Relevant PWS Sections: 3.3.4.1 (Advertising Services), 3.3.4.3 (Public Relations Services/Outreach), 3.3.4.5 (Promotional Materials), and 3.3.4.7 (Graphics Design)

Problem: The Publications Department of the Office of the Clerk for the U.S. House of Representatives lacked standardization in the look and feel of its publications and media, as well as lacked any governing document on standardized design for its workforce.

Solution:  Pete transformed the look and feel of a multitude of books, brochures, and other printed pieces used by members of Congress and millions of constituents. Because the Publications Department is ultimately responsible for producing the final work, our task was to provide them with a new set of tools with which they could create dynamic new layouts that fit within the proposed brand identity, while retaining a sense of variety and individual character. We began by developing a graphic library of custom icons—each inspired by actual items or motifs within the U.S. House of Representatives. These icons would become the heart of the design system.

Benefit: The project’s defining product was the all-new 800-page Graphic Style Guide. This guiding document, still in use today, was designed to codify the branding, look, and feel of all documents in circulation by the Publications Department. It introduced and explained a versatile grid system, typography, and photographic approach that will help the designers at the Office of the Clerk create a broad family of consistently branded materials for years to come.

Note: Pete Buttecali leads AMC’s Strategic Communications Practice, which supports VA and NASA on a daily basis. Prior to arriving at Andrew Morgan Consulting, Pete built a career resume leading some of the best communications teams in the nation.  His diverse StratCom credentials include multiple nationwide communications campaigns, high-impact website enhancements, large-scale project management, and high-end creative design for countless commercial and federal customers.