While designers love the idea of helping a client to create a brand and making the visual components, many times we must work with an established brand and its standards. It’s the meat and potatoes of the business. In this case, I’m working with a favorite client, MainCor, a non-profit that manages the Main Street CID in midtown Kansas City, MO. A CID is a community improvement district supported by … Read More
We understand that working with creative people such as graphic designers, writers, photographers and the various media can be confusing. Helping you to understand what we do and become comfortable is part of our job. First we need to learn about you, your company and goals. We talk, in person or by phone to determine as much as we can about your business and what you want it to do. … Read More
“Hey, we need a logo. Our logo looks out of date. Maybe a new logo will get us noticed.” Whoa! Why do you think that will help? It may be time to consider who your organization is and what it stands for before buying a new logo that may or may not work for you. An effective logo is like putting a front door on a house. Would you put … Read More
With budgets being tight some companies have taken their marketing communication in-house to save money. Much like what happened in the recession of 1991, some companies and non-profits have decided that non-marketing professionals can do a satisfactory job of writing copy and designing logos, brochures, web sites, etc. But, is that decision in the best interest of long-term success? Let me show you an example of what professional work can … Read More
First posted March 12, 2010 On this late winter day hope rises anew for spring flowers and bicycling weather. For the past month several of us bicycling nerds have been planning, working on and getting donations for the first Kansas City Tweed Ride for April 3rd. Tweed Rides are about fantasizing on the “Golden Age of Bicycling” which was the 1890s. The guiding philosophy is “Style not speed. Elegance not … Read More
First posted February 24, 2010 Here’s an article that hit home with me. Right now I’m trying to work with a mechanical-minded, heating and cooling client who is trying to work with me, a graphic designer. We send each other e-mails from our respective points of view hoping that the other person understands what we are trying to say. We have meetings. We talk on the phone. During these exchanges … Read More