Methodologie, a leading Seattle-based brand firm announced today that it is celebrating 20 years as a bold industry leader in one of the nation’s most competitive cities for graphic design. The firm shapes brand development, interactive design, graphic design, investor communications and, CSR communications for some of the world’s most powerful brands, such as The Coca-Cola Company, Boeing, Microsoft, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BNSF Railway, and Sun Microsystems.
“We’ve experienced a 20-year evolution from a graphic design firm to a brand consultancy—it has been a process of reinventing the traditional design firm,” said Janet DeDonato, founder and partner at Methodologie. “We have differentiated ourselves by constantly innovating and refining everything we do, and challenging the conventional wisdom.”
Methodologie’s team consists of 28 employees, originating from two separate companies: TeamDesign and the Traver Company. TeamDesign was founded in 1988 by Janet DeDonato and Bob Grindeland, and underwent a name change to Methodologie in 1998. DeDonato, regarded as an expert corporate communications strategist, is a past president of the Seattle Chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts as well as a former national board member of the AIGA, and served on the national board of the Association of Professional Design Firms. She began her career in design at the Boeing Aerospace Company, while attending Cornish College of the Arts.
The Traver Company was started by Anne Traver, a graduate of the University of Washington. Traver is considered a cornerstone of Seattle design, as one of the founders and the former president of AIGA, the American Institute of Graphic Arts’ Seattle chapter. In 2000, the Traver Company merged with Methodologie to grow into one of the country’s most highly sought-after brand firms. Today the firm excels particularly in brand campaigns for the Fortune 500 sector.
“Methodologie has been a trusted strategic design and brand consultant for Boeing for over a decade,” said Fritz Johnston, vice president of brand management and advertising for Boeing. “We appreciate the talent and commitment of our partners at Methodologie and look forward to great design solutions from them in our future.”
According to Dale Hart, one of Methodologie’s partners and its creative director, one of the secrets of the firm’s success is its multidisciplinary team. “We hire both left- and right-brained strategists who understand creative work, in addition to designers who are strategic thinkers.”
Methodologie’s strategic growth plan seems to be working: the firm recently appeared on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies in America. “Our success does not rest with any one person at the firm,” said Anne Traver, partner and strategic director at Methodologie. “We are collaborative, no single person’s name is on the door; we empower every team member to think, listen, innovate, act, lead, make decisions, and always push harder.”
To commemorate its 20th anniversary, Methodologie recently relocated to a new space completely redesigned by SKB Architects in the Pacific Building at 720 Third Ave., Suite 800, in the heart of Seattle’s financial district.