Brand Strategy
UGA's Rebranding Effort
As a die-hard Auburn fan, you don’t normally find me raving about something that the University of Georgia did. But as a creative director, I’ve got to send kudos to the Bulldogs for UGA’s recent rebranding effort. While Georgia alumni may want to…
The Meatball vs. the Worm: The NASA Brand Standards Manual
In 1972, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) initiated the Federal Graphics Improvement Program under the direction of President Richard Nixon. The NEA program was fairly new when New York design firm Danne & Blackburn was tasked with…
A Recipe for Success
I have a confession to make. I love magazines. I’m particularly drawn to cooking magazines – Saveur, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit – yes, please. The luscious photos on the cover draw my attention and I dog-ear the pages to save recipes for later;…
Beer Label Review
I do not like dark, coffee IPAs. I have never visited Ireland, where apparently some of the best beer in the world flows freely from the tap. I can hardly differentiate a beer on draft from one in a bottle. However, I do know good design. Milton…
It's Not About You
A key element in making a sale – whether it be for a product, service or program – is putting together the pitch, or story, that will hook your potential customer Too often that pitch focuses more on what’s important to the company or the…
I See What You Did There!
Anyone who has ever noticed the right-facing arrow in the Fedex logo knows that logos containing cleverly hidden meanings can boost perceptions of the business in several ways: Hidden symbols in a logo can explain and/or reinforce the nature of the…
Rebranding Adventure: A Case Study
I love rebranding efforts. They’re like the first day of school or New Year’s Day – an opportunity to show who you really are (and are going to be). And you’ve got to get your new brand right the first time – just like the first day of school, you…
The Rise of the "Hand-Made" Logo
If 2014 was the year of typography then 2015 was the year of hand lettering. This once necessary skill took a back seat, becoming all but obsolete, with the dawn of the digital age. But now, with big brands like Microsoft, Google and Apple leading…
Protect Your New Logo
You’ve sat through numerous creative presentations. You’ve debated the merits of 15 shades of blue to arrive at the exact shade that perfectly reflects your brand’s purpose. You’ve rendered the logo horizontally, vertically, with and without…
Who is Your Dream Customer?
Often, our clients come to us because they’re looking for a strategic branding campaign. In an earlier blog, I talked about our five-phase Brandfluence™ process for developing a brand, and I discussed the phase we call the…