Identity & Branding
Branding, you say? And how exactly do you define that?
Here's a bit from a *reliable* source:
A brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer.
Right. Here's another take on it:
Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as "cultural accessories and personal philosophies."
That's more like it.
We tend to think more along the lines of the "personal philosophy" part of that. When you have a great experience with a brand, you walk away feeling good about it. Therefore, it fits with your lifestyle. Likewise, a bad experience creates an equal, but opposite reaction - you vow to never use it again.
We like to share posts that illustrate great branding moments, whether we created them or not. Please feel free to weigh in with your thoughts or tip us off to what we may be missing.
Not just another light fixture. Not just another website.
When was the last time you bought a light fixture? Did you put a lot of time into the decision? Did you consult a lighting designer? Did your lighting designer then exhaust all standard possibilities, and eventually turn to a custom manufacturer? If so, you may already know about Crenshaw Lighting.
The reality is that custom lighting is not an…
Trust
Back when I was in art school, (how long ago will remain a mystery) I worked in the wonderful world of customer service. Both as a front end manager at a grocery chain and at the front desk of a high end hotel.
I hated both jobs, at first.
I was not much of a people person at the time – I detested the constant drove of mundane problems. Like…
Back in the ‘burg
Eleven days ago, I was driving a completely full 24-foot moving truck from Pasadena, Maryland to Blacksburg, Virginia. Today I'm on a plane returning from New York City to Blacksburg after a new business presentation. There've been several adventures in between, not to mention learning experiences. For example, I learned that a completely full…
When to step aside for someone better
This morning I went looking on the internet for the woman who designed NewCity's logo, Jennifer Goodreau (if you're out there Jen, give us a shout). I made several attempts to design it myself, but if you've ever tried designing for yourself you know how hard that can be.
With just a few variations Jen nailed exactly the feel I was looking for.…
Telling the Barter Story
As I wrote in an earlier post, we're currently working on the Barter Theatre web site. We're trying to figure out how to convey the Barter experience in a way that is not clichéd or phony. Yesterday we had a rather hilarious conference call in which we presented our third round of concepts for the main message area of the home page.
Storytelling…
Great Brands Make Cannibals
I'm watching one of the "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ads and something strikes me. When we buy from a brand we love, we're trying to take some quality of that brand into ourselves. Just like cannibals.
Huh?
In cultures that practiced cannibalism, a warrior might eat the heart of his enemy to gain his strength, or the brains of his enemy to gain…
Examples from our Portfolio
Results that speak.
"I wanted to thank you for the truly beautiful designs; the extraordinarily perfect branding images; and the effective, useful, crucial redesign of our website. Everything that your team has created – including our "Bryn Mawr. Always" campaign is such a joy to see."
- Maureen Walsh, Headmistress
The Bryn Mawr School
