Well, let’s see… For starters, the studio is owned and managed by Michael Ziegenhagen. He’s the creative director, owner and driving force behind our shop. We keep referring to ourselves as “we” a lot, not because Mike thinks he is a professional athlete that likes to talk in the third person but because we rely on a talented team of creatives to make our ideas happen. On every project, large and small, we work with traditional agencies, web developers, designers, producers, writers, marketers and all around talented people. This is fun for us, but it’s great for our clients- it allows us to turn projects around quickly with the flexibility and creativity of a boutique agency while allowing us to dip into an extended talent pool for bigger projects. It helps us keep overhead low and innovation high, giving us the freedom to work on projects with all sorts of budgets (Pretty darn important these days). Don’t get us wrong, there are some big established brands doing some great stuff and we’ve worked with some of the coolest, like Shu Uemura, SYMS and Focus Features. They’ve become great friends and great clients. But we also love helping smaller brands, non-profit organizations and new interactive platforms define themselves in the marketplace.

We like to get our hands dirty.  Since our inception, we’ve built brands, created print collateral, designed books, developed logo treatments and even made some neat stuff for trade show booths. Our background is in print/traditional marketing and we still love to develop brand identity and create direct mail packages too cool to throw away. However, we’ve also been working on interactive projects for over ten years now. “There was an interweb back then?” you may ask. Sure was. Remember that bubble thing and pets.com?  Lately, we’ve been lucky enough to work on some awesome interactive projects but we’re equally at home working in both worlds.  It just so happens that the interactive space has been particularly exciting lately , and with” new media” fast becoming just “media” there are more ways to build a brand and make a statement than ever before.

You say “Hey, let’s do the rest of this thing in Q&A form”and then we say
“Great idea!. You’re so smart!”.

What’s up with the goats?
That’s easy. Mike has a long wacky German last name. He’s had a slew of nicknames over the years. Depending on when you met him, you call him Ziegz or Zig. Hence, our lovely URL. In German, Ziegen means goat which is pretty cool. Goats are voracious, curious and great problem solvers. Just like us. Don’t worry. We won’t eat all of your stuff. Although we do pass out when scared. So there you go. That’s what’s up with the goats.

Where are you guys?
Straight out of Brooklyn but we also have project teams in Manhattan and Hoboken.

I know you said you’ve been mostly focused interactive work as of late but will you still work on print projects?
Heck yeah. We would love to. We’re design junkies and like working on all kinds of different projects for all sorts of different clients. Hit us up here and let us know what we can help you with.

Do you guys work on intergrated projects? By that I mean will you design my logo, create stationary, come up with cool promotional and merchandising ideas AND help me develop my CMS?
Oh, you bet we will. In fact, that’s how we prefer to work. We love collaborating with brands on all aspects of their design, branding and strategic needs.

Are you interested in meeting new talented people to work on projects?
Without a doubt. We are always looking for talented people to join our team, from web developers to writers. Just get in touch and introduce yourself and let’s see if there’s a project that’s a fit for all of us.

Do you work with other agencies on design projects and client pitches?
Yes indeed. In fact, we’ve created some of our best work that way. If you’re a creative director, art director, copywriter, just get in touch with us and we can talk about the details. We’ve all worked at other agencies so we understand fast turnarounds and faster revision cycles. Especially with pitch work. Late nights and short timelines are fine with us. Just give us a heads up.

Do you know anything about “Web 2.0″, social networks, or new chiklet apps like Twitter, Digg, or De.lic.ious?
We sure do and we’d love to help you integrate these new community elements into your projects.

Are you working on any of your own projects or products?
Yes. In fact, we have plans for a couple of sites we are looking to launch this year with subject matter ranging from weddings to sports to entertainment. We’re also working on a line of apparel, posters and other fun design-y stuff. We’ll soon be adding an online store to our site so watch this space.

What should I do if I want to work on a project with you?
That’s easy. Go to this page. You can e-mail or give us call. We’d be thrilled to hear from you.

If you have any other questions or want to work with us, just get in touch. We’d be really excited to talk to you.
BAAAAAHHHH!