Testimonials

The words to describe Alex Atkins: customer-focused, light-speed turnaround, and high value.  Alex works with his clients to make each project successful -- his turnaround time and flexibility in responding to the customer’s needs are unmatched.

Alex Atkins is faster than a speeding bullet when it comes to fast-breaking projects that needed to be done yesterday. He is both talented and pragmatic. He never tires of myriad versions; and is focused on customer satisfaction, always willing to try something new the client might suggest. He is a pleasure to work with.

AAD created a compelling and iconic brand that captured the uniqueness and spirit of our dynamic, innovative school. The branding campaign was instrumental in gathering support for the formation and establishment of the school during its early years, and now continues to define our uniqueness, now that we are a top-rated, California Distinguished School. With each project, AAD’s creativity, focus to detail, and fast turnaround is unparalleled.

AAD consistently provides us with creative and innovative design work. Projects are completed quickly and efficiently with an unwavering attention to detail and quality from start to finish. AAD acts as a partner in the success of our endeavors and works to see the big picture of each project we work on together. We appreciate his collaborative approach to enhance how our publications communicate to our alumni.

Alex is one of the most well-rounded designers I have ever worked with. He enthusiastically approaches each project applying his creative talents and passionate attention to detail to produce pieces that effectively communicate the mission of Second Harvest Food Bank. AAD provides all the quality and professionalism of a large design firm but with an attention to detail, quick turn-around time and efficiency that only a smaller design firm could offer. There is no other designer that turns projects around with such incredible speed. I highly recommend AAD!

For over 25 years, we have worked with AAD and have developed an exceptional long-term relationship. Over that time, he has worked on just about every type of publication project at the GSB -- from small projects (like postcards and invites) to large and complex (like publications and annual reports). Alex is very easy to work with and is very responsive to all our project schedules -- even if it means working after hours or over the weekend. One of the greatest aspects of working with Alex is that he delivers very high-quality creative work faster than any other design firm that we have worked with. Another important aspect is his flexibility and generosity regarding pricing. Through donation of services, Alex makes it possible to produce quality work despite the fact that not all projects are equally funded. I enthusiastically recommend Alex to all my colleagues at Stanford and other nonprofits, particularly when a project has a short timeline and cost is an issue.

The Town of Los Altos Hills hired Alex to completely recreate the town newsletter. Not only did he design a beautiful, colorful, inviting newsletter that captured the essence of the town, but he also contributed immeasurably with his excellent writing and editing abilities. Alex is a joy to work with because he understands and appreciates collaboration. Working with a variety of contributors can be difficult, but Alex is able to synthesize and interpret all of this to create engaging layouts. Alex’s passion for creating publications that really connect with readers — to inform and inspire — is contagious. The speed at which he works is remarkable, and helps the project to move quickly. The project is also possible due to Alex’s generous partial donation of services.

I wish everyone I worked with was as professional, skilled, and efficient as Alex. He combines a brilliant flair for design with a dynamic, intelligent approach. He pays meticulous attention to detail and has a great ability to cover the creative angles, but what amazes me most is that these benefits never slow the process or his turnaround. 

From the very first set of proofs, we knew that Alex was very talented, and he has not disappointed since. Based on his design input, our marketing materials exhibit both the highest quality image as well as the zest and vigor of a game-changing legal delivery model. Alex also introduced us to high-quality, limited printing run brochures that give us the ability to introduce client specific case studies. His innovative leadership has significantly enhanced our business opportunities. We also appreciate Alex’s willingness to work with us in developing a flexible price structure for his services that addresses our business challenges. We look forward to collaborating with Alex on many other projects.

Alex designs, but he also teaches and inspires. We have seen our organization anew through his eyes, and have proudly shown that new vision to our stakeholders through what he has created for and with us. We highly recommend AAD.

Alex Atkins is aware of how important is a collaborative process while creating projects that are the work of many artists; therefore, he provides a work atmosphere that is pleasant and engages everyone to make the project better. We are certain that our book would never have won five national book awards if it was not crafted with Alex’s creative use of color, typography, and photography.

I actually look forward to having a project that allows me the opportunity to reconnect with Alex. Alex has dramatically upgraded the material that comes from the Campbell Union School District Extensions Department. Because we deliver services outside of the school day, like summer/after-school programs and preschools, we need to market ourselves in a way that speaks to the community we serve. Alex has taken our old lackluster materials and transformed them into documents that make our programs stand miles above the rest. Alex is creative, responsive, patient, bold. When creating for us, he demonstrates the right balance of expertise in his field with a respect for our vision. It feels like Christmas when I open up the email that contains the first proof. I am Alex’s biggest fan and recommend him enthusiastically.

For years, we admired the quality and strength of Second Harvest Food Bank’s brand and marketing campaigns that were created by AAD As the Family Giving Tree approached its 20th year, we knew we had to make some changes in order to compete in the crowded nonprofit arena. Since we had never hired an outside firm for creating all of our marketing and fundraising materials we had questions and concerns. Would it make an impact to bottomline? Would it inspire our employees, volunteers and partners? Would the relationship work with our company’s culture? And, could we afford it? The answer to all these questions is an emphatic YES. After meeting with Alex, we quickly identified our marketing and brand strengths and weaknesses and developed a strategic plan to implement effective, powerful marketing and fundraising campaigns. Thanks to his generous donation of creative services we were able to leverage our marketing budget to work on all critical marketing pieces to make our Holiday Wish Drive and Back to School drives successful. Alex also led us through a process of evaluating our original logo and its inability to project our core values and mission. He then led us through a redesign process that concluded with the creation of a compelling and beautiful logo. This logo has inspired our staff and our mission; furthermore it has been met with great enthusiasm by our volunteers and partners. The impact of AAD’s marketing and brand identity work is very clear: response rate to the direct solicitation campaign was 12%, up from 8% from the previous year. What makes this achievement even more compelling is that it occurred during one of the most challenging economies that nonprofits have ever seen. Alex’s commitment to excellence and passion for our work make him an important part of the Family Giving Tree family. For any nonprofit that wants to succeed in creating awareness, raising funds, and fulfilling their mission, I highly recommend calling Alex. It will be the best phone call you make this year.