Through their multimedia creative agency Silo Media, Beth Carlson and Kip Beacco are helping to digitize the Berkshires’ small business community. Specializing in graphic design, video production, website design, and social media marketing management, their “Fresh Start” service analyzes a business’ online presence and suggests areas for improvement, as well as how to create a more engaging experience for customers. Even more than advertising, a strong online profile is critical for a business, Carlson said, as it’s the first place people go to learn about what you do. Of course, this has become even more true since the onset of COVID.
Beacco, who is also the lead guitarist for jazz swing band The Lucky 5, has always been involved in creative pursuits. In college he studied journalism, dabbled in video production, and then launched his career in graphic design. Carlson came to the Berkshires with a psychology degree and landed in the Berkshire shuffle. She has used her instinctive community organizing skills to help tell the stories of various initiatives in the region, most recently as a board member of Dewey Hall and the Clinton Church Restoration Project. Carlson and Beacco joined forces as the result of a mutual love of American roots music; they met while working on Oldtone, a local roots music festival co-founded by Beacco, and found their working styles to be complementary: Carlson frames a story around the big picture, while Beacco’s practical skills implement the vision.
They consider themselves visual minimalists and offer simple, clean, contemporary styles. You can see this in their work around town: the logos for One Mercantile and The Great Barrington Bagel Company, the “Berkshires Farm Table Cookbook,” or fundraising videos for Construct and Flying Cloud. One of their latest documentary pursuits is in collaboration with chef and culinary consultant Katy Sparks on a farm-to-table video project called the “Edible Natural World,” in which Sparks interviews farmers and food producers and then cooks with their products to paint a holistic picture of the movement. Their initial segments feature Molly Comstock of Colfax Farm and Elizabeth Keen of Indian Line Farm.
Each project varies depending on the industry, the client, or the medium; there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Beacco and Carlson like to start by sitting down with a client and discussing their mission, goals, and audience. They pride themselves on transparency and communication when it comes to deadlines and deliverables. Whether they’re handed the reins of creative autonomy or are brought in to collaborate with a hands-on client or multiple decision makers, they always finish with a product reflecting the values and aesthetics of each client.
In expanding their business, Beacco and Carlson have their sights set on the changing landscape of Main Street. With new shops come fresh opportunities to tell stories and enrich the online presence of small businesses. To newcomers and aspiring entrepreneurs, they offer the notion of diversification, of product and service offerings, media formats, and even payment options like BerkShares.
“The Berkshires are fertile ground for collaboration,” Carlson said, “and tools like our local currency help to facilitate cooperation between businesses by providing an incentive to shop with each other.”
“Our downtowns are thriving again,” Beacco added. The time is right to start a business, and they can’t wait to tell your story.
