Where others flamed out, Studio G marks two decades

What a difference two decades make. When Studio G, a graphic design firm, opened its doors in 1986 in a 500-square-foot space on Grove Street, it had one employee: Fred Gregovich, senior founding partner.

This month it marks 20 years in business at a 4,000-square-foot space housing eight employees in the Double Diamond Professional Center.

But the cutting-edge outlook that contributed to the agency's longevity unusual in the creative industries is apparent. Visitors walk into an impactful open space where the conference room is wrapped inside the swooping walls of a giant red-topped G. Work spaces are divided by sloping angles and the premises are painted in shades of crimson, cream, and bright yellow cheese.

Cheese remains an ongoing in- joke at Studio G, which even used a wedge of cheddar for a promotional mailing back when it was on the cutting-edge of computer use in the industry and a mouse was something that hides in a hole.

And, the name remains unchanged. It's generic in a field where so many agencies are named for the principals. "Studio G could be all things, not just a graphic design company," says Gregovich, adding, "We're primarily visual communication people." The company handles projects from 100-page catalogs to packaging and product development. DVDs and CDs for sales presentation as well as interactive Web sites.

The secret for long-term survival in the volatile creative world?

"We hire people who fit into our culture first, and look at talent second," says Gregovich, stressing that employees need to recognize the fact that they're on board to do a job. The right attitude: "We're going to ride for the brand."

Studio G retains employees for years, and is spared the churn found at most creative agencies. The reason for that turnover, says Gregovich, is that creatives lose interest.

"Changes in technology helped us maintain interest," he adds. "Computers were not very strong in 1986. It was hard for the print industry to interact with digital files because technology was too new."

Now, another technology shift is under way a shift from print to electronic media. The reason, says Gregovich, is due to the extreme cost of printing. Companies mitigate those costs by looking for digital means to replace print.

"We're still in a central zone where some need to turn the pages of a catalog," says Gregovich. "But many will accept a digital form, with search features because it's faster to use than a traditional catalog."

Another trend of the digital era: Printers are investing in digital printing, in which the image is burned direct to plate or even direct to paper.

"Now you can print 10 of something to see how it plays in the marketplace," he says. "You're not sitting on 10,000 of something that didn't happen."

A large part of Studio G's work is business-to-business rather than direct to consumer.

It's gratifying, says Gregovich, when the work has a positive local impact. For example, when Hardy Irrigation in Carson City was bought by Black and Decker, the result was an inventory overhang. Studio G developed an incentives campaign to move the over-product through distributors, which preserved jobs locally.

Currently Studio G is working on a bioterrorism training scenario that students at the University of Maryland will use via a Web site.

The challenges have been many.

Staying current with technology is one. "Technology changes more quickly now than it did initially," says Gregovich. "The strides may be smaller, but they happen more quickly."

Another is keeping abreast of cultural change. "With 20-somethings, it's finding what intrigues them visually," he says. "With 40-somethings it's figuring out where are their heads are at."

Even Reno's remote location has been a challenge for a company that fields national clients. The solution? "It depends on what leads," says Gregovich. "If Reno leads, it's not so good. But if the work leads, our approach and solutions allowed us to break down location barriers."

With email and electronic files, distances today are not a problem. However, he adds, location can still be a challenge in keeping up with the national trade show circuit.

Ongoing issues include people changes at client companies. "We make quality relationships with clients that we value highly," says Gregovich. When they leave, sometimes the account goes away as well.

And sometimes success is the problem.

"We've worked ourselves out of business," says Gregovich, "We've helped make a company's product so profitable it gets sold to a large conglomerate."

But the real secret to the agency's longevity is all about people. "We place high value on our people," he says. "It's not about three or four people, it's about everybody."

"If we closed the doors tomorrow," he adds, "We'd want to know we treated everyone the way we'd want to be treated."