One page sites have been around for awhile but it’s this year that I’ve really seen them take-off in numbers.
Here’s why I love them and recommend using them:
Easy to navigate
Everything is hosted on one page so there’s no need for breadcrumbs.This event site from the Bay Area Humane Society makes it simple to get the information you need quickly and easily.
Great for mobile viewing
The best sites are those that have a mobile version, but for those that don’t one page sites are really easy to navigate on your PDA.
Ideal for big and small sites
While initially one page sites were great for short content, recently I’ve seen some built to accommodate heavier messaging and image. Some great examples include this portfolio site from Phil Renaud and this business site for Tower Inspection. If you click through to the site, you can see some of the creative aspects of their navigation.
What do you think about one page websites? Have you used them? Seen any really good ones?
For the Graphic Designer, prepress means the procedure to prepare digital graphic design files for printers and vendors. These steps of preparation can include proofreading, revisions, checking size, fonts and color, and output of the file in correct format. Prepress at a printer can include making separations, platemaking, creating blue lines and color proofs. The steps stay basically the same on each job and when you do them professionally for several years you may notice signs of how they affect your life. Below are the top ten signs you may be a prepress pro:
1. Double spacing after periods in body copy REALLY bothers you.
2. While driving home after a long day using Illustrator – you imagine creating bezier curves with your car on the highway.
3. You get called nicknames like Genius, Design Darlin’, Design Dumplin’, Graphics Guru or Speedy Spice (from way back – Spice Girls).
4. You really wish you could do a “Command Z” on some actions in life.
5. You are fatigued explaining “Bleed” has nothing to do with losing precious bodily fluids.
6. Continuous tone is not about the car alarm that went on for hours in the neighborhood last night.
7. You feel nausea when you see the font Comic Sans or any True Type font or encounter a Microsoft Word file or Illustrator file used as desktop publishing software.
8. Dummy means an example of design work. You have a lot of other words for stupid people and dingbat is not one of them either.
9. Acid free paper is not about being completely bummed at a Rave.
10.Eating a meal is a major distraction. When you do get out to a restaurant and look at the menu, you recognize the fonts, typos and double spaces after periods instead of the food. Besides, fonts are considered a food group.
Bailey Gardiner is looking for a graphic design intern for the fall quarter/semester. A little about you:
A college student (junior or senior) majoring in advertising, art direction, graphic design or something similar
Must be able to obtain college credit for the internship
Willing to commit to a minimum of 16 hours per week, set hours are preferred
Has a student portfolio of design work
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite. Experience in Flash/Fireworks/Dreamweaver is a huge plus
A well-organized, self-starter who shows ownership over assignments
Some production experience preferred
Excellent communication skills – both oral and written
Must have a good attitude and aspire to do award-winning work
Eager to learn
Creative
A little about your responsibilities:
Assist the creative team with the following:
Assist team members in research, concept development, designing and mounting of logos and creating collateral pieces, websites, identity and stationery packages
Accompany senior team members to photo shoots, press checks, client meetings and assist in photo and art research when necessary
This position is unpaid and only open to current college students who can obtain college credit through the internship.
The experience you will receive at Bailey Gardiner is invaluable. We will take the time to teach, support, provide you with responsibility and of course, have some fun.
For a little more information about us, visit our portfolio or get an intern’s perspective on working here on the blog by our interns.
If you are interested, please email your student portfolio, cover letter and resume to kelly@baileygardiner.com
I hear it time and time again from clients, “Just take our magazine ad and re-size it for the banner ad.” UGH!
If you are not going to speak to your consumer in the manner in which they are listening, why do it at all? They probably won’t hear you. And if they don’t hear you, they aren’t going to do what you want them to do. And isn’t whether or not they do what you want them to do how you calculate, say it with me, ROI?
Yes, magazines are a great way to reach an audience with specific interests, incomes and tastes. But because of that, the magazine reader is in a very receptive mode to the content and messages being shared within the publication.
It’s just not the same with an online consumer. They’ve got lots of things going on not only in their mind, because they are looking for something specific, but also because there is a lot of noise. Slapping up a static magazine-type of ad just isn’t going to work.
Here’s some things to think about when it comes to online marketing:
Make your message dynamic & interesting by incorporating rich media, in-banner questionnaires, etc. Something, ANYTHING, to grab their attention. Check out this funny banner ad by Pringles.
Send your consumer directly to the place where they can find the information and create custom landing pages to test your messaging.
Email:
Whether you use an interest list or a purchased list, these consumers have said, “Yes, please let me know about your offerings.” Don’t send them junk that doesn’t apply. You want them to click through, be engaged & even spread the word – not unsubscribe!
Social Media:
This is not your personal Facebook page where you constantly talk about yourself. You’ve got to have a strategy to get your fans engaged. Creating a page and uploading an ad or two does you no good. If you’re not going to do it right, don’t do it at all.
So what do you think? Can an ad designed for print work in an online application? What other best practices can you recommend for online marketing?
Chances are you’ve seen Nabisco’s latest campaign for Wheat Thins, “The Crunch Is Calling,” as the spots are online, in movie theaters and on TV. So, what’s so special about Wheat Thins? The snack cracker may not be special but the brand’s use of consumer driven content is special.
Prior to social media, advertisers would offer a vague print ad or minimalist teaser TV spot, encouraging website visits for “interactivity.” However, these campaigns lacked real consumer interaction within the content. “The Crunch Is Calling” is different because the content is driven by the social media user, giving the user a role in the brand’s promotion. Why did Nabisco embrace social and consumer driven content? A Brand Manager within the company noted, “We set out to reinvent Wheat Thins.” Looks like the company wanted something new as the social media tactics scream, “We’re not your grandma’s snack cracker.”
The campaign concept is simple. Nabisco brand reps mine Twitter for positive Wheat Thins tweets and surprise the author with a product delivery and a good amount of hoopla (reaction is captured for TV spots). Winners are featured in the tweet-based spot. As an extension of the campaign, a “Crunch Den” tab on Facebook streams Wheat Thins themed tweets and a branded YouTube channel hosts fan comments giving the campaign a 360-degree feel. The social media efforts keep the marketing alive as users discuss comments.
Social media usage also gives the brand access to real time info without the costs and effort normally associated with focus groups or similar market research. It’s too early to know ROI for the “Crunch” campaign as spots initially dropped in July, however the campaign’s creativity has resulted in buzz and additional campaign reach online.
A quick glance around the social media sphere reveals a list of corporate users not limited to food and beverage brands. Video game development company, Eat, Sleep, Play’s founder releases concepts and art via his personal blog to gauge player reaction in lieu of focus group, as he too is eager for consumer comments. Behind the scenes photos drive enthusiasm and help strengthen the fan base as gamers are allowed to interact with the product before it is in home. Marketing messages may not be driven by the consumer as with Wheat Thins, but blog reviewers react and share content which then could effect the final package product (thus ultimately creating content which impacts the company).
I’ll stay tuned to find out the social media efforts effect Wheat Thins’ sales numbers and how other companies are embracing consumer driven content to further their brand.
There’s a common misconception that you can make an e-blast, video or other social media piece viral.
Not true.
You can only create a great piece of creative and promote the heck out of it in the HOPES that it goes viral. Your target audience is the only one who can take action by forwarding it to friends, talking about it with co-workers, etc.
That said, I wanted to share an e-blast that was sent to me recently from juice giant, Jamba Juice. In my opinion, this is an example of viral marketing that works. Take a look and see if you agree.
First off, the title intrigued me “New Cheeseburger Chili Smoothie.” I receive emails from Jamba all the time, but this was so weird, I HAD to open it to see if it was for real.
The format of the email was the same as the other ones I receive so that looked legit. And even after I watched the video I still didn’t know for sure if it was real. They peaked my curiosity so much that I had to visit cheeseburgerchill.com to find out if it was for real (which, of course, was their intention).
Turns out, the burger shake was a hoax (thank goodness). The whole ploy was a reaction against McDonald’s recent venture into the smoothie business. If you’ve seen the burger chain’s recent TV spots (see above), you know what I’m talking about. A great stunt that had a really good strategy behind it. Genius.
Even better? After you read the message on the landing page there is an option to forward it to a friend, post it on multiple social media sites AND (here’s the best part) get $1 off your next smoothie. A pretty nice little reward for reading all the way through to the web page, huh?
As an advertiser, I consider myself keen to most marketing ploys—much like a white v-neck at a wet t-shirt contest, I feel I can see through most of them. But I fell for this one, even sending it out to multiple friends and doing a blog post about it.
So did it go viral?
Did I like it enough to send it to my friends? Check.
Did I talk about it with co-workers? Check.
Did it make it make me interact with their brand for a considerable length of time? Check.
The “Cheeseburger Chill” YouTube video has been viewed 203,336 at the time of this blog post. Not many if you compare it the over 16 million views of the kid on laughing gas, but a pretty good start considering it only debuted two weeks ago.
What do you think makes a piece of media go viral?
Something that’s bothered me for years is the lack of flexibility I have with typography in my web designs. Every web designer has struggled with the limitations of using only HTML standard fonts on their websites and using images are time consuming, both for servers and for designers.
Using real fonts on the web is no longer something to look forward to – the technology is ready, the industry has responded and designers are building sites with them every day.
How is this possible you ask? Open source font directory servers such as Google Font Directory and Typekit have made it possible and easy to use real fonts on the web. The implementation works by simply copying a code, which then links the font you would like to use from their server to your website.
Cost is extremely affordable! Google’s solution offers the service free of charge, but has a smaller library than Typekit, which offers a free trial and subscription plans starting at $24.99/year.
Welcome to the future, let the possibilities of typography on the web begin!
I am so darned sick and tired of marketing agency people with an inferiority complex about being in San Diego, and last week creative legend Mike Hughes had my back. Mike was in town to speak to a group of marketing leaders gathered by San Diego AdClub, and one of the key points he made was that creativity can come from anywhere – even San Diego.
Mike is the creative genius at The Martin Agency (ADWEEK agency of the year), and is the guy behind blockbuster advertising campaigns for GEICO (geckos, cavemen, dancing money), Walmart (tear jerker holiday ads with snow falling on troops in Iraq), the singing guy from freecreditreport.com and more. And that award winning blockbuster agency is located in….Richmond, Virginia.
Richmond? Population 204,000 thousand, humid in the summer and snowy in the winter, miles from anything remotely cultural, capital of the Confederacy and firmly planted in Southern traditions.
Yet guys like Mike Hughes can thrive there. Creative geniuses from around the country are drawn there. Talent grows and prospers there.
So why would we not expect the same or better from San Diego? We’re a happy bunch, basking in nearly perfect weather, enjoying a plethora of cultural events and arts, inspired by people of all ethnicities and backgrounds, and uniquely uber cool.
Look at this amazing work by some of our best local talent, and tell me there’s not the seed of some greatness here. We just have to nurture it so it can grow into the next Martin Agency or Crispin Porter (Miami? Gimme a break).
“Advertising is about making an arresting image and getting people to stop when they’re flicking through a magazine, so they look at what you’re telling them about, whether they’re attracted or repelled by what they see.” – Tom Ford
Good advertising makes you stop. It makes you look. It makes you remember. The extraordinary that captivates us. Inspires us. As I contemplated what to write about for this post, it suddenly dawned on me that sometimes just sharing really cool stuff is important. So today, I’m doing just that. Enjoy!
New York: The KNARF advertising agency created the “Push The Envelope” campaign for the School of Visual Arts in which images of envelopes with custom-engraved push-plates were installed on the doors so students literally “Pushed The Envelope” while entering and exiting. What I love about this concept is how engaging it is.
The Netherlands: Y&R Not Just Film created an advertising campaign for Interbest Outdoor to help promote ad space. Instead of simply throwing up a phone number and saying ‘Space Available’ or ‘Advertise Here’, Interbest took it 10 steps further by using their available ad space to do intriguing and somewhat disturbing self-promotion. Brilliant.
Tokyo, Japan: A giant mirror with Indivi clothes printed on it was built to allow shoppers to stop and see what they would look like in the brand’s clothes. This is yet another example of an advertising campaign that interacts with the consumers. Here, one can really see what the products look like on them without stepping foot in the door. Love it.
Hong Kong: A cost-effective advertisement for a yoga school showcasing the prowess of a yoga practitioner on the flexible stems of a soft drink straw. This campaign represents limitless boundaries in my opinion. We can advertise on anything, really. So creative.
These are just a few examples of how inspirational advertising can really be. Everyday, Ad agencies around the world are developing new and different ways to reach their client’s consumers. Just when you thought a campaign couldn’t get any more creative.
In November 2009, AOL rebranded itself as “Aol.” The new logo is no longer in all caps and instead sets in sans serif typeface, colorless, with initial cap and an Aol dot.
To launch this new brand, they came up with a branding strategy of placing their white logo on ever-changing images for the backgrounds. The idea is that AOL’s brand is too deep and complex to be tied to a single image.
It seemed to be a fun idea until the Aol Artists campaign launched, and the internet exploded with criticism. The campaign aims to be a collaboration where Aol takes artists’ work and places their logo on it in exchange for helping the artist promote the work. Frankly, the idea of “give me your artwork and I will promote your work by putting my logo on it” seems odd to me. And I am not alone. Designers have been quite vocal in their dislike of the campaign).
Aol. has since applied this ad campaign to its TV ad, Wild-posting posters, and its sites. However, despite mass distribution, many feel that the campaign fails to inform anyone on what the voice of the brand is. There’s no brand. You can put it on cars, rainbow, and everything—no restrictions.
From Underconsideration
There are many thoughts on this new campaign posted on the internet by designers, brand consultant, and ordinary people. People obviously knows Aol because the company has been in the internet business for ages. But, do people really know what Aol. does anymore? Do they know what is new and relevant? If they don’t, this campaign does not seem to help communicate that.
In my opinion, the campaign says Aol. owns everything including things that are not its own work.
