Flash CS3 – remember me?

Posted in: Graphic Design, Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on March 31, 2010

I have done some flash ads in the past and found them to be a great challenge!  Now, I have been asked to create a few more.  Only small problem is that it has been a few years.  So time to pull out the books and brush up on the skills.  Let’s hope I remember these like riding my bike!  Wish me luck!

See below a flash ad I created a few years ago for Meredith Corp.

Creating a “Unique” brand image

Posted in: Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on March 23, 2010

I am in the process right now of assisting a local business with some brand development.  They are looking to grow their business and have just not invested the time or money into that for the past three years.  Now, they are ready.  Lucky for me, I get to help!

Their first focus or area of concern is in their name.  Another business located not too far from them recently put up their new business sign and guess what?  Same name, with the same font.  All in upper case even!  While the two businesses are not in the same line of work, it still has started to create confusion for the current customers.  All the more reason to make this companies revised logo a bit more “unique” for them.  The current logo is very general and uses a very common font.  It isn’t surprising to me that this happened.

I have met with the owner and her associate and we have gotten the basics revealed.  I am now starting with the basics of all and revising the logo.  I will post the old and the new when we are up and ready.

Case in point, spend the time and effort needed to make sure your business starts in a very “unique” spot from day one regarding the image you want to portray.  It will only make your job easier down the road!  Less room for confusion among the clientele!

A great design + cheap printer = disaster!

Posted in: Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on March 3, 2010

I once had a client show me some work I had done that they requested to print on their own.  Being a designer, I have developed quite a few relationships with multiple printers in the area and on-line.  This client was trying to “cut costs.”  A VERY common idea among business owners who don’t really understand the difference in printing qualities.

When she got her letterhead paper printed and shipped to her, she called me right away.  The shade of purple that I designed the logo in and the shade they printed in were not even close!  One was blue and the other was purple.  Then she pulled out the business cards she received.  Thankfully they looked much more rich in color and true to what we were desiring, although not to my perfection.  The bigger problem for me was the inconsistent branding look that she now had to work with.  That is like printing Target’s logo in a lighter shade of red than what we see on EVERY piece of collateral they have.  You see that shade of red anywhere and you think of Target!  I even see random people wearing that color of shirt and khaki pants at the mall and I assume they just came from working at Target.  That specific shade of red symbolizes that store to me.  Same goes for UPS’ brown.  Always the same shade of brown, never anything different.

The printing company they used is one of those, very common, cheap companies on-line offering so many free items if you just place an order with them.  It is so enticing as a new business owner, but I want to caution you!  Don’t invest in the designing fees for your marketing materials to only have them come across as very poor once printed.  That will only reflect your business to your customer and probably not do you any good, a bad investment.