Disciple Design on mission as a steward to nonprofits
Memphis firm uses artistic talent to serve God, clients with whole heart
By Jane Roberts, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Craig Thompson's Disciple Design on South Main will do close to $1 million in sales this year helping churches and nonprofits tell their stories.
And while you've seen some of the design work in Memphis, today, a good bit of it is for national groups with international reach.
For instance, if you represent one of the nine denominations in One Great Hour of Sharing, the Lenten-time offering for world relief, you've seen Disciple Design's work, translated into numerous languages.
"I want people to come to us because we do good work. But by coming to us, they help us in our mission to help clients who couldn't afford to do what we do," said Thompson.
And more to the point, if you've purchased any of The Message Bibles -- modern paraphrases for Gen X'ers and Y'ers published by NavPress, one of the largest Bible publishing houses in the world -- you've held Disciple's work. In fact, it may be what attracted you because Disciple designed the covers.
"For us, it's the Bible. And to be able to design that is the ultimate project for Disciple Design," says Thompson, 46, an athletic-looking man one imagines stays in shape by constantly running the race set before him.
The Message, the 21st-century equivalent of the 1970s-era Living Bible, has sold 11 million copies since 1991. In the last year or so, the covers have been rough-hewn textures of leather and cork, sage-green embossed leather and a funky rain-splashed look that frankly has increased Bible sales among high school and college kids.
"Based on the feedback from customers and bookstores, we have some of the most creative Bible covers in the industry," said Kent Wilson, adviser to the publisher at NavPress, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo.
"The reason the book is printed in more versions than any other in the world is because people want a different size and weight for different uses in their lives.
"You want one Bible for church and maybe a lighter copy for picking up and reading at home."
Disciple has designed more covers for NavPress than any other firm, giving it an increasingly weighty presence in the Bible publishing biz.
"I view Disciple Design as more than a design company," said Mike Kennedy, senior director of marketing at David C. Cook, the 132-year-old publisher of Sunday School materials with offices in North America and the United Kingdom.
"They are somebody who sits beside you and helps you dream, taking an idea through the creative process to the final product."
What used to be a 50/50 split between corporate and nonprofit work now is closer to 40/60, thanks to growing list of national nonprofits. Year-to-date sales are up 38 percent for the company whose logo is a cross of intersecting No. 2 yellow pencils.
The company started humbly in 1991 when Thompson, moonlighting from his design job at Weinstock-White, set out to help nonprofits tone up their image.
"There was this feeling back then that being good stewards meant you didn't spend money on image," Thompson said.
"But if people can't see your vision, they won't contribute."
By 1993, he was on his own, he says, with no clients, no computer and two small children.
In 1999, he bought the now 101-year-old building at 390 S. Main, perhaps the only "industrial gothic" office in town with stained glass and an antique chandelier from a church in Chicago.
The rule then and now is that nonprofits get a 25 percent discount.
"I want people to come to us because we do good work. But by coming to us, they help us in our mission to help clients who couldn't afford to do what we do," said Thompson, often in the office at 6:30 a.m., working while candles flicker off collectibles in his office, including a bookcase of CD covers Disciple designed for Christian artists at Ardent Records.
"I would say we're approaching 40 albums. Disciple Design has done more of our covers than any one else," said John Fry, Ardent Studios founder.
Yes, they are reasonably priced, easy to work with and talented, Fry said, but it's more than that.
When Ardent celebrated its 40th year last year, Disciple created the anniversary poster, a vinyl record featuring the Ardent timeline. It also designed the invitation for the anniversary party and a commemorative booklet to match.
"These are Christian guys whose heart is in the work they are doing. They understand the heart and the mission of the artists, and they want to create art that supports that mission," Fry said.
"To me, it goes beyond this is another assignment or job or fee. This is another opportunity to serve the artist and God through the talent they've been given."
If you wander into the breakroom at Disciple, you'll see covers for Big Tent Revival, Phil Keaggy, Todd Agnew, Small Town Poets and Skillet. The work turned out to be the back entryway for designing Bible covers.
"With a CD cover, you're trying to project an image, something that will pop off the shelf," Thompson said. "It's the same with a Bible cover; it's a very similar conceptual process."
Disciple Design
Principal: Craig Thompson
Employees: 8, plus intern
Address: 390 S. Main
Phone: 386-4299
Specialties: Branding, logos, trade show exhibits, direct mail, newsletters, catalogs, photography
Expected 2007 sales: $1 million
Jane Roberts: 529-2512
