Local Company Goes Global

Surf. Art. Soul. Three objects that Sagemore Gallery based its vision on. When Sagemore Gallery created a separate branch by the name of Surfing Artists International, better known as SAI, they did not know what the future would bring.  

Sagemore Gallery is a local, small town art gallery that was affected greatly by seasonality in their business. Located in Ocean City , NJ , the summer months proved to be beneficial but the winter time presented many troubles for revenue.  

SAI wanted to take original pieces of art created by surf enthusiasts and replicate them into print form at a much lower cost for the consumer. When SAI realized it was time to go big with the idea, they knew that a strong, contemporary identity would be necessary. Abiah came on and put together a strategy that would position SAI based on originality, creativity and strength.

Aside from the strategy involved in the process, the physical products included logo design, ads, catalog, exhibit and show booth design, website, etc. The manner in which the image of the company was presented would be the key to its success.

Shortly after SAI’s makeover, the company came in contact with Bruce McGaw Graphics, the largest distributor in the printing industry that exclusively holds the rights to many major labels, including Disney. McGaw perceived SAI as a strong and burgeoning company. The product and new identity were the two major factors that put SAI on the map. When SAI’s 96 page catalog was presented to McGaw, the decision was made to create an alliance between the two companies.  

McGaw was so impressed with the image of SAI that they decided to team up with the print company and distribute the new catalog along with McGaw’s own catalog. The catalog designed by Abiah was considered by the distributing company to be of such a high standard that it has been launched in over 60 countries and 10,000 plus accounts. Since the catalog’s launch in fall 2005, critical acclaim has streamed in from all over the globe, including Australia where surfing is a national pastime. In a little more than a year’s time, Surfing Artists International has blossomed into a major print distributor and is ready for the future.

Check out what we've done for SAI.