ALPHARETTA, GA (Jan. 2010) — The New Year is a time for letting go of the
old and bringing in the new.
Neenah Paper (NYSE: NP) has done just that by designing its blog in a way
that takes it to the next level. “Against the Grain” is now formatted to further
engage the design and print communities as well as be a spontaneous and
resourceful source of information. The new format, which launches today, can be
found at
www.neenahpaperblog.com.
“Against the Grain is about creating conversation and building a sense of
community. We had a lot of great information, but felt it was getting lost
within our other communication channels. We sought to create a space where
designers could go for information, ideas and inspiration. Like everything we
do at Neenah, we want our users to have a great experience, and I think we
achieved that with the enhanced blog,” explains Tom Wright, director of design
for Neenah Paper.
Justin Ahrens, creative director for
Rule29, which created the blog’s new look and functionality, says, “We want
the site to feel more like an online magazine than a typical blog. It’s not
about being sales-oriented; rather, it’s about being a valuable resource that
designers and printers can always turn to for inspiration and information
surrounding the world that Neenah lives in.”
The blog brings everything Neenah together in one place. Clear navigation
buttons let readers see what others are saying via Twitter while making it easy
to subscribe to Neenah’s additional social networking channels including
Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr and YouTube. Users can also upload their own
comments to a blog post or continue the dialogue with other readers through
threads. With information more concisely communicated, they have all of the
content in one place, making it easy to find old posts.
“Neenah is heavily involved on the Web and in social media, so we wanted to
connect readers to the conversations happening on Twitter, Facebook, and now on
this site,” Ahrens adds.
Some other key features include: an added table of contents that has archived
material, a section with the most talked-about topics including call-outs with
special sites and links, and the ability to jump into a specific subject without
a lot of searching.
In addition to the added features and direction, the color palette was
updated. Inspired by the blog name, Against the Grain, it uses earthy browns,
tans and grays to reflect Neenah’s clean, simple design aesthetic and the tones
found in wood grains. The addition of accent colors, type fonts and image
treatments all add up to an unexpected blend yet is cleanly organized. It
speaks volumes about Neenah’s sense of design and involvement in color and
technology.
Ahrens sums up, “Overall, designers today are devouring blogs for technology
tips, ideas and inspiration. As a design firm, we wanted to make sure Against
the Grain was modern, interesting, well-structured and something we’d like
using.”
About
Rule 29
Founded in 2000, Rule29 is a strategic design firm that focuses on making
creative matter for all facets of corporate communications and brand
management/extension. Rule29 offers a comprehensive suite of services, blending
an innovative design process with sound business strategy in order to produce
creative solutions that accurately communicate every client's unique message. To
find out more about how Rule29 can make creative matter for you, please explore
rule29.com, visit their blog
www.makingcreativematter.com or follow them on Twitter: @rule29.
About
Neenah Paper
For over 100 years, Neenah Paper has been an innovative leader in the
creation and manufacturing of premium and specialty papers. Neenah brings
state-of-the-art technology to its signature brands, CLASSIC®, ENVIRONMENT®,
STARWHITE®, NEENAH® and SUNDANCE®, as well as a host of other fine paper
products preferred by graphic designers and printers. Neenah recently signed an
exclusive partnership agreement with Crane & Company to manufacture, market and
distribute Crane’s fine business paper brands: CRANE’S CREST®, CRANE’S BOND®,
CRANE’S LETTRA®, CRANE’S PALETTE™ and CRANE’S® Choice Papers. Neenah’s
award-winning and versatile digital papers round out its comprehensive
portfolio. Neenah’s sustainability commitment is reflected through the Neenah
Green initiative, which includes mill-based solutions for minimizing
environmental impact. A proud consumer of Green Energy, Neenah Paper is also a
U.S. EPA Green Power Partner, and manufactures many brands carrying the Green-e,
Green Seal and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifications (SW-COC-000885).
For more information, visit
www.neenahpaper.com or call (800) 558-5061. Follow Neenah Paper on Twitter:
@neenahpaper or become a fan on Facebook,
www.facebook.com/pages/Alpharetta-GA/Neenah-Paper/57797851697.
