Archive for the ‘design’ Category

JS Graphics Wins International Davey Award

Friday, October 26th, 2012

The winners of The 2012 Davey Awards were announced by the International Academy of the Visual Arts on October 22, and we were very pleased to learn that JS Graphics, Inc.  has been awarded a Silver Award for its logo design for Artigiano, a line of artisan breads from Traditional Breads of Lynn, MA. Traditional Breads wanted a product logo to convey the idea of breads and rolls hand-crafted in a European tradition. The logo will be used on all Artigiano packaging.

Winning logo design

With nearly 4,000 entries from across the US and around the world, the Davey Awards honors the finest creative work from the best small firms, agencies andcompanies worldwide.

“This year’s winners truly represent a smart, nimble approach to creativity and embody the quick thinking, resourceful nature that make small agencies so unique” noted Linda Day, Executive Director of the IAVA. She added, “On behalf of the entire International Academy of Visual Arts, I want to thank this year’s Davey Awards entrants and winners for sharing their amazing capabilities and talents, allowing us to once again highlight the best small firms worldwide.”

The Davey Awards is judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), a 200+ member organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media. Current IAVA membership represents a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms including: Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Yahoo!, Estee Lauder, Wired, Insight Interactive, The Webby Awards, Bath & Body Works, Brandweek, Polo Ralph Lauren, ADWEEK, Alloy, Coach, iNDELIBLE, MTV, Victoria’s Secret, HBO, The Ellen Degeneres Show, and many others.

Practical Tips for Hiring the Right Designer for You

Friday, May 11th, 2012

Selecting a designer for your firm to work with can be daunting. Some considerations are easy – you may not like the style of a particular designer, or maybe they are out of your price range. But what are some other things you should pay attention to?

    1. Few design examples. Graphic design IS visual communication. A designer that has few, or no, samples of past work is a red flag. Examples don’t necessarily have to be directly related to your industry, but you should see a range of samples that show how the designer solved previous communication challenges so you can be confident that (s)he can solve yours.
    2. Lack of follow-through. Does the designer return your calls and emails promptly? Is (s)he responsive to your questions, schedule, and deadlines? You don’t want to be a babysitter – you need someone who is going to collaborate with you and be responsive.
    3. No detailed estimate. You need to know what you’re paying for. How many design concepts will be presented? How many rounds of edits are included? What are the deliverables? A detailed estimate up front prevents disappointment later.
    4. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples when reviewing proposalsVery low estimates. This may seem counterintuitive – why would you want to spend more than you have to? However, receiving a low estimate may mean there are things not included in the estimate, or the designer is inexperienced. Make sure that you are comparing apples to apples when you review estimates.
    5. No contract. A contract means you’re dealing with a professional. Contracts protect everyone involved. What happens if you decide to kill the project? How will you be billed? What happens if the scope of the project changes? A contract will spell out what happens in these circumstances at the start so that there are no surprises if circumstances change.

And, please be very wary of sites that offer logos for $79 or less. Horror stories abound about these sites. In addition to being notorious for copyright infringement, you’ll have little interaction with a designer (often inexperienced and in another country) and no guarantee that your “custom” logo won’t be sold again and again to other businesses. (Read my post, Logo Design for Dummies – And Thieves, for more on this.)

Talking Pictures

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

A recent conversation with a prospect reminded me how effective infographics are at conveying complicated information in an easy-to-understand way. He had information that, if understood correctly by his prospects, would show why using his services would increase their profits. He struggled with the right words to explain to me what that difference was. Finally he said, “If I can just get them to see how much more they would earn with my program, they’d be convinced!”

A picture is worth a thousand words

Studies have shown that people retain information better when it is presented visually as opposed to spoken or written words. Which of the following is easier for you to understand?

“Our domestic students represent 32 states – 23 from Maine, 57 from New Hampshire, 8 from Vermont, 314 from Massachusetts, 19 from Rhode Island, 64 from Connecticut,  39 from New York, 9 from Pennsylvania,…yada, yada, yada.”

Or:

Where our students come from infographic

Not only can you see at a glance which states are represented, you can also clearly see which are not!

The next time you have complex information you need to share with others, consider using infographics. An infographic will take your data and turn it into information you clients and prospects will understand.

Here are some sites for inspiration:

Putting the NEW in A Newsletter Re-Design: Case Study

Friday, March 9th, 2012

An insurance agency needed to update it’s quarterly newsletter for a more informative and contemporary appeal to their customers.

newsletter before re-designKnight-Dik Insurance is a Central MA personal and commercial lines insurance agency. They use a customer newsletter to help keep their customers informed about issues that affect their coverage.

Their existing newsletter had not changed in years, and it looked dated, used low-quality clip art, and varied in print quality and ink color from issue to issue. Most articles were brief and without depth. The newsletter was still being printed in only two colors, missing the opportunity that digital printing offers for full-color printing at a comparable cost.

Newsletter after re-designWorking with Choice Words Chisolm & Company, a writer well-versed in insurance, the up-dated newsletter has fewer but more informative articles. The new design has a contemporary feel. Full-color printing gives it a lively look and offers more options for creating interest and focus for the content. Carefully chosen high-resolution, full color photos complement the articles and add visual reinforcement for the content.

Top Five Posts of 2011

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

It’s that time of year, when we look back at the year drawing to a close to see what piqued people’s interest. These are the top 5 posts viewed in 2011; interestingly, all but one of them had been written before 2011.

  1. Logo Design for Dummies – And Thieves
  2. Boston Ballet Re-Branding
  3. Leave It To A Professional
  4. Every Little “Bit” Counts
  5. Kissing For Good Logo Design

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

Myth: If it’s on the Internet, it is in the “public domain” and can be freely copied.

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Jean Sifleet, Smartfast.comToday’s guest blogger is business attorney Jean Sifleet, and she writes concerning the misconceptions about, and the possible penalties for, using content “found” on-line. To learn more about Jean’s firm, visit www.smartfast.com

It’s a common misconception that if you found it on the Internet, it’s free and you can use it. While information on the Internet is “public,” it’s not all in the “public domain.”  According to Wikipedia,

Public domain comprises the body of knowledge and innovation (especially creative works such as writing, art, music, and inventions) in relation to which no person or other legal entity can establish or maintain proprietary interests within a particular legal jurisdiction. This body of information and creativity is considered to be part of a common cultural and intellectual heritage, which, in general, anyone may use or exploit, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes. Only about 15 percent of all books are in the public domain, and 10 percent of all books that are still in print.

Sometimes content on the Internet is in the public domain and free to use, but frequently it is not. Penalties for infringing a copyright can include payment of statutory damages (between $750 and $150,000 per infringement) and attorney fees. Before you use content you “found,” it’s smart to check out the rules: What’s In The Public Domain?

Chicken Dancing in Paris

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Candy store in ParisMy husband and I recently returned from a wonderful trip to France! Neither of us is fluent in French, but as you can see from these photos, you hardly need to understand the language to comprehend the beautifully designed storefronts and displays. They show you all you need to know about what’s going on inside! However, there were times when reading and understanding French stumped us, which brings me to chicken dancing in Paris… (more…)

That’s Using Your Brain!

Monday, February 14th, 2011

the brainIs there a science as to why people respond favorably to something that is well-designed? While I would be more than happy to accept all the kudos for creating outstanding design, I can’t take ALL the credit (unless you insist…!).

Our brains have three distinct parts, each with specific functions. Susan Weinschenk (on Twitter @thebrainlady or read her blog) calls these the old, mid and new brains. The old brain is the part that is believed to have developed first in evolution to deal with issues like breathing and digestion. The mid brain controls our emotions, and the cortex, or new brain, is where our reasoning, logic and information processing happens. You are using your new brain right now to read this blog.

We like to think that we make decisions consciously even if we acknowledge we can be influenced by our emotions. But Weinschenk points out, “Most of our decision-making is governed by unconscious processing.”

What does this have to do with design?

(more…)

Eight Steps to the Best Logo for Your Business

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

I’ve been asked by clients if logo design ideas come to me in a “flash of inspiration.” I wish! But like most other jobs, design is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. The process of designing a logo requires logical steps of listening, research, development, feedback and refinement to achieve the best results.

  1. DEFINING THE CHALLENGE & UNDERSTANDING THE GOAL
    Answers to questions like, Who is your target audience?, How does your company differ from the competition?, What words would you use to describe your ideal logo?, What other types of logos appeal to you?, help designers and clients get on the same page regarding what is expected of the new identity.
  2. RESEARCH
    Armed with this information from the client meeting, looking into what competitors are doing and getting a better feel for their market is the next step. This helps to understand what might and might not be appropriate for the overall message and feel that the successful logo will need to convey.
  3. INSPIRATION
    Here’s where the 10% happens! Often, after fact-gathering, designers “let it be” for a few days. Brainstorming, changing environment, asking Why?, and What if? help look at the logo challenge in new and different ways. It’s hard to be creative and critical at the same time, so the good, bad, and ugly are all included. Only when many concepts have been worked up do we proceed to…
  4. REFINEMENT
    This is when a critical eye is used, refining some ideas and rejecting others, going off on a tangent with another, and taking the viable sketches and translate them to a digital format. We present at least three different design approaches to the client for their initial feedback. All initial concepts presented are black-and-white, concentrating at this point on the form of the logo. A successful logo needs to work well in black-and-white as well as color.
  5. CLIENT REVIEW & FEEDBACK
    Client feedback should be implemented early and often in the design process. Collaborating with the client assures designing a logo that best represents them and their company.
  6. REFINEMENT REDUX
    After a client’s initial feedback, it’s back to the drawing board! Changes based on the feedback, possibly including a new approach as a result of reviewing the initial ideas, are all incorporated for the next client review.
  7. ADDING COLOR
    Once the final logo design has been agreed on, color palettes are developed for the logo. Again, it’s important to understand the client’s audience and industry in choosing appropriate colors for their identity. A client meeting is held to review the color concepts, and further color refinements are made if needed.
  8. CLIENT FILES
    Hooray…we have a winner and now it’s time to deliver the appropriate file formats to the client. These are what you should expect to receive from a designer: an EPS file of the logo in black-and-white and color, suitable for any reproduction use; a JPG and/or GIF file that is suitable for web use; a TIFF file (higher-quality than a JPG) and can be used in Microsoft Office programs. We also include a Logo Standards Guidelines, outlining the best practices for using the new logo in different situations.

Five Tips for a Better Trade Show Exhibit

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

“Um, so what is it that you do?”

Yikes! This is not the question you expect visitors to ask you at your trade show – can’t they see you have a booth with displays and pictures and handouts and swag? What more can you do to get your message across in a way that will connect better with your audience? Consider the answers to these five questions before your next trade show:

  1. Does your display clearly convey what your business is and how it benefits those who use your products or services? Clear messaging will bring you more- and more qualified- visitors.
  2. Are you saying too much? Attendees walking the aisles only have time to look at graphics and read a few words before they move on to the next booth. Bold images and concise copy are more effective in capturing interest than paragraphs of copy and complicated graphics.
  3. Are the graphics you are using for your booth legible? Most people will be looking at your display from a distance as they are walking, so make sure text is large enough, photos and graphics are big and sharp, and fonts are legible enough, with enough contrast, to be understood quickly.
  4. Do your booth graphics reinforce the look and feel of your brand? Consistent marketing communications will help reinforce who you are and what you do and make your business more memorable.
  5. Do you leave getting your booth graphics designed until the last minute? Effective graphics come from careful preparation. Last minute preparation doesn’t leave time for a thoughtful approach, can incur rush charges that add significantly to your bottom line, and leaves no time to correct any mistakes or avoid production delays that may crop up. Nevermind the stress for all involved. Two months before a show is not too soon to get graphics preparation underway.

And for more insight on how NOT to follow up with prospects after your show is over, read “Stop Exhibiting at Trade Shows If…”