Director of sales
pre1 software
I have watched Kat Topaz work graphical miracles for years now. She does it all: ads, page layout, cover design or a complete redesign. Whatever you ask Kat to do she will push you to your creative limit. But she’s a pro, she won’t push you over a cliff.
Sales & Marketing Director
San Francisco Bay Guardian
Kat Topaz possessed an immense understanding of the Guardian ’s mission. Her design accomplishment exceeded my best expectations and undoubtedly set the Guardian above its competition. Since the launch, we have been fielding daily calls and emails from readers and advertisers loving the new look. They describe it as streetwise, serious, easy to navigate, and are frequently likening it to a webpage.
The new design has created new revenue opportunities for the Guardian . More premium positions were introduced and are quickly being sold out. Advertisers can enjoy more placement next to editorial than before, increasing ad response and client retention. Internet advertising opportunities will increase due to higher site traffic as there are now website directives throughout the paper. The design brilliantly integrates print content with the web.
Her ability to work cross-departmentally to ensure that editorial and advertising priorities were given thorough consideration contributed to the enormous success of our redesign.
Her project management from beginning to end never faltered. As a member of the redesign team, I was continuously impressed with her professionalism and tireless work throughout the short time frame we had allotted her. She has the rare ability to articulate her design perspective while also critically listening to the feedback of the team. Kat Topaz carried us through a dramatic change process without any setbacks or difficulties, and we met our extremely aggressive launch deadline.
The final product of her work was nothing less than inspiring for our staff. The sales staff is proud to put any issue of our newspaper in front of a media buyer or local business owner. We have a product that visually represents throughout every page of the book our passion for the Guardian ’s mission. After forty years of publishing, the Guardian has never looked stronger.
Kat Topaz became part of our family, a friend and champion of our good cause. We will always be grateful.
Former Website & Classified Manager
The Santa Barbara Independent
I have been on panels at each of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies annual conventions for the past seven years and I am jaded – but Katherine Topaz impresses me. It is really a rare combination to find someone with such a good creative mojo who also has an eye for the human aspect and an understanding of the bottom line.
Often I found that design critiques were centered around a particular designer’s ego and that didn’t always work for me. As a Manager my job is to increase sales and watch page yield (a sometimes tricky combo) and it was great to hear her speak to design as a tool to help increase efficiency. I am a firm believer that good style, proper spacing and an organic order all work together to help the reader better use our paper – but it was nice to see how Katherine actually made it work. “All in all, I think she rocks–she’s smart, professional, organized, and cool – without coming off as elitist.
Consultant
Media Services
Kat Topaz will do more than create award-winning design for your paper. She will have strategic meetings with your staff to create a redesign that looks fantastic while supporting the needs of all of your departments.
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