures and social media plans. I thrive in large and small project planning and work closely with clients to create an effective visual message that will be felt by their audience. It is my strong belief that your brand is one of your most valuable assets and it serves as an emotional tie to what your organization stands for and I make it a point to communicate this in every project I work on.

I have a great passion for branded environments and excel in experiential and strategic marketing, web design and planning, print and branding and graphic production in both print and large formats. My main goal is to exceed my client’s expectation and deliver results that create a connection with their audience, while maintaining solid customer service in every project.

Specialties: Environmental Graphic Design, Wayfinding, Signage, Corporate Interiors, Museums, Exhibit Design, Donor Walls, Retail, Experiential Marketing, Strategic Planning, Events, Branding & Identity, Direct Mail Campaigns, Logo Development, Web Design, Web Programming, Web Banners, Content Management Systems, SEO, Social Media Consultation, Magazine Ads, Brochure, Mailings, Design Director, Award Winning Design, Large File Rebuilding, Print Production Format Specialist for Large Format Printing, Web Graphics, Collateral Materials, Trade Show Graphics, Typography

Experience

Principal | Creative Director

Crux Creative

Jan 2005 - Present (19 years 11 months)

Crux is an innovative creative agency located between Milwaukee and Chicago. We provide creative marketing and strategy to businesses of all sizes from start-ups to Fortune 500s. We also work behind the scenes for several architects, exhibit companies, and environmental design firms.

We approach each project from a fresh perspective with no limitations. We're a small, lean, and agile team of marketing experts, 3D, graphic, web designers, web developers, producers, and innovators with a desire to change the world. Our business is built on personal referrals, without our happy clients our agency would not exist.

Our creative team develops strategies for large and small companies to communicate more effectively to their audience. We create custom marketing solutions that include web sites, social media, rfp response packages, executive presentations, online brochures, ad campaigns, marketing materials and brochures, corporate interiors, museums, tradeshow and retail graphics and much more.

We enjoy creating work that far exceeds our clients' expectations while maintaining our own high personal standards.
Corporate Graphic Designer

Derse Exhibits

Aug 1999 - Jan 2005 (5 years 5 months)

I worked closely with creative leadership and all locations at Derse for over 5 years as the corporate graphic designer. Focusing on high end creative on experiential exhibits, museums, corporate interiors, marketing, custom RFPs, and web/media. At Derse, I was involved in all stages of conceptual graphic design for large and small scale projects, managing the graphic process to building and delivering print ready files for various mediums of output.
Graphic Designer

Contempo Design

Jul 1998 - Aug 1999 (1 year 1 month)

I moved from Oregon to Illinois to expand my experience in the exhibit industry. I love a fast paced deadline, beating the clock and the rush you get seeing a project out the door and a complete success. I worked in a creative environment of industrial designers, marketers and industry savvy teams. I worked on concepts to delivering files for pre-show marketing and exhibits.
Graphic Designer

Mobius, Inc.

Aug 1992 - Jul 1998 (5 years 11 months)

I began working at Mobius before the first Mac came on the market. I focused on ordering copy, to using large camera and lightroom to develop artwork for screenprinting and hand cutting rubylith. I developed a passion for developing graphics on a variety of materials, from metal, screen, glass and using them creatively in a 3D environments. I worked with an amazing creative team that encouraged all of us to break the boundaries in creative, to be leaders in developing environments that impacted the marketplace. I had a blast working on retail environments for adidas, Mervyn's as well as exhibits and corporate spaces.

Awards

'08 Xerox Best Print Pkg/'07 American Graphic Design/Best Website/exhibitrecruiter.com/ '05 Designfirms.org Best Website/cruxcreative.com/'05 Designfirms.org/Corp ID Pkg/'00 Magazine Derse Exhibit/'03 Sizzle Award/Exhibitor Mag/ Derse Exhibit/Mktg/'04 BMA/Best of Division Exhibit/Newsletter

Affiliations

SEGD

Skills

Elsewhere on the Web

n
k

On Coroflot

@mallencrux, member since 2005

Following 6
Followers 8

Michele Allen

Associate Gear Designer

Letter and Script Engraver (Banknote) Apprentice