Operating from an art studio overlooking San Antonio’s Blue Star Art Complex, Labkids provides potential clients with a simple proposition: “We solve your creative problems, and we solve your problems creatively.” Whether the customeris a painter looking for a location to promote his or her work, or a business looking to update its web site, Labkids is a design boutique with an artistic approach to business.
Labkids, a creative marketing team, promotes their clients’ business or artwork with photo shoots, graphic design work, events or any type of stylistic redesigning needed by the client. Self–titled as crisis problem–solvers, they are open and willing to work with any promotional “problems” clients bring to the table. This group of friends and artists includes Steven Darby, Frank Vecchio, Troy Wise, Roberto Gonzales, Will Alfonso, and Urban Pradipasena.
“Labkids is a unit of creative people that came together to not only aspire to our own work, but to collaborate with other artists, to see what we can do for other people. So we basically take that to a business level,” says Gonzales.
Operating from Loft 120 Blue Star, the organization began in the late 90s promoting musical talent. Over time Labkids blossomed into an organization that helped emerging artistic talent and businesses in San Antonio.
“A lot of what we do is based on an interest in the culture and the arts,” says Wise. “Whether it is fashion, photography or painting, we like to participate with clients in that way. That artistic interest helps compensate us when the dollar can’t. That drives a lot of our work.”
Whether the client is an emerging artist or a prestigious business, the first step in the process is always the same; getting to know them. This initial phase begins with a personal exchange between the customers and service providers. Not only is taking time to find out what the client needs a time–saving and cost-efficient process, it provides both parties an opportunity to see if the working relationship will be a perfect fit.
The next phase provides the client with a proposal broken up into different steps on how the work will be done and charged to the client. If the customer agrees to the proposal, the service providers go to work.
“For any client that we deal with,” say Darby. “We need to understand that client to understand what it is they need. We want to understand them on a personal level. You want to understand what’s going to move them, what kind of design they’re going to be inspired by.
“That way we end up saving a lot of time in revisions because we get to know the client first. Our biggest challenge is how to operate our time as efficiently as possible so that we don’t pass cost down to clients. We don’t have to send something out and worry if they’re going to like it or not. They often love it immediately because we took the time to know what they like.”
It is this personal touch that has given Labkids a competitive edge over other design firms. They currently help many local artists establish themselves. No artist is turned away. Whether it is marketing the artist’s work or deciding if their work is ready to be released, Labkids providesa nurturing refuge for many emerging artists who need an objective perspective on their careers.
“You’re hiring us because you need something,” says Vecchio. “You’re hiring us for our skill. We understand artists. We understand the market. We understand how you go from point A to point B. And then, we do it in a creative way. We want to work with people that appreciate that. We’re personal.
“We’re not going to say 'Tweak that, move that, do that!’ We’re not your standard service that comes in and says, 'For X amount of dollars, you get three revisions. Next client!’ That’s not us.”
It is this same level of care that is carried over to their larger business clients and has served them well. They have assisted many clients in store remodeling, poster campaigns, web site updating, party or fashion events, photo shoots, videos, graphic design work, and many other promotional services. And, becauseof their relationship–forming approach, Labkids has grown by repeat business and word–of–mouth referrals.
“We try to brand everything with our taste,” says Gonzales.“We want to be 'tastemakers.’ We choose to tell people that 'Thisis going to be cool because we say it’s cool.’ From that we’re able to form other relationships as well. We expand in that way.”
