Client Spotlights: Stories of Success

Every project is different—because every business has a story worth telling.

These spotlights show how I help clients bring clarity to their message, elevate their brand, and create stronger connections with the people they serve.

Client Spotlight: Curt Faus Construction

Curt Faus Construction was ready to refresh their brand and marketing materials to reflect the scale and professionalism of their work. After a brand audit and messaging alignment, I created a clean, modern brand system that supports their goals and helps them show up with confidence.

The deliverables included business cards, sales materials, digital graphics, and large-scale outdoor banners, providing the team with a more consistent and polished way to connect with clients and represent their brand in the field.

A logo for Curt Faus Construction featuring blue geometric shapes resembling a blueprint, with a ruler incorporated into the design, and the company's name in black and white text.

“Ekstrand Creative understands our business and values. Maria’s creativity, strategic insight, and collaborative approach have been instrumental in helping us refresh our brand and communicate our expertise effectively. We couldn’t ask for a better partner.”

Christine Newman, Vice-President, Curt Faus Construction

Client Spotlight: Casler Financial

Brand Strategy · Messaging · Visual Identity · Print + Digital Collateral

Casler Financial was ready for a brand that reflected the personal, relationship-driven way they work with clients. I led a full rebrand—from strategy and messaging to visual identity, print materials, and digital content templates—creating a cohesive brand system that communicates professionalism, warmth, and trust.

Deliverables included business cards, a trifold brochure, social templates, and a style guide—giving Casler the tools to show up with clarity and confidence across platforms.

Stacked pages of business documents and guidelines, including sections labeled "Brand Application," "Visual Identity," "Tone of Voice and Messaging," and "Brand Essence," with a focus on branding and financial branding guidelines.
Logo for Caster Financial with the words 'Caster' in handwritten style typography and 'Financial' in green uppercase font with two underlines underneath.
Three pages from Casler Financial style guide, covering topics on small business retirement tax plans, health insurance tax credits for small employers, and managing tax stress.
Professional business card for Shay Bachelder, LTC, EA, a licensed tax consultant, with contact information and a logo for Casler Financial. Behind it, a teal-colored promotional flyer or brochure for tax preparation, planning, and representation services.

“The process with Maria brought me so much clarity, not just about my brand, but about how I want to grow my business. I’m so excited about my new visual identity and online presence, and I know my business wouldn’t be where it is today without her insight and support.”

Shay Bachelder, Casler Financial

Client Spotlight: City of Oregon City

Department of Economic Development

The Oregon City Economic Development Department launched its first quarterly “OC Market Messenger,” an economic update shared with the local business community. In collaboration with the City, I developed the process from the ground up, recommending the structure and setting up a framework for ongoing success.

My work with the City encompasses strategy, creative concept development, copywriting, and graphic design in both print and electronic formats. The result is a professional and engaging newsletter that connects the department with its audience and highlights its initiatives.

In early spring 2025, I designed the “Economic Development Update.” The form factor was intended to be a more high-end printed piece, prioritizing longevity and storytelling, while also being visually appealing with a photo-dominant design. I also created a FlipBook for electronic sharing, which you can view by clicking the image to the right. This is an effective and eye-catching way to send pieces like this, and I’m excited to do more design in this format.

Illustration of Oregon City with a bridge over a river, buildings, and a bright sky, with the text 'Oregon City' at the bottom.
Oregon City Fall 2024 OC Market Messenger newsletter featuring economic updates, trends shaping the community, inflation statistics, labor market data, and commercial development information, with a background photo of a tree-lined street in autumn.
Oregon City economic development newsletter titled 'O C Market Messenger' for summer 2024, featuring sections on welcome message, economic trends, commercial business growth, and labor market updates.
Oregon City Market Messenger Winter 2025 newsletter page with a photo of Oregon City, a community update, economic trends, and development stats.
Cover page of Oregon City economic development report titled 'Fostering a Diverse, Resilient, and Vibrant Economy' with a cityscape at dusk in the background

“Maria’s expertise in strategic planning, content creation, and promotion is exactly what we needed. She has helped the department refine its messaging to resonate with our audience. Ekstrand Creative’s approach is thoughtful, professional, and results-driven. I highly recommend working with Maria.”

James Graham, CEcD, Economic Development Manager

Oregon City Economic Development Department

ADR Business Services

Brand Strategy · Business Planning · Visual Identity · Website Content

ADR Business Services knew they offered more than just bookkeeping, but they struggled to articulate their value and stand out in a crowded field. I guided them through a comprehensive strategic rebrand, beginning with business planning, a brand audit, and messaging development to clarify what sets them apart and how to communicate it with confidence.

From there, I created a clean, modern visual identity and supporting graphic elements that reflect the trust and professionalism at the core of their business. I also performed a full website audit and provided updated content and recommendations to help them show up online in a more consistent and compelling way.

Washington Dairy Commission

Washington Dairy Commission OOH Billboard MMMMMMERALD CITY KEEP I REAL. KEEP IT WASHINGTON.

Scope of work included:

  • Strategy + Planning

  • Branding

  • Creative + Design

  • Content + Media

  • Digital Marketing

DFW campaigns won several awards, including:

  • PR Daily Content Marketing Awards 2019: Winner Recipe Content Series.

  • American Advertising Awards Seattle 2019: Silver Addy, Keep it Real. Keep it Washington Campaign.

  • Portland Advertising Federation Rosey Awards 2018: Climbing Rose Award, Out of Home, Dear Dairy Campaign.

  • Portland Advertising Federation, Rosey Awards 2017: Our Newest Team Member, Tiggy, People’s Choice Award.

Washington Dairy Commission Station Domination Keep It Real. Keep It Washington.
Ice cream cone with pink ice cream molded into the face of George Washington, set against a light blue background with text promoting real dairy ice cream from Washington farms.
Washington Dairy Commission Keep It Real Keep It Washington Creative Samples Print Ad
Washington Dairy Commission. Bus Wrap. Keep It Real. Keep It Washington. Campaign

JumpCloud

A building with a large billboard featuring a person's face, a logo, and text that reads, 'Restore order to your kingdom, with but one platform.' The city skyline with tall buildings and a stadium roof are visible in the background.

Our team partnered with JumpCloud to spotlight everyday IT champions who ensure the mobile workforce runs safely. The campaign combined targeted messaging and compelling visuals, featuring real JumpCloud customers to connect with the audience. Launched in key metro markets like Seattle, Austin, and Denver, the 3-month pilot laid the groundwork for a national rollout over the next 18 months.

Key Deliverables:

Brand Strategy + Creative: Campaign development, media planning, creative design, A/B testing, and customer interviews.

Content + Media: OOH, digital and radio media, social media strategy, and content creation.

JumpClouds campaign won several awards, including:

  • Winner of 2022 AAF-Silicon Valley Judge's Choice,

  • ADDY, three golds, six silvers, and two bronze awards.

Billboard advertisement urging users to escalate user login security, featuring a woman with blonde hair, the JumpCloud logo, and the tagline 'Access, granted'.
JumpCloud Brand Campaign Billboard
JumpCloud Brand Campaign Digital OOH Billboard

“Maria was a strategic business partner, advising my team and me on various ad campaigns and awareness topics. Whether we were discussing the ins and outs of OOH asset production, a high-level media plan, or creative refreshes, Maria was responsive, helpful, knowledgeable, and focused on my and JumpCloud's success. Most importantly, Maria understood the business drivers and landscape for JumpCloud AND what it takes to package information that executives appreciate. Our program together yielded measurable, wildly positive results. I cannot wait to work with Maria again!”

Eric Channing Brown, VP of Corporate Marketing