Here's What People Are Saying About 341-U!

February 08, 2013

341 Presents for SCORE at Rowayton Library

October 25, 2012

341 Presents "Mobile-izing" Your Website at Rowayton Library

What You Need to Know to Take Your Website Mobile

Rowayton, CT - 341 Studios was asked to present at a SCORE session at the Rowayton Library on Thrusday, Oct. 25th, to discuss the methods and benefits of taking one's business website mobile. Click here to download the full presentation.

341 Client, FastMed, to Expand!

September 12, 2012

BCBSNC and FastMed Join Forces to Expand ER Alternatives Across North Carolina

New urgent care centers to offer customers significant time and cost savings

Chapel Hill, N.C. - Patients across North Carolina often spend more than four hours during an emergency room (ER) visit, at a total average cost of nearly $1,500 per visit. Thousands of these patients visit ERs each year for non-emergency health concerns that can be effectively treated at urgent care clinics, at an average cost of $142. That's why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is making an investment to enable FastMed Urgent Care to expand its netwrok of physician-owned urgent care clinics across the state, while helping to launch innovative programs and services for BCBSNC customers. This strategic collaboration increases access to convenient, high quality urgent care while reining in medical costs.

"We need solutions that provide the right care, at the right time and in the right setting to build a more efficient health care system," said Brad Wilson, BCBSNC predisent and CEO. "FastMed's doctors and staff already provide high quality, more affordable care to our customers across the state. Working together, we can offer North Carolinians even more choices for convenient, cost-effective care."

BCBSNC data shows that ER use has consistently increased over the past decade, significantly increasing the overall cost of health care:

• More than 20 percent of ER visits are for non-emergencies.
• Non-emergency ER visits represent nearly 14 percent of all emergency room claims paid by BCBSNC.
• A 5-percent shift from ER use to urgent care centers could reduce medical spending by $8 million annually.
• The average cost of an urgent care clinic is 90 percent lower than an average ER visit.

FastMed Urgent Care, headquartered in Clayton, N.C., is the largest urgent care company in North Carolina and the second largest urgent care company in Arizona. Expecting more than 320,000 patient visits to its clinics in 2012, FastMed Urgent Care clinics are equipped with the latest health care technology including electronic medical records, electronic prescriptions and digital X-rays. Many clinics also provide on-site pharmacy services. Clinic staff can perform procedures like splinting and suturing, as well as treat cuts, burns, sprains and fractures and respiratory illnesses to avoid a visit to the ER.

FastMed clinics offer patient-centered care that includes:

• Significantly lower out-of-pocket costs compared to an average ER visit. Out-of-pocket costs vary according to a patient's insurance plan.
• An average visit, including wait time, of less than one hour for more than 95 percent of all patients.
• Online reservations to minimize wiat times.
• Clean and organized facilities, including separate waiting areas for well patients.

"We are focused on serving patients, providing both basic care and innovative services, to meet their needs," said John Randazzo, FastMed CEO. "People want access to affordable options for care and excellent service without compromising quality. We are pleased to work with BCBSNC to take patient-focused health care to the next level for patients in the markets we serve."

FastMed provides convenient care to patients with non-emergency health concerns. Clinics are open on weekends and for extended hours during the week, 365 days per year. To learn more about urgent care centers, visit www.bcbsnc.com/urgent or follow BCBSNC and FastMed on Twitter @BCBSNC or @FastMedClinics.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.6 million members, including approximately 900,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For 78 years, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute in 2012. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit BCBSNC online at www.bcbsnc.com.

About FastMed:

FastMed Urgent Care is a North Carolina-based network of physician-owned Clinics with locations throughout North Carolina and Arizona. The Clinics focus on the delivery of non-appointment based medicine to the non-emergency patient market. The Clinics are open 365 days a year and are staffed with experienced and licensed physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. FastMed is managed by an affiliated entity of one of the investment funds of the Comvest Group, a leading private investment firm focused on providing equity and debt capital to lower middle-market companies. For more information, please visit www.fastmed.com.

About Comvest Group:

The Comvest Group, with $1.2 billion of assets under management, provides flexible financing solutions to lower middle-market companies through its equity and debt funds, often meeting time-critical and complex funding requirements. Our firm includes seasoned, senior level operating executives who partner with managers and owners of companies to operationally improve businesses and create long-term value. Since 2000, Comvest has invested more than $1.5 billion of capital in over 105 public and private companies. For more information, please visit www.comvest.com.

341 Client, DivaCFO, in Darien Times

September 11, 2012

341 Client, DivaCFO, in Darien Times

Susan and Stephanie Bruno, a mother and daughter duo raised in Darien, created DivaCFO about one year ago to help women organize their finances in a fun and comfortable way.

“Divas don’t have to be ditzy and finance doesn’t have to be dull,” according to Divacfo.com. Susan is a veteran in the finance business. She is a certified public accountant, personal financial specialist, certified financial planner and certified insurance consultant. Her daughter has a degree journalism and media studies, and takes on the creative side of DivaCFO.

They decided to bring their talents together after one night in the Darien library during a power outage caused by Hurricane Irene. They enlisted Susan’s sister, Gretchen Bruno, of 341 Studios in Darien, as the graphic designer. They later hired Coleen Tully, an app developer based in Boulder, Colo., to create Diva Docs.

The project developed a blog and an iPhone application, released in July 2012, that helps users to create financial security by planning ahead. IPhone owners can upload their financial files to Diva Docs, which is supported by DropBox, an online file hosting service, and access them anywhere.

DivaCFO’s mission to make women “chief financial organizers” and create financial strength in case they face “the 5 D’s”: death, divorce, disability, disaster and debt. The mission relies on financial facts supported by various sources, such as Citibank, Prudential Financial and the U.S. Government Accountability Office that show women lagging behind men in financial literacy. Statistics indicate that women are increasingly the main source of income for their families, and though they try to manage finances in small ways, like by clipping coupons, they save less and are not as financially knowledgeable as men. According to DivaCFO, women retire with one-third less in their bank accounts and fewer than half of women are able to answer basic financial literacy questions.

Susan meets women in her work and personal life who seek a financial planner only when they are in distress. “That’s when women wake up,” Susan said. “That’s not the time.”

Stephanie is the project manager and part of their target audience. She takes her mother’s knowledge and writes blog posts that cover questions including how to deal with debt, when to buy life insurance, how to financially prepare for children and even what to do if you win the lottery. DivaCFO has a group of experts on various subjects who occasionally contribute to the blog. Stephanie initially designed the website herself.

DivaCFO’s blog gives tips on dealing with disasters, but also on living life to prevent financial stress. The blog posts are short informational articles that cover the same information Susan says she would share with her paying clients. The posts nudge women toward an understanding of topics that any person running a househould should be knowledgable about, like house, car and health insurance. One article asks single women to think about why they would need life insurance. There is also a section devoted to stories from women who worked through the five D’s.

Stephanie’s childhood aversion to numbers was an inspiration for helping women think about their money. She recalls being “horrified,” when her mother wanted to share her experience as a certified public accountant at a Hindley School career day. Stephanie said that she did not realize the importance of her mother’s work until she was forced to deal with her own finances after college. “If it’s an effort to make it part of your day, if it’s not enjoyable, there’s no way we’ll make time for it,” she said.

Stephanie recieved some feedback from Phil Van Munching, a longtime family friend and notable Darien resident. Stephanie recalled that Van Munching liked the blog but enouraged her to explain what the company name signified. The two joked that Darienites would notice the pink and green layout of the website immediately.

The Diva Docs also help make finances “a way of life,” according to Susan. The app breaks down the important documents ever woman should have available. It is set up like a scavenger hunt and users will earn rewards with every step they complete. Susan said that she hopes younger women use their tools to get accustomed to making financial choices before they ever have to deal with the five D’s. “Not everyone majored in accounting or finance,” Susan said. “You start young and follow and learn in the same way you would learn how to play tennis. Take it slowly and you make it part of your life.”

Susan shared an anecdote about a moment when she was prevented from learning about the status of a hospitalized family member despite the fact that she had a HIPPA document in her files at home. Susan was traveling and did not have a copy of the form that would allow doctors to legally share information. With the Diva app, she would have had the document available on hand.

The app and documentation process could also help wives start a conversation with their spouses about big financial issues, if they are not otherwise comfortable, Susan noted.

“The conversation can start with, ‘Hey I’m using this new tool, can we sit down and talk about our retirement plan?’” Susan explained. “Just blame it on us, we don’t mind.”

DivaCFO.com has around 25,000 views so far. Their goal is to have 10,000 subscribers for the weekly newsletter by October 10. DivaCFO targets women but its tools are available and useful for men, too. “Men are following too because they’re not afraid of the name,” Susan said.

The website has its first sponsored giveaways to coincide with the “Diva entrepreneur” series. Gina Zangrillo, owner of Darien Sports Shop, is the current featured diva. “She’s a diva in the DivaCFO sense,” Stephanie said, “successful in business and lots of people in town know her.”

“We are broadening our mission to not only getting women involved in finances, but in powerful roles, like business roles,” Stephanie said.

More info: Divacfo.com

341 Studios Wins 6 Awards at Big W

July 19, 2012

341 Studios had a great time at the Big W Awards this year!

341 Studios LLC’s range of services was in the spotlight at this year’s Big W Award Gala and Banquet, sponsored by The Advertising Club of Westchester.  The Darien, CT-based graphic design and marketing studio was honored for websites, logo development, and print collateral. 341’s design of a new website for the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk (www.maritimeaquarium.org) garnered the agency a gold award. The launch of the highly interactive site coincided with the $4 million "FINtastic RefurbFISHment" of this local Fairfield County gem. In the promotion and collateral category, the agency brought home the gold for their playful and effective invitations to Domus Diner Day for GE Capital. 341’s work for the fast growing national chain Fast Med Urgent Care yielded bronze in the corporate identity logo development, website, and brochure categories. More bronze was awarded to 341 in the business-to-business category for its website for New York City–based Henkel Search Partners/HSP (www.henkelsp.com).

341 Studios’s founding partners Felicia Rubinstein and Gretchen Bruno were thrilled with the most recent wins. Notes Rubinstein, “This year’s awards show our agency’s depth. We were recognized for a mix that included both corporate and nonprofit clients, national and local organizations, new launches and rebrandings, print and web.”  Bruno adds, “The variety of assignments and clients keeps our work interesting.  We can be managing more than two dozen projects at once, each one totally unique. We’ve worked very hard for more than 12 years to put together an exceptional team of more than 16 professionals and affiliated specialty partners – everyone from web designers, graphic artists, copywriters, marketing strategists, and social media and mobile app experts.”

341’s websites for the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, FastMed, and HSP use the most recent innovations in Content Management Systems (CMS), which allows clients to easily make changes to their sites. Rubinstein observes, “One of the biggest leaps we made this year was in our support and instruction for CMS websites. Not only do we do in-person training and provide a manual, we now have customized on-demand video tutorials so that clients can see changes on their own site, not on a generic one. We’ve gotten rave feedback from our clients.” The tutorials are all part of 341’s expansion in client education that also includes its monthly Fresh Intelligence Roundtables, which bring together industry experts, clients and prospects in a lively 90-minute discussion.

Search Engine Optimization and social media tools, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube are also part of the agency’s repertoire. Rubinstein says, “It’s not enough for websites to be attractive and well-written; though, believe me, that in itself is not simple to do.  These websites also need to work -- they need to be easy to find, engaging, and compel visitors to action.”

Corporate identity has always been a mainstay at 341. Bruno oversees a roster of graphic designers. “Having multiple designers work on logo designs allows us to present multiple unique interpretations. Both FastMed and HSP appreciated the variety of logos from which they could choose, and it was one of the key reasons they selected us as their agency. Once the client narrows down the designs, we keep refining the details.  It’s a highly collaborative and creative process. We think a logo is the most important part of defining and marketing a business – it appears on everything!”

Rubinstein concludes, “Doing great work for our clients comes with many different kinds of rewards, including the relationships that we build and the organizations that we help grow.  Getting the recognition of our peers year after year is a tremendous bonus.”

341 Studios is a full-service marketing, graphic, and web design agency based in Darien, CT. To learn more about 341 Studios, view the firm’s online portfolio, and read 341’s Client Stories, visit www.341studios.com. Please contact 341 Studios at 1-203-656-3425 or info@341studios.com for more information.

Contacts:

Felicia Rubinstein, partner, 341 Studios, (203) 656-3425, felicia@341studios.com

Michele Graham, branding strategist and copywriter, 341 Studios, (203) 570-9195, mgraham@341studios.com