Rubin Design Co. Shortlisted for Two Graphis Awards in Florida!

At Rubin Design Co., we’re thrilled to (almost officially!) announce some exciting news—we’ve been shortlisted for not one, but two awards with the prestigious Graphis Design Annual! 

While the final results are still under wraps, being recognized by Graphis is already an incredible honor, and it’s a true testament to the hard work, creativity, and collaboration behind the scenes.

The two shortlisted projects?

• Castronovo Chocolate – a bold, immersive rebranding and website redesign for one of Florida’s most celebrated chocolate makers.
  
  

  

  
  
  

• The Happy Dog Hotel – a joyful, fully custom brand and website experience for a boutique dog hotel in Alpharetta, Georgia.
  
  
  

  

We’re proud that both of these projects reflect the heart of what we do best: helping small businesses shine through award-winning branding and custom website design.

Castronovo Chocolate: Bean-to-Bar reinvents their brand with story telling.

Project Goals

We partnered with Castronovo Chocolate—a brand that’s as rich in story as it is in flavor—to completely refresh their brand identity and UI/UX website design. Our main goal? To spotlight their award-winning, bean-to-bar chocolate, their commitment to sustainability, and their mission to support rainforest conservation.

As a branding agency in Florida, we understood the importance of pairing powerful storytelling with strategic design to elevate their online presence and improve SEO performance through a user-focused interface.

Process & Creative Solution

From the Amazon jungle to the homepage, we told the full story that captures all of the senses. Our team designed a fully custom coded website that immerses users into the Castronovo journey—starting in the Amazon rainforest, where their cacao beans are sustainably sourced through partnerships with indigenous tribes.

We created a blend of video, ambient rainforest sounds, and mouth-watering product imagery to guide the user through the brand’s story. The site structure was optimized for SEO with custom product pages, narrative-driven layouts, and multimedia integration—all of which contribute to enhanced organic search visibility.

Results

Within just 4 days of launching the new website, Castronovo Chocolate sold over $4,000 worth of chocolate bars—a direct result of the strategic website experience, visual branding, and optimized content. The site continues to attract press, attention, and traffic—making it a sweet success in every way.

The Happy Dog Hotel: A Joyful Brand from Head to Tail

Project Goals

When The Happy Dog Hotel reached out to us, their mission was clear: create a brand identity and custom website that captured the heart and soul of a place made just for dogs (and adored by their humans). Based in Alpharetta, Georgia, this boutique hotel offers boarding, daycare, grooming, and even an in-house doggie ice cream parlor!

As a creative agency for small businesses, our job was to craft a playful, lovable, and instantly memorable visual identity that matched the hotel’s personality.

Process & Creative Solution

The name alone brought smiles—but we wanted the logo design to do the same. We developed a modern, clean typeface customized to incorporate a dog’s face and tail into the letters themselves. It was a small detail with a big emotional impact.

We extended that joyful branding into a fully custom website, complete with custom illustrations and light animations across sections highlighting each service. The design also featured built-in SEO best practices to support local visibility in Alpharetta’s pet care space.

Results

The Happy Dog Hotel’s new brand and website are already turning heads (and wagging tails). The logo has become instantly recognizable, and the custom design experience helps parents explore everything the hotel offers with ease. Plus, client reviews are pouring in—with parents “barkin’” about the improved online experience and the hotel’s welcoming vibe.

Why This Matters for SEO & Creative Impact

As any seasoned digital marketer knows, awards like those from Graphis aren’t just trophies—they’re signals of trust, innovation, and quality. These projects also reflect how a strategic approach to website design and branding can lead to measurable results—whether it’s improved conversion, increased visibility, or stronger user engagement.

At Rubin Design Co., we’re passionate about working with mission-driven brands, startups, and small businesses who want to grow through intentional design, elevated storytelling, and strategic SEO. Recognition from the design community only reaffirms that what we’re doing is making an impact.

Ready to Launch Your Own Award-Worthy Brand?

Whether you're a chocolate brand with a story to tell or a boutique hotel for pups, Rubin Design Co. helps bring your vision to life with custom website design, SEO strategies, and timeless brand identities that get noticed—and remembered.

📍 Based in Florida, working with clients across the U.S.

Stay tuned for the official Graphis announcement—and fingers crossed!