Project focus: karlssonwilker’s five-minute marvel

It’s important to keep the administrative side of your studio in check, particularly during times of recession. But business acumen is worthless unless you’re producing first-class creative – and, more importantly, everyone knows about it.

It’s important to keep the administrative side of your studio in check, particularly during times of recession. But business acumen is worthless unless you’re producing first-class creative – and, more importantly, everyone knows about it.

• Discover 30 brilliant design portfolios to inspire you

New York City design firm karlssonwilker has come up with a unique take on the traditional portfolio book, which it’s sending out to past, current and prospective clients. “We looked at everything we’d done in the past three to four years,” says founder Jan Wilker, “and tried to put together a mixture of projects that best represents what we do.”

karlssonwilker teamed up with Icelandic company Oddi Printing to create the lookbook: Oddi is using the book as a paper sample piece, which reduces the cost for both parties.

The publication will be targeted to specific clients and won’t be on general sale, ensuring those who receive one feel they are getting something of real value – a great way of strengthening relationships with existing clients, and a memorable introduction to potential ones.

The portfolio is, as you might expect, an advert for the studio’s talents in editorial design, while showcasing many of their recent grandstand projects – including work for the Museum of the Moving Image, Nintendo 3DS channel identity, TIME magazine and Mini Cooper.

But what makes the book different is its layout. “This book doesn’t have page numbers,” Wilker explains. “It counts from 5:00 minutes down to 0:00 minutes – hence the title says: ‘15 Projects in 5 Minutes’.”