Graphic Design USA recognized Creative Mellen with a 62nd GDUSA Design Award for our work with Theatre Cedar Rapids Capital Campaign website and case statement. This is GDUSA’s end-of-year best-of-year competition, open to everyone in the creative community. It honors outstanding work across all media. From more than 6,000 entries, only the top 10% are recognized as winners.

Special thanks to OPN Architects for their collaboration and renderings.

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From scenic motorcycle routes that wind through the Driftless hills to bald eagle sightings along the Mississippi, Prairie du Chien is full of unexpected moments. The Chamber of Commerce approached Creative Mellen to highlight these experiences and create a website that serves both the local community and visiting travelers.

The new design introduces a more visual, colorful way to explore area offerings, including tools to help plan your trip.

The updated structure also strengthens the chamber’s support for local businesses and residents through featured call‑outs, an improved member directory, and accessible economic development resources. So whether you are looking to visit or looking for local resources you can plan your adventure your way.

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Since its founding, Urban Acres Real Estate has proudly participated in the Iowa University Homecoming Parade. This year marked a special milestone—their 10th anniversary—celebrating a decade of helping the community find the homes and business spaces of their dreams while looking forward to the exciting road ahead.

Their theme was inspired by the iconic Back to the Future movie. With the float featuring a real DeLorean, Urban Acres asked us to design a custom T-shirt that captured the spirit of their journey forward. Collaborating with illustrator Paul Lange, we art directed the shirt design and messaging, ensuring agents and staff had a unified look as they walked the parade route.

The artwork was printed across several styles, including three-quarter sleeve shirts and sweatshirts. To add even more fun, some agents and staff dressed as beloved characters from the film—Doc Brown, Marty McFly, and others—bringing the theme to life in a playful, memorable way.

The parade was more than just a celebration of Urban Acres’ 10-year journey—it was a statement about their commitment to community, creativity, and the future. Between the float, the t-shirt artwork, and the spirited team walking the route, the event perfectly captured the blend of nostalgia and forward momentum that defines Urban Acres. Here’s to the next decade of helping people find their place!

Herky on Parade is currently the area’s largest public art installation. One hundred Herky the Hawk statues were selected out of three hundred, all by local artists, including our very own Conrad Hellman. The Herky statues were displayed all across Johnson County, Iowa, for the community to visit. Urban Acres sponsored and collaborated with Conrad to bring Herky’s Urban Heartland to life.

“Illustration is not something I’m typically comfortable doing, but it was the best solution to Urban Acres’ request for a community-focused design, originally used for tote bags,” explained Conrad. Adapting the original design to Herky’s body took some consideration. As a primarily digital artist, Conrad was up to the challenge of reinventing the design with paint. After deciding on a wrapped-around design, there was a period of experimentation to see what features fit the best. “We had to see where things fit, where I could wrap the roads around each other, and even how certain elements look on the legs and arms,” described Conrad.

Herky’s Urban Heartland was displayed on the west side of Ranshaw Way Parklet in North Liberty along the bike trail during the summer and cumulated at the 15th Annual FRYFest on August 30. It’s now on display at Urban Acres headquarters in Coralville, showing the spirit and community they serve.

Creative Mellen has worked with TuffWrap over the years to develop marketing campaigns that help build some buzz and connect with their audiences. This year, we extended last year’s superhero campaign to speak directly to their customers.

The overall campaign theme “Suit Up with TuffWrap” focused on the benefits of partnering with TuffWrap for interior protection projects and how these benefits relate to each type of customer. Based on data from last year’s campaign and client insights, we created a cast of superheroes, based on their customer’s specific persona.

Personas were broken into four major categories:

• Targeting roofing contractors and consultants, we created Captain Construction, who uses interior protection to successfully complete projects by keeping facilities clean and safe.
• Focusing on influencers (architects and designers), we established the Design Mastermind as the one who specifies containment solutions upfront to avoid project problems.
• Aiming at end users such as facility managers, we launched the Managing Marvel because this is the person who understands all facets of a construction project, overseeing all the details ensuring all goes as expected.
• Centering on general contractors and engineers, we developed the Protection Powerhouse, whose number one priority is protecting products, property, and people during construction.

For these customer personas, we created superhero-type characters they could relate to. We characterize them as “everyday” heroes. Illustrated by our talented partner Paul Lange, these characters represent the cross-section of those customers who would benefit from TuffWrap’s services and products. This approach allows TuffWrap to market each type of customer directly and highlight TuffWrap’s interior protection as an essential part of the construction project.

Let us help you reach your specific audience. Contact us today!

Sutliff Cider, Iowa’s Original Hard Cider, is now available in stores throughout the Iowa City – Cedar Rapids Corridor. Creative Mellen is proud to have been part of the process by rebranding and designing the new product label.

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Von Maur: How an American Department Store Dared to Do Things Differently—by author Melinda Pradarelli.

This was an exciting book design for Creative Mellen. Working with the von Maur family namely, Jim, Chuck, and Dick throughout the process was an honor. The history and knowledge of their rise throughout the years is a real American story. Scouring through archives, visiting libraries and museums, and taking photos of old relics was a great journey through their history.

As one reviewer says, “This is an excellent book, well written, and chocked-full of beautiful photos of Von Maur’s history. As a customer since childhood, it was interesting to see the evolution of my favorite department store. Von Maur does it right and their story reads like a love letter to their customers. I am buying it for all my family for Christmas this year!”

Special thanks to Melinda, the entire von Maur family, Vivienne Holloway, and other staff that helped us tell this great story.

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