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Do you have a New Year’s Resolution?  If so, what is it? 

Or, are you one of those that doesn’t believe in New Years’ Resolutions?  And why is that?

Happy New Year!

Cheers,

Jessica Nielsen

Principal & Co-Founder, Vibrant Marketing Solutions

www.vibrant-marketing.com

 And then, there’s Cyber Monday or Cyber Week, with all of the great online deals.  Every time I go online or check my email this week, I’m hit with more and more holiday sale ads, with each retailer trying to out-do the other.  From free shipping to discounted prices, there are many enticing deals, which are at the same time dizzying in their volume.

So, what sales got you shopping for the holidays this year?  Was there a certain Black Friday deal that lured you into a store even though you well knew you’d have to fight the crowds for a parking spot or shop at some ungodly hour?  And which online deals were you unable to resist?

 -Jessica Nielsen, Principal & Co-Founder

Vibrant Marketing Solutions

http://www.vibrant-marketing.com/

Logos are all around us. Each day, you and I see thousands of recognizable icons. From the Nike swoosh to the Pepsi globe to the Apple apple, these intense, vivid symbols are a part of our lives. In fact, some of them are so successful that we barely notice them. When is the last time you really looked at the cursive swirl of Coca-Cola’s logo? Or the vibrant, imposing icon of IBM? These logos have really and truly done their work. They have become a part of the American landscape—as vital as a stoplight and as immediate as an ambulance’s siren.

The great logos, past and present, look so simple, so obvious. They sum up their company or product so completely that it’s hard to imagine a world without them. It should be easy as pie to create these things, eh?  Nothing is more challenging. A logo has to make an abstract sensation or notion literal—and immediate.  It must encompass the philosophy of a person or persons. Many times, this idea is so elusive that even the creator of the company can’t quite grasp it.

The creation of a winning, working logo requires collaboration between the company’s creators and the graphic designer. It requires a lot of communication, a lot of hard thinking, and what may seem like endless trials, failures and revisions.  In my experience, the client in need of a logo often doesn’t know exactly what they want. “I’ll know it when I see it” is the typical attitude. This can cause frustration, as both parties become weary of the back-and-forth, give-and-take journey that must occur before the finished logo emerges.

I have heard of designers who nailed a logo’s look and feel on the first or second try. But, most often, a logo’s creation happens in stages. The first stage is to simply get an idea (or ideas) created. These may be 100% off the mark, or they may contain an essential element that will become the final logo.

This first stage is important. It requires the client to be able to express what is special about their product or company to the designer.  I find that a relaxed conversation is the best way to start this journey. A talk about the philosophy of the company, and what its creators and owners want to convey to the world, can give me plenty to think about—and to work with.  Is the company or product serious, cutting-edge, fun, or important? Is the product’s philosophy to make the world a greener place, or to dazzle potential buyers with bells and whistles? What is this product, or company, and why does it exist? What does it bring to the world that’s new, different, or better?

If the client can convey something about themselves to me—something that sparks my design sense—I can generate a first draft fairly soon. I usually present three distinct design concepts on the first draft. Nine times out of 10, these first attempts will not hit the bulls’ eye.  What they will do is give the client something to look at—the first sense of where this journey can take us both. Patience is the greatest virtue both parties can possess during this process.

The client’s response may be, “I don’t like the colors,” or “that type face isn’t right for us.” This is valuable information. It offers the first set of guidelines. To the client, it may be the first concrete thought they have about how they want to be seen by the world.  It may be disappointing if the first attempts don’t cut the mustard. But remember—the creation of a winning logo can take a great deal of time and effort. Consider the first draft as a substantial achievement. Where there was nothing before, there is now something to consider. Right or wrong, this first attempt can be built upon, bettered or abandoned.

There are no set rules on the creation of a winning logo. The best logos leave us with an indefinable feeling. They earn our trust. They define a desire or a need that this product, alone, can fulfill. They can be symbols of reliability and tradition, or vanguards of the thrill of the new and unknown.

The better the client knows themselves and their products—and the more clearly and coherently these concepts can be conveyed to the designer—the higher the chance of early success in logo design. At times, the product’s creator or owner may learn something important about themselves during this creative process.

Creating a logo requires a lot of hard work, but it should also be enjoyable for all parties concerned. If client and designer treat the project as a kind of fascinating riddle—one that demands equal input by both parties to solve—it can be an enlightening, engaging and exciting journey from start to finish.

I guarantee you that when you have a winning logo for your company, you will know more about the product or service that it represents than you ever imagined. You will see attributes and distinctions that you never thought possible. And you will be able to convey this sense to the world at large.

If you end up with another IBM, or Coca-Cola, or American Express, your company and its product will have succeeded beyond your wildest dreams. You and your product will become a part of the global landscape—recognized in Times Square and Tokyo, in the smallest villages and in the largest cities.

It takes time, patience and a sense of adventure to create a winning logo. It can be a wild journey— and, at times, a bumpy ride. Bring your savvy and a sense of wonder to the table. Know thyself, as the ancient Greeks proclaimed, and be able to talk about it clearly and passionately. Your own passion will provide the spark of inspiration that results in a world-class logo.

 -James Gill, Graphic Designer

Vibrant Marketing Solutions

http://www.vibrant-marketing.com/

Some answer modestly, “Oh, I’m just a tax accountant.” Others will talk, as long as you’re willing to listen, about what they do and how they do it. 

It seems easier to answer this question if your work has a clear designation.  Doctor, tailor, administrative assistant—these all conjure up an immediate “Aha.” We all know someone who works in these fields. It’s tangible. 

To answer this question with, “I’m a graphic designer” usually gets the following responses:

“Oh, how cool! That sounds like such fun!”

“Huh. That’s interesting…”

Or this, the hardest question to clearly answer: “So what is it you actually do?”

Movies, TV shows and other popular media make out creative work to be play with pay. I cringe every time I see a writer just open his computer and start tip-tapping some prose masterpiece, as if it’s flowing from his fingertips of its own accord.  Ditto for scenes of someone instantly throwing together a poster, or some other complex image, as if it were child’s play: if it were that easy, I’d be out of a job!

A lot of thinking, observation and instinct go into design work. Sure, there are days when all the pieces seem to fall into place. We all have those, thank goodness. They balance out the days when every idea is a struggle, and nothing comes out right. 

A graphic designer is part artist, part organizer. We take a group of visual and verbal elements and put them together in a way that makes sense and communicates. 

It’s no wonder that many good designers are also great networkers. We see the connections in life, and we share an urge to bring them together—whether in-person or in print.

It takes an artist’s eye to understand how the pieces fit into a satisfying whole. But it also requires a keen sense of analysis. In every design piece you see—billboards, magazine ads, and packaging—there are 1,000,000 wrong ways to do the job, and one right way.

Designers live and die by that one right solution. In this way, we’re like detectives. We’re given all the clues by the client. They supply us with copy, images, logos, and with an idea (sometimes vaguely formed) of what they want it to look like. We take those “clues” and assemble them in a way that solves the mystery. By solving that mystery, we bring the message of the piece front and center, where it can be immediately grasped by the world at large.

Well, on a good day, that’s what we do. Some design jobs can seem like police “cold cases.” We search and search for the solution. We apply our skills of observation: what needs to come across in this piece?

What does the client want the world to know about themselves or their product? Who is this product for? Why should it appeal to them?

We also pay attention to what the client’s media has said before. Do they want more of the same? Are they looking for a little twist on their successful formula? We tend to ask a lot of questions. That’s one way we can cut down the trial-and-error part of the process, and get closer to the client’s needs sooner.

We look at the data given to us, we listen to the client’s ideas, we study their recent media work, observe possible patterns and suggestions, and eventually we coalesce these elements into a design that works. Or, more often, into a first draft that shows the way to the final solution.

We also rely on instinct. We have developed this instinct throughout our life. It’s what draws most of us to the design world. We’ve seen and studied art, photographs, films, and the colors and patterns of nature and the world around us. In the course of our lives, we’ve developed a sense of what works and what doesn’t.

In many cases, we work within a format that’s already set up. This lessens the need for instinct. Still, we know what works and what doesn’t. If we’re firing on all burners, we understand what the client is looking for—based on their past media material and on what they’ve told us about the project.

It’s all about communication—networking, listening, observing, analyzing and thinking. This is why we always seem to have a million questions—sometimes about the smallest details of a project. We want to help the client get their message across, loud and clear, in a way that anyone can grasp.

This is what a designer does. Whew—I’ve finally got my “elevator speech!” Now I can answer that question better—and so can you.

 -James Gill, Graphic Designer

Vibrant Marketing Solutions

http://www.vibrant-marketing.com/

I wanted to ask you working mothers and fathers out there how long you waited to return to work after you had your baby/babies?  Why did you choose that amount of time for your leave?  And how to you “make it work” and juggle career and family every day?

-Jessica Nielsen, Principal & Co-Founder

http://www.vibrant-marketing.com/

Those that live to work may be seen as workaholics or overachievers.  They work long hours and may not take much time for themselves or their families or friends.  They regularly sacrifice evenings and weekends to work, and they probably even thrive on this.

Those that work to live typically don’t work the same long hours of the live to work folks.  They put a priority on life outside of work and make an effort to carve time out of their working lives to unwind and be with the people they care about.  

Sometimes the line of living to work vs. working to live gets blurred though… 

There are many people who work long hours against their better wishes.  This could be due to a demanding employer, having to constantly meet aggressive deadlines, or simply because they may need to work long hours or at more than one job to make ends meet.  How are they to find contentment living a life of hard labor and little downtime?

And what are the “workaholics” to do when they to do when they find downtime?  Chances are that they don’t know how to unwind, and their relationships may be suffering because they’ve been put on the back burner for so long.  This is not to say that these folks don’t care about relaxation or relationships…It just means that they may have neglected these aspects of their lives so long that they’re uncomfortable with them when they do have a chance to embrace them.

So, which of these people do you consider yourself to be?  Are you more of a live-to-work or a work-to-live person?  And why do you live to work or work to live?

-Jessica Nielsen, Principal & Dir. of Marketing Communications

http://www.vibrant-marketing.com/

1. What Features Do You Offer?  In other words, what physical product or service component are you offering?  Starbucks, for example, provides a product offering of many types of coffee drinks with an array of other beverages and foods. 
2. How Do Your Features Function?  Or, how do your products/services work?  Starbucks gets their coffee, foods, and other beverages from good sources, and they rely upon their staff to deliver these products directly to their customers.
3. What Benefits Are You Providing? This is crucial to defining your brand.  The benefits Starbucks offers are quality coffee/beverages and fresh food.  The staff that delivers the products provides good customer service and convenience to the customer.  
4. Key Differentiators? Once you’ve defined your features, functions, and benefits for yourself, you should also consider anything else that differentiates you from your competition.  In Starbucks’ case, it could be their many locations (including many drive-throughs), their often free Wi-Fi, and the fact that it’s a good place for people to meet. 

All of the above should help you define your personality and essentially your brand. Be sure to keep everything simple so it’s easy for people to digest and remember.  Also, be aware that consumers choose brands that reflect themselves, so keep this in mind when defining your own brand!

What sets you apart?

-Jessica Nielsen, Principal & Dir. of Marketing Communications

http://www.vibrant-marketing.com/

1. Confidence and leadership; a great PM is not afraid to ask questions.
2. Deadline-driven: keeps a project on track and on time, owns a thorough work back schedule.
3. Good organization, including documented project work streams and activities.
4. Persistent follow up/follow through.
5. Strong problem-solving skills.
6. Knows when to escalate issues and to whom.
7. Ability to work and maintain composure under pressure.
8. Sees and manages all aspects of the project; able to see the big picture.
9. Thrives in ambiguity.
10. Has an understanding of both technical and business project management execution and goals.
11. Regular and consistent communication.

-Jessica Nielsen, Principal & Dir. of Marketing Communications

jessica@vibrant-marketing.com

http://www.vibrant-marketing.com/