So, check out our freshly painted entryway:

Slimming, no?

Yet kind of intimidating. Should we rename ourselves "Mordor?"

Snoop likes it.

On second thought…nah.

One does not simply walk into Mortar, but if you don't mind the World's Slowest Elevator, come up and see us sometime.

Wow – nice day out there, huh? Can we have school outside today? No? Fine. We'll find an excuse to "work offsite."   Well, looky there – it's a series of Mortar-produced outdoor kiosks for B2B marketing automation mavens, Marketo.

 

If you're going to Dreamforce 11 next week at the Moscone Center (they're having Metallica!) you'll see Mortar's work all over the place. Check it out.

Surgery blows—especially when your schnoz is involved. But with the FDA’s recent approval of their new product Propel™, our client Intersect ENT is poised to revolutionize chronic sinusitis treatment for good. 

Unlike anything in its category, Propel is a spring-like device made of a flexible, lightweight plastic polymer. This innovative design serves to gently prop open the sinuses after endoscopic surgery. The device also delivers an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid directly to the sinus lining, which keeps patients’ noses from flaring up like a bull seeing red. The result? Improved post-surgical outcomes, and reduced need for oral steroids that can have nasty side effects. It’s genius, really.

Inspired by Propel’s iconic design, Mortar created a distinctive logo to establish the brand identity for our client’s inaugural product. Evoking the shape and warmth of the sun, the mark quickly conveys the elegant nature of the device. See?

There’s also a website on the way, and we designed a trade show booth for Propel’s debut at the American Academy of Otolaryngology’s convention this September in San Francisco. If you’re in town, stop in and rub elbows. Or noses. 

There’s nothing scarier than walking into a room full of geniuses and asking for money. Well, almost nothing. Zombies are scary. Wolves are scary. Concepts born of too many vodka-pineapples are scary. But still, meeting with venture capitalists is scary. 

So why do most venture capital websites do nothing but talk about themselves? That’s not very friendly, is it? Not what a good host would do, right? These poor entrepreneurs are laying it all on the table. They’re presenting, defending and explaining more than a “venture.” It’s their baby. The thing that’s consumed their every waking moment – not to mention their bank accounts. So, when Bain Capital Ventures approached us about a new website, we suggested they put less emphasis on the “us” and more on the “you.” 

Yes, you. If you’re an entrepreneur with an earthshaking idea, that is. The refreshingly simple site is uncluttered, down-to-earth and friendly, all the way from the tone of voice to the typeface. The entrepreneur-focused Innovation Center provides an online toolkit to help startups get started—complete with how-to articles, local networking opportunities, and even weekly office hours hosted by Bain.

But enough about us. We’d love to know what you think.