the mash

In the distillation process, the mash is where raw ingredients come together for the start of something awesome. Our blog works the same way. We load up the hopper with relevant facts, smart insights and random thoughts, then watch new ideas bubble up.

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Make your mark: how we design logos

How does a logo go from an idea to a reality? At Interrupt, it's a time-intensive and thorough process of taking ideas and identifiers then distilling them down to their visual essence. It takes many different brains coming together, fashioning countless iterations, to create something that stands out from the crowd and represents the core of a company. Take a peek inside the process.

7 tips for successfully navigating a merger or acquisition

So you’re managing a new acquisition. How do you prepare to create one happy family? In our experience guiding c-suite leaders as they navigate the process, we've noticed there is no one-size-fits-all solution. But there are seven critical questions that make the difference between a graceful implementation or a floundering one. Learn how to answer them with confidence and ensure your newly expanded organization can thrive.

Upgrading to solar energy: two homeowner experiences

Through 2034, the U.S. government is offering households a tax credit to cover up to 30 percent of the cost of installing rooftop solar and battery storage. It’s called the Residential Clean Energy Credit, and two of our Interrupt team members took advantage of the policy to transform their respective homes’ power sources from gas and electric to solar. Hear their personal insights into the selection and installation process.

Decluttering is for brains, not just closets

Our brains are bogged down in the digital era, where an entire world of by-the-minute information is at our fingertips. Always. How do you get creative in the midst of such mental messiness? Senior art director Dave Behm uncovers some methods for quieting the madness that help him stay creative.

Mean Girls isn’t just for the movies (unfortunately)

Mean Girls is back in theaters, and for Associate Creative Director Sara Syrek, back on her mind, too. She revisits her aspirations for admittance into the catty popular girl group and what she’s learned since then about ways people can be an addition, a bonus, a benefit—and ways they can totally deplete and subtract. Be an adder, Sara advises. Learn how.

The Leader’s Trap

Taking risks is hard. It’s even harder when you’re comfortable. It’s why companies with the biggest share of the market so often fail to exercise true market leadership. At one time, they must have been consciously seeking to advance the market by aggressively taking advantage of unusual, growth-oriented opportunities. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have become so large. So, what caused them to alter their mindset and actions? Learn more about “the leader’s trap” and how to avoid it.

What a box of Legos can teach us about the power of built-in branding

As marketers, there’s a lot we can do to build a compelling story around a brand or product. But when users can readily and consistently separate your product from the competition, you’ve got something special. Our Director of Brand Content Jen Molnar explains how a Lego sorting session sparked an ah-ha moment on the importance of developing distinctive (and memorable) physical product features.

Why I decided not to trust the process

Shyla Helmintoller had a hunch. But in the web of doctor’s recommendations and referrals (or lack thereof), she had to take getting help for her daughter into her own hands. Our project manager explains how the “get shit done” attitude she brings to her day job helped her navigate advocating for her daughter during her main job: parenthood.

Company giveback: annual holiday tradition

This year’s Interrupt holiday giveback was focused two high-impact organizations serving our community: the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio and Toledo Humane Society. Both depend solely on the support of donations (neither receives tax dollars). If you're looking for a place to donate items or money this year, we think these orgs are worthy of your contributions, too.

AI is here to stay. Are you ready to leverage it?

The building materials industry is at a unique crossroads: customers want more personalized service than ever before. And AI may lend itself best to the needs of the building materials industry to deliver that. Executive Creative Director and Brand Strategist Anita Holman explores how this game-changing tool could enhance every brand’s ability to develop personalized advice in ways that were never humanly possible before.