In fact, she credits this group with the repositioning of AD from an interiors company to a design development company. Diversity keeps me interested and challenged. When I started to talk to my staff about the structure of the firm, I think we all realized that the way we worked was a little Bohemian. In addition to interiors, we were heavily into marketing and really creating an entire persona for our clients to present to the consumer. So, now we're this design development company, but I think we're still Bohemian.
AD probably works more like an advertising agency than a typical design firm.
Some jobs, of course, are a one time deal, but Sloane prefers to have a long-term relationship with clients. Thus, AD is kept on retainer and is available to help clients resolve issues related to any one of the areas in AD's product mix. Last year, AD helped BET build a showroom for its new Exsto clothing label, and along with that came work on brand identity, graphics, a trade show booth and even some consulting on Exsto's first collection. Therefore, the job required some of that repositioning AD itself had experienced. That was all part of helping them reposition BET in terms of clothing, and it allowed us to combine all of our areas of expertise-the environment, the visuals and the ideas.