Logo Tree Blog

When the times are tough: get tougher

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:31:00 +0000

Complacency has never been a viable approach in the world of marketing. During an economic recession when consumers and businesses alike are spending less it can take more to get noticed. Unfortunately this can be a difficult prospect for many businesses as the inclination is to keep one’s purse strings closed.

One solution: digital. As always, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your competitors to see what approaches they’re taking and where they’re succeeding. The current trend is definitely to stick with the cost-effective marketing options offered by digital technology. The obvious benefit of digital forms of marketing is their cost-per-impression. From websites to newsletters to social network marketing, advertising online generally lets you reach an unlimited audience for a set expenditure, a benefit that print media cannot give.

The flipside of this is that, as many companies are shifting their focus from print to web, the few print pieces that customers receive stand out more. We’ve seen an increased interest in media kits since they allow the best of both worlds. They can be designed as PDFs that can either be emailed or posted online, while also being printed for mail-outs. New advancements in the world of digital printing allow for affordable high quality small print runs. Ask us about the many options available for any print project from stationery to catalogues to trade show materials to unique self-promotional ideas that may never have seen before by you or your customers.

From strategies to the implementation of these strategies, we can steer you towards the highest return on investment solution. However you want to push yourself, be it online or through printed materials, ask us what Starmedia can do for your business today.

Tips and Tricks to get your product some "Face Time"

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:45:00 +0000

When you are bombarded with messages everyday, it’s paramount to be able to stand out in a crowd. Consumer brands have struggled with being able to captivate the attention of the public, and as a result marketing efforts have shifted towards getting “in the face” of the buyer.

Face-to-face marketing is more personal and more effective than email, phone calls, and direct mail. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, keep in mind that it’s also more expensive and time-consuming. Pricing aside, let’s look at what makes this marketing concept so effective.

A unique face-to-face marketing campaign can create a personalized brand experience that is engaging, stimulating, and memorable. If the consumer is left feeling good about the brand, chances are they will continue to choose your products over your competitors. Can you say "win-win"?

Starmedia is ready to help you bring your brand to life. Contact us today to show you how to incorporate this medium into your existing campaign.

Starmedia Productions

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:34:00 +0000

Starmedia, Logotree's parent company, is ready to expertly bring your creative vision to the screen. No matter what the project requires - creative development, video and commercial productions, multimedia projects or corporate event supporting materials - our team will find the right solution in conveying your message accurately, creatively and memorably.

Starmedia Productions is a completely integrated television and film production company that has the background, experience and capacity to research, plan and budget your production from corporate videos, instructional videos, television commercials to television pilots, short films and full length motion pictures.

We are a dynamic consortium of the finest local and international talent under one roof ready to initiate the design, creative concept and structure of your project from story board to post editing.

We develop, brainstorm and come up with the idea, present them to you than once you’re convinced proceed to deal with every detail to make your vision a success.

Creativity, originality, passion and expressing clearly your project in a way that moves the viewer is what we specialize in. Capturing the imagination and leaving a lasting impression is what sets Starmedia Productions apart from the others. Starmedia Productions has the talent and creative resources to meet any challenge head-on.

Let us bring your creative vision to the screen. As a full service production facility we have the talent and technology to deliver first class service on target with your budget whatever it may be. Starmedia Productions is ready to hit the ground running with your project to produce a credible, recognized and professionally accomplished work of art. On budget, on time, every time.

Trade Show Displays and Marketing Materials: the Perfect Opportunity to Showcase Your Products and Services

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:11:00 +0000

Preparing for trade shows

A trade show is meant to showcase and demonstrate new products and services within an industry. When you have members of the press, as well as members of your trade as well as the general public, at some trade shows, you really need to make a strong impact. Of course your company or product is very important, but it’s making people notice it which is really key.

When you’re already investing in space rental, travel and accommodations, it makes sense to invest appropriately in the design and construction of the trade show booth. Starmedia can help you get the best design for your money by finding the right path for your display, and help you decide what size of display best suits your needs. As a full-service advertising agency, we can also help with other promotional materials such as brochures or presentation folders, as well as guiding you which trade shows may be coming up in your industry that you want to promote your company in.

Don’t wait for the last minute

If you’re thinking of entering a trade show a season or two away, it’s a good idea to get in touch today. This will help you judge what sort of investment is required to get a high quality final product, and you’ll avoid any rush charges for printing or shipping of your trade show display. We can create a design that fits with your existing company brand, or if you have no company look, we can suggest one for you.

We can design or redesign your logo and stationery, as well as other promotional materials from informative print materials to items as seemingly minor as a coffee mug, but which people will remember you for. It’s important to have all of these designs work seamlessly together to create a strong brand. Let Starmedia push your image to the next level for your next trade show!

CNDNSED SOUP

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:17:00 +0000

Efficiency. We all strive to achieve it. We are all proud when it happens in a way which benefits us at work or with chores, yet we all make fun of it or are embarrassed of it when it comes to pop culture or things we deem to be frivolous.

What I'm thinking of most in this latter category is text messaging. It's widely accepted now and perhaps even expected that "too" or "to" will be abbreviated with the number "2". Remember learning about homonyms in the second grade? It's already a confusing concept to a 7 year old without incorrect examples being given daily by adults. In a generation where we have work-related disabilities without ever lifting anything, just because we sit poorly or have an incorrect keyboard setup, text messaging shorthand has become thought of as an unfortunate necessity, but a necessity nonetheless.

I was in New York City recently and was intrigued by two separate things which reminded me of this new shorthand. The first was the layout of different subway station names. Names such as Brooklyn were frequently shortened to fit on to pillars in the stations. The signs on the walls, where there was much more room, still had the name shortened, yet lacked consistency. "B-K-L-N" would appear on a post while "B-K-L-Y-N" would appear on the wall. Were they the same, it could be argued that the abbreviation on the wall was to match the post, but this inconsistency matches up much better with the text messaging make-your-own-rules mentality than a learned shorthand approach.

Also of interest to me was a pamphlet, about a dozen pages long, entitled "Notehand and Other Labor-Savers" from 1942 by Melvil Dewey, inventor of the Dewey Decimal System. Notehand, to oversimplify, is a streamlined relative of shorthand, intended for personal use instead of for stenographers. It doesn't save as much time as true shorthand, but it requires much less time to learn it and it can usually be read by people who have not studied it. Since half of any English writing is made up by the 100 most common words, a lot of time can be saved with little practice.

"About" is abbreviated to "abt", "neither" becomes "nei", and "every" becomes "ev". Some notehand abbreviations, such as "biz" instead of "business" and "yr" to represent "year" or "your", have found their way into the our everyday lives. After the basic abbreviations are learned, it is encouraged to create your own abbreviations based on the words which come up most often in your own writing. In this sense, there truly is an anything goes approach to notehand, much like with text messaging, but notehand is not intended for others to read. A search for more recent mention of notehand showed that people would sometimes use notehand to save time in school, but would then write the notes out in full later on, both as a review and as a way to have a "proper version" of the notes.

Despite the fact that most notehand practitioners would wince at "gr8" being used to represent the word "great", the similarities are striking. I find it amusing that the 10 year old who is text messaging their friend is likely unaware of notehand. And unless they happen to be browsing the Logotree blog on their iPhone, I doubt they ever will become aware of it.

All of this is to say that simplicity is key to good corporate branding. Reebok deciding to abbreviate themselves to their distinctive "rbk" look was a bold move, catering to their youth market, already full of abbreviations. The effectiveness of their branding is due largely to the minimalism. They lost their Union Jack and half of the letters in their name, and introduced a new stylized logo of only a few scant lines.

When working with a design company on a logo or corporate naming, keep your customers in mind. Although you may want to show that your company has a global presence, by adding a globe into the design, it doesn't take much before your logo becomes cluttered and weak. At that point you also have to wonder if it will size down legibly on a website or a business card. A good logo is an important part of corporate branding, but there is only so much you can ask of it. The rest has to be taken care of through the copywriting for your promotional materials. If you're wanting a logo that states "we've been in business for 80 years" or "you can trust us", consider stating such things in a tagline or as a heading in a brochure or presentation folder. Keep your logo simple and memorable.

Innie Vs. Outie – Navel Gazing In-House and Outsourcing in the New Marketplace

noreply@blogger.com (StarMedia Communications) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:32:00 +0000

OK, you are a young upstart company, looking to give yourself a logo. Say your company name is Frankenscents, because you sell refined scented oils and your name is Frank. You decide that while your myopic secretary may have some great ideas about how your logo should look you don't think her proposals, all including crude drawing of her 2nd favorite cat in varying compromising positions, are the proper representation of your company's core principles.

It appears that you will be in the market for a logo design company. There are lots of them on the internet and they all seem to be offering a similar product, so you decide to base your decision on price. For what you are paying you get 6 concepts and 6 revisions. That sounds alright. And the price is certainly right.

Your logo design professionals promise you the moon. Unfortunately, what you get ends up more like a cardboard cutout, and you don't like it. If you don't start to like it within the 6 revisions granted you're going to be stuck with it because there are no refunds with this contract.

The secret as to why a lot of logo design companies can offer such a low price on the product and services is because they are outsourcing their labor. Essentially the company that you hired does no actual design in-house, they are merely middlemen between your company and cheap labor.

For something as important and all encompassing as a logo, you would really want a company to devote all their resources to the creation of such. Not to say that the outsourced product that is being created is inferior. I'm sure there's lots of hard working, talented individuals capable of creating logos for your company. However, if an advertising agency bases their core philosophies on profit, it gives a slash and burn aspect of profiteering to the whole affair. You have a business that offers quantity over quality.

A logo design company with their designers in house would take the time to research your company and judge the competition, helping your logo to be not only a representation of your company but a shining exemplar of what your company could be. It could be like buying those jeans that you one day intend to fit into.

As is often the case if life, if it appears too good to be true it often is.

Dealing With Creatives in Business

noreply@blogger.com (StarMedia Communications) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:44:00 +0000

Scientists claim that the two hemispheres of our brain process information in different ways. The right side is more random, intuitive or non-verbal while the left side is more linear, logical, reality-based. People are said to typically have a more dominant hemisphere.

To illustrate the differences here are some facile examples: Seeing lightning off in the distance, a left brained person would listen for the thunder, calculate the time-lapse, than triangulate the relative distance of the storm. A right brained person would watch the lightning in wonder, only to remember the experience years later channeling it into an interpretive dance.

The advertising world operates like a whole brain, dividing its two main processes in to halves. On one side you have the account executives and business managers. These are the people who deal with the clients, wooing them with expense accounts and crunching the numbers. Then the other side are the creatives, the copy writers and art department that creates the concepts that are then sold to the clients.

If you’re a company inexperienced with dealing with a creative business, here are some helpful tips so that you get all you can out of the experience:

Choose a company that can DO what you want:
Advertising can be achieved through many media. If you are dealing with a company that specializes in direct mail campaigns and you ask them to design an internet campaign, don’t be surprised if you’re disappointed with the final product. Ask to see samples of what they’ve done before for the media on which you want to advertise.

Be specific about how you want to present your company:
Do some research on your own of the companies in your field or others that you see as having a good ad campaign. Most agencies would gladly explore whatever direction you want them to go. You are paying for the advertising. It is your company in the end that is being represented.

Create a flow chart with regular progress updates:
To ensure that your vision of your company is not veering off course or over-budget, ask for project updates. You don’t want an agency running roughshod on your company’s dime. Setting specific meetings or dates for updates on the project can keep everyone on task.

Oh, and a side note; If you are a right brained person, you need not be frightened of dealing with the left brains of the advertising world.

Promotional Campaigns – The Art of Swag

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:17:00 +0000

Corporate swag dates as far back as time itself. Of course there is no way to measure this claim as the passing of time went largely unnoticed before the introduction of promotional calendars. The usage of promotional swag began with the inauguration of George Washington in 1789. Commemorative buttons were distributed to mark the affair. Nowadays, look around any house in North America and you’re bound to find pens, calendars, tote bags, golf shirts, teddy bears, keychains. Yes tchotchkes, swag, promotional items, whatever you call it we’re swimming in it and by all accounts the water is just fine because people love getting free stuff.

Promotional items are a great way to get your company’s brand in to people’s lives. The effects of print or TV advertising last a relatively short time compared to the twelve months that a promo calendar has been hanging in somebody’s room, with your company’s name being seen every day of the 365.

55% of people keep their promotional items for more than a year. The general rule for people keeping their swag is that the more expensive and unique design the swag, the more likely they are to keep it. If you design an ergonomic mouse pad with your company’s name on it, you are giving people an item with benefits. Most people would gladly use an item that is going to give them some benefit.

76% of respondents could recall the advertiser’s name on a promo product that they had received within the past 12 months. Of course they could, they were wearing or using it everyday. A fetching logo design or a catchy custom slogan would greatly improve your chances of brand recognition in situations like this.

Stand Out in Pay-Per-Click

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:36:00 +0000

Shakespeare asked famously of his character “To be or not to be? That is the question.” The question for the new media set is “to pay or not to pay…ahhh…per click.” It doesn’t quite have the same existential ring to it that Shakespeare does, but an important question for any business advertising on the Internet nonetheless.

Advertising on the Internet is all about visibility. People don’t have time to look through 1078 pages containing the keyword they searched. The consumer trusts the search engine to cull from the vast dump of information out there, to find the needle in the haystack. In this type of environment where you rank on the listings is often as important as important as the information you choose to put out there. You don’t want to be the proverbial tree falling in the forest.

Pay-Per-Click enables you to list your site at the top of search engine results by advertising on keywords that best describe your product or service. Generally, PPC is a dynamic marketplace, the higher you bid, the more prominent your advertisement. However, with Google AdWords, your ad placement is dependent on a score that comes from Google’s calculation based on keyword bids, ad copy, landing page relevance and more. A good thing is, you only pay for clicks or click throughs, this means you only pay for the traffic to your site; there are no other hidden costs.

Here are some helpful tips to follow for a Pay-Per-Click campaign:

Do not necessarily go for the number one spot. Some people click on the top spot automatically, even if it clearly does not provide the information they are looking for. The conversion rate for the number 2 and 3 spots, i.e. the number of actual buyers per click-through, may be higher.

Remember that a PPC listing is a text ad. As for all ads, good copy sells. Make your site description enticing. Remember though, that a PPC search engine like Overture will not accept false advertising or pure hype.

Advertisers need to be wary of PPC search engines that offer clickers money or incentives to click through their results. Our advice is to steer clear of these search engines or programs as the clicks you pay for may not be the best quality.

If you are bidding on Yahoo! Search Marketing (formerly known as Overture) you must be in the top 3 to get listed on the first page of results on the major search portals. Note, however, that the US Yahoo! portal, will list new Yahoo! Search Marketing results on the second page of listings, meaning that you may get some valuable traffic from that directory, even if you do not reach the top spot. Also, those positions are less expensive.

As long as you pay for click-throughs only (and not ad views), you may bid for as many variants of potential search queries as possible. Rare keyword phrases are much cheaper than the most popular queries. Moreover, they are often more targeted, meaning that the searcher is more likely to find what he or she is looking for.

Animated Logos: The Final Frontier

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:19:00 +0000

We live in an exciting era for companies looking to invigorate their logo design, and to a larger extent their entire brand. Before the advent of multimedia advertising, trying to get a service like an animated logo design was a privilege available only to those with seemingly unlimited marketing budgets. You could use a large animated billboard (like the famous Coca-Cola in Times Square), or you could hire an animation studio to create a commercial for TV. Both these are indeed as expensive as they sound. Of course you could always draw your logo on various flip cards and make the customer watch you flip through the pictures as you make your logo move.

Now with new media, animated logos are a relatively inexpensive and viable option. They can give your company a modern look and feel. As the logo works through its three-dimensional route, the customer will think that this is a company on the cutting edge. What better way to show the global capabilities of your company than to have your logo moving about itself like a planet on its axis. And like the earth, these animated logos can have a gravitational pull, drawing the eye to the logo and letting it sit there as it virtually breathes, giving the logo a new life.

The problem with animated logos is that used incorrectly or without proper placement, they become more of a hindrance than a help. One can get the feeling that they’re in some kind of horrible discotheque rather than a professional website. It is a rather precarious balance between drawing in a viewer and repelling a viewer.

To draw the viewer the animated logo must be placed prominently but not in the way of any information. The colors and shape of the logo should blend well with itself and the rest of the site. With an animated logo you also have the option of sound which adds a whole new wrinkle to the experience. The animation could either be used as flash intros, banners, animated gifs. The options are vast and should not be overloaded.

Less is more with animated logos.

If you’re advertising on the web, animated logo design is an interesting and inventive way for your company to stand out above the fray.

Sloganizing-Brand Recognition

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 22:13:00 +0000

With the marketplace so teeming with companies, spread across the varied forms of the media, now more than ever you need to assert yourself as a voice or risk losing your company in the din. Have you ever heard of the cocktail party effect? It is the recognition of certain words or phrases being culled from many different conversations. Like when you’re surrounded by multiple conversations and suddenly the mention of your name creates a flashpoint word. (If you’re constantly hearing your name even when there are no conversations. That may be paranoia and you shouldn’t be attending cocktail parties).

This same principle holds true for brand recognition through slogans Try hearing the “quicker, picker, upper….. Bounty,” and not picturing some kind of tragic spill (grape juice, spaghetti) being absorbed, and absorbed very successfully. This is an example of great brand recognition through the use of a slogan. The product’s specific attributes, superiority and name are made inextricable from each other and Bounty becomes, in the consumer’s mind, greater than the sum of its parts.

Let’s look at Visa’s recent adoption of a new slogan. For 20 years Visa had been using “It’s everywhere you want to be.” This slogan was structured around the premise that Visa was number one in the world in terms of being accepted everywhere. This idea clings to the idea that trifles such as money and geography shouldn’t slow the consumer down. But in 2006, the Wolf Group New York, an ad agency with such clients as Häagen-Dazs and Miracle-Gro, tested consumer recognition of 19 tag lines that were part of successful, long-running advertising campaigns backed by hundreds of millions of dollars. Each of the top-five brands in the survey included the product or advertiser's name, while none of the bottom 10 did. Their research showed that while 70% people recognized the “Everywhere” slogan, only 15% associated it with Visa.

To remedy this the company has adopted the new slogan “Life takes Visa.” As Visa marketing director Suzanne Lyons said “Life Takes Visa reinforces our brand promise to deliver innovative products and services that can be used anytime, anywhere, and that empowers Visa cardholders to experience life and business their way and on their terms.''
Essentially the new slogan is saying the same thing as the “Everywhere” slogan. But it includes the name of the company within.

A few companies have fashioned their marketing campaigns without explicitly mentioning their brand. Look at Nike who often have very elaborate advertisements with only their swoosh logo to suggest what is being advertised. In this example the word Nike is unspoken and does not appear. This use of semiotics is very powerful when it works because it forces the viewer to say the brand name. For most companies though when creating a slogan in hopes of brand recognition it would be best to start by including your brand in the slogan.

There are lots of ideas about how a company’s slogan should be designed. But applying these to your own company won’t amount to a hill of beans without understanding who your company is, or more precisely, what you want company to be. This type of understanding can only be reached through qualitative research.

Never adopt a new slogan as a quick fix or as part of a temporary campaign. Success requires committing to a slogan or tag line for several years-perhaps even decades. Of utmost importance is incorporating your new slogan into all your marketing materials such as your logo design, website design, and your stationery design (including business cards, letterhead, your brochure design etc) as a part of the company logo. If you want to protect your business's marketing investment in the new slogan, you should consider trademarking it.

In today’s marketplace, being heard is one thing, being recognized is entirely another.

Sometimes A Bunny Is Not A Rabbit

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:32:00 +0000

The process of choosing and assigning your company with a logo is a perilous journey. After much soul searching and many creative hours logged, your company finally has the right logo. Imagine then finding out your logo already exists.

Say you own a petting zoo. The crowd favorite is usually the bunnies. You want to let the customer know, our bunnies are cute. So you decide on a cute logo. Simple. A side view of a cartoon bunny. Suddenly, the petting zoo is filled with drunken frat boys looking for a different sort of petting. These frat boys recognized, what you intended as a cute caricature of a bunny, as the universally known logo for the Playboy Corporation.

While this choice of example may seem a little cheeky, these types of instances can easily happen in a real world situation. The issue is even more fraught as your logo needn’t be a wholesale reproduction of an existing one. It can also be too similar in either design or color or shape.

A recent case in Mt. Clemens, Michigan brought this issue to light. The locally owned Conga Tea and Coffee Shop has been notified by the coffee giant Starbucks that their logo, a black elephant in a green circle, bears too striking a resemblance to their encircled siren. Starbucks is entirely in their rights to seek legal action against Conga because of recent changes in the US federal trademark law.

How does one avoid this type of situation? Firstly, it is important to take the time to research your logo before presenting it to the public. A great logo is meant to be universal but also original. You don’t want your company aligned with another company. A specific color or shape can allude to an existing logo, sometimes producing negative effects for your company (see Playboy petting zoo). To safeguard one would be advised to research the psychology of color or to let others research it for you.

Secondly, hire professional logo design company to custom design your logo to your company’s specific needs and intentions. If you choose something from a fly-by-night, online clip art website, it won’t just be derivative but you could face legal action.

Consistency and Substance: Making Good Ideas Go Further

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:29:00 +0000

Attractive logos and website design are important visual tools for making a business memorable, we all know that. But how deep does your logo or your slogan go? How intertwined is the way your website looks with what it says and what your business actually does?

A logo shouldn't just be a cute design that you slap on your company and forget about. It should be something that really represents a crucial aspect of what you do and what you stand for. Likewise, your website shouldn't open with a catchy slogan that never gets mentioned again, or hinge on a design element that looks good but ultimately doesn't reflect anything about what you do.

Tying together all the visual aspects of your company can help make the whole entity more substantial, more organic, and ultimately more meaningful and memorable to your clients. If your logo represents a fundamental aspect of your business, which is then elaborated on and discussed in the text of your website, the end result is that your clients will have a far-reaching understanding of what you're all about, a comprehension that spans ideas as well as visual recognition.

Likewise, don't settle for design that looks simply "professional" in the most generic, cookie-cutter sense. If you catch yourself thinking, "I want my logo to look like X company's logo," you're probably going about it the wrong way. Aside from personal aesthetic considerations, an effective logo might rely on symbolism or reference something important (and specific) about your company. That way when people see your logo they won't only associate it with your name, but with those signature elements that make you who you are.

Overall, the key here is to create a business identity whose unique elements are so striking and pervasive that if one or several elements were taken away, your clients would still have a clear sense of who you are and what you stand for. In other words, if you were to remove your logo from your website, would the content still stand alone and clearly convey your identity and values to your readers? Or, conversely, presented with just your logo, would people still have a good, concise clue as to what makes your company special?

The message is simple: everything counts. Why spend money on a logo that means nothing? Why put the effort into making a beautiful website if it doesn't say anything important or set you apart from the herd? You've built a company with a unique outlook, or a service that responds to a specific need, or improves on the way everyone else does business. Good looks aren't enough. Make sure that every aspect of your visual and textual presence reflects the same quality and substance that your business does.

Retro Logos and Design: Seeing Past the Gimmick

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 22:20:00 +0000

There's been a trend recently (or maybe it's cyclical) in favor of retro logos. And why not? There's something comforting and satisfying about design that hearkens back to an earlier era, especially if you're someone who's inclined to imagine a past that was simpler and somehow more solid than our modern age.

But just as that kind of reasoning (the world used to be better, cleaner, easier, more honest, more fun, or what-have-you) has an awful lot of logical flaws, there's also something that gets a flimsy, a little silly about too much emphasis on campy, retro design.

Still, all is not lost, and there's a difference between facile nostalgia and a serious appreciation for the myriad of useful, lasting design concepts that have stood the test of time. Things like hand-drawing, simple geometric forms, solid colors, and classic fonts are still appealing for a reason. And just as we shouldn't lean too heavily on the (perhaps temporarily) revived interest in designs that shout "the 1960s!" or "the 1920s!" it's equally important not to drown in the waves of ultra-contemporary, high-tech design.

Instead, good design can put to good use the enormous leaps in technology that we've seen in recent years while still remembering that simplicity and good taste never fall out of style. One of the keys to a compelling logo is navigating that narrow road between design that tries too hard to be hip and cutting-edge, and design that relies too much on easy retro "looks" or is afraid to take risks. Your business won’t be outdated in 5 years, so why should your logo?

Creating a Unique Mark With Custom Fonts

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:58:00 +0000

Skimming the opening paragraphs of a book on typography recently, I came across this line―"Typefaces are an essential resource employed by graphic designers, just as glass, stone, steel, and countless other materials are employed by architects." The author also talks about the direct link between industrial typefaces and the gestures of the body; in other words, the evolution from handwriting to fonts.

They're both beautiful ideas, I thought. The way that the "architectural" building blocks that make up our means of communication―our books, our signage, our advertisements―can be traced back to something as unique and personal as our handwriting.

Which is why customized fonts make a lot of sense to me. Of course there are millions of pre-existing typefaces out there, enough to cover an enormous range of applications and to convey anything, visually and textually, that you might need them to. Almost.

When you're creating an advertisement or logo for a product or company that means a lot to you, it's also possible that the typefaces that everyone else uses just aren't going to precisely represent the unique product that you've worked so hard to develop. And why settle for something cookie-cutter when you want your product to stand out from a sea of others?

There's a lot of handwriting in the world too, but when you see a note written by a person you love, you know that it couldn't have been written by anyone else. Seeing handwriting that you recognize and that you associate with a particular person is an irreproducible experience, a direct link.

So customized fonts can work the same way. Used effectively in your logo, packaging, or website, they can create a one-to-one relationship between what your company stands for and the design that people see. When people come across that font, they'll connect it with your product and no one else's. Your company will be represented by something as distinct, unmistakable, and evocative as your own handwriting.

Write Until Your Fingers Bleed

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:46:00 +0000

Well, it might be a tad bit overkill to write until you bleed, but the idea is that unless you push yourself towards brilliance, your writing will fall short. With an excessive amount of articles being released every moment online, what will make your writing stand out? Professional writers and copywriters stress the importance of constant writing. After all, practice does make perfect. The different styles you try and types of writing you experiment with help to propel you forward as a writer and strengthen your skills.

When asked, "How do you write?" I invariably answer, "one word at a time." Stephen King

Regardless of the fact that we live in a world where few people read, copywriting still plays an extremely important role in creating successful advertising tools. Eye-catching titles, slogans and taglines can make or break a campaign. Remember that copywriters work in teams, giving them the opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other and hold each other accountable when it comes to spelling and grammar. Write down everything that comes to mind, write it one word at a time and don’t give up.

1) Hold a brainstorming session – This is an effective way to collect ideas and inspire one another. Don’t hold each other back with rules. Say exactly what’s on your mind and see how other people react. Brainstorming sessions are best run when there is a whiteboard where writers can post their thoughts and watch them grow.

2) Don’t abandon “bad” ideas – Just because it isn’t working right now does not mean that it won’t be working sometime soon. If an idea isn’t working for you, simply put it aside for the time being. It might come into play at a later moment and you’ll regret getting rid of it.

3) Avoid editing until your thoughts are finished – A lot of writers write a few lines and then stop and go back to review what they wrote. If you can, avoid this. It stunts your creativity and slows down your thought process. Don’t worry about spelling and wording when you’re just trying to get your ideas down. There will be time for editing after you’re done writing.

4) Gather a swipe file – Swipe files are a collection of articles and advertisements that copywriters collect to inspire them during “dry” periods. If you are interested in copywriting or are just starting out, save ads that you find are well done for later. You’d be surprised at how much seeing good work can guide you to success.

5) Be both a writer and a reader – It’s been said a million times, but let us make it a million and one. You will never be a good writer if you’re not a good reader. Keeping up with the industry as well as with vocabulary, grammar and interesting tidbits is what makes writers who they are. Keep informed. Read as much as you can and see how it’ll change your writing.

Writing can be a daunting task and copywriting is no exception. It’s a fast paced industry and it takes a lot of work to succeed. The best advice anyone can give you is to hang in there. Amidst the criticism, the tight deadlines and the pressure, lies an industry that is filled with opportunity. Good luck!

Racing to the Proverbial Deadline

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:40:00 +0000

*file courtesy: Ferrari/Shell Racing*

Is it done, yet? Where is that document I asked you for? The customers needed this yesterday! We can’t miss our deadline!

If you work in an office like ours, you’ll have heard the above lines a million and one times and for good reason. The pressures of upcoming deadlines can often fill an office with unnecessary stress and agitation. Advertising and design are all about getting work done faster than is humanly possible, and often we don’t realize how hard our staff is working because we’re always running up against a hard deadline.

Today’s society is all about instant gratification. We seldom consider how much time needs to be allotted to a particular project because we simply do not have time to waste. We fear customers will seek another company if we don’t agree to their tight timelines and perhaps they will. What’s sad is that most customers fail to understand that they are not the only customers and that policies such as turnover times and scheduled timelines are designed in order to protect their interests as much as ours. If advertising agencies are not allotted enough time for a project and things are rushed, errors are bound to occur. Creativity takes time.

And so, inspired by the rush of crunch time, I believe that project managers, presidents, managers, directors and bosses of all kinds should take note of the following:

How to Inspire Your Staff to Meet Impossible Deadlines

1) Do not make impossible deadlines – It may seem simple or even silly saying this, but if you already have twenty projects on the go and your staff is completely overwhelmed, adding on a new project without seeking some extra help is notably a bad idea.

2) Give rewards where rewards are due – Letting your staff know they’re doing a great job through dropping a small email, or verbally rewarding them at a meeting inspires your staff to keep on keeping on. People like knowing that their hard work isn’t being ignored. They will work harder when they feel they’re appreciated.

3) Plan ahead – If you know you have a tight deadline coming up, plan ahead for it. Assign tasks to specific people and arrange a follow up to ensure they’re getting the job done. Hold scheduled meetings to discuss progress. Have brainstorming meetings to spark creativity. All of these things will make sure your team knows of the upcoming deadline and can work together to get everything completed on time.

4) Work together as a team – Without constant communication and teamwork, the job will not get done properly. You will run the risk of having people doing the same task, things not getting done on time and, in general, utter and complete chaos. Make sure everyone knows what’s going on and how to work together to succeed at a common job.

5) Choose the right jobs for the right people – This goes without saying, but it should be said anyhow. Even when things are getting busy and you’re unbelievably stressed out, it is never a good idea to throw work on someone’s table when it isn’t what they’re qualified to do. Regardless of how talented someone is, there’s a reason why we hire specific people for specific jobs. Don’t risk having something done badly or frustrating a member of your team.

It's Easy as ABC...

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:40:00 +0000

Remember when you were little and you had those ABC building blocks to have fun while still being "educational"? For most of us, it's been a long time since then, but those basic fundamentals of the English language are still intensely important in our day to day activities. So what happened?

While design is often the most important element in creating effective advertising, most businesses fail to appreciate the power behind simple, basic language. Copywriting isn't merely an additional add-on that advertising and design firms tack on to raise the price of our work. It actually has a merit and a purpose. Poorly written copy does a number of things for your business. It decreases your professionalism, it encourages skepticism of your capability and it can even lower your page ranking with major search engines like Google and Yahoo.

Bad grammar and spelling has become a standard for a majority of websites which plague the internet, looking unprofessional and quickly made. In order to avoid having your business fall into this category, it is important to scan the following basic grammar and spelling suggestions. While some of these may seem simple and perhaps silly, it is amazing how often they are neglected.

Humor me for a moment.

1) To, two and too. These three little words are so often confused that it isn't even funny. Please take note of the following:

"Jimmy goes TO school."
"I have TWO brochures."
"You should come along TOO."

2) They're, their and there. Once again, they sound the same, but mean different things.

"THEY'RE in love."
"Look at that logo designer over THERE."
"THEIR presentation folders are gorgeous."

3) Its and It's. This is an annoying one. It's is a conjunction and stands for "it is." Although you may be inclined to assume "it's" is possessive, ignore that inclination. Its is possessive.

"It's sunny outside."
"The dog is scratching its leg."

4) Alright is not a word. The words are actually all (SPACE) right.

5) Alot. Also two words... a (SPACE) lot.

Copywriting (and hiring a professional copywriter) has a different importance when working on designing a professional website. Even if you have the grammar and spelling down pat, you may not realize the importance of choosing the right words. As SEO and keyword analysis continue to remain a heated issue, copywriting ensures that your website maintains all of the words it needs to keep your business at the top of the search engines. Perhaps one word is ranking better than another, or you'll need a full page of copy instead of merely a few sentences. These sort of things have an implication on the success of your online branding and should always be taken into consideration before venturing into any design project.

In the end, the most important thing to keep in mind is that copywriting is not merely something that can be throw into design quickly by the employee who brings you coffee in the morning. It should be taken seriously and it should be written well.

If you'd like to know more about the benefits of copywriting for your business, both offline and online, feel free to drop me email at info@logotree.com

Happy Independence Day to all of the Americans out there!

When you Smile, the Whole World Smiles with you

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:50:00 +0000

You have approximately one minute to impress me.

Whether you say that aloud or merely subconsciously think it, chances are its how you feel and you are not alone. According to a 2004 poll by the Yankelovich Partners for the American Association of Advertising Agencies, “65 percent of Americans said that they believed that they are constantly bombarded with too much advertising.” Advertising slaps us in the face on television, as we drive to work, on our radio stations and on the packaging of the very products we buy, yet we continue in our consumerism society the same as we always have. If advertising is too overwhelming, how can advertisers succeed in increasing brand awareness? The answer lies in humor.

Advertising campaigns are thoroughly researched, tested and implemented, however only some succeed while others die as quickly as they begin. Mac computers make an interesting case study for how commercials can captivate an audience and increase awareness and popularity of a particular brand. Let us explore what it is about Mac’s new set of commercials that makes them so popular.

1) They’re simple. There is no elaborate stage used or props. Just two guys pretending to be computers, chatting about issues people face every day. The use of the white screen in the back helps consumers to focus on what’s important… the conversation.

2) The message is clear: Mac is better than PC. Having a clear message ensures that your customers know what you’re talking about and agree with you. The message is always portrayed in an easy-going comical manner. This helps the consumer feel at ease and makes it easier for them to agree.

3) You LAUGH when you see them. I think this is one of the most important things to note. Customers laugh when they see these commercials. When you get your customers smiling, you are more likely to have them talking about your commercials and sharing them with their friends. Laughter has the possibility of sparking an epidemic.

4) People can relate. Simple things like having the “Mac” dress in every day clothing and the “PC” in a full suit makes a huge statement. Mac is catering to the every day customer. The notion of expressing the computers’ personalities through human representation also adds a personal touch and increases your consumer’s ability to relate to your brand.

5) They sell a brand, not a product. These commercials are portraying the Mac brand as a more reliable, interesting and easy-to-use brand than Microsoft. Rarely do they focus on a specific product within the Mac brand. The point is to increase notoriety for Mac in general.

In the end, humor sells. Mac’s commercials are intelligent, well planned and functional, but what really makes them unique and clever is that they’re amusing. If you think about all of the commercials that stick in your mind… all the commercials that you tell your friends about, I’d be willing to bet it was the commercials that made you smile. Corporate branding is about remaining professional, but at the same time catering to the “every-day joes” who buy into your brand. Whether creating a logo or a television ad, the key is making someone smile. Convince your customers that you care about them and you’ll be set.

Want to discuss your advertising options? Give us a call toll free *North America* at 1.866.816.5646. We’d love to talk to you. Or leave a comment in our comments section.

Turn your lemons into lemonade!

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 14:52:00 +0000

SUMMER SPECIAL!
Limited Time Offer: Available June 1 - July 31, 2007

ONLY $489.00!

Behind in the times? Let Logo Tree revamp your company's logo to clean up your corporate image and keep your business competitive. This limited time only package offers you great business tools.

Package Includes:

Revamp of your logo
- Full color logo design
- 9 sample logos to select from
- 3 unique logo samples
- 3 Variations on each design
- 2 design alterations
- 9 digital formats provided on final design; gif,jpeg,bmp,tiff,eps,psd,ai, swf & pdf
- 4 day turnaround on all logo designs
- All formats are supplied in both Mac or PC
- Lifetime free support and consultation
- All digital formats of final designs are zipped and e-mailed to you

Black and white logo
Business card design
Digital letterhead

And the award goes to...

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 14:00:00 +0000

I'd like to thank the blogging academy for...

I won an award! Well, actually this blog has won the above "Rockin' Girl Blogger"award, which is absolutely fantastic and I am just thrilled, perhaps even tickled pink. A sincere thank you to Rippin-Kitten for choosing Logotree as one of the Rockin' Girl Blogger award reciprocates. I will wear this badge with honor :)

To continue this fantastic idea, here are my choices as deserving women-run blogs. Congratulations to all, you definitely are strong women who I respect and admire. If you are reading this and haven't seen these blogs, please take a look by clicking on them. Each one is worth the visit, I assure you. If you are one of the bloggers below, feel free to wear this pink badge on your blogs and continue this tradition :)

1) Mrsnesbitt - This blog has a certain sweetness to it that I can't begin to describe. The photography is great, the writing is endearing... it's a treat to pop in for a look into her world,oh and I always save the photos.

2) LuLu - If you need web design advice or are just interested in the concepts of web design, this is the blog to go to. I love the design of the blog, I love what she has to say and I am always impressed with the advice she gives.

3) Dharmagypsy7 - I'm not much of an environmentalist, but the Accidental Environmentalist is one of the most inspiring blogs I've had the joy of reading. It updates everyone on current issues, it highlights the important roles people can play and its playful and fun. I love reading it.

4) 2Writehands - I love the playful nature of this blog. It could be that I've always had a passion for writing, but this blog definitely brings out a creative drive in me. This woman is going places... you should check out her blog.

5) incinq - I love the reflective quality this blog offers. The photography is intriguing and the comments are beautiful. It is a great place to relax and reflect. She also accepts photos and comments and is incredibly accommodating.

This Site is Under Construction

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:27:00 +0000

I’ve noticed lately that people don’t take websites seriously. Remember the episode of The Simpsons where Homer builds his own website and just puts up dancing hamsters and a variety of other kitschy jumping and dancing icons? I laughed with the rest of America at his idiocy until recently when I noticed that even businesses are caught up in the same ridiculous trend.

Is no one taking the internet seriously?

With the over-saturation of the internet, so many people are opening websites without any constructive planning and the result is a whole slew of websites that are either “Under Construction” or are so badly designed that it is just insulting. I know that this is a business blog and its goal is to educate and enlighten the business owner, so here it goes. You spend money investing in a good office location, nice desks, new chairs, good staff, some computers and phones… why ignore a website? Having a good looking, professional website is more than just something to do for fun, its actually functional… Here’s why:

Websites inform. Like a virtual phone book, your customers and potentials can find out your business’ address, contact information, services/products you offer, testimonials. Think big picture. So few people still use phone books. If all of your customers are searching for businesses and opportunities online, your business should be accessible.

Websites impress. It may not seem like it to someone who isn’t internet savvy, but many potential customers will search for more information on your company online. If you offer no web presence, or even worse… a bad web presence, you’re metaphorically shooting yourself in the foot. Having a strong website proves your commitment to excellence.

Websites sell. Whether you are a product or service based industry, websites sell. They create an online marketplace where people can consider products and services without the pressures of someone demanding an answer. Websites also sell products and services at any time and from the comfort of home.

Having a professional website designed for your business is a survival technique in today’s high-paced, technological society. Interestingly enough, the majority of businesses who have “Under Construction” homepages (most of which don’t change for years, by the way) simply want a domain for more professional looking emails. Think about this concept for a moment. These people understand that “Hotmail” and “Yahoo” email accounts look amateurish and yet don’t believe that they need a website design. It’s the same basic concept. If you have an email address with your website’s domain name and a pathetic looking homepage, you’re missing the point completely. You still look ridiculous, perhaps even more so because you started the website process and then abandoned it. Your website is a half-dressed, drooling child standing awkwardly in the room begging for the parent to finish changing it. That’s you. You’re the parent who is too busy to see how silly your child looks.

The year is 2007 and it is time to start taking the internet seriously. Yes, there are many teenagers and “hooligans” and the like online who will not care that you have a website, but there are also hundreds of serious potential customers who are avoiding your company.

Websites increase ROI. They are well worth the cost and the investment. Don’t take my word for it. Check it out. Look through our online portfolio at our website samples. See if a well designed website entices you to find out more about a product or a service. We’re visually charged beings and it is true that “seeing is believing”.

How to Design a Logo

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:48:00 +0000

I think Chris from Chrisworld gives an excellent rendition of the process of designing a logo. So much goes into logo design that people don't realize, so I thought I would share his youtube.com video with you all and leave you with the question:

After seeing how much work and time and creativity goes into a logo design, why do you think people who have no experience try to design their own logos or pay $50.00 on an obviously cheap website?

Leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!

Behold the Favicon!

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 20:40:00 +0000

Behold the favicon. In its natural environment the favicon is a predator. Small and loveable much like a cuddly bunny, the favicon is instantly cared for and adored by those who it comes into contact with, but it is not friendly. The favicon is out for itself. It does not care about you. It waits in deep grass for passersby with money to spend and then springs out, cuteness flying off it every which way. There is no escape…

Okay, so maybe the favicons are actually a peaceful bunch. Perhaps all they’re looking for is love, but I still think that their rising popularity merits them an article of some kind… so here it is. Favicons have exploded onto the online world and are gaining more popularity by the moment. What makes them so desirable is their ability to give a higher sense of credibility and professionalism to the companies that use them correctly. That and hey, they are pretty darned cute.

Before we get too deep into discussing the friends and foes of the favicon, let us define what exactly a favicon is, shall we?

Favicon, according to our friends at Wikipedia, is “short for 'favorites icon' and is also known as a page icon or an urlicon. The favicon is an icon associated with a particular website or webpage. A web designer can create such an icon, and many recent web browsers can then make use of them. Browsers that support favicons may display them in the browser's URL bar, next to the site's name in lists of internet bookmarks, and next to the page's title in a tabbed document interface.” (Thanks Wikipedia!)

Favicons are being used by all the large companies and corporations across the internet as part of their corporate branding. While not every internet browser supports them, it seems as though it will only be a matter of time before every site features a favicon of their own. So the bigger questions are: how do you get on board and should you get on board? Well…

Friends of Favicons Say:

“Everyone’s doing it – why aren’t you?”
“They’re fun and easy.”
“Favicons are a cheap and efficient tool to tack on to your branding campaign.”

Foes of Favicons Say:

“They don’t appear on all browsers yet.”
“I think paying for favicons is a waste.”
“Does it actually work?”

Well as I work for a design firm, I suppose I should whole heartedly give a “thumbs up” to the entire notion of favicons, however I don’t think it would be good to be a liar. My honest opinion is the following:

1) I think favicons are a great way to get your logo out there on your website in an un-assuming, but effective way.
2) They’re really not that expensive, most companies (including our own: http://www.logotree.com/) practically give them away with logo and/or website packages.
3) Why shouldn’t you get a favicon? Advertising is cutthroat. If everyone else has found a new method of displaying their brand, your business really should look into it. Better to jump on board than be left in the dust.
4) Remember how everyone tells you that people respond better to visual stimuli than words? Yeah, it applies here too.
5) It completes your website image. You already spent a lot of money having your website look perfect and rank well, this way you extend your branding into your user’s favorites lists and on their search engine bar. Stick in their minds! It’s the best way to endorse your brand.

I’d love to know your opinions on favicons, leave me a note. If you’re interested in knowing more about getting a favicon, check out http://www.logotree.com/ or give us a call toll free at 1.866.816.5646. We can give you quotes on prices or offer you free consultation on that or any other design option.

The favicon discussion will continue... share your thoughts!

Coloured to Sell

noreply@blogger.com (Logo Tree) — Tue, 29 May 2007 20:41:00 +0000

Color is an important element in any design because, of our four senses, we use our visual sense to interpret 80% of our informational intake. So, whether you are designing a logo, a website, or doing photography, it is important to always take into account the colour psychology. Colour has an amazing effect on the human psyche – it can affect our moods, trigger emotions and bring back memories. On a design, colour can either communicate your product with impact and clarity, or, it can give a subconscious negative impact. To avoid any negative effects in design we need to be able too understand which colours are favourites, but “favourite” colours depends on so many different elements that it is important to research your clients and potentials. Things like age, gender, culture, ethnography and demography all take part in the defining of the favourite colours! For an example of such research, lets look at the average American top colour choices:

All ages and genders agree that BLUE and GREEN are the favourite colours. Blue is the most calming colour, which is why it is so often used in Hospitals or offices, and other such high-stress areas. Green is an organic colour which, like blue, is cool and restful. Green also tends to be referenced to health and renewal, living a positive influence. However, favorites can change with a simple shift in any of the elements that affect our colour choices: with age Green decreases in popularity, but Blue is non-offensive to most culture, making blue a best choice.

PINK and PURPLE are two very surprising colours: Pink is actually not among the top favourites for females, it is only thought to be because it has been a social construction for so long. Pink actually rates high in the favoutrites category for men due to such influences as Don Jonsons’ role as Sonny Crockett on the 80’s hit Miami Vice. Purple on the other hand, rates higher amongst women than men, but is an overall negative colour. Purple is a colour associated with royalty and can sometimes be associated with sternness, spirituality and romance. Though as men and women age, Purple becomes increasingly popular.

BLACK, (which is actually a shade and not a colour), is rated among the top 3 favourites for men because, though it is considered very conservative, it also reflects a sense of class. An interesting tidbit about Black: The average American still holds on to the Victorian image of women being more bright and colourful, in colours like soft pink and peach, and men wearing black to signify strength, control, and authority.

The most unpopular colours in general are BRROWN and ORANGE. Brown is a neutral and warm colour, and though is becoming increasingly trendy for Interior Design, it is still associated with mud and un-cleanliness on an overall. Orange, a very vibrant and energetic colour, is considered America’s least favourite colour. Sometimes the excess of energy can be intimidating and a put-off. Also, on a subconscious level, orange is commonly associated with Halloween and therefore with evil and scare.