PHOTO BY PHILIP JOHNSON
MODESTO — If you ask Marcia Herrmann what has made her successful, she will tell you it’s a passion for design, a desire to execute with the highest level of quality and a value system that holds clients in high regard. She says that is how she has run her design firm for the past 30 years.
“Treating people with respect to obtain the trust so end results go beyond satisfaction. Under promise and over deliver — I’ve always done that,” said Herrmann.
Herrmann launched her business after earning a masters degree in Instructional Technology Visual Communications from California State University, Chico.
“I actually feel like part of the success is probably related to education,” Herrmann said. “I think education in design is first and foremost — understanding how to solve visual problems, being taught how to think visually.”
The firm started out as what Herrmann defines as a “design boutique” and has since expanded based on the needs of its clients. Now a full-service agency with emphasis on high-end branding and design solutions, MHD Group offers strategy and planning that also incorporates web design, packaging, public relations, and advertising development.
Formerly known as Marcia Herrmann Design, the company name is now MHD Group, a change Herrmann made two-and-a-half years ago to emphasize the strong team of designers and staff who make up her firm.
“We have a wonderful team,” Herrmann said. “I have a new group of young people who have come on board who I am so excited to have and who I like to train and teach and impart my understanding of the business as I see it over the past 30 years.”
Serving both regional and national companies of all sizes and from a wide range of industries, MHD Group takes pride in developing branding solutions that have stood the test of time. Clients such as Health Plan of San Joaquin, DPR Construction, and Salon Salon & The Boutique have enjoyed branding identities that have lasted more than 20 years.
According to Herrmann, the strength of MHD Group’s designs comes from understanding how a client wants to be perceived in the marketplace by its customers. From what is termed “collection of the perception in the eyes of the consumer,” a branding strategy is developed.
Educating clients that branding isn’t just an expense is part of the strategy process.
“If the client looks at this as an investment, they have tendency to want to build rather than do piecemeal work like a logo only,” Herrmann said. “The clients who succeed in their business always have a building plan so they see marketing strategy and design truly as a viable investment.”
Oodles Frozen Yogurt in Modesto is an example of an MHD Group client that invested in a such a design strategy.
“We had this idea that we wanted to start a frozen yogurt store, one of the new concepts with the self-serve, the toppings and all that because at the time Modesto didn’t really have that concept, so we went to Marcia,” said Lynn Dickerson, who along with husband Ron, were the original owners of Oodles.
MHD Group determined that the couple wanted their yogurt shop perceived as a fun, family friendly place where customers could go to feel good and enjoy a wide variety of frozen yogurt dessert choices.
The integrated strategy MHD Group subsequently developed included defining the company name, brand, logo, packaging, website, signage and working with the architects to influence the look of the store’s interior.
The name Oodles was selected because it reflected the word “lots” as in lots of fun, lots of flavors, lots of toppings. The logo design incorporated lowercase letters because they are “friendly” along with little dots that represent candy. The architect utilized the round nature of the logo in the interior design of the shop and integrated curvature in the lighting fixtures, traffic flow and wall paintings.
According to Dickerson, the strategy was well worth the investment.
“We recognized that our brand was one of the most important things we had,” she said.”Good customer service and a brand that reflected that and reflected classiness, and fun and whimsical and all those things. And so it was one of the areas we chose to invest in.”
The design industry has grown and changed over the past 30 years. Today, Herrmann said, there is an emphasis on sustainability and recycling. The use of digital printing is growing along with social media and digital technology advancements.
What hasn’t changed are the strong relationships the firm has with its clients. As a woman in the industry, Herrmann says it all goes back to building trust, respect and having integrity.
“Even though I’m a woman I don’t see the differentiation in this community. I would think that — and I would hope — people see me certainly as creative but as a businessperson,” she said. “This community is really good with accepting that. Even my clients that are outside this area are the same way.”
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