Communication

Messaging

Tagline

Honest folks doing honest work.

Pitch

Grain & Mortar is a branding and web development studio in Omaha. Since 2011, we've helped founders, operators, and creative directors build brands and websites worth believing in. Same team, same approach, for over a decade.

Boilerplate

Grain & Mortar is a branding and web development studio based in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 2011 by Eric Downs and Mike & Kristin DeKay, we specialize in custom brand design, website development, illustration, and digital design for clients across diverse industries — from venture-backed technology companies to local breweries and mission-driven nonprofits. Our work has shipped for HudlTV, California Forever, Meta, Google, Hudl, Lattice, Millwork Commons, and many more.

Hero headlines

  • Great work gets us hired, but our process, character, and relationships keep us in business.
  • We're an experienced, tight-knit team of strategic thinkers helping create order out of chaos. And loving it.
  • Get yourself a good partner.
  • Same team for 10.

Naming conventions

NameUsage
Grain & MortarDefault — always use this exact form with the ampersand. The brand name is Grain & Mortar in any client-facing prose.
Grain and Mortar (banned)Never spell out without the ampersand. Always replace with 'Grain & Mortar'.
G&MAcceptable shorthand in informal contexts and internal docs. Avoid in client-facing prose where the full name is warmer.
grainandmortar.comAll lowercase, no spaces. Used in URLs, email signatures, and any plain-text contexts where the ampersand can't render.
hello@grainandmortar.comPublic contact email. All lowercase.

Banned terms

world-classbest-in-classcutting-edgetransformativethought leadernext-gensynergyleverage (as a verb in agency-speak)robust solutionholistic approachpassionate about