URBN Social is a community network that supports black-owned businesses, artists, entrepreneurs, intellectuals, spokespeople, politicians… you name it!

They share empowering and controversial news, as well as uplifting social trends, to both publicize and empower the black community. Their entire brand is about owning one’s identity and having pride in one’s heritage.

It can be said that URBN Social exists purely to celebrate black culture while providing audience’s around the world with an outlet to communicate their perspective, support one another, rally behind worthy causes, and see that wealth and social power builds in predominantly black communities.

However, even in this context, their message transcends race. They preach all-inclusivity. And though they only highlight black-owned businesses, artists, and trends, they do so to shed light on a culture that invites everyone — regardless of race, religion, age, or political orientation — to embrace, celebrate, and learn from the richness and beauty of their community.

We were here to see that URBN Social’s full potential could be reached. They came to us to rebuild their website and modernize their brand for a global undertaking. They have huge ambitions and it was clear that their original website could not carry their brand to the heights they envisioned. So, we go to work redesigning their social network so they could see their vision through.

SERVICES WE PROVIDED IN THE WEBSITE REBUILD

• Our graphics design team established improved brand guidelines by identifying primary, secondary, and tertiary brand colors.
• Our marketing team analyzed past website traffic to determine the most visited areas of the site, and built a sitemap to support these findings.
• Our graphic design team developed a mockup for the new and improved URBN Social website, citing key points of focus while spotlighting functionalities that could be improved with contemporary design principles
• Our web development team implemented our improved design while improving website functionality to heighten the user experience. Additionally, they rebuilt URBN Social’s massive business directory while adding payment gateways and advertising opportunities to add new revenue streams.

A Video Game Live Stream Fundraiser

Reach Out And Play got its start way back in 2014 during the holiday season. We invited the Fort Lauderdale community to the studio for a 12-hour live stream party to help raise money for the three featured organizations that C&I Reach supports on a monthly basis: Flutemaker Ministries, Jedidiah Learning Steps, and Watchmen on the Walls Ministries.

We brought the live stream back to life in March 2020 in an effort to help raise money for small local businesses that have been adversely impacted by the novel coronavirus. Every Friday for eight weeks, we invited local business owners to the studio to compete against our team for bragging rights and to encourage philanthropic giving amongst our audiences on Twitch, Youtube, and Instagram.

To reach a modern audience, we rebranded Reach Out And Play with new graphics and video advertising. In everything we do, we aim for the highest quality. We never settle for mediocre, so it was only right that we broke out our best production gear to create a live stream of expert quality, consistency, and clarity.

The Eyeglass Pillow by LaySee Pillow is the answer to a longtime annoyance.

If you wear seeing eyeglasses, then you know how uncomfortable it is to lay on your side. Pillows simply do not agree with glasses. They shift your sight, press your glasses into your skull, or completely obstruct your view of the television! Well, not anymore.

LaySee Pillow invents comfortable, practical solutions for everyday people. Their innovations in the home goods retail department have been a great benefit for people of all ages, especially those who wear glasses. When they were ready to launch their latest product, the Eyeglass Pillow, they came to us because of the work we did for Ghostbed and the success of their ad campaign.

LaySee Pillow wanted to hit the market hard with a memorable and catchy piece of visual media that would encourage users to explore their brand and make a purchase. With this goal in mind, we created a straightforward ad with eclectic characters that is both fun and succinct. We included bite-sized pieces of information on the screen in the form of text to educate consumers on the benefit of their product and leave a lasting impression.

Beyond the creative execution, this project demonstrated the value of a well-planned product launch video. C&I Studios worked with the LaySee Pillow team from concept through final delivery, developing a script that balanced humor with clear product messaging. Our production team selected talent that represented the product’s target demographic and designed each scene to highlight a specific use case. The result was a video that performed well across e-commerce platforms and social media, driving both brand awareness and conversions during the critical launch window. For brands entering a competitive marketplace, this kind of strategic visual content can make the difference between blending in and standing out. Learn more about how we help product brands succeed through video production and creative services.

Moss Construction’s dedication to excellence and transparency has made them a household name in the construction industry.

Their honest, intelligent, and thoughtful approach to business are all distinguishing characteristics that have led to them being one of the most recognizable construction firms in operation. Their work philosophy combined with their collection of sustainable, award-winning buildings has grown their company into one of the largest in the industry.

The Moss team spans the entire United States with offices in Hawaii, California, Texas, and Florida. And that is who we were hired to highlight. When Moss Construction approached us, they asked for two videos:

1. to showcase their award-winning buildings
2. to spotlight their outstanding company culture

When spotlighting their company culture, we chose to inject a bit of humor into the piece. This was a key element in showing the human factor in their business and the many unique personalities that contribute to their ongoing mission. As a whole, this video sheds light on the outstanding people at the helm of their business, as well as the scope of their influence.

These videos were originally revealed at Moss Construction’s annual company retreat in dedication to all of their employees, but remain a valuable asset for their branding and marketing.

Freebird is an exciting new real estate concept debuting in East Fort Lauderdale.

Freebird real estate agents focus on the unique lifestyle needs of their clientele to find them a home that best suits their way of living. Before beginning the home buying process, they take the time to get to know their clients personally. If you’re a yogi, an outdoorsman, a business person, a boater, a foodie (you get the point), they’ll learn about your interests and passions until they have a firm understanding of how you live. Then they’ll find you a perfect home in a neighborhood that exemplifies your lifestyle.

Freebird’s personalized program represents a massive paradigm for real estate in East Fort Lauderdale.

Freebird believes that how you live is the first step in deciding where you should live. They inject the home buying experience with a social-centric, no-pressure vibe, which provides their agents with the intel needed to locate your dream home in East Fort Lauderdale. This intimate process creates a positive and relaxed atmosphere in which their clients can experience life in East Fort Lauderdale before committing to a move.

The first step in branding Freebird was creating an image that would welcome home buyers, sellers, and those interested in the East Fort Lauderdale lifestyle.

Our image had to excite consumers by breathing life into real estate. Boring wouldn’t do. Ordinary wouldn’t do. Their real estate process contradicts the status quo, therefore, their branding had to be completely unique for the industry.

First, we created a color palette that was iconic to South Florida scenery yet unique to the Freebird brand. One important difference here is how it distinguishes the company from other real estate agencies. The client wanted to avoid mimicking the realtor aesthetic that has completely saturated the market. This decision inspired us to incorporate people into the branding collateral. Rather than showcase homes and realtors in suits, we chose to showcase real people living and enjoying the East Fort Lauderdale lifestyle.

Given that Freebird is redefining the real estate process for home buyers and sellers by making the entire experience more social and laidback in nature, we avoided using imagery or language that denoted hard sales. We want users to feel comfortable every time they interact with the Freebird brand. If we did not achieve this, then we risked devaluing the Freebird program, which would, ultimately, cast the brand in the same shade as generic real estate agencies.

The final product is a distinguished and easily identifiable brand image that we are confident will become an icon to real estate in East Fort Lauderdale. No other company embodies the same values, energy, or process as Freebird, which is why the branding is so effective.

The crown jewel of Freebird’s branding and marketing is their website.

We designed and developed a digital home that exemplifies the Freebird program. The entire website is built around the user experience. It is designed to excite consumers, inform them of the benefits of Freebird’s unique program, show them the validity of their process and encourage them to reach out to schedule a tour with a Freebird agent.

The greatest challenge we faced in the creation of the website was the interactive map for the Areas East page. This custom design provides an overview of East Fort Lauderdale, showing major points of interest and the locations of the most iconic and livable neighborhoods in the city. Our interactive map allows users to embark on a digital tour of East Fort Lauderdale. Each icon leads to a unique page that provides lifestyle information and pictures of the neighborhood, the most recent real estate statistics, and a few Freebird favorites.

To exemplify the laidback, social-centric appeal of Freebird real estate in Fort Lauderdale, we created a custom lifestyle quiz. This casual intake form preps users for the program and provides Freebird agents with a few talking points to get to know their clients on a personal level. A major function of the site is to ease consumers into this new real estate process while gently feeding them information on the Freebird brand and what awaits their new life in East Fort Lauderdale.

TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES | TRANSFORMING LIVES

Hollywood Community Housing Corporation is solving the Los Angeles housing crisis by providing communities with affordable housing, enrichment opportunities, and supportive services.

Perspective is the root to their success in tackling this crisis. Rather than look at communities and decide their needs they look to communities for guidance. They don’t make assumptions. They speak to the people, learn their hardships and their greatest needs, then deliver the means for them to overcome their greatest obstacles.

We believe that outreach that provides people the tools and insights to create change for themselves produce the greatest results. We appreciate everything that Hollywood Community Housing Corporation is doing for the city of Los Angeles. When they came to us to create their company branding video — to showcase their mission, ideology, and promise for the future — we were all in!

A major focus of the video is explaining how their organization works for the people of L.A. By showing how their leadership works alongside those who are vulnerable, yet driven to improve their lives and their communities, we created a video that is equal parts community, results-driven, uplifting, and optimistic. It is a showcase of their passion, determination, legacy, and vision… and that carries immense weight.

Our company profile video conditions viewers to invest in the HCH mission.

Brand storytelling is effective because it is emotional (and humans are creatures of emotion).

The effectiveness of our marketing booklet was dependent on the impact of our company profile video, which is featured on the homepage of the Hollywood Community Housing website. This video is the showcase and comprehensive overview of their mission. But it is not rigid, boring, or stuffy. It focuses on people, positive change, progress, and a selfless determination to empower those in hard times. These messages resonate with a lot of people, but especially with Hollywood Community Housing’s target demographics.

To generate the best results, we were created a marketing booklet to be distributed alongside the premier of Hollywood Community Housing’s company video. The marketing booklet shows a different side of the same mission. It gets into the numbers and the facts, informing our audience of the crisis, the longterm downside if it doesn’t get solved, and the strides that HCH is making to change Los Angele’s housing landscape.

Hover over the image to the left and click the button to open Hollywood Community Housing’s marketing brochure and invest in their mission.

An Impactful Company Profile Video For A Game-Changing Business

MRINetwork is derived from a global network of recruitment and talent advisory experts. Their mission is to help recruitment and talent advisory firms thrive. They assist with growth at each phase of business expansion through training, consultation, and back office solutions.

MRINetwork is the only the only company in the world exclusively supporting recruitment and talent advisors. Their global presence enables them to meet business owners anywhere in the world to share solutions that will help them thrive in an evolving industry.

MRINetwork asked for a Company Profile Video that would showcase their expansive staff, educate viewers on their expertise, and excite business owners to join their coalition.

Together, we created a “round-table” concept in which key staff members start and finish one another’s sentences. This quick-paced and shared dialogue fulfills various functions.

1. It proves that MRINetwork is a team
2. It shows that each member of the team is an expert at growing businesses
3. It showcases the style of their collaborative services
4. It embeds their company culture and core values within the framework of their new brand narrative

All of these factors come together to create a final product that excites viewers. The final takeaway is that MRINetwork’s confidence, passion, and understanding of intricate business practices makes them the ideal partner to guide growth.

Lennox Heating & Cooling is a nationally recognized HVAC system supplier that installs, maintains, and optimizes residential and commercial heating and cooling systems. Their philosophy, Air is life. Make it Perfect. is the guiding principle that has encouraged their company to lead innovation in their industry. They have earned widespread recognition for their award-winning designs in sustainability, outstanding achievements nationwide, and environmentally conscious behavior.

Their track-record is evidence that they are fulfilling their mission of improving energy efficiency for households and businesses throughout the nation. Though their brand is a household name, their success and determination are not widely known. They came to us to create a video that would highlight their crowning achievements and show their path to the future.

Lennox’s Year In Review video details their company’s growth and informs the general public (and their shareholders) on how they will better serve the nation. By showcasing their 2019 financial results and business growth, we were able to point a foot towards the future. Ultimately, this maneuver serves to excite audiences and prove that Lennox is not only the leading voice in their industry, but the true authority on heating and cooling within the contexts of sustainability and innovation.

The Whatever It Takes Safely award winner commemoration video

Regardless of Lennox’s immense size and recent growth, they remain a tight-knit group. Their company culture is traditional in that each district’s employees know one another; corporate leadership knows their managers; the managers know their team; and the team members are good friends. To showcase these rare connections and their unbridled teamwork, Lennox asked us to create a video commemorating this year’s winner.

This award goes to employees who work hard every day to assist the company in ways that improve their overall mission. This is not a fancy title given for the sake of publicity. No, this is a true accolade that proves the recipient is a valued member of the team and a major earner. Beyond showcasing individual growth, a Whatever It Takes Safely award winner must also prove that they encourage their peers to better themselves. He or she must show leadership — leading only by example, not command.

Creating such a compassionate video to be shared within the company goes beyond team-building and comradery. It gives their Year In Review video credence. Overall, this will encourage employees to perform beyond their standard responsibilities, which is what the Year In Review video essentially promises.

Blue Nun commissioned us to create a TV advert showcasing their delicious Riesling wine. They requested that the framework for the ad and the atmosphere therein be within the context of a “girls night out.” We were asked to come up with the concept and locations, organize the talent, and create a licensed song for the ad.

We decided that an industrial loft space, which was a renovated warehouse building, would be perfect for the theme. The setting is mysterious and can easily be interpreted as an underground, speakeasy-esque bar scene. The talent we hired fit Blue Nun’s targeted demographic perfectly. They also helped to make the scene believable, which was essential for their marketing goals.

Blue Nun also hired us to photograph their Riesling and Merlot varietals.

We wanted to show that their wines are not simply alcoholic beverages, but that they represent one’s mood. This is why the collection of photography is so drastically different. The images portraying the Merlot varietal are moody and romantic. They are lustful and that sells. Whereas, the product photography for the Riesling varietal is bright and playful. The imagery leans on innocence and wholesomeness.