NEWSLETTER 59
THIS IS OUR NEWSLETTER
A GREAT BRAND GIVES SUCCESS A NAME
Your brand is the standard you set before anyone meets you. It tells people what to expect and whether you can deliver what they need.
Read more for a look at what we’ve been up to, and what’s ahead.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT | 03.06.26
WESTMINISTER BRANDING
One of our favorite things about the early stages of a brand project is that nobody knows what it’s going to become. Not the client. Not us. We’re simply asking curious questions and following where they lead.
That’s exactly where we have been with Westminster. As the project began, our team gathered with Westminster stakeholders for a Design Thinking Session. The focus of these meetings is listening. Before any decisions are made, we listen for who the brand is for, the organization’s beliefs, its aspirations, the challenges it faces, and the opportunities ahead.
Research is often considered the unglamorous part of brand identity work, but we don’t let that stop the fun. From crazy socks to activities that spark laughter and aha moments, this is where the real design begins. When guards are down and spirits are high, the right questions get asked and space is made for honest conversation.
We’re excited to share where our conversations through Westminster’s Design Thinking process led.
10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION | 02.26.26
THE FOUNDERS RETURN TO MARION!
As we approach our 10-year anniversary, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the people who have shaped Marion Design Co. into what it is today. This milestone is not just about the work we have done, but about the people who have made it possible. In the weeks leading up to our celebration, we have been highlighting the cohorts of designers, innovators, and interns who have each left a lasting imprint on our studio in their own way.
From 2016 to 2026, we have had the privilege of partnering with dream clients and building alongside dream teams, projects and relationships that have defined who we are. Out of deep gratitude and a good amount of nostalgia, we felt it was only right to bring everyone back together for a celebration on May 23rd.
PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH WENDY | 01.26.26
HOW MARION WORKS
This month, Wendy Puffer joined hosts Layla Price-Bodkin and Lillian Harshaw on How Marion Works to talk about what it really means to build with intention. The conversation explored Marion Design Co. and our work in empathy-driven design, and how it shapes more than branding, web development, or product experiences. It also influences how organizations grow and how they connect with the people they serve.
Wendy shared how her approach to design has evolved alongside the studio itself, and how clarity in storytelling and visual identity can shift more than just the surface. It can influence trust, momentum, and even how a community sees itself. From individual businesses to broader regional impact in Marion, Indiana, the discussion highlighted how Marion Design Co. approaches design as a way to help people and organizations communicate who they are in a way that actually resonates.
GREATER GRANT COUNTY MARKETING MEETUP | 10.11.25
WHAT’S GETTING IN THE WAY OF YOUR BRAND STORY?
Most organizations don’t struggle because they don’t have a story. They struggle because the story they are telling is not the one people are actually hearing. That was the starting point for a workshop we led at the Greater Grant County Marketing Meetup, a gathering of local business owners, marketers, and community leaders focused on strengthening how they communicate their work and impact. The session centered on one question: what is getting in the way of your brand story being clearly understood and genuinely felt?
Community leaders moved through a series of guided exercises that made them step back and really listen to how they were describing their work out loud. By the end of the session, they could clearly see where their message was breaking down, what was getting in the way of connection, and how small shifts in language could bring their story closer to the people it was meant to reach. What they walked away with was not just reflection, but clarity around the gap itself and what it would take to begin closing it.
GOT AN IDEA? CONNECT WITH US!
If you’ve been carrying around an idea—big or small—and you’re wondering what it might look like brought to life through design, we’d love to hear about it. We believe design is about bringing the soul of your vision to the surface and shaping it into something that moves people.
Whether you’re at the spark stage or halfway there, our process is built to listen deeply, uncover what matters most, and accelerate your idea into something tangible, meaningful, and ready to make an impact. Let’s start the conversation. Contact us at hello@mariondesign.co!
