Graphic design studio FUEL was honored with one of three Judge’s Choice Awards, along with three gold and five silver ADDYs, at the Cedar Rapids Advertising Federation’s recent awards banquet. FUEL earned recognition reserved the most creative work in the local advertising and design market with its entries in the categories of Collateral Material, Trade Publications, and Elements of Advertising for key clients John Deere Construction & Forestry, Luther College, and Tattoo Majik.
FUEL’s trade publication entry, a nostalgic yet daring ad for Tattoo Majik, captured the eye of judge Brad Norr, principal of Minneapolis-based Brad Norr Design, who honored the piece with a coveted Judge’s Choice award. Norr remarked that he was attracted to the illustrative solution of the piece. While “all three judges found this piece to be very compelling,” he noted, there were several strong elements that drew him to select FUEL as his personal favorite.
“The illustration is very well done,” Norr explains. “Lines are expressive; craftsmanship and attention-to-detail are professional quality. Secondly, the typography correctly feels ‘counter-culture’ and ‘zine-y,’ which I assume a tattoo product is shooting for. Lastly, I love the color palette. The background is delicate, receding, but still elegant. The palette is rich and attractive, a light touch, but very appropriate.”
FUEL’s lead designer, Bill Bollman, comments, “It is always an honor to receive such high recognition from our peers. Events like this reinforce the value we bring to our clients as designers, and give us an opportunity to gauge how we’re perceived in the community.” Drawing on its diverse range of graphic talents, FUEL’s winning pieces ranged from print ads and corporate holiday greeting cards to posters and interactive animation series, artfully illustrating the stylistic depth and breadth of the firm’s designs.
Bill Bollman is FUEL’s Creative Director. Before co-founding FUEL in 2001, he worked for Horizon Communications, JW Morton and Basler Design Group. Bill studied Illustration at Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo, Iowa. An expert in the “old ways” of hands-on print production, these skills influence his work in the digital world to this day. His work throughout his career has been featured in international publications including Graphis, How International Design, Communication Arts, and The One Book as well as numerous design annuals and reference books.
