But regardless of the industry, and far beyond any product and service, we believe that effective organizations must all have fundamental beliefs and values that drive their mission and purpose.

We certainly do.

There are a small handful of defining philosophies that shape how we think and operate at Contrast. Our personal favorite, however, comes from the late, great John Lennon. Reportedly, he was once asked to name his favorite Beatles album. “Our best work has yet to be recorded,” was his response. Wow. We love that.

Our best work has yet to be recorded.

Let the beauty, promise, and potential of that statement sink in for a second. What an incredibly humbling and inspiring idea! What a fantastic way to keep perspective. And what an optimistic view of the future and the growth we will experience within it. Again, wow.

Don’t get us wrong. We’re enormously proud of our successes to date. In the relatively brief history of Contrast, the brands we’ve conceived have altered the trajectories of organizations. They’ve put startups on the map. They’ve steamrolled industry perceptions and generated enormous buzz. Our brands have helped unite disparate teams, and have propelled organizations further than they’ve ever been before.

In the universe of creativity, complacency is a dreadful place to live. We believe that our smartest—most creative—work still lies ahead.

But our best work has yet to be recorded.

Historical success is satisfying, but we’re not looking back. We’re a hungry bunch, and our best days still lie ahead. We want to be considered among the best, and we are determined to continue creating the smartest branding work anywhere. Praise, awards, and accolades don’t last. In the land of branding and design, complacency is a dreadful place to live. We never want our best work to be in the rearview mirror.

Truth is, the next project we take on will get the best thinking we’ve ever done. That’s the way it should be. That’s how we designed our agency. We’ve learned from our successes. We’ve learned so much more from our mistakes. Our failures have made us stronger. Every day in our history has brought new challenges. New lessons. New stumbling blocks. We are grateful for them all. Today we’re a much smarter agency than when we first opened our doors. Our processes are tighter. Deliverables, more focused. Outcomes, simply better.

This philosophy keeps us ahead while ensuring we remain open and humble. For organizations out there considering a rebrand, if you are unsure where to begin, starting with purpose and defining philosophies is always a good idea.

That’s our story, briefly told. The next chapter here is always being written, and who knows where we will go next. But no matter how far we venture, we will always be relentlessly hungry and optimistically dissatisfied. It is the drive to be our own toughest critic that continues to push us forward. Contrast is a mindset powered by creativity, growth, optimism, and positivity, and there is no limit to how far it can take us—together.

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