Apr 28
April 2006
Though I rarely read books (I look at the pictures)—these are some of my all-time favorites.
Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy—Ogilvy was a pipe smoking, sixties kind of guy, but he offered many valuable insights that still apply today.
Creative Advertising by Mario Pricken—an insightful, fascinating compendium of ideas for connecting great concepts to great imagery.
7Guerilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson—an absolutely brilliant approach to marketing a small business.
Permission Marketing by Seth Godin—Like Levinson, Godin shows you how to apply important marketing concepts in the real world.
The Business Side of Creativity by Cameron Foote—an intelligent approach to selling design services. If I remember correctly, I spent six or eight hundred dollars for an earlier version of the same materials when I started my own business.
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber—a critical read for anyone thinking about working for him or herself.
The Copywriter's Handbook by Robert Bly—a great, common sense, copywriting idea book.
Those are some of mine, what are your favorite design and marketing books?
Apr 26
April 2006
The Poynter Institute is a school for journalists, future journalists, and teachers of journalists. I find their Web is a terrific resource for journalists AND designers.
The Graphics/Design section
http://www.poynter.org
The cover...
http://www.poynter.org
Apr 24
April 2006
I've been searching for warm sites—sites with visual personalities that are, to my eye, warm and welcoming. Here are a couple that strike me that way. Your thoughts? Warm sites you've found?
http://www.flowerbud.com
http://www.teacupsoftware.com/
Apr 21
April 2006
As defined The Society of Typographic Aficionados (SOTA) is “an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, study, and support of type, its history and development, its use in the world of print and digital imagery, its designers, and its admirers.” This exhibit is worth a look.
The 2003 exhibit...
http://www.typegallery.com/TG2003/circa.html
The Society of Typographic Aficionados (SOTA)...
http://www.typesociety.org/
Apr 19
April 2006
Michael Doret's work would look familiar even if you hadn't seen it before, as he puts it, “The work falls into the tradition of, and has as it's inspiration such diverse sources as matchbook covers, theater marquees, enamel signs, early and mid-20th century packaging, and various other artifacts of US Pop Culture.” Check out his Time Magazine covers and other feats of design.
http://www.michaeldoret.com/doret/artwork/oilgame.html
Apr 17
April 2006
Join the worldwide conversation about branding. Whether it is a provocative debate titled “Do names really matter?” or a signature paper on “What is a Brand,” Interbrand's Brandchannel.com provides valuable perspectives through the eyes of clients, designers, marketers, and educators.
The cover page:
http://www.brandchannel.com
One of many debates:
http://www.brandchannel.com/forum.asp?bd_id=30
One of a long list of papers... Here:
http://www.brandchannel.com/images/Papers/What_is_a_Brand.pdf
Apr 10
April 2006
Derek Yaniger's illustration style (as he characterizes it is “reminiscent of cocktail napkin art of the 50's.” I think he's being modest. I haven't seen much in the way of new illustration collections lately—it's good to find this one.
http://www.misterretro.com/index.html
Apr 7
April 2006
I love the lyrical sense of these fonts and this site. It is the work of Just van Rossum and Erik van Blokland in The Hague and Haarlem, The Netherlands.
LettError Type & Typography...
Speaking of type tools, one of the most impressive type preview tools I've seen is the Type Tester at Letterhead Fonts.
Choose "Type Tester" from the top menu bar...
Apr 5
April 2006
Luciole Circus is a colorful little world of claymation figures created by illustrator Josephine Pujos. I love the design and art but I want you to see it because I think she has created something unique. Her technique of using small windows filled with logo-like headlines and animated 3D figures demonstrates that there is always an innovative approach to be found it if I only have the patience to uncover it.
http://mixeurgraphic.free.fr/circus/#
Apr 3
April 2006
It doesn't get simpler than this site, home of furniture manufacturer Vitra. Just goes to show complicated is not necessarily better.
http://www.vitra.com