Menu
Psychology-Driven Brand Design. Creating and Refining Remarkable Brand Identities.
- Brand Identity
Branding Services
- Logo Design
- Websites
- Print Design
A blog about branding, marketing, and design, mostly through the lens of practical psychology, intended to be a resource to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Are you a company that suffers from brand schizophrenia? While “branding” can be daunting, there is one tool that EVERY business of any size can use to put their best foot forward. Are you using it?
Google is at it again. Just when you thought your website was safe, they decided to make changes! That’s right! As of April 21st, Google has decided to start giving mobile-friendly websites higher search rankings.
Hand drawn fonts are all the rage right now, and I love it. In a digital age where everything is shiny and technical and precisely perfect, it is nice to be reminded of the freedom, the quirkiness, the imperfect humanity of the handmade.
When building or redesigning a website, there comes a point when the conversation turns to social media integration. Many business owners assume placing social media icons that link to their social accounts is a given — just stick them up there in the header. After all, that’s what everybody else does. But is that the best way to do it?
So, you’ve got a brand new logo! High five! Now, you start to notice that some other logos have ™ or ®, and you begin to wonder… what’s the difference, and are you supposed to have it on your logo?
With 7 billion people in the world, it can be a daunting task to stand out from the crowd. While we like to think we are unique, so does everyone else…right? No less apparent in the business world, it can be difficult to differentiate between similar businesses. So, what makes one bug exterminator, or plumber, or dentist different from all the others in your city? What distinguishes your branding from your competitors?
I came across a discussion on an online forum where a business owner was complaining that he spent all of his hard-earned money on Google AdWords yet saw nary a profit. He blasted Google, which (merited or not in other cases), I wasn’t convinced was the real problem here.
Nonprofit organizations have a special marketing challenge: how to convince people to donate their hard-earned money. This is not just a marketing challenge; it’s an organizational challenge, but marketing communication can make a big difference to the bottom line.
You may have admired Google’s fantastically fluid logo without giving it more than a passing thought. A couple of keywords in the search box and you’re ready to explore the infinite wisdom of the World Wide Web. But before you go, why not take a minute to learn a lesson or two from those innovative Doodles?
For a while now, we’ve heard that print advertising is dying. I don’t believe it. Yes, it’s true that online marketing is booming. However, that doesn’t mean we leave print marketing in the dust — we just get smarter about using it.
Your brain has everything to do with why it’s important to make sure your site loads quickly. Keep your customers coming by optimizing your site’s speed.
“I just need something simple.” I can’t tell you how often I hear these words when people approach me about a project. Some of these people are using “simple” as code for “inexpensive”. However, other people are using “simple” to describe the desired function and experience. Huge difference; and here’s why that matters.
A while back, I watched a video entitled Top 5 Small Business Branding Mistakes. It was a great overview, particularly for startups or microbusinesses. Here’s a quick recap of common branding mistakes.
Business cards are, without a doubt, the most common marketing piece there is. But that doesn’t mean it has to look common! Read on for a few creative business card ideas you may want to consider.
If you’re around a graphic designer for any length of time, you may notice them using the word “typeface”. Smart guy (or gal) that you are, you eventually figure out that’s just another word for “font”. Oh, but you’re wrong. (Or are you?)
We all know stealing is wrong, right? What’s a little ambiguous for some is what constitutes “stealing”, particularly on the internet. If you’re not familiar with internet copyright law, beware — what you don’t know could cost you.
On occasion, after designing a logo, I have people ask if they need to trademark it, and if I can do it for them. You’d think a simple question would have a simple answer, but there’s a little more to it than that…
Having a website that converts is more important than having a website that just looks good. Unfortunately, these priorities get mixed up all the time.
Brochures are so much fun to design. Why? Because the creative possibilities are endless! Let’s take a look at what makes an effective brochure design and review factors you’ll want to consider before your next brochure project.
A website is designed to be viewed on a screen, right? Sure, no-brainer. So should you care how your website looks when it’s printed? Good question.
Do you ever find yourself talking to things… that can’t talk back? No? Right, um, me either. But let’s say that you did, and one of the things you talked to was your logo. Presenting… Interview with a Logo:
