Expert in Publishing • Marketing • Brand Strategy
Driven By Design
Where Complex Challenges Become Compelling Stories.
WELCOME TO DRIVEN BY DESIGN
Telling the Stories of Great Ideas
Some organizations have great ideas. The most successful ones know how to communicate them.
Caryn Smith and the Driven By Design team have spent 35 years helping associations, nonprofits, and corporations turn complex missions into clear, compelling narratives that build audiences, strengthen brands, and drive measurable growth.
From award-winning publications to integrated brand strategy, we bring senior-level thinking to every engagement — and a track record of long-term client partnerships that speak for themselves.
New Resource:
THE EARNED MEDIA ADVANTAGE FOR
THE FILTRATION INDUSTRY!
We show you how your industry story in the media benefits your company and its bottom line!
Working with the entire supply chain in the Filtration Industry while managing all publishing operations for the International Filtration News, we saw a disconnect between the industry’s achievements in sustainability and lack of public knowledge of these innovative filtration offerings.
To discuss this, Driven By Design’s CEO Caryn Smith was included as a panelist on the World Filtration Institute’s “Air Quality Governance Filtration Hour” Webinar on April 9, 2026, to share how a media-driven marketing strategy is an effective way to gain widespread support for filtration’s newest innovations.
The esteemed panel discussed how journalism and the media can bridge the divide and act as a catalyst for transparency and regulatory accountability, especially around filtration governance.
Based on discussion points, here is an educational White Paper to help industry to:
UNDERSTAND the importance of attracting more “Earned Media,”
and LEARN practical ways to gain more media attention.
THE WHITE PAPER IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD:
The Air We Breathe, The Water We Drink: Why the Filtration Industry Must Take Control of the Narrative.
Your bottom line improves as consumers are educated to support better filtration options!
Not in filtration? This information applies to ALL industries if you want to learn how to leverage the EARNED MEDIA ADVANTAGE.
You Can Watch the Webinar Here!
MEDIA RELATIONS RESOURCE FOR THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY!
We show you how your industry storytelling in the media benefits your company and its bottom line!
Working with the entire supply chain in the TEXTILE Industry while managing all publishing operations for the International Fiber Journal, we saw a disconnect between the industry’s achievements in sustainability and lack of public knowledge of these innovative solutions.
Driven By Design’s CEO Caryn Smith has written a White Paper to address how a media-driven marketing strategy is an effective way to gain widespread support for the textile industry’s newest innovations that address critical issues across the supply chain.
This easy-to-follow guide offers ideas and techniques to leverage the media to help to bridge the divide and act as a catalyst for educating stakeholders, consumers, and other critical under-served segments in order to encourage wider spread adoption of new sustainable industry innovations.
UNDERSTAND the importance of attracting more “Earned Media,”
and LEARN practical ways to gain more media attention.
THE WHITE PAPER IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD:
The Fabric of Trust: Why the Fiber and Textile Industry Must Take Control of the Narrative.
Your bottom line improves as consumers are educated to support better textile solutions
to the challenges of today’s textile economy!
What We Do
Most organizations have a strong story. Few know how to tell it.
Your audiences — members, donors, customers, stakeholders — are making decisions based on what they see, read, and hear from you.
Unclear messaging costs you credibility. Disconnected communications cost you growth.
Caryn Smith brings 35 years of strategic communications experience to organizations ready to close that gap.
The result: a clear, compelling brand narrative that builds trust, drives engagement, and positions you as the leader in your space.
If your communications aren’t working as hard as you are, let’s talk.
Caryn works with select clients on a monthly retainer basis.
Schedule a Strategic Conversation — (239) 225-6137 or connect@drivenbydesign.net
Publishing
Publishing is where Driven By Design was built — and where our expertise runs deepest.
For 35+ years, Caryn Smith has directed the editorial and visual strategy behind some of the most respected association and trade publications in the country. From concept through production, we manage every dimension of the publishing process — so your publication arrives on time, on brand, and positioned to grow.
Whether you’re launching a new publication, modernizing an existing one, or looking for a long-term publishing partner who brings strategic thinking alongside production excellence, this is what we do best.
Publishing Services:
- Association Publication Management
- Publication Design & Redesign
- Art Direction & Graphic Design
- Editorial Development & Feature Writing
- Advertising Sales Programs
- Online Publishing & Content Creation
Marketing & Brand Strategy
A strong brand isn’t built on aesthetics alone — it’s built on a clear, ownable story.
Caryn Smith brings a strategist’s eye to every brand engagement. Before we design anything, we identify what makes your organization distinct, what your audience actually needs to hear, and where the gap between the two is costing you growth. That strategic foundation is what separates a brand that looks good from one that performs.
The result is a cohesive brand presence that builds recognition, earns trust, and gives your team a clear framework to communicate from — across every channel.
Brand Strategy & Marketing Services:
- Brand Strategy & Messaging Development
- Website Design & Development
- Logo & Visual Identity
- Collateral & Campaign Materials
- Tradeshow Marketing
- Advertising Design
- Photography Services
Hot Off The Press
Click the Thumbnail to See The Entire Issue!
What They Say
Caryn and her team at Driven By Design have vastly improved our industry publication PalletCentral, since taking on the project. Our members have taken notice of its more professional and modern design. Circulation is rising; advertisers are happy. DBD brings creativity and experience to the table, and simply put, they make our organization look good. They are also a pleasure to work with and very flexible with short deadlines that have come their way.
I have been working with Caryn Smith, designer and art director for award-winning The Foreign Service Journal, for more than 20 years. Her creative skills have enabled us to raise the overall quality of our monthly magazine for U.S. diplomats and other foreign affairs professionals. She played a critical role in the planning and implementation of our most recent redesign, which took the magazine to new heights in both form and function. I highly recommend Driven By Design for design and any other creative work.
Driven By Design delivers compelling solutions with graphic design, branding, marketing and public relations that support my various non-profit and business endeavors. Caryn Smith and her team have brought to life many of my ideas with creativity and excellence – even better than we had imagined. They deliver results that capture attention ranging from strategic brand building, print and website design, and content development. Driven By Design is a great choice for your company or non-profit if you are looking to work with the best.
Schedule a Strategic Conversation by calling (239) 225-6137.
Explore a Retainer Engagement for Proven Results!
(239) 225-6137
Connect@DrivenByDesign.net
