A few weeks ago I was contacted by Kelly Kapinos of Signs & Designs in Bozeman, about designing a vehicle wrap for one of his clients. I had been wanting to design a wrap for awhile, and knowing that Kelly and I have worked well together on a few other projects… I jumped at the opportunity.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with “wrapping”, it is the art of printing graphic design elements on high performance vinyl and then applying that vinyl to a chosen surface. In our case, the client wanted to wrap the back half of his truck to promote his taxidermy services.

One of the first steps of this project was taking precise measurements of the vehicle, this is also one of the most important parts of the project as it determines how much vinyl it will take to achieve the desired results. Kelly took down all the measurements and then handed them off to me, along with photographs of the vehicle, so I could begin the next step of the process… finding appropriate artwork.

Searching for artwork proved to be one of the most challenging parts of the entire wrap. Our client wanted a bear snarling, which is easy enough… but finding an image large enough to be nearly life sized was difficult to say the least. Luckily for me, I eventually found a perfect image from Canadian photographer John Pitcher, and by contacting John directly, we were able to settle on a fair price for the photo.

With the photo and measurements in hand, it finally time to get to the design phase. With the creative software on my hard working Macintosh, I was able to show the client how the image would look on his vehicle before the vinyl was even printed. This also allowed Kelly the opportunity to show the client how the lettering would look as well. This allowed for any tweaking to be done and for the client to be satisfied with the overall design prior to the actual application.

I should note here that half wraps can be somewhat difficult to pull off. The challenge lies in creating a design that effectively covers half of the vehicle, but yet is designed in way that makes the transition from the paint of the vehicle to the graphic elements of the vinyl pleasing to the eye. This is something I think the design I came up with does very well, and luckily for me the client agreed too.

With the green light on the design, I burned a DVD of the rather large image files to give to Kelly. He then took the files and printed them to vinyl on his large format printer at his custom shop in Four Corners. Hours later with the printing complete, it was finally time for the highly anticipated install. It took a full day and part of another for the complete install, but as usual, Kelly did a fantastic job… and I think the finished results speak for themselves!

During the installation I talked Kelly into letting me tag along and snap some photos of the process. Check out the install photos for an idea of the hard work involved in creating a wrap like this. After seeing it in person, my sincere congratulations go to Kelly and the team at Signs & Designs for a job very well done.

Well that’s it for now, but keep your eye out for this rolling billboard around the streets of Bozeman. I hope you get to see it in person, because the photos in this post really don’t do it justice. As always, please leave us your comments below.

I simply love logo design… it is a passion of mine, and with each new logo I create, I love it even more. Over the last several months I have created many logos for Montana businesses. Some of them are for actual customers, some of them are for friends/family, a few of them are just exercises in design and I also have a number of them available for sale as well. I wanted to post and share these designs for the sake of discussion, and to provide inspiration for myself and the valued readers of this blog.

This post is just a recent sampling of my professional logo design portfolio. You can view a great selection of logos I have designed by visiting the following sites:

LogoPond: http://logopond.com/members/profile/showcase/18675

Brandstack: http://brandstack.com/users/profile/SuperDave4eva

LogoGala: http://www.logogala.com/designer/details/david-howlett/

Creattica: http://creattica.com/creatives/david-howlett-manifest-creative/1598

As you read you will notice that several of these logos are available for purchase. If you are interested in purchasing one of these logos, please let me know and we’ll work something out. So without further ado, I happily present to you this latest batch of logos… enjoy!

Decipher Translation Services

This logo was made for a company that specializes in translating foreign languages. The mark was designed to be an interwoven ‘D’ that resembled a Celtic knot and specific attention was paid to the overall flow of the typeface.

CoreGroup (for sale)

I designed this logo after a similar concept got turned down, but I really liked how the ‘c’ and ‘g’ fit together… so I decided to stick with it. I’m glad I stuck with it too… because this is one of my most popular logos at LogoPond and Brandstack. This is a great general purpose logo, and could be used well for a number of different industries. This professional brand is currently for sale and if you’re interested in it, please mention you saw it on this blog… and I’ll be happy to knock a few bucks off of it.

TakeVacation.biz

This logo was designed for a friend of mine for his travel business. He needed a logo that instantly portrayed “tropical vacation”, and palm trees fit the bill perfectly. Check out the logo in use on his website, and while your at it plan a trip… a tropical vacation is just what you need!

One Step Up

I created this logo for a preschool that helps children with physical disabilities and/or other special needs adjust and integrate into the regular school system. This was a fun logo to design, and everyone involved was very happy with the finished result. You can see the logo in use at the One Step Up website.

RaceKart (for sale)

This is a mock-logo that I designed as a fun side project for an area of interest that I have… go kart racing. This logo is currently for sale, and would be perfect for a racing kart manufacturer, race track, racing club or a myriad of other uses in the go kart racing scene.

Chasin’ Tail

This logo is proudly displayed on a fishing boat and was designed as a gift for a good friend of mine. This is a custom vector illustration of a fly fishing lure that ended up looking amazingly realistic. It looks great on the back of his boat, and he gets a lot of comments from his friends and fishing buddies!

Tight Line Adventures

Speaking of fishing, check out this custom logo that I created for a professional guide and outfitter based in Dillon, Montana. This logo is one of my personal favorites, and features a bunch of custom designed illustrative elements. The client actually gave me one of the best testimonials I have ever received – “The logo looks really great, and everyone I show it too just raves about it. I love it and after looking at tons of other fishing logos…this one kicks the crap out of all of them. You did an excellent job and I’m very excited to market my business with this logo!” – Justin Hartman

Fire Bird

This is another logo that I designed on a whim. Ok, I’ll admit it… I have a thing for tribal flames. One day I was wondering how the phoenix would look all done in tribal flames, so I went to work and this is the result. I think it looks pretty cool as a logo, and my friends think the illustration would make for a bad-ass tattoo!

Common Ground

A friend of ours runs a landscaping and grounds maintenance company and wanted some tweaking done to his original logo that my business partner Philip created for him years ago. We came up with this simple brand that was very close to the original, but more elegant and refined to help reflect how his company has grown and matured.

Super 8 Hotel

As a logo designer, sometimes you simply have to have a little fun… that was my motivation for designing this logo. I think this really puts the “Super” into this logo for a well known chain of hotels. I had a lot of fun designing this, and who knows… maybe someday a head honcho at Super 8 will see it and chuckle!

Snow (for sale)

On a particularly snowy day in Bozeman, I got the inspiration for this playful logo. I really like the use of snow to create the white space that makes this logo work. This “cool” logo is for sale, and could work well for a number of different industries… especially here in Montana.

Suncrave (for sale)

Well you can’t have a logo featuring snow, without also designing one for summer… so here you go! This is a mock logo that would be great for a clothing company specializing in beach wear! Admittedly, this one could use some work and probably seems a bit unfinished… something I’ll work next time I’m feeling sunny!

Red Rise (for sale)

Here is another logo featuring the sun, but in this instance it happens to be the rising sun of Japan. This logo is very modern and precise, perfect for a technology company or an entertainment studio. It is also up for grabs and awaiting a buyer.

JR’s Truck Repair

JR is a great local mechanic who needed a nice logo to help grow his new business. Although he has some of the best rates in town (call him at 406-595-0415), he needed a logo that had a very professional appearance and also depicted his mechanical ability. He loved the results!

Dance of Love (for sale)

This is a fine example of how a simple idea can turn into a really cool illustration. I wanted to make a heart out of the negative space between two dancers, something I think I executed very well. I do have some beef with this logo though… as it has been for sale for quite a while now!

Green Tree Service (for sale)

Here is another logo designed just for the fun of it. I love the way the leaves are made from the negative space in the lettering. The typeface was also completely custom created for a look you won’t find anywhere else. This one is also for sale, and ready just in time for the summer season!

Which logo is your favorite?

Well that is all I have for now. Please leave me your comments below and be sure to share these logos with your friends if you enjoyed them. Also if you are in the market for award-winning graphic design, please contact me so we can get to work setting up your FREE consultation.

Thanks for looking, and I hope you enjoyed the post!

Cheers!

A few months go I was contacted by Justin Hartman of Tight Line Adventures, in Dillon MT who was interested in a new logo design. While communicating with Justin, it became very clear that Justin had put considerable thought into what he wanted for his brand identity. Below is an excerpt from one of his early messages:

“…I think the name and meaning of the business needs to be depicted in the logo somehow. ‘Tight Line’ in fishing terms means keeping a tight line connection between the rod and the fish…hence “Tight Line”. I was thinking that it may look good placed in the lettering somehow. A rod with a tight line? Lettering with a tight line? Something like that. Be creative with it and play around with the ideas. But I think it is necessary to play along with the “Tight Line” language.”

Justin also was hoping for a logo that had illustrative elements that could stand alone during his marketing efforts. It wasn’t long before I had come up with a rough logo design based on Justin’s input, along with a fair amount of creative tweaking of my own accord. The final logo design was essentially three custom graphic elements, (1) a drift boat with guide and fisherman, (2) a distinctive typeface, and (3) a trout stylized in the shape of an ‘e’.

Here is the finished logo design:

With the logo finalized, Justin was very eager to put it into use, so we got right to work designing the core elements of his identity – this included business cards, letterhead, and envelopes. By separating a few of the the graphic design elements of the logo, we were able to design an identity package that had great continuity and really emphasized the brand.

Justin’s finished identity package:

Soon after Justin’s identity package was finished, we also began designing his website and advertising brochure. These items both used the interchanging elements from the logo and identity to keep the look and feel of the marketing materials consistent. You can check out the Tight Line Adventures website at http://www.tightlinemontana.com, and you can have a look at his photo-filled brochure below:

At this point Tight Line Adventures had a very professional and well rounded marketing and branding platform, but Justin still had other plans. As a Montana outfitter and guide, Justin was well aware that his clientele often would purchase apparel (hats, shirts, jackets, etc.) as part of their Montana fly fishing experience. Knowing this, Justin choose to have his logo embroidered and screen printed on various clothing items to sell to customers, and to provide to his guides for further promotion.

Talk about branding power, these photos say it all!

Big fish and even bigger smiles!

Justin Hartman holding Jessica's freshly caught fish.

Another big trout with the angler wearing some Tight Line Adventures swag!

Not one to miss an advertising opportunity, Justin also had us design his logo and information into vinyl decals that he had installed on his vehicle’s rear window. When taking clients on drift boat trips down the river, Justin’s truck often sits at fishing access sites for hours at a time. Having the Tight Line Adventures logo on his truck allows him to advertise to the very customers he would like to attract, at areas they are already frequenting. It also looks sharp where ever he chooses to travel, and is a rolling advertisement for his services.

Window decals can be a great way to advertise your business.

Tight Line Adventures is a fine example of what to do when it comes to identity and branding. I think any business can take a page from Justin’s playbook – use your identity and branding when ever and where ever possible. Look for advertising and marketing opportunities and capitalize on them, only then will you realize the true value and potential that branding can have on your business.

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends. Also, if you have any questions about logo design, identity, branding, advertising or common sense marketing, please give Manifest Creative a call at 406-585-9406. We would to hear from you, and discuss how we can help your business as well!

From time to time, I help my Twitter friends out by designing a custom background for their Twitter page. While this is mostly a hobby, I do enjoy it as a creative exercise. If you’re interested in having us design your background, start by checking out a few Twitter profiles we’ve branded (see below), then contact me via Twitter or give us a call!

If you have a smidgen of Photoshop experience, and a basic knowledge of monitor resolutions, you can design your branded Twitter page yourself. To help you along the way, I’m posting the Twitter Photoshop template that we begin with. Here’s a small, JPEG preview to give you the general idea. You can download the ZIP file below!

This Photoshop template defines the header area, the safest areas for your content, and swatches to help you further customize your profile. Guides and different resolutions will help you to visualize how your background will look on the Twitter.com website.

Download the Photoshop Twitter background template

Download Twitter Photoshop Template (ZIP file, 0.80 MB)

Twitter profiles that Manifest Creative has designed

If you’re interested in having Manifest Creative design your custom branded Twitter profile, give us a call, or follow @manifestphil on Twitter!

• @MontanaBusiness
• @MichelleMontana
• @DomainScript
• @BSTC
• @jmangan
• @BigSkyMont
• @BozemanMT

More Twitter Design Resources

• Twitter Background Design How-To and Best Practices
• How to design perfect Twitter background
• 13 Tutorials & Resources for a Perfect Twitter Background
• Twitter Backgrounds Gallery
• 100+ Remarkably Beautiful Twitter Icons And Buttons
• Stock.Xchang – Good resource for free stock images

Did you find this template helpful?

Consider Tweeting this post, or bookmarking on your favorite social website!

Twitter background design questions?

Leave us a comment below and we’ll do our best to help out in a timely manner.

Video presentation from web-marketing guru Seth Godin on why the design of so many things that we interact with on a daily basis could be considered broken. This video is from a speech that Godin gave at the Gel Conference.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Are aspects of my service or the products I sell broken?
• Do I truly care about the experience that my clients have?
• What can I do to ensure that the item(s) I’m selling meet my client’s actual needs, not just what I believe their needs to be?

You can visit the website that Godin founded at www.ThisIsBroken.com.

Yesterday I wrote about Congressman Denny Rehberg, a Republican from Montana. In that post, I told readers that I felt that Mr. Rehberg and all of our congressmen should be using Twitter.com as a platform to engage and connect with their voters. This morning, I was encouraged to hear that Mr. Rehberg had responded to Bridget Cavanaugh, and a few hours later, to myself and @superdaveh4eva.

not ignoring you either..between planes in Minn and will be home soon. Gotta hug the family first, then off to the circus

-@dennyrehberg

U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT)

After yesterday’s post, I want to point out 3 quick social media tips and highlight what Representative Rehberg’s done right.

• Not ignoring public sentiment. One of the best ways to escalate something is to ignore it. Use social media the way that it’s intended – to give everyone a voice.
• Responding quickly. Web users (yes, myself included) have a tendency to allow a topic to escalate to greater and greater volumes, until it’s being shouted from the rooftops. By responding quickly Mr. Rehberg not only reassured the Tweeple, but gained respect among his followers.
• Making the time. Mr. Rehberg’s on his way back to Montana from D.C. While Tweeting, blogging or interacting on social media may not be your idea of ending the week on a high-note, Mr. Rehberg demonstrated that he’s listening. When it comes to politicians, that’s encouraging.

“The way you conduct business in this chamber has distinct advantages over the way things have been done lately in Washington, D.C… Part of that is because you work in the state you serve and Washington is 2,000 miles away. Here you’re held accountable for transparency while in Washington it’s become the norm to negotiate from the dead of night, behind closed doors. That’s why I’ve been in the export business for the last 9 years. I’ve been in the business of exporting Montana common sense, and some values to boot.”
-Rep. Denny Rehberg to MT Legislative Assembly

U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT)

U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)

U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT)

Montana has three members of the United States Congress, Representative Dennis “Denny” Rehberg (R) and Senators Jon Tester (D) and Max Baucus (D). Of our three congressmen, Mr. Rehberg has demonstrated the greatest affinity for social media and has been a great advocate of governmental responsibility and transparency. On March 13, 2009 he addressed the 61st Montana Legislative Assembly in Helena and on March 20th uploaded a four-part series to YouTube. Several quotes from Mr. Rehberg’s speech are highlighted in this post.

The first part of his address is entitled “Government Transparency”. This is primarily the topic I’ll be writing about today, as it relates to social media and Twitter.

Mr. Rehberg responded to @bcavanaugh with a nice Twitter DM on April 3, 2009. Encouraging!

Sen. Jon Tester's website encourages you to "Share Your Thoughts". All you need to do is fill out this 16 field web form.

Of Montana’s congressmen, Denny has taken great initiative in regards to using social media. Neither Senator Tester or Max Baucus have much of a presence to speak of. (See a Google search for “Max Baucus” or a Google search for “Jon Tester”)

• Sen. Max Baucus’ official website
• Sen. Jon Tester’s official website
• Rep. Denny Rehberg’s Twitter profile

Rehberg, a Republican from Montana, has a Facebook profile, his own YouTube channel and his official website lets users sign up for an e-newsletter or to send him an e-mail. All great steps in the right direction and ones that far outpace either of his U.S. Senate counterparts. But, couldn’t Rep. Rehberg be using Twitter to carry his transparency and accountability further?

So what’s my beef with Representative Denny Rehberg?

Social media is about connections. Real, personal connections with real people. If I want canned news releases or a daily schedule of appearances, I can find that easily enough. But why isn’t Representative Rehberg making a genuine effort to connect with Montana’s constituents, voters and taxpayers using Twitter.com?

“I’m under no illusions that things are tough right now in America. In February alone we lost 650,000 jobs… Those figures bring the total lost to almost a staggering 5 million. The national unemployment rate now stands at the highest level since Dec 1983… But these are just numbers that politicians and economists use to objectively measure the real pain that people are feeling.”

-Rep. Denny Rehberg to MT Legislative Assembly

Twitter thrives on connections with people. People who are incredibly similar and completely diverse. They run the gamut from PR professionals, software entrepreneurs and bicycle mechanics to tech gurus, downhill skiers and journalists.

If there were ever a group of Montanans you should be conversing with isn’t it Montana Tweeters?

Representative Denny Rehberg’s Twitter stats as of April 2, 2009

• Denny’s first Tweet was made on Aug. 6th, 2008… About 7 months ago.
• As of this writing, Denny had made 104 updates… That’s an average of about 1 Tweet every two days.
• His 3rd Tweet was to Rob Blue and reads as follows…
  @RobertBluey thanks for helping me learn Twitter. What do they say? The Revolution Will Be Twittered!
• The vast majority of the 63 people who Rep. Rehberg follows are fellow politicians. In fact all are fellow Republicans.
• Denny Rehberg has 836 people (followers) who are interested in what he has to say. The majority are just regular ol’ people.
• Initially, Rep. Rehberg posted his Tweets through the Twitter.com website. Now he mostly uses TwitterBerry, indicating he has Twitter access anywhere his cell phone works.

More Twitter statistics for Denny Rehberg can be had here…

Montana sunset. Photo by jnewland.

In Montana 300 people is a crowd

A few weeks ago I held a town hall meeting in Kalispell. I wanted to talk to real Montanans about the economy. I wanted to hear their thoughts and feelings, because numbers on a economic spreadsheet don’t give that kind of insight. More than 300 people filled the room…

-Rep. Denny Rehberg to MT Legislative Assembly

Mr. Rehberg, you have 836 more Montanan’s right here on Twitter who would love for you to engage them in conversation! I’m willing to bet that you can find 15 minutes per week, to ask genuine questions and listen thoughtfully to your Montana Tweeple.

I believe that there is clearly a role for government in our lives, but there is also the need for individual responsibility, effort and accountability.

-Rep. Denny Rehberg to MT Legislative Assembly

I absolutely guarantee that as soon as you flip your social media strategy upside down you’ll begin to leverage the platform to it’s fullest. Stop repeating and start engaging one-on-one. Your love of the Montana lifestyle is apparent, and Twitter is the perfect way to show it.

“…I’ll tell you what, you never know when you’ll get the opportunity to share a little bit of Montana with someone. Last September then-Senator Barack Obama tracked me down on the House floor. He didn’t want to talk the campaign or the economic crisis. He wanted to talk about flyfishing and his newfound love for Montana.”

-Rep. Denny Rehberg to MT Legislative Assembly

Downtown Livingston, Montana. Photo by tofslie.

What our readers can do to help

I’m asking each of my blog readers to help Representative Denny Rehberg use Twitter to it’s fullest and for the benefit of Montana in general. If you’re compelled to assist, will you kindly do the following?

First, if you live in Big Sky Country, please follow @DennyRehberg. By demonstrating you’re interested in what our elected officials have to say, perhaps we can encourage a two-way conversation.

Second, visit TweetCongress.org and petition Senators Baucus and Tester to join the conversation.

“We believe transparent government is better government. Twitter enables real conversation between lawmakers and voters, in real time. Find your representatives in Congress, follow them and give them a tweet full!”

-from www.TweetCongress.org

Finally, send an @message to Rep. Rehberg, politely (and in 140 characters or less) suggesting 3 other Montanans you think he should connect with. Something like:

@dennyrehberg I think you should follow @name, @name, @name. They’re from #Montana too!

10 Twitter tips for politicians

Shepherd with his horse and dog on Gravelly Range. Photo by 20after4.

Bridget Cavanaugh got my wheels turning with her respectfully-written letter to Representative Rehberg, so I do owe her a debt of inspiration…Here are the social media tips I’d like to add to the conversation:

1. Create a Twitter plan. Start small and grow with the medium. As busy as you are, consider having a staff member select several Tweeters you should be in touch with that week, or a few topics you can address for the week.
2. Take time to Tweet the things you’re passionate about. When you do it is immediately apparent to everyone listening and helps to keep the tone casual. It’s all about showing you’re just another human!
3. Re-tweet other’s thoughts and musings when they mirror your own or are a good topic of conversation. Not only is this a great timesaver, it demonstrates your open-minded and interested.
4. Photos! Services such as Twitpic and Flickr allow you to upload photos on-the-go. Almost every BlackBerry and cellphone has a camera, so give your readers something they can’t get anywhere else. It may be as simple as a snapshot of where you are now, or someone interesting that you’ve met – we’ll still enjoy seeing what’s going on.
5. Add a Twitter badge to your website. You’ll be absolutely amazed at how many people will find you there and tune in for updates. Encourage people to follow you and to be active participants.
6. Download TweetDeck. It’ll help you filter out the noise and hone in on important conversations taking place right now.
7. Use the Twitter search function at least once per month – even more is better. You can do this through a program like TweetDeck or on the Twitter site itself. The link I’ve provided here will even filter out results for “Hannah Montana”!. There are lots of great tutorials about how to search Twitter for relevant conversations.
8. Start a blog. Your blog is your social media platform. When you need more than 140 characters, this is the place. Blog posts certainly need not be the length of this article. I really enjoy Seth Godin’s blog where articles are short, but consistently added. In fact, if you send an e-mail, I’ll gladly get you started pro-bono.
9. Do ask questions. I can’t even begin to tell you the wealth of Montana knowledge and wisdom just waiting to respond – and who knows we may all learn a thing or two!
10. Don’t be dissuaded by the naysayers or those who just want to argue. There’s are jerks who love to Tweet before they think – we call them Twatters because of their ability to do nothing but whine. Open minded Tweeple far outnumber those with a bad TwitterTude!

I’m aware of the challenges facing our country and the world… The wellbeing of almost a million people in Montana and millions throughout the nation… They know that we’re having difficulty and much of their future is at stake.”

-Rep. Denny Rehberg to MT Legislative Assembly

I welcome reader comments…

Tell me your thoughts below. Am I completely off my rocker? What was your “ah-ha” moment with Twitter? Do you have a social media tip to share with Representative Denny Rehberg?

Overview of the Bozeman, Montana gas explosion

On March 5, 2009 at approximately 8:40am, 5 businesses were destroyed in the Bozeman explosion and several other Main Street businesses were damaged when a natural gas explosion occurred. While 11 people were originally unaccounted for; that number trickled down to 1 casualty – a 36 year old woman.

Most of the other facts of the Bozeman explosion are well documented by other media sources, including:

THE ESPERANZA CENTER, a community-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides SW Montana youth and their families with equine-facilitated education and therapy, announces that its new logo, designed by David Howlett of Bozeman’s Manifest Creative, has been awarded the Logo Of The Day award for February 6, 2009 by the internationally-recognized logo-design website www.logooftheday.com. Manifest Creative, a Bozeman graphic design and web development company, has generously donated its services to help share The Esperanza Center’s alternative education and therapy vision with the community. The Esperanza Center gratefully thanks Manifest Creative and congratulates David Howlett for the well-deserved, professional award.

The community is invited to view, comment, and vote for the new logo design on www.logooftheday.com. For more information about The Esperanza Center visit www.theesperanzacenter.com or call 406.600-4022. Contact Manifest Creative at www.manifestbozeman.com or by calling 406.585.9406.

You can view the logo in use at the Esperanza Center’s temporary website:

http://www.theesperanzacenter.com

You can also view a cool animated progression of the logo development:

http://manifestbozeman.com/blog/2008/12/19/cool-animation-of-the-progression-of-a-logo/

And if you you still want more info, you can read the full story behind the logo progression:

http://manifestbozeman.com/blog/2008/12/17/logo-progression-local-non-profit-gets-a-new-look/

Thanks for stopping by the Manifest Creative marketing blog! Please be sure to vote for the Esperanza Center logo and as always, we would love to hear your comments!

This stunning marvel of modern styling was caught in a parking lot in Bozeman, MT

The engineers at BMW and Subaru must have hooked up to create this bastard child!

Who knows what the list price is going to be on this beauty, but with options like this one has, I’m confident they’ll be flying off the lots like hot cakes!

This was the funniest thing I saw today, so I figured I had better share it with the world! Please notice the sleek new aerodynamic styling and custom bulldog and crossbones upholstery! If you were on the fence about purchasing a new beamer, I think these amazing photographs will certainly sway you. Look for this new model to hit showrooms around the world very soon!!!

While this isn’t the usual kind of post you will find here at Manifest Creative, I thought this was great example of how identity and branding can sometimes be confusing. Speaking of confusing, where do you think the owner of this thing gets it serviced? Oh yeah… judging by the looks of it, that probably isn’t an issue.

Anyhow, hope you got a chuckle out of this… I know I certainly did! Check back in soon for slightly more focused common sense marketing advice in future posts! Oh… and as always, please leave your comments below.