For our final Top list of the year, we bring you our top projects of 2011—the jobs that most challenged us, inspired us, rewarded us and paid dividends for our clients.

We’ve gushed about some of these projects before, so today we’ll tell you something you might not have guessed about each of these pieces and sites. And again, thanks to our fab clients for the opportunity to have fun at work and use our overactive imaginations for good.

yettertax.com

Fun fact #1: The photos on the site are the result of a professional shoot held at the Union League Club. The Club’s art collection is one of the oldest and most important in the Midwest. You can see some of the paintings in the background on the site. Fun fact #2: The majority of the site is done in WordPress, proving that content management functionality and a custom look are not mortal enemies.

Gallant brochure and folder

The Gallant name didn’t start out as a reference to chivalry and good deeds—it’s actually a derivation of one of the original founders’ names. But because Gallant so perfectly fits the company’s character, it inspired a whole brand: logo (meant to resemble a heroic shield), tagline and the Ten Virtues: the values the Gallant team of building heroes works to uphold every day.

Investment Answers collateral (physical and virtual)

Investment Answers is one of our most adventurous clients in the world of social media. In addition to all the traditional collateral we’ve done for them (trifold, folder, letterhead, etc.), we also created a YouTube channel background. It makes for a nice branded environment when clients want to watch some videos of investment and retirement planning tips.

Plug Connection 2011-2012 catalog

A great example of how to extend a creative concept while keeping it fresh. The theme: plug + play. (Little baby plants are called plugs in the horticulture world.) We expressed the concept in the 2010 catalog with flowers growing out of sockets. For 2011, same idea, new visuals: the flowers have taken up new roots in smartphones and tablets.

eGallant.com

If you want to see just how Gallant does, “Good works. Every day.” you can read through case studies on their BMSD-designed site. The case studies are also available as PDFs for your downloading and reading pleasure.

AOA member and student benefit guides

Ambitious projects can be practical, too. The AOA wanted their 2011 member benefit guide to feel more like a magazine, which meant interviews with doctors and osteopathic medical students and a cross-country photo shoot. It was a greater investment than your typical benefit guide, but it had greater value, too. We shot video while at the photo shoots, which became a teaser for the guide itself. What’s more, the stories that came out of the interviews turned out to be so good that we repurposed them for a separate, student-focused piece. Bang for your buck, indeed.

Thanks for reminiscing over the past year with us. We wish you the happiest and healthiest of new years, and if you want to inject a little sweet design into your 2012, just let us know.