Aug 25
Learning
Cabell Harris is a designer who understands the big picture. By that I mean, he understands the intricacies of making real things happen through design. That requires a keen understanding of many disciplines--marketing, development, branding, copywriting, layout, typography, imagery, production, and publicity--and how they interplay.
Need a model for a rock-solid communications designer? This is how it's done.
Harris' company is Work...
Most of the objects on the page are clickable and lead to interesting tidbits such as this...
Here is the Work Photostream on Flickr...
And their blog...
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Aug 11
Graphics Tech
In twenty-five years we've gone from clunky slide projectors to graceful walls of high resolution LED video blocks. Twenty years ago the limitations of media (I believe) made our job as designers far easier.
I show you this new technology because it is yet another barrier removed. With each barrier removed, the creative focus sharpens another click. You'll need a more creative strategy, a better idea, and an innovative style to distinguish your client from their competition.
The future of graphic design is, at once, challenging, exciting, and unpredictable.
An introduction to Microtiles...
The manufacturer even provides a system for calculating the number of tiles you need for a particular design...
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Jul 7
Marketing PR
I was thinking the other day, how important it is that our client doesn't center their entire marketing strategy around their competitor's marketing model. Just because a competitor, for example, does some radio advertising doesn't mean radio advertising makes any sense for our client. The same applies to print materials, a web presence, social marketing, premiums, and everything else in the realm of marketing.
I say that because I think it is easy to lose sight of the fact that every organization is unique. That an organization's particular mix of products, services, expertise, experience, style, location, pricing, and so on, distinguishes if from any other organization on the planet.
Follow the leader marketing and mirror-the-competition tactics ignore that all-important fact. The best marketing approach (we all know) is one that is invented for one specific organization and its unique circumstances. Ideally, it even includes some elements that competitors are not using at all.
Our job as communication designer's is to discover and deliver unique solutions. Sure, there are smart, conventional approaches that work for most of the organizations you apply them to, but we shouldn't recommend and produce materials because that's the way we've always done it. I'm guessing "That's the way we've always done it," has killed as many businesses as any other single reason.
Do you want more clients and more work satisfaction? Use your talents and experience to devise a better approach. Dig into the market, find out what people are doing in other areas and see what might apply. Invent something new! I find clients are almost always open to dealing with the reality of the market and will experiment with you if you are able to make a compelling case for your idea.
A designer who has a wonderful sense of style and the technical expertise to create a compelling layout should maintain a pretty consistent work load. A designer who is an inventor and problem-solver will have to turn clients away.
Tell your client this: Every organization is unique—the sooner we identify your organization's unique advantages, the sooner we can begin telling the world about them.
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Jun 30
Web Design
The great gift of the digital age is shared knowledge. Technology makes it possible to document levels of information that, until recently, were just too costly and difficult to capture and maintain. In the case of writing and design there is a repository of information, much of it freely available, that provides us with an extraordinary opportunity to dramatically improve the quality and effectiveness of communication.
It provides a foundation of ideas, expression, and practical information on which to build the next, better solutions. Want to write better documentation? Create a better web menu? Understand why people interact with messages the way they do? It's all there for the taking. Here's a taste...
Introduction to Apple Human Interface Guidelines...
Example: Menus...
Apple Publications Style Guide (1.14MB PDF)...
Windows User Experience Interaction Guidelines...
Example: Visual Index...
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Jun 2
Books
I'm pointing to Mark Boulton's Five Simple Steps publishing venture for two reasons. First, because I suspect you'll find his book, A Practical Guide to Designing for the Web, interesting and useful. And second because I think the the publishing model is worth noting.
I've written for three publishers: Random House, Rockport, and PeachPit—but I have also published my own books through my company Logic Arts. So I am interested to see how other folks re-work the conventional publishing models. Five Simple Steps employs Seth Godin's model of giving away a free online version of the book and charging for a download or hard copy.
I'm interested in other models if you are interested in sharing what you've found.
The online version of A Practical Guide to Designing for the Web...
Or you can download a sample (542KB PDF)...
Or buy a download or hardcopy...
A look behind the scenes. Looks like other titles are in the works...
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Feb 10
Basic design
What I like so much about Fred Showker is that he sees the graphic design industry from more than one angle--he's is a working designer, an experienced teacher and presenter, a bit of a technoid, and the creative mind behind one of the top marketing and design resources on the Web--the Graphic Design & Publishing Center.
Not only does he stay curious about what's next, he has amassed a huge archive of insightful articles and tutorials on design, photography, typography, marketing, and the business of graphic design.
He recently did a major reorganization and re-launch of the site so, if you haven't already, I urge you to take a look.
The Design & Publishing Center...
Example 1: Visual Proofreading: 10 Rules...
Example 2: Designing Spaces...
Example 3: Throw Your Press Release in the Trash...
Fred's bio...
I've been a subscriber to his newsletter, DT&G NEWS, for years...
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Oct 21
Ideas 101
I was in a local convenience store a few mornings ago and the manager mentioned how significantly their business increases as the weather turns chilly--the coffee drinkers return. Sales, she explained, will remain significantly higher throughout the fall and winter. (I would have thought cold drinks in warm months would balance sales out, but evidently not.) In any case, it is another example of just how much I have yet to learn about specific marketing applications.
So my invitation is this: Share a practical marketing and/or design idea that the rest of us may not have thought of. Doesn't have to be your idea or ground breaking, just something a little off the beaten track.
I'll lead off with one of my own--a "web card:"
My web card...
Share your idea in the comment section here...
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Oct 9
Marketing PR
I can bloviate about design this and marketing that all day, but experience is almost always the best teacher. A recent episode of The Office made mention of a YouTube wedding video. Curious, I looked it up and quickly discovered why a top-rated network television program highlighted a five-minute video staged, choreographed, and filmed by amateurs. It's a joy.
As of this writing, Jill and Kevin's Wedding video has been viewed 26,857,328 times. That's right, almost 27 MILLION times. Why? Because it embodies at least three elements of a good idea:
1. You've got to be willing to take a chance. These folks took a big risk--had they misjudged their audience they would have looked more than a little foolish. Obviously, part of the reason a good idea is good is because it's different. You've got to be confident enough in your own judgment to move forward.
2. A good idea needs a leader. Someone thought this up, convinced the others to participate, and motivated them to share the risks. Ideas are not exceptional until they are proven--someone has to believe in the purpose enough to be its advocate.
3. You've got to accept the fact that you can't please everyone. I'm guessing some won't find this as uplifting as others--they'll think it's silly or not befitting the ceremony--my point is, if you're going to be different, someone isn't going to like it.
Enjoy!
Jill & Kevin's Wedding...
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Oct 7
Web Design
Here is a 20-page web proposal shared by Rogue Element via HOW magazine. It is always interesting, often instructive to see how others conduct business. This (to me) is an excellent example.
The 20-page web design proposal (2.5MB PDF)...
Notes about the proposal on HOW...
Rogue Element's site...
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Oct 5
Basic design
I like the way Pinch describes their work as designers, "We believe in clear, reductive thinking, and in helping our clients say what they mean, without pretense or artifice, and otherwise staying out of the way."
Watch how well that philosophy works.
A recent Pinch design for Smith & Fong...
A case study of the project on the Pinch site...
Pinch on Twitter...
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Sep 23
Marketing PR
This morning, Seth Godin points us to a new project—Brands in Public—"a collection of interesting, accessible, public-facing dashboards for your favorite brands - from Zappos to Virgin America to In-n-Out Burger. Each dashboard organizes a hot list of what's being said about the brand around the web, via Twitter and blogs and YouTube and Google Trends and more. As well as polls and debates and commenting for people who want to do more than just watch."
What is most interesting to me is the fact that the owner of the brand is invited to control a portion of the page contents.
It gets right to the heart of the questions I posed in my recent post, "The most important design and marketing questions of a generation."
They are: Can your client's product, service, or idea survive virtual scrutiny? When it is illustrated, diagrammed, and dissected—revealed for its true self—will it continue to command the audience it commands today?
Brands In Public could be the type of consumer/corporate coexistance necessary for brands to honestly, publicly address the inevitable, increasing scrutiny they will encounter in the days to come.
The Brands In Public cover page...
Example 1: The Home Depot...
Example 2: The MiniCooper...
The brand owner's interface....
The most important design and marketing questions of a generation....
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Sep 11
Ideas 101
I got a question this week that led me to believe that the writer did not fully embrace that fact. They asked, "Is creating a direct mail piece more effective than using something like Google Adwords?
My answer: I would have no way of knowing unless I knew your marketing DNA--what you're selling, who your prospects are, the options for reaching them, what your offer is, who you're competing against, what the current market conditions are, and so on.
My point is success is circumstantial. You should run in the opposite direct of anyone who offers generic yet "foolproof" advice, formulas, or solutions that do not acknowledge the importance of understanding and addressing the many inherent differences in each situation.
Its the old problem of the client who spends 95 percent of their budget on the phone directory ad space and five percent on the message. Whether you're creating a brochure, a web site, a direct mail piece, a radio spot, or whatever else, you need to understand the brand.
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Sep 4
Marketing PR
We all know that sound research can help us avoid many of the mistakes typically necessary to arrive at good solutions to common graphic design and marketing problems.
One source of such research is the Software Usability Research Laboratory (SURL) at Wichita State University. This group specializes in software/website user interface design, usability testing, and research in human-computer interaction.
I'd like to hear of other sources of graphic design and marketing research--all types. Do you have a source to recommend? A favorite study? A particular statistic that had a significant effect on your work?
SURL...
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Aug 12
Graphics Tech
One of the great things about being a graphic designer in the year 2009 is that the playing field is almost perfectly flat. The tools cost next to nothing and clients are more willing than ever to work with you because of the quality of your work versus the size of your sign. We are judged by what we produce and little else.
But being a graphic designer in 2009 requires a skill we didn't even contemplate 20 years ago--an understanding of usability. By usability, I mean how people access information and accomplish tasks. It wasn't long ago that the primary mediums for messaging, collateral and advertisements, were pretty straight-forward. The vast majority of brochures had a headline on the cover, text and images inside, and a call to action toward the back. Similarly, though the information was situational, print, radio, and TV advertising were also presented in very predictable ways.
That has changed. Not only does the designer have to contend with communicating the message, they have to (at a minimum) understand the scope of the platforms available for presenting it.
Adobe's Scene7 site is a great place to see some of the most interesting and intuitive ways that are currently being used to present product information.
The demos page...
An overview of "rich media" in presentation form...
The Adobe Scene7 cover...
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May 11
Marketing PR
The skill is curiosity. I call it a skill because it is a discipline that can be learned but that, to be mastered, requires dedication.
To produce work that really helps clients achieve goals, you've got to look at their products, services, and ideas from all angles and understand the salient issues as well as, if not better, than they do. That is one of the great challenges of our occupation and (if you're curious) one of its great joys.
If you are working a project with a copywriter, it will likely fall to the writer to do most of the research and to compile some type of outline of the important ideas and themes associated with it. The point is, whether there is a writer or not, you need that information--to create a logo, an advertisement, collateral material, a web site, even a trade show display or a banner ad. It is all but impossible to create sound communications design without it.
Following are examples of two useful ways of organizing that core information--a creative brief and a copy platform. Yes, there are as many definitions of these documents as there are models and these are by no means definitive. In many cases, you may not even compile the information for anyone but yourself. I simply offer these examples as a reminder of their importance.
Do you know of another model or have your own? I'd love to see it. (Use "Comments" below--I answer every entry.)
A model for a copy platform...
From an advertising perspective: How to create a brief that sets creativity free (1.38MB PDF)...
An example of a creative brief (64KB PDF)...
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May 6
Marketing PR
Stirring up controversy, making a bold statement, and challenging conventional views are all valid ways of making a point. But using controversy as a tool of marketing is dangerous territory. If you use it, you should use it for a clearly defined reason that offers some substantial advantage.
Which leads me to an example of how not to use it. I came across it as I was looking through the newspaper a couple of days ago--it was a full-page version of this ad to announce the makeover of a city web site. (Go ahead and take a look before you read on.)
I couldn't help but ask myself, "What the heck do nude people have to do with the makeover of a city web site?" and, "What advantage does this controversial approach offer that outweighs the potential for narrowing or eliminating prospects for the clients product?"
I see at least three fundamental marketing mistakes:
Mistake 1: Assume that your audience knows what you know.
The first problem is that the ad speaks primarily to the existing audience. There isn't enough here to explain what Richmond.com is so who cares about the "new" version? An ad that speaks to the insider excludes the outsider.
Mistake 2: Don't say what you mean.
This ad is a misdirection. Everything it shows and much of what it says gives you no information about what the product is. "We've Gotcha Covered" how? Why a nude person? Why this location? Do you care enough about this anonymous product to make the effort to find the answers? Even more puzzling is that, as of this writing, if you go to site the ad points you won't see any nude people (thank goodness) and, if you search the phrase "We Gotcha Covered," there is not even mention of it.
Mistake 3: Be controversial for the sake of being controversial.
At a minimum, the sexual innuendo here sends a clear signal that the site is inappropriate for children--HUGE mistake. And in sending that message, it likely alienates the parents who already are burdened with monitoring every aspect of online life. It obviously slams the door (with relish) on any audience that doesn't share the same sensibilities as the ad's designer. Controversy has an insidious way of representing one narrow view, one sense of humor, and one way of understanding.
To me, good marketing takes a thoughtful, innovative approach to identifying and speaking to the greatest possible audience. Narrowing that audience is perfectly acceptable if you do it for a good reason. But if you narrow the audience simply because of your approach, your approach is wrong. Period.
All that said, I don't mean to pick on the folks who created this ad, I've made my share of marketing mistakes. It is simply the most recent case I've seen that perpetuates the "marketing is magic" theory--that, if you know the secret formula, you can get people to take meaningful action contrary to their own interests by being clever, controversial, or funny--it is a myth.
Your thoughts?
The ad...
It's a campaign...
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Apr 27
Marketing PR
When new designers ask for advice, I tell them to master their presentation skills:
"If your presentation skills are weak, you must improve them. Not should--must. Today, as you are reading this page, there are thousands of truly brilliant ideas being generated in the minds of timid people. They will never see the light of day because the artists are unable to sell them--they are too nervous, too intimidated, or simply lack the skills to communicate their ideas with clarity and enthusiasm."
Graphicology.com has produced an excellent series of interviews with industry pros (in PDF form) that speak about the art of presenting.
Nigel Holmes, Principle of Explanation Graphics (PDF -150KB)...
Debbie Millman, Managing Partner, Sterling Brands (PDF -150KB)...
Sally Hogshead, Creative Consultant (PDF -150KB)...
Peter Coughter, Jr., Owner, Coughter & Company; Professor, VCU Adcenter (PDF -150KB)...
Bart Cleveland, Creative Director, McKee Wallwork Cleveland (PDF -150KB)...
And, you'll find others listed in the right-hand column on Graphicology.com...
My post "Advice for new designers"...
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Feb 6
Marketing PR
I firmly believe that commercial graphic design is not about self-expression. That said, lots of designers produce work and invent products that are very much self-expression--and the world is richer for it. Here is an excellent example of how one designer, Will Staehle, has turned his passion for type and design into a collection of eclectic products complete with a fascinating story line.
Staehle's Dollar Dreadful Family Library...
Staehle's store, The Bazaarium...
A bio of the designer...
In the Ideabook Design Store: The Desktop Publisher's Idea Book...
Feb 2
Marketing PR
Help me out--what am I missing? If you were to remember the name of the company that sponsored this ad (I rarely do), would you associate it with a positive or a negative? Would you remember the few seconds of happy redirection at the end or the the powerful negative experienced by its main character?
A 30 second ad played during this year's Super Bowl was reported to have cost three million dollars. Honestly, I just don't get it. What is the thinking behind this type of advertising?
An ad for a floral service...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Design-It-Yourself: Graphic Workshop...
Jan 2
Marketing PR
As with all lessons, some of the most profound marketing lessons are learned outside the office. Two back-to-back segments of the December 19, 2008 episode of This American Life pose stories that got me thinking in marketing mode.
The first segment, the Prologue, looks at how profoundly one point of view can effect the communication and dissemination of a message.
And the second, titled "Shots in the Dark," is a stark reminder of the significance of the shift in attitudes between old attitude of "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" and the new belief (of many) that "everyone is entitled to make the choices that they consider best for their own situation."
Give them a listen, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Click "Full Episode" and listen to the first two segments...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color...
Jun 11
Marketing PR
This New York Times virtual tour of the Metropolitan Museum's new Greek and Roman Galleries is an excellent lesson in basic marketing. The idea is you give some significant portion of your product or service away to encourage a sale. Here, the museum invites us to virtually visit the space in the hope that experience will lead us to visit in person. I must admit, what immediately came to mind when I viewed the first scene was, "That's a place I would like to visit."
It's not rocket surgery, but it leads me to consider if there are parts and portions of products and services my client's might offer to their prospects.
NYT look at the MET Greek and Roman Galleries...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Templates for InDesign, QuarkXPress, or PageMaker...
May 21
Marketing PR
Many of the studies conducted by the Media Management Center are designed to distinguish the aspects of the readership experience that “motivate” from those that “inhibit.” The report I have linked to refers to the online experience but there are also studies regarding newspapers, magazines, and television.
The report is interesting in the sense that it characterizes the reader experience using phrases such as the subject “Entertains and absorbs me,” “Looks out for people like me,” “Regular part of my day,” and so on.
The Media Management Center's Online User Engagement Study (120KB PDF)...
More studies...
New in the Ideabook Design Store: Creative Advertising...
Mar 19
Marketing PR
If you think the disciplines of communications design are peaking, think again. The years ahead promise a perpetual need for re-invention—an insatiable appetite for re-defining and re-presenting ideas, organizations, products, services, and the people who represent them.
No where is the current need more pronounced than in the world of newspapers. The New York Times' “First Look” pages offer a peek at how The Times is attempting to marry the best of static linear layout with the expectations of interactivity and multimedia.
First Look at The New York Times...
NEW in the Ideabook Design Store: Tintbook CMYK Process Color Selector...
Mar 10
Marketing PR
“It has nothing to do with income, nothing to do with education. It has to do with a desire to understand, a desire to try, a desire to push whatever envelope you're interested in.”
That is how marketing guide Seth Godin describes the curious nature—a way of thinking I have learned to understand and embrace in recent years. (Ironic to hear it from Seth—years ago he called me with an idea for collaborating on a project and, if I remember correctly, I spent most of the conversation stomping on his curiosity. Unfortunately living and learning is the cost of admission.)
This is one of many brilliant short films by Nic Askew. Brief, but often profound vignettes with a wonderful mix of thinkers.
Seth Godin on curiosity...
Lynne Franks, An eye in the storm...
Nic Askew's Monday 9am TV...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines...
Mar 5
Marketing PR
Here's some fascinating advertising history—an archive of many/most of the ads and collateral created for Apple since the first ad was produced in 1976. It is not only a history of Apple, it offers an interesting record of design trends and styles.
Seeing these ads gave me reason to call a dear friend, Charlie Clark, who was an art director on the Apple account for a year or two at Chiat/Day. He and his wife, copywriter Leslie Clark, have been back in Virginia for years now after a decade or two working for some of the world's top agencies. (If you are looking for a top advertising team, they are going strong as ever—brilliant, beautiful stuff.)
A history of Apple advertising...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Task Force Clip Art...
Feb 25
Marketing PR
If you have ever attempted to write direct response copy you know that it can be quicksand. By that I mean it looks harmless enough when you step in it but, after a good deal of flailing around, most of its victims sink out of sight. If you don't do it regularly, if you aren't willing to learn the complexities of direct response, it is dangerous territory. Richard Riccelli makes it look easy. The project I point to is a reminder of the extent you need to understand a client's product, service, or idea to market it effectively.
The art and science of direct response copywriting...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Art Parts Clip Art...
Jan 30
Marketing PR
This wonderful little site reminds me of a passage from Ogilvy On Advertising. In it David Ogilvy recommends you “Write your copy in the form of a story.” Among the examples he sites is one written by John Caples for International Correspondence School under the headline, “They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano—But When I Started to Play...”
Onesentence.org offers a sound lesson in writing. As host Ryan MacMichael describes it, “It is about telling the most interesting or poignant story possible in the least amount of words.” To you and me, the challenge is to take the lessons learned here and apply them to writing copy.
Telling a story in brief...
Nov 21
Marketing PR
That's one of three fundamentals Brian Clark points when describing good copywriting skills. The other two are, “It’s also not about being contrived or cheesym,” and “It’s absolutely not about inappropriate high pressure sales techniques that simply don’t work.” That sage advice is the foundation on which copyblogger.com is built. It offers a unique angle on copywriting with a major in marketing and a minor in blogging.
A good introduction to the site: Copywriting 101: An Introduction to Copywriting...
A list of headline formulas...
Aug 22
Marketing PR
Simple is complicated. Particularly so in the naming process. Igor, a naming and branding agency says, "The best product and company names require the least advertising." How true. Not only do they offer their services, they readily share some important insights on naming via the Igor Naming Guide.
The Igor Naming Guide...
The Igor home page...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Brenner Pricing Tables...
Aug 8
Marketing PR
I think most advertising experts would agree that “showing” is generally more effective than “telling”. By that I mean showing the point you are trying to make is, in most cases, preferable to describing it with words. That said, great design rarely survives a poorly crafted message. John Kuraoka seems to be one of those workhorse writers who knows how its done AND is willing to share that insight with others.
John Kuraoka's copywriting insights...
His independent guide to free and cheap small business advertising and marketing...
In the Ideabook Design Store: Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines...
Jul 10
Marketing PR
We're happy to be on HOW Magazine's Top 10 Web Sites list this month. Welcome HOW readers! Check out our tutorials at ideabook.com, design links at jumpola.com, and a view of design and marketing from low altitude here at pageplane.com.
The current list...
Sign up here for our twice-monthly design newsletter...
Jun 18
Marketing PR
What House Industries is doing here is unprecedented. They are showing the faces of their employees and inviting us contact them directly. Will the earth spin off its axis? I doubt it. They may be subjected to some unwanted contact with spammers but, to me, the positive impression far outweighs the potential annoyance. Organizations—small, medium, AND large—need to realize that the days of building walls between yourselves and your customers are numbered. To me, hiding the names and contact information of key players is a critical marketing mistake.
Some real people at House...
In the Ideabook Design Store: FontHead Typefaces...
Apr 13
Marketing PR
Daphne Gray-Grant refers to herself as a “writing coach”—a specialist in “helping corporate writers work better and faster.” If the craft of writing is a significant part of your job, I recommend subscribing to her free newsletter for a few weeks to see what she has to offer. Her clear, engaging style is testament to her skills.
Daphne's article archive...
Mar 28
Marketing PR
If you write lots of copy, check out the Visual Thesaurus. It is an interesting way to explore the connections between words and their meanings. I have used the Random House Word Menu for a few years—this looks like the next logical step. (Willing to share your experience with the Visual Thesaurus? Click Comments below.)
Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus...
Word Menu...
More copywriting ideas with The Copywriter’s Handbook
Mar 21
Marketing PR
Whether you are Mac or PC, you can appreciate the brilliance of the “Get a Mac” ad campaign. It personifies little boxes of chips then psychoanalyzes them. Ridiculously one-sided, but funny, smart marketing.
The US versions of the spots...
The UK/Ireland versions of the spots...
Mar 19
Marketing PR
If you've ever attempted it, you will deeply appreciate the thought and energy that went into building this comprehensive identity guidelines site for John Hopkins. Beautifully done.
The John Hopkins Identity Guide...
Feb 21
Marketing PR
Is it just me, or have they broken some new ground here. Forget whether you agree or disagree with this candidate's politics—I think it is among the most successful campaign sites I've seen: great brand, intuitive Web, excellent messaging.
Jim Esch campaign...
Feb 12
Marketing PR
Some interesting marketing insights by Seth Godin, the author of All Marketers are Liars and a contributing editor to Fast Company magazine.
Seth Godin speaks at Google...
Dec 29
Marketing PR
Seth Godin a marketing thinker and doer. I know lots of people who think or do, but far fewer who are accomplished at both. I'm certain you know him—he's written some of the best-selling marketing books of the digital generation—but what the online world is all abuzz about is his latest project: ChangeThis. If you don't know Seth Godin, it's my pleasure to introduce you. His blog...
sethgodin.typepad.com
Another Godin brainchild: ChangeThis...
Aug 11
Marketing PR
Wow. There's a lot to like about the Web for ad agency Leo Burnett. Great, featherweight feel to it.
http://www.leoburnett.ca/
Jul 28
Marketing PR
Why do you suppose Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerrilla Marketing remains among the best selling small business marketing books ever written? (After 20 years it is #1,429 in books on amazon.com as I write this). Simple, his approach works. Don't miss this great bank of articles.
http://www.gmarketing.com/articles/
Jul 21
Marketing PR
Bob Bly is a gifted writer, copywriter, and teacher. His how-to articles are jam-packed with insight and information. Here's a taste:
The Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing
http://www.bly.com/Pages/documents/TFOPW.html
How to Write More Effective Technical Product Brochures
http://www.bly.com/Pages/documents/Cepbro1.htm
They are from Bob Bly's “How-To Articles for You” page
http://www.bly.com/newsite/Pages/articles.html
Jun 2
Marketing PR
BusinessWeek labeled management/marketing maven Tom Peters “business’ best friend and worst nightmare.” He thinks through the obvious like no one else I know.
hhttp://www.tompeters.com
Need to rewire your thinking on the businesses you work for? Take a look at this free booklet (1.3MB)...
http://www.tompeters.com/pdfs/Tomato101804.pdf
May 22
Marketing PR
You could look at the “projects” section of this site to see samples of Psyop's work for such clients as Honda and VW, but I suggest you take a look at the “Psyop Anthem.” It opens with an apple in a captain's uniform followed by a formation of marching broccoli with chain saws. Then it gets weird. The theme song:
Come one come all, and follow me
We're all to support the economy
Cause the world is full of things to buy
And folks are always wondering why
And so on...
http://www.psyop.tv./
then click “Propaganda” then click “Psyop Anthem”
Apr 28
Marketing PR
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 17
Marketing PR
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
Mar 8
Marketing PR
Every so often I see something that really jolts me—the design of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism logo and it's Web is one of those somethings. To me, even if you don't like the style of the design (and I do), you'll appreciate what a powerful, on-the-money solution it is. The logo shows the diversity of islands and gives you a feeling that there is something distinct about each.
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/
Each island has it's own section and color scheme and is highlighted as a place on the logo. Gorgeous.
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/island/introduction.aspx?sectionid=6578
To all that add a first class collection of images that make me want to be there:
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/biih/index.aspx
Feb 8
Marketing PR
Jon Dahlstrom's page reminds me of my freelance days, creating, among other things, storyboards for advertising agencies. If you’re not familiar with the medium, storyboards are the visual expression of a TV-spot or motion picture script. It was valuable experience that helped to teach me how you interpret ideas as images.
Jon Dahlstrom's storyboards...
Feb 1
Marketing PR
Marketing is complex. What works for one enterprise does not necessarily translate to another—there are simply too many variables. For that reason, I am skeptical of formula marketing—sets of rules that claim to ensure some level of success. Formulas imply that you can sell anything to anybody, and I just don't believe that's true. That said, I LOVE formulas. A good one can apply to certain clients in certain situations and is worth it's weight in gold. Sean D'Souza, a former Leo Burnette copywriter, offers a formula worth adding to your arsenal—it comes in the form of a 30-page e-book titled “The Brain Audit.” If you decide to spring for a copy ($37 US)—be sure to share your impressions with me. (Check out all the free articles too.)
http://www.psychotactics.com/
Jan 27
Marketing PR
Landor tags itself as “the world's most accomplished and internationally recognized branding and design consultancy.”
Landor branding...
Dec 12
Marketing PR
Quick quiz: Can you be held responsible for the advertising claims of your client? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says advertising agencies have a duty to make an independent check on the information used to substantiate ad claims. This section of their Web also offers specifics about everyday issues such as free offers, catalog details, pricing claims, and lots more stuff we as designers, copywriters, and their clients need to be aware of.
http://www.ftc.gov/
Dec 9
Marketing PR
Marketleap's link popularity tool shows you how any site (including yours) stacks up against its competitors and other major sites on the World Wide Web. Type in your Web address to see how where you stand—add your competitor's URL to see who's generating the most interest.
http://www.marketleap.com
