About

I believe that the thoughtful, artful integration of graphic design plays a role in all the design disciplines, and enhances any customer experience. As Thesis, I collaborate with a diverse range of clients to develop brands, collateral, and interactions that inform, persuade, and delight. When every element of a product or place works to communicate clearly, seamlessly, compellingly—it’s a beautiful thing.

Brian Edlefson

Creative Director & Owner

Thesis Story

Thesis was founded in 2008 by Mark Cook and Brian Edlefson. In the beginning the firm focused on working with a variety of clients: start-ups, academic institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and Fortune 100 corporations. Contributions from talented designers built the studio’s portfolio to include a diverse range of service offerings (e.g. packaging, environmental design, print collateral, interactive design, motion and video content etc.) Client relationships are often—but not always—rooted in brand identity development or redesign.

In 2015 Mark Cook elected to pursue a different career path and ended his role at the firm. Since then, Thesis was revised by Brian Edlefson to focus on working with a select number of client projects that connect product manufacturers and practitioners in the A+D field.

Thesis Process

The studio design philosophy is rooted in the name and is a summary of our approach. Every project requires a unique solution, based in research, tailored to the client’s needs, and completely defensible against the project goals and objectives.

And while we begin each project with a conversation, the final result is never the same. Throughout the process we ask questions, listen carefully, and craft a response that blends the information gathered with our contextual knowledge of the marketplace to ensure every application is coherent with the initial thesis.

Some of the talented designers, collaborators, and clients who have shaped Thesis since 2008.

Employed Designers

Mark Cook (Founding Partner)
Sam Adams
Greg Anderson
Amy Beisiegel
Jesse Buller
Benjamin Child
Dave Daniele
Zachary Downer
Sarah Edmands Martin
Ivan Ruiz-Knott
Livvy Ruiz-Knott
Heather Tucker
Lindsey Weigley
Jonathan Wolfer

Clients & Brands

Andrews University
Chamberlain Group
Haworth
Herman Miller
Johnson & Johnson
LiftMaster
Nemschoff
ODL
OFS Brands
Skyline Design
Stonegate Designs
Taubman College, University of Michigan
Wellness & Prevention
Wieland Furniture
Whirlpool Corporation