Steve,
Thank you. I, along with the rest of the world, am eternally grateful.

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Be sure to check back monthly for more Peeps I Dig. Who inspires you?

Check this out….

I’m mean seriously. How could I not be in awe of whoever this is. I think the picture is enough said. I so totally dig this guy (or gal).

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Be sure to check back monthly for more Peeps I Dig. Who inspires you?

Arizona native, Emma Stone is an up and coming movie star who seems to be a really down-to-earth young woman. With all of the hoopla that surrounds most young Hollywood stars, it’s refreshing to have a spunky, well-rounded person in the lime light who doesn’t seem to let all the crap ruin her good nature.

This 23 year old has been in The Rocker, Superbad, Easy A, The House Bunny, and her most recent movies are The Help and Crazy Stupic Love.

I’ve liked all of the characters that she’s taken on. Whatever the plot of the movie may be, the characters are all smart, down-to-earth young women. She might be a little bit type cast but it’s not a bad mold to fill.

I love movies and there are only a hand full of modern actors that I repeatedly enjoy. I’m happy to say that Emma has made my list and hope that she continues to thrive healthily in Hollywood.

Emma might not be related to graphic design in any way but she inspires me nonetheless. I dig her. Do you?

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Be sure to check back monthly for more Peeps I Dig. Who inspires you?

The success of any endeavor is determined by the quality of the relationships between those involved. Whether for profit or not, the relationship between your product/service and target market is crucial. What that relationship should be and consist of can be allusive.

A tool that I learned from the founder of Marketshift when developing my brand process workbook for my clients is to think of your product/service from an anthropomorphic perspective. What this means is to consider who your product/service would be in relation to your clients rather than what your product/service does. Who do you want your target market to see you as? Create a profile of your product/service as if it were a real person and the characteristics of your brand will start to unfold.

Is your product/service the parent who knows and wants what’s best?

Is your product/service the grandparent who lends support and guidance?

Maybe your product/service is the hip, cool aunt who just wants to have fun.

Or your product/service might be the friendly neighbor. There to lend a helping hand when needed.

If you can come to terms with the relationship that you want your product/service to have with your target market then the rest of your brand can unfold through that relationship. It will give you a perspective on how to communicate with your market. It can provide a kicking off point for the feel of your visual identity.

Once the relationship is identified then the challenges within the relationship can be identified and addressed as well. For instance in a “parent to client” relationship, one of the challenges might be in relaying what’s best without being bossy and alienating. Or if it’s a “hip, cool aunt to client” relationship, a challenge might be in coming across as fun and energetic without sounding flaky and unreliable.

Whatever the dynamic of the relationship that your product/service might have with it’s target market, it must be defined to create a clear and solid foundation moving forward.

Define it, own it, be the best. Carry forth entrepreneurs…carry forth and conquer.

Paul Rand (1914 – 1996) is the graphic design dude that everyone knows even though you might not know him by name.

Paul Rand

His cannon of work is immense and much of it has braved the test of time. There’s a lot of biographical info on him out there so I won’t regurgitate all of that here. I just want to give props where props are due and share my two cents.

Rand created some of the most recognizable logos. Some examples of logos that we all know:

Some examples of logos that are just as awesome:

Thus the nature of creatives is to have many mediums in which to express themselves. Rand was no different although this side of him might not be as infamous as the IBM logo but excellent nonetheless.

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It seems an easy task but I’ve found over the years that it’s very much easier said than done. The reason for this being that when one chooses a target market, it’s not just a shot in the dark. You’re target market corresponds directly with your brand. Who are you trying to hook? It’s much easier to fish if you know who you’re fishing for. You want to bait your hook with something that’s appetizing to your target market. Your fishing pool is determined by your brand.

For example, if you are an upscale, men’s active wear/gear store then you aren’t going to cast your line into a pool of geriatric men with no money. You want to cast that line into a pool bubbling over with active, adventure seeking young to middle-aged men with mid to high incomes.

You really don’t want your pool to be too large which is the mistake that most entrepreneurs make. Of course you want to reach everyone, but that’s just really unrealistic and only waters down your efforts. If you’re busy trying to appeal to everyone then you can’t become an expert. In order to become an expert, you have to reel in your line, define a niche, and focus your efforts within that niche. That doesn’t mean that other fish won’t be swimming in your pool but your focus is on catching your niche fish.

Karl’s Kick “Defining Your Target Market”… by francismedia

Define it, own it, be the best. Carry forth entrepreneurs…carry forth and conquer.

For those of you who are in the same boat, I’ve found a wonderful resource: lynda.com.

It’s absolutely, totally awesome! The tutorial videos are broken-up into chewable chunks and are highly digestible. There’s a laundry list of software tutorials provided. I suggest you give it a taste.

For this month’s Peeps I Dig, I decided to do just that and highlight a company that I absolutely love and respect: French Paper Co. Why a paper company? Well, as basic as paper is, it’s an important part of any printed project. The French Paper Co. handles their business and product with personality and quality.

French Paper is a sixth-generation, family-owned company established in 1871. They were fore runners of recycled, post-consumer, and other environmentally friendly sheets. Their paper is distributed nationally and throughout Canada.

Did I mention that their brand rocks?! It’s funky. It’s fun. It’s effective. I love it. Make sure to check them out and check back for more Peeps I Dig.

Talk about the best of both worlds! What sort of crazy genius inventions tickle your fancy?

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Christopher Radko

Starting with the sad destruction of his family heirloom ornaments in the early 80′s when his Christmas tree fell over to the horror of the Radko family, Christopher Radko went on a quest to replace them. With no avail, Christopher decided to pull-up his sleeves and get the job done with the help of a European glassblower. Twenty years plus later, the Christopher Radko company has been designing and producing European glass ornaments that are extremely collectible. Who knew?! Ornament collectors I guess…

Each ornament goes through a week long process before coming to fruition. Although the artisans aren’t named individually, the Radko site does lovingly explain the delicate process in which each ornament is made and clearly respects the talent of its people.

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Celebrity Ornaments

Every holiday season, celebrities design some cheer for charity. The very city slick ornament pictured left was designed by none other than Sarah Jessica Parker. Her and a few of her fellow Hollywood peeps participated in the heART HSN 2010 designer ornament collection which benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

You can take a peek at the other designs here.

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Mainly what I found in my quest to unveil these bringers of cheer was a big, fat nothing. Tons of distributors, retailers, and wholesalers surfaced but not the ones who design the actual decor. So if you know of anyone who dabbles in cheer, tell me about it. I’d love to learn the stories behind the rarely celebrated artists of the biggest celebration season of the year.

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Be sure to check back for more Peeps I Dig. Who inspires you?