- mod7
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mod7 (Mod7 Communications, Inc.) is an interactive design studio incorporated federally in 2000 and based in Vancouver, Canada. mod7 was started by Bill Hine and Emily Carr Institute grads, Wil Arndt and Peter Hoang. mod7 is the winner of dozens of seminal international design awards, and its work has been featured in many magazines, books and newspapers since its founding.
Contents
Corporate history
Mod7 Communications, Inc. ("mod7") was started by Bill Hine, Wil Arndt, and Peter Hoang in November 1999. The company was officially incorporated in January, 2000.
Early in its history, mod7 was recognized in the international interactive design community due, in part, to its approach to educational content and visual design aesthetics. From 2000 to 2001, the mod7 studio grew from three employees to ten, and revenues increased 50%. The majority of mod7 clients came from the Vancouver travel and tourism industry, including Tourism Vancouver, SNV International, and the Canadian Tourism Commission.
During this period, mod7 also created several notable and award-winning web projects, including the critically acclaimed PinholeSpy.com and Dots Magazine, which was called "the first arts and culture magazine created specifically for Palm and Pocket PC handhelds".[1]
With the economic fallout in the travel and tourism sectors directly attributed to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, many of mod7's clients cut back operations or went out of business. This resulted in a rapid decline in the company's core business and subsequent personnel layoffs. An industry interview quote referencing this period: "And so, with the drop in the Internet’s fortunes, they made the inevitable cutbacks and reinvented themselves as a micro-boutique, ready to take on smaller but more challenging projects".[2] Two mod7 partners have since left the company: Bill Hine in 2003 and Peter Hoang in 2004.
In 2004, mod was asked to work with the firm of American architect Jon Jerde (The Jerde Partnership), and to develop a website that catalogued Jerde’s influential work, which includes Horton Plaza, the Mall of America, the Bellagio (hotel and casino), and the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics. The site was launched in 2005. In 2006, the mod7 designed the BC Sport Event Hosting and Resort Guide, an initiative of 2010 Legacies Now, which was launched at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.
Between 2005 and 2008, the company's client base grew significantly to include projects developed for CTV, Electronic Arts, Discovery Channel, Canwest, Food Network, BC Dairy Foundation, CBC Radio-Canada, Days Inn. Revenues during this period increased 225%.
In 2009, mod7 released a whitepaper entitled "Empowering Imagination: A Primer on the Ethical Imperative in Children's Marketing & Entertainment". This whitepaper provides an overview of current practices and advertising recommendations in children’s online media and marketing.
Influences
Early mod7 work was notably influenced by hip hop culture, minimalist design and architecture, and Asian aesthetics.
Awards & Accolades
Selected Awards
Applied Arts Magazine Design & Advertising Annual 2006: The Jerde Partnership website wins in the 4th Applied Arts Design & Advertising Annual, Business Category.
New York Festivals 2005: The Jerde Partnership website wins a finalist certificate in the New York Festivals' 2005 Interactive & Alternative Media Awards, Professional Services.
Lotus Award 2004: Washington 14 Promo Videos - Winner, "Best On-line Advertising" category.
Applied Arts Magazine Design & Advertising Annual 2003: PinholeSpy.com - Number One in "Micro Web Site Design". (Publishing date: January 2003)
Communication Arts Interactive Design Annual 2002: PinholeSpy.com wins in "Information Design - Web" category.
HOW Interactive Design Annual 2002: PinholeSpy.com wins the prestigious "Best of Show." (Publishing date: August 2002)
Webby Awards Nomination 2002: PinholeSpy.com - nominated for "Best Kids Site of 2002"
Lotus Award 2001: Pinhole Spy Camera - Winner, "Best Corporate/Association Site" category.
Selected Press Coverage
Dynamic Graphics Magazine: Mod7 is featured in an article on "Fresh Web Design." (Published: August/September 2005 issue)
Business in Vancouver Magazine: Hightech 2005: Wil Arndt is interviewed for an article on independent web developers. (Publishing date: July 2005)
Design Interact Feature June 2004: The Mod7 studio and our work is featured on Design Interact, part of the Commarts Network.
HOW Magazine: Wil Arndt is interviewed for sound design feature. (Publishing date: February 2003)
Past, Present, Future: Inspiring Creative Web Design: Written by Chris Brock, Published by AVA Publishing. Dotszine is featured as an example of future reading.
Computer Arts Magazine: Mod7 is a featured profile (Publishing date: May 2002)
Notes
- ^ Brock, Chris (2003). Inspiring Creative Web Design: Past, Present, Future. AVA Publishing. ISBN 2-88479-017-9. http://www.amazon.com/Inspiring-Creative-Web-Design-Present/dp/2884790179.
- ^ "Design Interact: Features". Communication Arts. 2004-05-01. http://www.designinteract.com/features/mod7/.
External links
Categories:- 2000 establishments in Canada
- Graphic design studios
- Flash artists
- Digital artists
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