989 Design

989 Design Blog has moved.

2009-04-29T16:26:00.004-04:00

It actually moved a long time ago, but I recently decided that it isn't worth the time I spend updating two separate blog pages. If I can figure out an easy way to port my WordPress blog to this page, I will do it. Otherwise, just know that you can find my blog at my website.
989 Design Blog

No, really...you can't touch this.

2009-04-16T16:33:00.003-04:00

I've written about Clayton Kershaw a couple of other times and I imagine I will write about him again in the future. Clayton was the young gun superstar-to-be who pitched for the Loons during our inaugural season. He is a lanky left-hander with a curve ball that makes grown men buckle at the knees.

He has been hailed as everything from 'the next big thing' to 'a once-in-a-generation talent' by scouts and baseball publications. Even with all of the hype, he was really a pretty nice kid. At left is a poster I shot and designed of Clayton. He was really easy to work with and made the photo shoot an easy process.

Anyway...Clayton rocketed from low-A ball in Midland to AA ball in Jacksonville to the Los Angeles Dodgers in about 18 months time. He spent most of last year with the Dodgers and really started getting into a groove by the time the season ended. His first outing this year was strong, so he looked poised to have a great season. But did anybody expect what happened last night?

7 innings pitched, 1 hit allowed, struck out 13 batters. 13 Ks in seven innings? That's siiiiiick!

Unfortunately, he didn't get the win because the Dodgers couldn't give him much run support. He was a total pro about it after the game, though. He was happy enough that the Dodgers won the game.

"I'm fine with it," said Kershaw. "I mean, there's going to be a game down the road where I go five innings and give up five runs and get the win. That's just part of baseball."

The kid just turned 21, had a fantastic outing in only his second start of the season and displays that kind of poise and professionalism. I am really impressed with him. Way to be a great player and a great sportsman, Clayton.

Good luck with the rest of your season.

Some People Really Like Business Cards

2009-04-14T13:15:00.005-04:00

This YouTube video has been bouncing around for the past couple of days and I finally got around to watching it. You absolutely need to watch this. This guy kills me.

Looks like crap? It is crap.

"You see that card? This is the most impressive business card I've ever seen. It's mine."
"My card is die cut. My card is foil stamped. My card is embossed."

As soon as I watched it, my mind went immediately back to American Psycho. It won't let me embed the video, so I will just post the link.

American Psycho on YouTube

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Bay City After 6

2009-03-31T20:21:00.004-04:00

Somehow, and I don't quite understand why, the idea of networking has become dominated by business and chambers of commerce. There's nothing wrong with their version of networking, but sometimes it seems like people doing chamber-type networking are only concerned about collecting the most business cards and working on their elevator pitch. It seems to me that networking should be more about just meeting people and getting to know them. If I meet someone and there is a chance to work together, so much the better, but I think getting to know people is reward enough. They don't need to hear my elevator pitch.

I've been working with Jenna Schrumpf of Dobson Home Health Care the past few weeks and our pet project is creating an informal networking group for professional-types. We initially started talking about it because we were both surprised that the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce didn't offer a young professionals group similar to the groups in Midland and Saginaw*.

Jenna and I decided that we'd go ahead and start a group of our own and see if anybody was interested. As we started talking to a few people about it, we were surprised that a number of people were more interested in a non-Chamber group. It isn't anything against the Chamber, but people seem to want something a little bit different. So we created Bay City After 6.

My beef with many YP groups is that they all have an age requirement of something like 25–40. Maybe it's just me being overly sensitive since I will be 40 years old in a few days, but I think putting an age limit—even if it's just a guideline—is discriminatory. What happens when I turn 41? Do I have to go to Carnival? It's kind of like refusing to call your group the Old Boys Club, but requiring a Y-chromosome to belong.

Bay City After 6 is focused on the social aspects of networking. Maybe it will benefit your business, too, but that is only because growing your group of friends and acquaintances will benefit your whole life. Initially we are just planning on having a couple of happy hours and talking to everyone who shows up (assuming anyone shows up, that is) about what it is they would like to see happen both with the group and in the Tri-Cities (I still can't bring myself to use the other name).

We aren't planning any business functions, but if people seem interested in having meetings with actual speakers and such, we can do that (in fact, we've already had one professional speaker/motivator offer his services). It's our group, we can do anything we like.

Our first meeting will be held this Thursday, April 2nd, at Midland Street Jack's (formerly Lumberjack's) on Midland Street in Bay City. Anybody and everybody is welcome to join. Also, the link above takes you to our Facebook page. We are probably going to get a blog going in the next couple of weeks, so we'll keep you updated.

Hope to see you on Thursday night.

Rebranding the Detroit Lions

2009-03-24T11:03:00.004-04:00

Anybody who grew up in Michigan or who follows the NFL is familiar with the logo above and all of the baggage attached to it. It's the logo of the Detroit Lions, a once-proud franchise whose 2008–2009 season was the worst in NFL history. From the Ford family's disastrous ownership to bad management decisions to bad luck, the Lions are in the midst of putting together the worst decade in the history of any NFL franchise.

You can't fire the owners (unfortunately), but you can make a lot of other changes. Along with management changes (several of which weren't really much of a change) and a lot of personnel changes, the Lions have decided to scrap the old-style Detroit Lions logo (above) and replace it with this:

Sorry for the small size, but it's the best I could find. As you can see, the basic shape of the Lion is still the same, but they've added in some nice broad strokes to give the logo a little more motion. They've also sharpened up the Lion's face, adding an eye and making the snarl more pronounced. It certainly looks a lot tougher and more menacing—now let's wait to see if the team matches up to the logo.

Overall, I like the logo change. I'm pleased that even though this is a big change for them, the didn't go too far. I'm glad they kept the Honolulu blue, as well. I know that some fans don't like the blue very much and don't think it's a very tough-looking color, but it is one of the classic NFL logos. Keeping your traditions intact while giving your franchise a contemporary look is a good way to go about rebranding.

In addition to the logo, they have replaced the old, western-style "LIONS" logotype with this:

I don't love it, but I don't hate it. The old type was really, really dated and always looked out of place to me. This fits in with the new logo and it has a little more motion to it. It's fine.

My only regret in this is that I didn't write about it last week when I first saw a leaked version of the logo. It wasn't the exact logo, but it was pretty close. Had I written about this then, it would be a little more timely. This is still pretty fresh news, but next time I won't sit on the news for a week.

My Brush with Political Greatness

2009-03-23T16:53:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Bay City. Don't even ask why the parade was on Sunday, the 22nd. I can't make sense of half of the stuff that goes on in Bay City. Anyway, as part of the parade, United States Senator Debbie Stabenow came to town to walk in the parade.

I was in Brewtopia last week and Aaron Bolt—the proprietor and genteman purveyor of fine coffees—told me that Senator Stabenow was going to come to the coffee shop after the parade for a meet-and-greet with the public. I was planning on shooting the parade anyway so I planned on coming to the coffee shop to get a few photos of the Senator in hopes of maybe getting a good shot to include on the studio Wall of Fame (along with Lance Parrish, Tommy Lasorda and Ryne Sandberg).

I figured the place was going to be wall-to-wall because, after all, who wouldn't jump at a chance to meet a sitting U.S. Senator? You may not know this about me, but I am a bit of a political junkie. I used to do some work for a U.S. Congressman (he who shall not be named), but couldn't enjoy the work because his politics were...um...only slightly left of the Kaiser. So the chance to take photos of and maybe meet a politician who I have a lot of respect for was a pretty great opportunity.

As it turns out, while I was shooting the parade I ran into my friend Terry King, who was also taking photos. I mentioned that Senator Stabenow was going to be at Brewtopia so he came along to shoot some photos, too. I'm used to being behind the lens and don't really care much about having my photo taken. Even when I got to hang out with Tommy Lasorda, for example, I didn't bother him for a photo together. I've had the good fortune to meet a lot of interesting and well-known people and athletes and the only two I have ever had a photo taken with are Senator Stabenow and Gordie Howe. Running into Terry was just good luck, though, because it gave me a chance to have my photo taken with the Senator.

We talked a little bit about Bay City and about her hometown of Clare and we touched on Michigan State basketball. We only talked for a few minutes, but it was really a great honor and I'm grateful to the Senator and her staff for taking the time to come to Bay City. I'm also thankful that Aaron let me know the Senator was going to be at Brewtopia. And to round out my Gratitude Trinity, thanks to Terry for taking the photos and getting them to me.

Also, here's an interesting fact...did you know that it is Constitutionally forbidden to appear taller than a member of the U.S. Senate? The Senator is standing on a six-inch platform they keep handy so that she appears taller and more powerful. Okay...I made all of that up. I'm just not very tall.

Rebranding just for the sake of rebranding.

2009-03-20T12:42:00.003-04:00

Anybody out there watch Battlestar Galactica? If the answer is no, then Dwight Schrute might want to point out that you're an idiot. I wouldn't go so far, but I do think you have missed out on some pretty great television the past few years. No point in bothering to watch it now, though...the series finale is on tonight.

If the answer is yes, then you know that Battlestar Galactica has been a huge hit for the Sci Fi Channel. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I think it's probably the highest rated show Sci Fi has ever had. BG isn't the only big series they've ever had, but it has garnered the most critical acclaim as well as created a loyal fanbase as rabid as any in television (with the possible exception of Monty Python stuff).

So what does any network do when they're riding the crest of an all-time high wave?

They decide to rebrand. From now on, the Sci Fi Channel will be called...

That's right...it's Syfy. How very uninspired. Why the big change? According to Syfy president Dave Howe suggested that "Sci Fi" was too generic a term to trademark, so they came up with something which "seeks to distinguish the channel and its programming from cable competitors."

Personally, I always liked Sci Fi's little logo. Everybody knew what the name meant and what the logo was. Creating a new brand at this time seems to be a really goofy decision. Sounds to me like somebody somewhere in the chain felt like they needed to put their stamp on the product. Why does management feel like the product isn't really theirs until they get their fingerprints all over it?

On top of the timing, the logo itself is really pretty sad. Ooohhh...a font. With a 3D look. And a tagline. I mean no disrespect to the people who designed the logo (I don't know who it was just yet) because I am reasonably sure that the execs who made the decision wouldn't know a good logo if it bit them in the ass.

Goodbye, little Saturn and Sci Fi logo, I will miss you.

Imitation

2009-03-16T17:57:00.003-04:00

Is imitation really the highest form of flattery? Or is it just lazy design? What I'm referring to in this case are the two logos below. The first is for the TV series Heroes and the second is for Knowing, a new film with Nicolas Cage.

I know they aren't exactly the same, but they're both using the same penumbra-type effect. (Admit it, you're impressed that I know the word penumbra, aren't you?) Heroes was all about saving the world from destruction and from the looks of Knowing, it's got some of the same themes.

I think I'm going to start designing all of my logos based on the Heroes logo. Check back later this week for some Heroes-style work.

It's funny because it's true.

2009-03-10T16:41:00.008-04:00

Progress.

Hard to read? Click on comic to see full-size version.

I ran across this comic online today. It's from Penny Arcade. I looked online for rules regarding reposting their comic, but couldn't find anything. I couldn't find an FAQ that forbid reposting of their content, so in hopes that it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, I am posting it here.

Please visit their site and buy lots of stuff from them.

2009-03-09T17:58:00.005-04:00

Please join me in welcoming our newest client, Affordable Green Energy (AGE). AGE is, as the logo says, an alternative energy solutions company. At the moment, they are really focused on wind energy, but what sets them apart from other alternative energy companies is that they are focused on the small-wind market. They aren't building wind farms, they're manufacturing and installing personal wind turbines, designed for individual homes and businesses.

The analogy that the small-wind industry likes is to refer to it as wind gardening. When you plant a garden, you can meet some (or all) of your needs, but you won't be able to produce enough for your neighbor. It's the same sort of thing with wind gardening.

AGE offers a variety of personal wind turbines, some of which are specifically designed to work better in urban and city environments. The best thing about AGE is that they aren't just selling you a wind turbine and letting you fend for yourself. They take the time to do a complete wind assessment and then put together a plan personalized for you, based on your location and your energy requirements. Once the plan is approved, they not only install the turbines, they will help you with any paperwork that is needed.

AGE is a great example of a local, family-owned company pushing forward with green technology.

Quick note: Just to be clear, so far we have helped them out with some stationery and their new sales material. We did not design their logo or website—I want to be careful to NOT take credit for anyone else's work.

2009-03-04T18:52:00.003-05:00

It's awards season. In the past five weeks or so, we've seen the Grammys, Independent Spirit and Academy Awards shows all come and go. I didn't win anything.

Awards aren't limited to the entertainment industry, though. There is also a local award called the Ruby Award. It goes out to like a dozen or so local people who are all making significant contributions to the community. I didn't get one of those, either. And I never will because it's only for people under 40 and since I am turning 40 in about a month, this was the last year that I would have been eligible. Shut out of the Ruby Awards? Was it because I don't make a significant contribution or am I just not under 40 enough? I guess we'll never know.

On top of all of these awards which I will not be winning, there are graphic design and advertising awards—hundreds of them, maybe even thousands—and I won't be winning any of them, either.

Do I feel bad about it? No, not really. I just got thinking about it because almost every day I get another mailer from another organization reminding me of the deadline to enter a design in this contest or that. Some of the awards are legit—I'm looking at you Clio, Addy and Communication Arts—and some are not. Well, it isn't that they aren't legit, but many of them come from organizations you have never heard of before. And every year there are more and more of them. They are like award factories.

The business of charging people to enter design competitions in return for an award is becoming a very big business. It's starting to remind me of the Who's Who scam...you get a free listing in Who's Who in Animal Husbandry or whatever. And for just $15 you can include a photo. $25 more and you get a copy of the book. It's the pay-to-play aspect that I don't care for.

If you go to many designers' sites, you will to see them trotting out their awards. And I don't blame them, they've earned the awards. Moreover, they paid for them. With entry fees running $85 and sometimes more, it gets expensive pretty quickly. That's part of why you see the bigger agencies winning more awards—they can absorb that cost in their overhead because it's a much smaller percentage of their monthly budget. Even a couple of entries a month would be a big chunk for us—realistically the $150 covers my electric and internet bills for a month.

Don't get me wrong, trophies are nice to look at, but does anybody really pay attention? If you go to a large ad agency, one of the first things you see when you walk in the front door is the trophy case. At Integer we had a big case filled with Addys and Clios and so forth. It makes for a nice show if you're doing the dog-and-pony, but does anybody really know what these trophies are? Maybe I will go to the thrift store and buy a bunch of old bowling trophies and just put them up on display in the studio.

I only mention any of this because if you are looking to hire an award-winning designer, I'm not your guy. 989 Design is a small studio and there are just the two of us working here. It's not like a few entries is going to break the bank, but I don't see that the benefit outweighs the cost. What's the best thing that happens when you win an award? You get the respect of your peers, which would be nice, but I don't really need that sort of approval, except from my clients. And I suppose that if someone were hiring a designer based on how many awards they've won, they probably aren't the right fit for 989 Design. Seems a little uptight and that's just not our style.

I'd rather just keep doing good work and doing our best to keep our overhead low. Our goal isn't to be a cheap design studio because that isn't what we are, but keeping our overhead low gives us a little flexibility when it comes to pricing our projects.

If a no-cost competition comes along, maybe we will send something in. In fact, now that I think about it, I have entered one design competition in my career. It was a no-cost-to-enter competition sponsored by a paper manufacturer. I have never printed on a particular stock just to be able to enter a competition, but I happened to use the right stock and I was really proud of how it came out. A few months later I received a package in the mail that informed me that I was, in fact, not a winner. I thought maybe I'd get an honorable mention or something, but not even that. I remember being really disappointed about it, too.

Regarding the image above: I did not draw or create the bottle cap image. I came across it years ago and was not able to find the original source of the art. I wish I had because I'd like to give credit where credit is due, but I guess I'll just have to settle for not taking credit for someone else's work.

Am I Living in a Box?

2009-02-25T06:20:00.004-05:00

Clearly, I am having a hard time keeping up the blogging schedule I set for myself. It's not that I haven't had anything to write about, it's just that we're starting to get into baseball season and things are (finally) picking up around here.

Part of what has been keeping me so busy is that we are getting more projects in the studio that require both writing and design. I feel pretty comfortable with my writing skills, but when it comes time to write for somebody else it just takes me longer to get my mind around it. Part of it is that I have to learn about their business so that I can write about it intelligently. Plus, it takes me a little time to really "get into character," so to speak. It takes time to find the right voice for a project, the right words, and so forth. I'm enjoying the challenge it brings, but it also makes it harder to shift gears back to the blog.

I've also been spending a little more time reading, which is part of what I wanted to write about today. There is a very nice article in the current issue of Wired. The article is all about designing within boundaries and making that work for you instead of against you. The link above will take you to the intro to the article, which mentions the constraints of the page in graphic design. There are linked pages in the article to short pieces about design electric cars, antenna-less cell phones, and building a better plastic bottle.

As I read the piece it dawned on me that this isn't just about design, but it's about everything. Through the limits placed on us by ourselves or by external forces, we are forced to adapt to these constraints. It's either adapt to them or be crippled by them. With the current state of the economy, we are staring into an abyss that could change our way of life for generations. At the same time, though, there's an opportunity there. Not just for the country as a whole, but for many individuals who are choosing to try something new.

I've had three or four new businesses contact me about designing logos and stationery and each new startup excites me. Will every new business be a success? No, they won't. It's a sad fact, but statistically speaking, it is true. The people I've met with know that they are taking a chance by starting a new business, but they aren't willing to let their current constraints dictate how they choose to live their lives—how they design their lives, if you will.

Look at your current situation. What constraints are there upon you? How can you work within or around them? How can you make your situation work better for you? Try to discover the opportunities that are out there that you might be able to take advantage of.

Image above: From Wired, Bryan Christie Design

Think Classy, Be Classy

2009-02-16T17:54:00.001-05:00

Here's a very quick marketing tip. This one is both very simple and at the same time it is one of the most-broken rules of marketing. Does your business have an office or storefront open to the public? Take a look around and count the handwritten signs. At least half of the restaurants and stores I go into have handwritten signs somewhere. On the front door, at the cash register, in the restrooms, etc. Do yourself a favor and tear them all down. Immediately. Don't even finish reading this sentence...get up and tear them down.

There is nothing more amateur looking than an establishment who can't take the time to put even a half-ass sign together. Every business in the universe has access to a computer and printer, so there really isn't any good excuse. It's just simple lack of attention to detail. And if your printer at home is ten years old or older, maybe you should consider sending your file to someone else to print (I strongly suggest sending your file anywhere other than Staples, because there really is no telling if they'll be able to figure out the mysteries of your very complex order).

Here is an example of what I am talking about. Once upon a time, there was a restaurant that wanted to position itself as a high-end steakhouse. The restaurant itself was very nice, complete with white linens and entrées starting in the mid- to high-$20s. Not the fanciest or the most expensive, but in a town where the average entrée price is a lot closer to $8, they were trying to win over a more discriminating clientele.

What always stood out to me as I passed the restaurant, though, was that the sign in their front window was a homemade tractor-feed banner. Remember tractor-feed banners? They were very common back in the 80s. And this banner looked like it came right out of the 80s. The ink was a very faded black, the paper had rough edges along the perforations where the tractor feed was removed, and it wasn't hung very well. All in all, the sign didn't communicate anything high-end or classy. It just looked half-assed and cheap. Clearly, they didn't think their restaurant was worth a $150 investment, why would any consumer want to spend good money if they didn't even believe in themselves?

In an era when you can buy 5' x 3' full-color banners for under $150, why go cheap when it comes to signage? Think about that figure...one table for two with appetizers, entrées, and a decent bottle of wine would almost cover the cost of the sign. Okay...fair enough...add in the cost of a quick design and you'd need two tables to cover the cost. How many people may have been willing to give them a shot if it looked like they cared?

Handwritten signs are great examples of one of my favorite business screw ups: tripping over dollars to pick up nickels. Take a little bit of time and, if possible, spend a couple of dollars to upgrade your signage.

I think marketing guru Crash Davis summed it up best when he said, "Think classy, be classy."

Part of the Community

2009-02-09T17:52:00.002-05:00

About three weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a woman I met at a Bay Area Chamber of Commerce event. We only met the one time and didn't really know each other, but she wrote to ask if I would be willing to let her son spend a couple of hours in the studio, interviewing me and getting an idea of what it is to be a graphic designer. I think part of why I belong to the Chamber is because I don't just want to have a business here, but I chose to build my life here. And as part of that, I want to be involved with the community. I told her that I was happy to do it so we arranged for her son to come in to the studio for a couple of hours.

The son, whose name I am going to withhold because he is a minor, is a really nice, normal kid. He goes to school at Saginaw Academy of Science & Arts (I didn't even know such a school existed in the area). He likes art, but it isn't his only interest. He came to the studio with a few pages of questions about what I do. As somebody who writes profiles professionally, I have to tell you, he came armed with some really bright questions. I was really impressed with his preparation and we talked for a while about my career and stuff like that.

Time passed very quickly while we just sat there and talked. I asked him a little bit about what sort of art he likes and what he likes to do. In our back-and-forth, I got really excited talking about my career. I came to design through a back door, but I feel really lucky to have a career that I genuinely enjoy. I love going to work, I love being in the studio, doing the actual design, etc. I've never lost sight of how much I appreciate being able to do something I love and get paid for it, but in talking with this young many it sort of rekindled the fire a little bit.

I'm really grateful that I had the opportunity to spend some time talking with him. I know I got a lot out of it and I hope he feels the same way. After he left I was picking things up before heading home and noticed that he left me a message on the Etch-a-Sketch. He also took the time to write me a thank you note and mail it, but for me the Etch-a-Sketch message was perfect. You're welcome.

On a completely unrelated note...I thought I'd do a little show and tell with the other objects in the photo above. Along with the Etch-a-Sketch note we have:

• A photo of myself and Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe. This photo (taken by Barry Rankin) was taken on an evening when my job was to spend a few hours taking photos of Gordie Howe while he signed autographs. Other than to say hello, we didn't talk during the autograph session, but Gordie kept hamming it up for me. At the end of the evening, I had the chance to go up and chat with him for a minute. I can't tell you what a huge thrill that was!

• A Detroit Red Wings puck autographed by Gordie. He had just been signing his name for most things, but because we had "worked together" he surprised me and personalized it. When he handed it to me he said, "Here you go...To Mr. Photo from Mr. Hockey."

• A signed print of a photo I took of Ryne Sandberg when he was coaching the Peoria Chiefs.

• A photo of me from the first time I met the Stanley Cup. My friend Jim Biewer, now with the Detroit Red Wings, took this photo. I had about thirty minutes where it was just me and the Cup. I took lots of photos, but mostly I just read the names in the rings. I wanted to touch it, but I knew better. In any of the three or four times I've been around the Cup, I haven't touched it.

• Tucked between the Etch-a-Sketch and the Red Wings puck, you can see a Great Lakes Loons baseball peeking out.

Man, do I have a cool job, or what?

Customer Dissatisfaction Department

2009-02-05T16:16:00.005-05:00

Our January winner for bad customer service is Staples in Bay City.

I had to run into Staples to have something laminated. While I was at picking up and paying for my order at the copy center desk, I told the girl working behind the counter that I needed to buy five sheets of 11" x 17" paper. Simple request, right?

Me: "Do you have 11" x 17" paper in colors?"

Staples co-worker: "Yes."

"Can I have five sheets on the ivory or the cream?"

"We don't have it in stock...we have to special order it."

Didn't I just ask if you had it? Did she think I was inquiring as to whether or not such 11" x 17" colored paper existed?

"Okay...that's not a problem. Do you have it in stock in white?"

"Yes."

"Great. Can I have five sheets of that?"

"Um...okay...um...we don't...um...we can't really sell you five sheets like that. There isn't a way that we can ring it into our system."

You would think I was asking her to sell me her shoes or something. Even now when I think about it I have to shake my head in disbelief. There are several options she had, any of which would have worked out better than her response. She could have decided to:

1. Sell me the paper as if it were 5 copies. Easy. Problem solved.

2. Give me the paper for free. It's five sheets of paper...they cost you next to nothing. It creates goodwill with a regular customer.

3. Almost anything other than stand there like a deer in the headlights, stammering about point-of-sale systems.

My last job with Kinko's was as a regional trainer, handling customer service classes. This is Customer Service 101, Staples. Hire people who can solve problems, rather than create them. I'll still shop at Staples for supplies sometimes, but from now on my print work will probably end up elsewhere.

These days I frequently hear people blathering on about branding, but the truth is that very few people really have any idea what branding is. It's not your logo, it's not your tagline--it's everything. Including—especially in service businesses—the people who man your registers. In a micro environment like a small city where word of mouth carries a lot of weight, who you hire says more about you than your logo ever will.

Regular or decaf?

2009-02-03T09:58:00.005-05:00

As silly as it sounds, I really like pouring the coffee when 989 Design is the Chamber coffee sponsor. I always enjoyed my retail jobs in the past because, on the whole, I really do like people. I may pretend that isn't the case, but there I was this morning with a coffee pot in each hand and a smile on my face.

"Regular or decaf?" I asked.

The studio doesn't get much foot traffic—almost none, in fact. Outside of the mailman and Randy the UPS guy, it's rare to have anyone randomly stop by. So having thirty minutes to socialize and say good morning to a lot of people is fun for me. Plus, if this whole graphic design thing doesn't work out, I think Greg has a spot for me behind the bar. So I've got that going for me.

The hardest part of the coffee sponsorship is having to speak in front of the whole room for two minutes. I never really prepare what I am going to say because I end up sounding like a robot. Instead, I think of a few points I want to hit and wing it, hoping to not hear the bell that indicates I've gone over my two minutes (I'm two-for-two on being on time). Today I talked a little about the studio, a little about the site, pitched the Good Works Group again, and then did a few 15-second spots for the Saginaw Spirit, Great Lakes Loons and Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. I hit all of my points, stayed under two minutes, and didn't throw up on my shoes.

I did get the chance to talk to a few friends and even met a few new people. All in all, I'd say it was a successful morning.

When I first moved to Bay City, I joined the Chamber to get to know more members of the business community in the area. I was new in town and didn't really know anybody. I've been a member of the Chamber for around four years now and even though I wasn't as active a participant in Chamber events the first year or two (which was dumb on my part, I realize, but I'm kind of shy), I've really tried to be more active the past couple of years.

Speaking for two minutes in front of a group of ten is intimidating to me, so doing the soapbox at the breakfast is terrifying, but I really do want to get the message out about 989 Design and the Good Works Group. After the breakfast a lot of people told me that I did a good job and I really appreciate that.

Thanks again for the support, Bay City.

Two Minutes Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars

2009-02-02T07:27:00.001-05:00

Do you have a preferred print vendor? The Tri-Cities...er...Great Lakes Bay Region (don't get me started) has a number of commercial print shops to choose from and chances are, if you do much print buying through the year, you have a favorite. It's great to have a relationship that you know you can rely on. You make a phone call and your rep is there to save the day. We're actually really lucky in that out of all of the shops there are several that offer a great combination of excellent quality work and a very high level of service.

The downside of having these great relationships is that sometimes you just quit bothering to comparison shop. When is the last time you quoted your job at another printer? Don't misunderstand me, I'm a very loyal client when it comes to print shops, but different shops have different equipment and may or may not be the best fit for a job. There are many shops who can print an oversize poster, for example, but some of them are better-suited to it than others and the shops who are better-suited for a job, generally can offer better prices as a result of economies of scale. It's rare that your print rep is going to tell you that maybe another shop is a better fit for a job (although it does happen from time to time). Who can blame them? They're paid on commission so they have a vested interest in keeping the job in their hands, no matter what the cost is to you.

In an economic environment like we currently find ourselves in—especially in Michigan where so many businesses are hanging on by a very thin thread—we need to be sure that we are making the most of our money.

Take the time to have another shop quote your next project. It's sad to say, but some shops are really hurting right now and they are very aggressive in their quoting. They are more interested in keeping their presses running, so they are offering great deals.

I recently designed a brochure for one of my larger clients and, as is my practice, I quoted it at the two shops who were the best fit for the project. I knew that either shop would do a great job, so no matter which direction I went I would not be sacrificing quality. I was really surprised, though, when I got the quotes back. One shop was almost double the price of the other shop (at lower quantities). At the quantity we ended up printing, the cost difference amounted to over $700, which was about 30–40% lower than the other shop. In the end we got a product that everybody was very happy with and I saved my clients a chunk of change all because I took the time to send one e-mail.

Time to write one e-mail: 2 minutes.
Cost savings: $700

If you don't have a sales rep from another shop, feel free to e-mail or call and I will give you names and numbers for several shops.

Branding Does Not Correct For Incompetence

2009-01-29T14:02:00.004-05:00

I love Bay City. Even now, in the dead of winter, there is nowhere else I'd rather live. I chose to move here from the world-class city of Denver—that's how much I love it here. That being said, once again I find myself feeling frustrated with the city leadership.

Remember a few months ago when I wrote about the money Bay City wasted on developing the new city brand? A few years ago, the city paid nearly $50,000 for a horrible logo—an absolute abomination. Along with the horrible logo there is a trite saying. VOILA! There's our brand.

No matter how many times I scream it, a logo is not a brand!

Anyway, we've got our logo so we're all set, right? Bay City is on the rise again. No bad decision making or bad publicity can affect us because, after all, we've got that crappy logo...er...brand.

Our first stop on the bad-PR train came in December when a Wall Street Journal article featured a mention of Bay City alongside one of their trademark stipple images of our mayor, Charles Brunner. The city couldn't afford to put up the annual Festival of Lights display for Christmas this year and the story was wrapped into a Journal piece on cities feeling the economic crunch at Christmas time. This was a good decision by the mayor, it was just a small bit of bad PR. No city wants to be painted as anti-Christmas, but there we were on the front cover of one of the most-read newspapers in the world.

Fast forward one month to a much uglier story.

Two weeks ago the body of a 93-year-old man was found dead in his home on Bay City's southwest side. The house is actually only a mile away from mine. The man, a veteran who received the purple heart as a medic in World War II, died of hypothermia in his home. You read that correctly, he froze to death in his home. Due to unpaid electric bills, the city electric department had placed a device to restrict the amount of electricity he could use. He apparently didn't know what the device was or how to reset it and died a very slow and painful death.

His death has received all sorts of national attention, once again turning the nation's eyes to Bay City. MSNBC is among the many national news sources who carried the story.

According to our city manager, he didn't think the city did anything wrong. I understand that actions have to be taken when bills aren't paid, but you'd think they'd be a little more careful when it comes to something like this. The new policy is to not use limiters, but don't you think we could have come to this sensible policy, say, before an old man died needlessly?

One time after another, this city keeps giving itself a black eye.

You know what I think might help? A new logo...some new branding idea that clearly states that we no longer kill our elderly for unpaid electric bills.

Pow! Right Between the Eyes!

2009-01-24T16:50:00.002-05:00

As I wandered around the web earlier this weekend, I came across a blog by a guy named Andy Nulman. Andy has a new book out called Pow! Right Between the Eyes and it sounds like a great read. The premise of his book is the use of surprise in marketing.

He is currently running a promotion where if you mention his book and link to his blog, he will send out a copy of the book for free. He does say that he's sending them out to legitimate bloggers, though, so I guess we'll have to wait to see if I qualify as legitimate. I'm hoping that the hundreds...okay...hundred-and-fifty visitors per week to this blog will qualify me because I really want to read this book.

Anybody who is interested in keeping their business relevant in the current economic environment should check out Andy Nulman's website. I have only had ten minutes to look it over, but saw a few posts that I have bookmarked to go back and read. If you have a business and you aren't taking the time to scour the web for some of the great ideas that are out there, then I'm not sure you're really interested in being in business.

I keep saying that one of my biggest problems is that I don't have enough time to read everything that is out there. There isn't a secret formula to success and there aren't any shortcuts, but there are about a zillion sites out there with different ideas about business. Start going and reading what's available...you never know when you're going to find something that sparks your next big idea.

So take a few minutes to check out his site. There is some good stuff there and it's free—it's all free!

Who are the people in your neighborhood?

2009-01-24T16:14:00.002-05:00

Okay...the photo above doesn't really look anything like Midland Street at the moment, but it's the only Midland Street photo I have on my MacBook (I'm out of the studio at the moment...care to guess where I am?).

I am asked pretty often about how I like having a studio out of my home. After working from home for six or seven years, it was a pretty big adjustment to get used to actually going to work. Getting up early was never an issue as I have always been an early riser, but the whole act of leaving the house to go to work was hard to get used to.

My answer is always an enthusiastic yes—I love my studio. I like that there is a distinct separation between work and home, even though at times it makes for long stretches without much at-home time.

One of my favorite things about the studio—and I may have written about this before—is that I really love being a part of the neighborhood. Working at home, you could go for long stretches where you didn't interact with other people and that could be a drag sometimes. What I love about Midland Street is that I enjoy working in an area where, even in winter, there is a lot of activity.

This morning I had to take my truck to the Smith's Auto Service—a mechanic just a few blocks up the street. When I walked in the door I was greeted by my friend Brian sitting there, also having work done to his car. We chat for a while in the garage and then then I had to get going.

I walked down a block or two to say hi to the guys at Sandlot Sports. We're working on a couple of projects together and haven't had a chance to talk this week. I hung out there and visited with Ryan and Adam for a few minutes before heading back toward the studio.

As I was walking, Randy the UPS driver waved me down from his truck. "I just left you a note on your door; I've got something for you," he said. He went into the back of the truck and pulled out a package of business cards. That was a huge help because I wanted to get the cards to the coffee shop this weekend.

After Randy gave me my package I continued on toward the studio, deciding to stop at Lucky's Pub to see what the lunch specials were. When Wayne told me that they had a meatball sandwich, my decision was made. I placed my order and then headed across the studio to kill 10 minutes until my lunch was ready. After checking e-mail and puttering around the studio for a few minutes, I headed back to Lucky's. When I got there my friend Bruce—one of the owners of Lucky's—was there along with another client of mine. We chatted for a few minutes and then I got my lunch and headed back to the studio.

In about 30 minutes I talked to about nine different people about everything ranging from work to family to playtime. This is the sort of thing you don't get when you work at home. I never got lonely or anything, but I would sometimes get a little desperate for human contact, you know? I'm pretty sure that I was so chatty that there were some telemarketers who put me on their NO CALL list to avoid having to talk to me again.

In summary, thanks for a great day Midland Street Historic District. And just think, when the warm weather gets here (in about eight to ten weeks), it will be even more fun. More people, patio beers, sunshine...I can hardly wait.

Keep your Utopia. Make mine Brewtopia. Brewtopia Coffee, that is.

2009-01-20T20:20:00.003-05:00

About a month ago I was approached by Aaron Bolt, the new owner of (the former) Harvest Coffee House in Bay City to design a new logo for the coffee house. The new name is Brewtopia Coffee and Aaron wanted the new logo to have a classic look and to reflect the café’s downtown location.

At the top you can see the logo we came up with. We played with a few different versions of the type until we hit on something we were all happy with. As a backdrop for the logotype, I created a few generic buildings and some quick drawings of a few downtown Bay City landmarks—the fountain in Wenona Park, Delta College planetarium and City Hall. So far, we have received a lot of positive feedback on the logo which is really gratifying.

Brewtopia is not just a coffee house, it’s a community center. A place where people get together for meetings or to just relax and talk. I’m sitting in the café right now and there is a group of young guys working on something. I’m not sure if it’s homework or their fantasy baseball draft, but they are just hanging around and having a good time. Toward the back there are a couple of people working, a couple and their baby buying some fresh-roasted beans, and another couple who are really enjoying being together (don’t worry family folks, they’re not canoodling or anything, Brewtopia isn’t that kind of place).

It’s a little after 8PM on a Tuesday night and there are about 15 people here—that’s not too bad for a weeknight in Bay City.

Clearly, Brewtopia Coffee is the place to be. So the only questions is this: Where are you tonight and why aren’t you here?

They are staying open until 9 or 10 every night of the week (except Sunday, when they close at 6). There are always several different coffees fresh and waiting for you as well as a wide variety of specialty drinks, many of which exist here and nowhere else.

You know what else is great? They roast their own beans right here in the coffee shop. They aren’t buying beans that were roasted weeks or months ago, they are buying fresh beans and roasting them themselves to be sure that you are getting the best cup of coffee in Bay City.

If you are out and about in downtown Bay City, be sure to swing by and say hello to Aaron and the gang.

This has been an unpaid advertisement.

My All-Time Favorite New Media Campaign

2009-01-15T16:23:00.002-05:00

The best new Facebook application I've seen in a long time was put to rest this past week.

The campaign was brilliant in its simplicity. Instead of Facebook applications' usual MO of "sign up and send it to as many friends as you want/can," the Whopper Sacrifice went the other direction. It urged people to delete friends in exchange for a free Whopper. Every Facebook user who deleted ten friends from their friends list was given a free Whopper.

The caption at the bottom of the Whopper Sacrifice page now reads that "your love for the Whopper sandwich proved to be stronger than 233,906 friendships." Assuming ten ex-friends per person, that means that over twenty-three thousand people took part in the Whopper Sacrifice. In addition to the 23,000 active participants there were a LOT of press mentions of the program. Newspapers, magazines, online sources, television...everybody was talking about the Whopper Sacrifice.

And whose brain child was this? Not surprisingly, it was the work of Crispin Porter + Bogusky. I can't begin to tell you how much I admire some of the work that CPB does. If they were to call me and offer me a job in their Boulder office, I would have to think long and hard about moving back to Colorado just to have the opportunity to work in a shop of their caliber. Nothing against any agency I've ever worked with, but CPB is working on a whole different level than everybody else.

CPB has been handling the Burger King account for a while and their offbeat approach is working well for Burger King, who have long been notorious for their bipolar advertising efforts. Radical changes every couple of years...campaigns that were as boring as they were ineffective.

I think you are going to see a lot of people mimicking the Whopper Sacrifice app. Whopper Sacrifice helped change the way people think about advertising on Facebook. Instead of spending money on the little ads, put a little money into a unique application. Make it fun, make it funny, and the people will follow.

Hats off, Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

Contingency Plans are no Substitute for Little Brothers

2009-01-13T18:29:00.002-05:00

I had grand plans of coming into work over the weekend and getting ahead on my work for the week. Those plans came to a grinding halt, however, when my beloved G5 wouldn't boot up. I spent hours trying to troubleshoot the problem and came to the conclusion that it was a major problem with either the power supply or the logic board.

The good news is that none of my work was in danger, but the bad news is that I had no way of getting to any of it because it was all stored on a pair of internal hard drives. I remembered that my brother had a near-identical G5 that he isn't using at the moment. I called him and he told me I was welcome to borrow it as long as I needed, while trying to repair my Mac.

He offered to bring the Mac and meet me halfway between Bay City and South Bend, so we settled on meeting up for lunch in Marshall (southwest of Lansing). We met up at Applebee's (it's the best sit-down restaurant near exit 36) and had a good time. Afterwards we loaded the G5 into my truck and I headed back to Bay City.

I spent the next two hours on the highway and the two hours after that stripping the hard drive and memory from his Mac and replacing it with the hard drives and memory from my Mac. For the most part, the transfer worked out perfectly. There were a couple of glitches, but they were minor and easily settled.

Once you add up the time I spent troubleshooting, driving, and repairing I probably lost about 8-10 hours out of a week when I could ill-afford the lost time. On the whole, though, I am grateful because were it not for my brother Kevin, my situation would have been much worse.

The moral of this story is that I need to have better contingencies in place for the future. I won't always be able to rely on help from Kevin because he would have to have a warehouse of unused Macs laying about and that's just not in the cards. I'm pretty good about backing up my data, but I need to be better about it. You'd think I would have learned my lesson when I lost a hard drive three months ago, but I am still lax in the backup department.

If you are the well-wishing sort, you might want to keep a good thought for my G5. I hope that the problem is the power source because that repair will only take a few hours of my time and about $150 for the replacement part. If it is the logic board, though, the machine is likely unsalvageable because the cost of a new logic board is only a little shy of what a new machine would cost.

One of these days, the blog will get back to the business of design. For now, though, I just want to send out a big thank you to my brother. Thanks, Kevin, you really came through for me. Maybe I'll name my next puppy after you or something. How does that sound?

The one about the in-laws...

2009-01-07T16:50:00.005-05:00

Does anybody remember the mini-saga in Detroit involving Detroit News reporter Rob Parker and then-Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli? In a very small nutshell, during a press conference after the Lions' 14th or 15th loss of the season, Parker asked Marinelli if he wished his (Marinelli's) daughter had married a better defensive coordinator (ex-Lions defensive coordinator Joe Barry is married to Marinelli's daughter). At the time Marinelli blew the remark off.

Some sports columnists and bloggers began vilifying Parker right away. And once a few people started it, everybody jumped on the hand-wringing bandwagon and the SS Rob Parker was taking water. The next day Marinelli was interviewed and he was pissed. I mean he was really pissed. "Anytime you bring my family into..." and blah blah blah. Thing is, I believe that he was pissed, but as the head coach of the worst football team in NFL history, I think he may have been channeling some other frustration at Parker.

I get that it was probably a stupid question, but let's not lose sight of something: it was funny. Rob Parker was right...if Marinelli's daughter was going to marry a defensive coordinator, she picked the worst available. Let's not sugar coat it—Joe Barry was a failure as a defensive coordinator in Detroit. Was it all his fault? No. Detroit is outmanned and outgunned in all aspects of professional football, with the possible exceptions of punter and kicker. But he was horrible. Detroit was at or near the bottom in almost every major defensive statistic.

And let's not forget something else...Rob Parker didn't bring Marinelli's family into it. Marinelli did by hiring his son-in-law in the first place. All he did was mention the daughter. He didn't call her a name or insult her. I suppose it is unprofessional to make a joke, but he didn't really make the joke about the daughter. It was a jab at Joe Barry who, as you may be aware, was horrible. The mere mention of Marinelli's daughter shouldn't have created so much drama. Many, many columnists have made a career out of being wise asses (check out Woody Paige with the Denver Post--he's one of the best).

In the end, the forces of political correctness won. Rob Parker resigned his position with the Detroit News after having been demoted to general reporter or something like that (a clear case of jumping before you are pushed). It's really too bad because all the guy did was make a joke. It wasn't even a bad joke—it was funny. Lighten up, Francis.

I really hate kowtowing to the politically correct police. Remember, if you outlaw jokes than only outlaws will have jokes. Hmmm...I guess that stupid statment only works with guns.

So Parker resigns, Marinelli and Barry are both fired, and the Lions are searching for the next puppet they can hire and the next wide receiver they can draft.

Parker, Marinelli and Barry are all unemployed, but they're probably all better off.

Wherever you end up, Rob Parker, I wish you well. You, too, Rod Marinelli. I think you overreacted to the joke, but I still liked the way you handled yourself under the worst set of circumstances any head coach has ever had to endure. And Joe Barry, please believe that when I say you were horrible, I only mean with the hand you were dealt. I am sure that you will find a new gig and you will excel.

So let's try to tie this into branding, just so you don't feel like you've wasted your time. Think about what the Detroit Lions brand is worth? This whole dog-and-pony show must have made William Clay Ford (Darth Fordius) gleeful because it pulled a little more attention away from the fact that the Lions are a Division-II team in the NFL. Can the Lions brand be tarnished any more? Or have we finally reached the limit?

You know what, this gives me an idea. I think I am going to do a little column about the Lions brand and what impact the winless season had. And what it could mean for the future of the franchise. Stay tuned...I'll try to get to it this week.

Hello, 2009. It's a pleasure to meet you.

2009-01-05T18:00:00.000-05:00

2008 was a pretty good year for 989 Design, but I have to tell you that I am really looking forward to 2009. As much as I hate lame, weather-worn clichés, I am really excited to see the seeds we planed last year begin to grow.

Every day when you listen to the news or read the paper, you are hearing so much bad news about the economy that it seems like we shouldn't even bother holding onto hope. There are so many people telling me that the sky is falling that I'm afraid to look up.

They're right about the economy, it's a mess. And it is probably going to get worse before it gets better. But there are still plenty of bright spots to look at, so let's not give up hope. Just today I had a new client come in the office talking about a new project that they are starting up and I am really psyched about working with them. I can't divulge much due to confidentiality issues, but it is a great lemons-to-lemonade story. The owner of the company ran into a huge (and costly) hurdle and rather than just scrap the project or pay the freight, he came up with a plan that ended up creating an entirely new business. And this is a business with legs—he could make a fortune, if he's not careful.

I guess that what I am saying is that even though times are bad, keep your chin up. The new year is not just the turn of a calendar page, but it's a chance for us to (mentally) wipe the slate and start over. Spend some time the next week or so making plans for the rest of the year.

No matter what your business is, there are many low-cost advertising/marketing/PR ideas out there. Look into them and take advantage of them. If business is slow, it's a great time to try out some new ideas to see what ideas may help you attract new customers.

I hope you all had a really wonderful holiday season. Thank you for continuing to come around. Let's all have a happy and prosperous 2009.