Incite by Design

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Design for the Developing World Conference

2008-10-16T13:29:00.002-04:00

As someone who has had the opportunity to experience a portion of my life in the developing world, namely the Caribbean and Brazil, I have been following some of the outcomes from the Design for the Developing World Conference.

Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, from my experience living in the developing world made a very valid point. The real secret is the combination of design, communications, and implementation. Good design can add real value to our experience of the world but it is equally important that developing nations have information on how any designed solution can benefit the consumer, where to find these products, and to also make sure we design the distribution systems so that good design is accessible to people.

He also alluded to the idea that Philanthropy by itself does not have the power to make system wide change in the developing world but businesses can because businesses inherently build the systems that enable people to access good design.

It's Awards Time Again!

2008-10-16T11:12:00.002-04:00

Working with our amazing clients is in many ways an award just in itself. We love our work and they challenge us to think creatively, to communicate their message effectively, and enable us to explore our love of design.

Today we received a letter from the International Academy of Visual Arts. We had submitted a few pieces of work to them and so everyone in the office crowded around with excitement to see what this was all about. As the envelope was opened .... We Won!

A Silver Award!

In the Best Visual Appeal category in recognition of our web design work for Aleah Sato, an exciting Toronto poet and creative writer.

And a Second Silver Award!

In the Art category for our web design work for Elizabeth Siegfried, a Toronto fine art photographer and print artist whose work is exhibited throughout North America.

What Obama can teach us about business

2008-10-08T21:53:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite magazines and blogs recently featured a fantastic article on the use of social media to promote business. The article was an excellent illustration on how even a small business can make social media marketing part of their marketing strategy and build strong relationships and connections with their customers.

You can find the article here.

http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/2008/10/interview-john-della-volpe.html

The UK's Coolest Brands Report

2008-10-03T15:53:00.003-04:00

Coolbrands is an annual initiative to identify the UK's coolest brands based on independent voting and consumer feedback. Today here are the top 5 coolest brands in the UK.

1. Aston Martin

2. iPhone

3. Apple

4. Bang & Olufsen

5. YouTube

The 2008 results featured many of the world's best known brands, but what was also interesting is that 55% of the Top 20 brands were technology & internet related brands. Making the Top 20 list: iPhone, Apple, YouTube, Google, Nintendo, Playstation, Bang & Olufsen, Sony, Bose, Facebook and Skype.

Are we becoming a more web influenced society? Will internet advertising influence consumers purchasing decisions even more in the future? Comments?

5 Steps for Getting Results from your Marketing

2008-10-03T12:18:00.002-04:00

Growing a profitable business requires a systematic approach to marketing if you are going to be successful in increasing your client base and sales. Here are some tips.

No. 1: Define your goals

Write them down! Have a defined business objective that you would like to achieve with your marketing activities. Planning + execution = results.

No. 2: Know who you want to advertise to

If you have not specifically identified your target market, you are not going to be able to make the best decisions about marketing and advertising and your marketing will not help you reach your business objectives.

No. 3: Good design & good copywriting

A clear, concise, and well design message is important to cut through the noise in the marketplace and engage your potential customers. Good copywriting & design pulls your customer in to learn more about you.

No. 4: Make strategic use of your website

Customers are increasingly internet savvy today and use the internet as one of their primary methods to make buying decisions. Your marketing & advertising should send people to the right page on your website - the truth is that your home page may not be the first place they should land.

No. 5: Be Consistent

Many businesses fail to see the results from their marketing activities because they stop too early or change the approach. Make a plan, implement it, and stick with it. Give it time to develop and for your customers to get to know you and engage with you.

Comments?

Access Copyright Enhances Shareholder Communications

2008-09-26T13:59:00.003-04:00

A strategic shareholder communications strategy can be instrumental in elevating the brand for many public companies. We had the opportunity to tackle this type of business challenge with Access Copyright.

The organization wished to refresh the look of their Annual Report and take it into a new direction. Wishing to imply a sense of trust and full disclosure to the general public, our theme for the new Annual Report was an "open book" which was a perfect fit as Access Copyright works with publishers to regulate and manage the distribution of copyright fees.

The new Annual Report was combined with new brochure designs and banners leading up to the annual meeting of the board of governors and stake holders in order to enhance their communications and elevate the Access Copyright brand.

A Logo does not make a Brand

2008-09-23T15:29:00.003-04:00

Many companies struggle with the challenge of building a strong brand and get caught in the myth that a logo is a brand. We like to challenge that myth.

A well designed logo and corporate identity is important but it is just the starting point of building a strong brand that will attract potential customers. Brand strategy impacts all the potential contact points and experiences you have with your customer and is much more than your logo.

How you communicate with your customers. What level of service & support you provide them. How you engage them and meet their needs also are important aspects of your brand. Building a brand takes time and a step by step strategic approach.

Comments? Thoughts?

Tips for Selecting a Design Agency

2008-09-20T14:20:00.002-04:00

The selection of a design firm to handle the creation of your marketing materials or website is one of the most important decisions a company can make. These tips can help determine if a design agency can serve your needs while fitting within your budget.

1. Review the firm's portfolio and work done for previous & existing clients

Examine portfolio materials such as logo designs, brochures, ads, corporate identity designs, and websites to get a sense of the style and quality of design work provided by the agency.

2. Prepare & provide information

Before meeting with the agency, prepare a clear summary of the work you are looking to have done and the results and objectives you would like to achieve. Be prepared to present your present marketing materials, your goals, timelines, and your budget. This information will be necessary for a design agency to make realistic suggestions, provide solutions, and a proper quote for your project.

3. Ask to see samples of work done for other clients

The work of the design agency should click with you and give you an indication of the style of work the firm does. In addition, ask for the "story behind the design". Good design agencies help you solve business problems. Ask about the challenge the client was facing and why the design agency presented the final design you see in their portfolio.

4. Find out about the team & how they work with you

Ask about their design team and their design methodology. Find out what the steps are in the design process, who will be working on your project, and who your primary contacts are so that you can have questions addressed.

5. Do they share your vision?

The most important element is that the design agency understands your needs, objectives, and marketing vision. Their job is then to help you make it a reality and good, open communication is critical.

Finally. Ask for a project proposal and quote so you can determine how the design agency proposes to meet your needs and help you reach your objectives within the budget you have provided.

The Art of Hotel Design

2008-09-09T21:40:00.003-04:00

The travel industry has definitely raised the stakes in the last few years and realized that a good hotel is more than location, a bed, and room service. While the grand hotels still exist and attract a certain clientele, the new "boutique" hotels have come up with innovative product offerings tailored to the tastes of their guests.

The key to any successful business is knowing your clientele and then offering an experience that will bring them back again and again. The Drake Hotel in Toronto & Listel Hotel in Vancouver have certainly taken that approach.

The Drake has become a landmark for what is happening in art & culture in the reinvigorated Queen West neighborhood and serves up a great hotel with a enticing dessert of music, entertainment, and art to its guests.

The best hotels are more than a place to sleep but rather a destination to explore at the end of a journey. The Listel Hotel boasts art, elegance, and culture in each room with a showcase of art via a partnership with the British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology and the Buschien Mowatt Art Gallery.

Good music, art, & sweet dreams! The perfect way to end the day.

Website Design & the Pedestrian Scramble

2008-09-09T09:08:00.003-04:00

One of Canada's busiest intersections frequented by over 60,000 pedestrians daily has just adopted the pedestrian scramble format.

A recent visit to the intersection this week reminded me of some of the important aspects of website design. The intersection is a "pedestrian destination" driven by the "content" presented on all four corners by shopping facilities, business offices, dining, entertainment, Ryerson University, TTC transit, and the public space of Dundas square. It brings to mind the importance of well designed content & copy in generating relevant traffic to your website. Content is king and too often this important element is overlooked by organizations when developing a website.

The other key element is how design impacts the user experience and engages the visitor. The new pedestrian scramble format provides easy navigation for pedestrians to quickly cross to any corner of the intersection and access the various facilities and "content" featured at Yonge & Dundas. Web design should also provide logical, clear, and functional ways for site visitors to access, enjoy, and experience your site.

Building a campaign for the Vendee Globe Race

2008-09-08T15:06:00.003-04:00

In November, thirty racing machines powered only by the power of the wind will leave the Atlantic coast of France far behind and head out into the ultimate challenge in ocean yacht racing, the Vendee Globe Race.

The Spirit of Canada Open 60 yacht is a masterful combination of design and technology that has been funded by over 5,000 individual sponsors.

This venture is an inspiring example of what can be accomplished by a strategically designed social media and marketing campaign. To date the team still lacks a corporate sponsor, but with over 270 hours of internationally planned media coverage, this is also an exciting opportunity for a major Canadian company to throw its support behind this round the world challenge and testament to the human spirit.

Wishing you a safe journey & a fast boat, Derek Hatfield!

Good luck!

Is Microsoft cool?

2008-09-06T19:13:00.003-04:00

The ad agency of Crispin Porter + Bogusky has a reputation for advertising campaigns that generate excitement about a brand, but they certainly have taken on a big challenge with the task of making Microsoft cool!

The reality today is that it is not just about MAC OS vs Windows anymore! While Microsoft still remains a technology brand, Apple has successfully become a lifestyle brand. Apple has managed to craft an experience with Mac OS, iMac, iPod, iTunes, and now iPhone that melds design, technology, media, photography, and communication into a beautiful roller-coaster ride.

The highly anticipated $300 million Microsoft ad campaign recently launched but response from viewers has been pretty bland.

Jerry Seinfeld is funny for sure, but is he cool? Not in 2008, and Microsoft isn't cool yet either. This will be an interesting campaign to watch!

Who's reading?

2007-05-12T16:19:00.000-04:00

I just got a rather nasty e-blast from a publisher of a literary journal, basically castigating everyone who's submitted work for not also being paid subscribers. He said that if 1 out of every 200 persons who submitted work actually read the journal, he might be able to keep the journal afloat. It was a desperate, if not painfully honest, plea and posed some serious questions.

If Web 2.0 and the global collaborative community are giving everyone the means to write their own stories/news/information, are we in jeopardy of reducing the number of actual readers?

By having more information within reach, are we more well-read or more interested in how others may receive our own stories?

Does this angry editor have a valid point, or do you think he's simply reacting to the cold reality that the traditional media can't deal with the paradigm shift?

When you need to broaden your consumer base...

2007-05-08T14:24:00.000-04:00

While we're on the topic of television spots, I thought I'd bring up an interesting new one.

It's by that automotive equivalent of sensible footwear, that bastion of safety, beloved by soccer moms everywhere, Volvo.

2007-04-30T12:28:00.000-04:00

Coke has always produced your standard high-budget, feel-good TV spots. They're basically full of young good-looking people having fun, Santas, or cutsy 3D animated polar bears. However, that isn't why their latest spot stands out. Yes it's a departure from the rest. Yes, Coke has always used quality animation and big budgets but this blows anything the've ever produced away. This peice stands out because it's a beautiful little 60 seconds of film, which Coke is lucky enough to have produced.

Go read

2007-04-26T09:06:00.000-04:00

Johnnie Moore's post on "creativity."

It deserves a good conversation.

Not So Random Quote

2007-04-25T17:57:00.000-04:00

"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it."

— Jean de La Fontaine

Ode to the Sliders

2007-04-17T13:25:00.002-04:00

Soulwax.com is an interesting site that really makes use of the slider to truly customize the user experience. Playing on the idea of ‘sliding’ or scratching, to make the traverse through the site, definitely stays true to the subject matter. Added retro-fun imagery, like the wall of tapes and reincarnated mac, coupled with the ability to fold/expand each section is all too satisfying. Although scrolling in both directions is something of a treasure hunt, if you have the time, its worthwhile!

Limitations of Choice

2007-04-16T10:26:00.000-04:00

Break out your party hats, I am back. ;-)

It's been a long while since I have blogged about something other than poetry, so forgive my rusty intro back into the scene.

We (me and Rick) went furniture shopping over the weekend to a spot in the city known as "Furniture Alley." Basically, it is a street packed w/ about every chain store outlet and independently owned furniture store you can imagine. Our mission: to find a couch. Needless to say, after about 4 hours looking around, we came home feeling less enthusiastic than we started out. I was exhausted - we walked, yes, but I was more exhausted by the circuit-overwhelming number of couches we saw. In the end, they all sort of blended together in a mish-mash of pistachio fabric.

So you may be wondering what this experience has to do with anything? Well, it got me to thinking about the limitations of having too much to choose from - not an original subject (there are lots of really good books on the topic), but one that hits home for me.

I am someone for whom shopping is a chore, not an enjoyable activity. Adding hundreds of choices to the mix simply makes me freeze, go inward and retreat home empty-handed. I crave simplicity. And I know I am not alone in feeling this way.

When I come across a mega-store, a mall, or a business that tries to sell itself as "everything to everyone," I am likely to go elsewhere. This is especially true for service-oriented businesses that try to sell "expertise" in too many service areas. It simply smacks of thoughtless, reactionary decision making and a desperate grab for everyone's attention. There are many directions this topic can go in - The Long Tail, for one. For for the sake of *simplicity,* let me leave off here and pick up the topic again after some feedback.

My question are: What is your approach to the overwhelming number of choices we have, and have you experienced the pressure to be everything to everyone? Are you energized or drained by the vast number choices? What are the benefits of more? What are the negatives?

Random Reel 'o' the day

2007-04-12T09:42:00.000-04:00

This week marks the seventh annual ReelWorld Film Festival, April 11-15. While there are always a plethora of interesting entries, my favourite is that of a friend of a friend, Mazi Khalighi’s Foreign Soil.

Eggs and the City 2007

2007-04-05T10:29:00.000-04:00

For all those egg enthusiasts, this years annual urban Easter Egg Hunt is taking place on Bloor between Yonge and Bathurst, on Sunday April 8 beginning 11:00 am. Put on by Newmindspace, an organization based in New York and Toronto dedicating themselves to reclaiming public space and creating free ways to enjoy your community including “massive bubble battles, public art installations and much more.”

Delightfully Horrifying

2007-03-28T10:38:00.000-04:00

So every once in a while, you come upon a phrase which carries a life of it's own. We inscribe meaning into the things around us, adding our own personal histories.

I was explaining the concept of an exquisite corpse to a coworker, and she latched onto the phrase, stripping it's original meaning and imbuing it with her own. In a way she created her own exquisite corpse out of the phrase. With very little information and history, she developed her own interpretation and brought something of herself to the term, something we really do on a regular basis. On a scale spanning centuries, it's the way language evolves and visual style develops. On a smaller scale, as designers, we will often have several people contribute to a design, albeit not blindly, and not unidirectionally adding. But it does apply in a way to many things we do. What is your exquisite corpse?

For your visual stimulation and corpse-inspiration, check out PSST:

The mission of PSST is to produce original short films through the collaboration of different teams of designers, directors, and animators. Each film is comprised of three sections produced by three different teams. This process is the whole idea behind PSST! – a technique derived from the Dadaist game of Exquisite Corpse and the children’s game Telephone and applied to the arts of motion graphics, animation and film-making.

I have seen the future...

2007-02-05T16:58:00.000-05:00

...and I am frightened.

Check it out. Your average corporate identity, with 50% more Hello Kitty (actually, web 2.0 influenced).

I beg of you, proceed with utmost caution, and perhaps a pair of sunglasses

Holiday Ramblings

2006-12-22T11:31:00.000-05:00

As we wind down production, as our printers and clients alike become unreachable and as the streets fill with countless disgruntled souls checking the final items off their shopping list, we are knee deep in the holiday season. Christmas and New Years lie just ahead, the soltice just behind, and Hanukah's final day is today.

My coworker hums along to a carol on the radio while sporting a bedazzled Santa hat and finishing an ad. A tantalizing pile of Secret-Santa office gifts lies on the meeting room table, nudging the proposals and proofs to a corner. Another co-worker takes a brief break from coding to proudly display their fancy Christmas socks.

I think to myself, how incredibly cool it is that -- at least at this time of year -- it's ok to be a complete dork?

Happy Holidays