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I love the studio intros that movie companies have put together at the beginning of movies. You know… those little movie snippets with the various company names on them evolving out of some nifty graphics. Usually revolving around a logo. Some of the newer movie companies have truly come up with some great artsy and creative intros, which do bear looking at. But for the sake of today’s post, I want to focus on those of the older, more established movie companies.
(For a look at a variety of these intros, check out the following on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9PtpALF_3w&feature=BF&list=PLD25EE797D1D52470&index=6
If you’ve been watching movies for any length of time, you can probably recognize the intro to most of the main studios: MGM, Disney, Paramount, Universal, Dreamworks, Lions Gate, etc. And you will most likely continue to recognize these intros almost immediately, regardless of how much these intros have in fact been updated over the years. The reason for this is that even though these “video logos” have evolved – adding animation here, updating to new sharper graphics and colors there – the basics of the logo are still intact. Dreamworks, for example has taken the static picture of the kid fishing on the moon and added animation. Disney’s iconic castle logo has evolved into a flowing movie intro following a train to the castle, which is now beautifully done in 3D. Even the old MGM lion now actually roars and moves. The evolved intros are decidedly modern, and for the most part don’t look like they are up to 50 or more years old, but they are definitely rooted firmly in their iconic past. And thus, their brand recognition continues to build. (These intros are, in fact, so recognizable that as I was looking at the various intros on youtube, my four year old recognized them from across the room and could name various movies associated with each.)
For anyone looking to update their existing logos, it doesn’t hurt to take your cue from these movie giants. If you have an existing clientele who recognizes your logo, but still feel the need to update it (either to enter new markets or simply because it’s becoming dated), make sure it is really an update, but still maintains the brand recognition of your existing logo.
What are your favorite movie studio intros/intro updates?
The last couple months saw news stories about two major companies’ adventures in changing their corporate logos. One (GAP) didn’t go over so well and the company ended up scrapping the new logo and going back to the tried and true old one. While Starbuck’s new logo seems to be going over well. So what’s the difference? Apart from the actual designs of the logos, the biggest difference seems to be the reasons behind changing the logo.
For GAP, it appears the logo change was meant as a way to garner attention and bump up lagging sales. While a new logo can get your company new attention, it isn’t necessarily worth it just for that reason. The result of GAPs logo change was the customers and critics jumped online to pan it. Turns out it wasn’t the old logo that was hurting sales. In fact, people liked and were attached to the old logo, and turned off by the attempt to modernize the timeless, classic existing logo.
For Starbucks, the logo change is meant as a way to not only update the recognized siren logo, but actually give the company the ability to expand beyond just coffee. By updating the existing logo and taking out the text, the company is making the logo more versatile. And although the new Starbucks logo has its own critics, there isn’t nearly the uproar as there was for GAP. I think the reason why, is that in this case it’s a logo change that makes more sense. The old logo isn’t completely gone (it’s a revamp). And there’s a real logical reason for the change.
So what is the lesson for us small businesses who do not have huge marketing staffs and budgets to figure out when to change our logos? One, make sure it’s a really good reason. Two, make sure that your clients aren’t super attached to the existing logo. You don’t want to alienate current customers. And three, don’t completely scrap the old logo if you do decide to change. By keeping elements of the old logo, you can help minimize upsetting current customers.
http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/08/news/companies/gap_logo/index.htm
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10964054/starbucks-new-logo-sleek-or-bleak.html
I was recently driving from Wheaton, IL to Rapid City, SD to visit family – a long but beautiful drive. As you go west, the trees gradually become fewer and farther apart as you transition to “big sky” country. On the drive out, we passed through a thunderstorm in Minnesota, and right before it started raining, the sky changed from brilliant blue to this incredible dark gray with a small rim of sky blue just on the horizon. And something about that sky just made all of the other colors of the landscape “pop”. White windmills stood out like they were glowing, the gold of the dried corn and hay fields became richer, while the green of the fields that were still growing became a brilliant jewel toned green. Even a flock of birds flying by seemed to pop out at us. It was so beautiful that even my 3 year old son noticed and commented on it.
On the way back to Illinois, we passed through the same area in bright sunshine with what would usually be a very pretty blue sky, but it didn’t compare to what we had seen a week before. That cloudy sky had made the landscape so much more interesting and beautiful that an otherwise perfect blue sky day seemed dull in comparison.
What does this have to do with business or graphics? Well whether it is your life, or your business, remember when those “cloudy skies” come, both literally or figuratively, to take the time to notice how it changes the landscape. Does it make the colors pop? Does it make you realize something you hadn’t otherwise noticed about either the scenery or your life? In your business, when those cloudy skies come, make the most of them. Learn from them. Is there a new marketing tactic that you can come up with to go along with the rain?
Some of my faithful Michigan readers and clients may have already heard that Green Otter Graphics is moving to a new location. For those who have not, Green Otter Graphics is moving to Wheaton, IL. I will continue to post regular tips and marketing advice for small businesses, and hope many of you will continue to read and benefit from what I have to say.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Michigan and have made great friends and business connections that I hope to maintain. The exciting part of this (other than moving to the outskirts of Chicago – which is arguably one of the coolest cities in the US) is that my business is flexible and virtual enough that I am able to take it with me, without interupting the work and relationships I’ve developed with my clients.
For example, I have one client for whom I’ve designed a logo, business cards, webpage, blog page, an ad and for whom I am doing regular marketing duties – and I’ve met him once, after doing most of this work. And the face to face meeting wasn’t technically necessary, but more of an it would be nice to put a face to the name type thing.
So… I look forward to continuing to grow Green Otter, and continuing to get to know all of you even as I meet new people from Illinois. And maybe I should figure out what you call people from Illinois…
Thinking about adding gloss to your business cards or marketing materials? The price of adding a UV or gloss coating to printed materials has come down, making it a very attractive option. Here are a couple things to consider and discuss with your graphic designer before deciding if you want to go glossy or stick with a matte finish.
Gloss coating brings out the dark of your piece, and makes it darker than what you see.
Gloss coating generally cannot be written on. If you’re going to use gloss on your business card, you might want to consider keeping one side uncoated so that when you give it to someone they are able to make notes somewhere.
Gloss can make your image really pop off the page. On the other hand, some images, with subtle shading or where you want a more sophisticated look might be better served with a nice matte or even satin coating.
You might also want to consider using a spot varnish… a process where the glossy coating is applied to only part of your image. This can really add a nice touch to your piece, creating an area of focus. Or by applying a spot gloss over a solid matte color, you can create a nice tone on tone effect.
Bottom line… glossy can be nice. But don’t automatically assume it’s the best route to go.
Do you prefer glossy or matte business cards and materials?
Is it important to plan out your marketing initiatives and the graphics you are going to need in advance? Short answer… Heck yeah! If you plan out your marketing initiatives somewhat in advance, you may potentially save work and or money on your graphic design.
I recently attended a short seminar on home based business best practices, put on by the Brighton, Michigan Chamber of Commerce. One of the topics they very briefly touched on was the importance of a marketing plan. While I won’t get into the specifics of marketing plans here, there are a few points on how your marketing plan should apply to your graphic design needs.
- If you know in advance that you are going to be putting out a series of mailers or ads, you can come up with coordinating graphics all at once … saving time and money. You can also potentially save on the printing costs by upping the quantity you are buying.
- By planning in advance you can work your mailers or ads together and be sure that they will graphically relate and have a bigger impact (coordinating marketing materials lead to more brand recognition)
- If you know in advance that you are going to be updating something large with your marketing – say your website – you can work with your designer on how to time the updates. Perhaps it makes the most sense to design anything you send out in the meantime to coordinate with what will end up being your website.
- And last but certainly not least, if you plan in advance that you will put out so many ads or so many marketing pieces, having the actual plan will force you to actually do it, thus keeping regular contact with your potential customers, and making sure you stay front of mind.
How far in advance do you plan your marketing initiatives? Do you include any graphic design updates as part of this planning?
Once the logo had been designed for Howell, Michigan based Dream Kitchens, it was time to put together business cards. Colleen liked the look of flowing, organic shapes and lines and wanted an elegant, yet professional look for the rest of her materials. For the business cards, I developed a relatively simple card using deep burgundy and white swirls as a border.
She loved the swirls, so we decided to continue with these throughout the rest of the marketing materials. I redid an ad that she had placed in a local Michigan ad magazine to incorporate the swirls along with one of the beautiful photos of finished kitchens she had. To make the biggest impact, I wanted to focus attention on the kitchen photo.
A similar look was then developed for a leave behind postcard. With the new logo and the swirl being applied to all of her marketing materials, there is a consistent look and feel and as she grows her new company, there is strong consistent branding. 
Your business card can arguably be your most important piece of marketing material, yet many entrepreneurs really don’t take their card seriously. Maybe they are opting for a generic template from an online print house, or even printing even more generic cards from their home printer. What’s wrong with this? Well mainly it sends entirely the wrong message about your business. It says you’re not serious about your business. And while the following is a repeat from a post last year, after attending a couple recent business expos here in Brighton, Michigan, I feel it is definitely worth repeating.
Online print houses can be a great money saving option for entrepreneurs – if they’re used for printing. However, far too many small business people are using these services to also “design” their marketing collateral. Your marketing collateral should reflect YOUR business and personality. This is especially true with your business card. While a stock photo of an outdoor scene might be pleasant enough, it is incredibly generic – only saying something about you or your business if you happen to be an outdoor outfitter.
A business card with a generic background blends into oblivion with your potential clients. Nothing makes it stand out from the crowd, and even worse, it sends a subliminal message that your business isn’t a serious, “real” business. Think about it, let’s say you get two business cards from a potential service provider – say a financial planner. One of them has a stock photo in the background while the other one has a unique, professional logo or graphic. Which one are you going to take more seriously? Which one looks like it’s associated with a legitimate, established and experienced business professional? Who are you more likely to trust and do business with?
Another downside of using the ready made templates – chances are someone else is using the same one. I was recently at a Brighton networking event where I received the same card, from two individuals in two vastly different businesses. And the design of the card didn’t say anything meaningful about either of them.
Putting together a professional, unique business card doesn’t have to break the bank for a new small business, but it does need to be something that has some time and thought put into it. Pay the small amount extra to upload your own logo or images to that online print house. Strongly consider working with a graphic designer. The one time expense to come up with a card that truly says what you mean to say to potential clients is more than worth it – especially considering the negative message that you might otherwise be portraying.
In today’s highly competitive marketplace, we all need every advantage we can get. Do you want to be the one with the card that blends into the background? What are some of the worst business card “sins” you’ve encountered?
What do you do graphically if your company serves a variety of markets with very different demographics? Probably your best bet is to develop separate marketing materials. While it might be tempting to put everything you do for everyone you do it for into one piece for simplicity sake (and to save a little money), in the end you risk not hitting the mark with any of your audience. I also look at this as the “jack of all trades, master of none” phenomenon.
As an example, Howell, Michigan photographer Noreen Owens recently came to me looking for brochure design. She wanted to reach high school seniors for senior portraits and she also does specialty themed photography of smaller children. Although she is providing basically the same service (portrait photography) to each market, there is a different twist and need for each client. She already knew she was going to have to do two different brochures so we started there.
Both types of portraits are ultimately going to be paid for by parents, but the actual target market is different. For the senior pictures, she needed to actually appeal to the seniors who would have a large say in who took their pictures. The brochure design needed to be a little edgier and contemporary to appeal to teenagers’ sense of independence and individuality. For the children’s portraits, the target audience is the parents, particularly the moms. This brochure needed to be classy while also appealing to the emotional and sentimental side of the mothers.
For the senior brochure, I developed a folded brochure featuring a mix of senior portraits ranging from traditional to fun – which showcases the variety of styles seniors can find with Noreen. These photos were put on an industrial, painted metal background image with screws scattered about the page. I also chose an industrial, chunky font for the main headings with a contemporary font for the body text.
For the children’s themed photography brochure Noreen wanted a multiple page, small square booklet. The book is arranged by month, featuring the different themes she has developed (bunnies in March, ducks in April, snowmen in November, etc.). The background of the brochure is a nice stationary type paper image, with the appearance of a ribbon across the page for photos to be placed on. The effect is of a formal photo/memory book.
In the end, Noreen was happy with both brochures that accurately reflect her company while also appealing to her different target markets.
Cover of themed children's portrait brochure
Cover of Senior Portrait Brochure
Interior of Senior Portrait Brochure
I’ve worked a lot with Brighton, Michigan based InSights Group, a very hard to describe and very helpful group of people who assist business owners grow their business through coaching and gosh… just a whole bunch of cool stuff. One of the big things they speak to is persona marketing, or the act of marketing not your business, but you. One important part of this persona branding is to include your photo on your materials (business cards especially).
Now before you say “Whoa… I don’t want to put my picture on my business card”, hear this. I too was a little hesitant until one of their seminars where they threw a fish bowl of business cards out on the floor and asked everyone to pick their favorites. Everyone in the room picked out a card with a photo on it. Now imagine your card in a stack on someone’s desk. Do you want it to stand out? A photo is a great way to do this.
So… once you’ve made that jump to including your photo on your card, here are a couple of tips.
Consider using a professional photographer. Headshots can be found for considerably less that you might think, and will look a heck of a lot more professional than the picture of you cropped out from your vacation photos. There are a number of qualified and affordable portrait photographers here in Brighton, Michigan as well as most any community across the country.
You may want to ask your photographer to use a white background rather than the traditional cloudy portrait backdrop. Should you want your photo cropped in interesting ways or not want that traditional background, it is considerably easier for your designer (and your pocket-book) to crop you out of a white background than a “noisy” colored one. If you do decide later you want that traditional background, it is much easier to add a faux background back in than it is to take it out.
Make sure the photographer is giving you full rights to the headshot. Most will for professional headshots, but you want to make sure you’re not technically supposed to pay them for each time it is reproduced.
Make sure you get a high-resolution version of your headshot. Most of the time this is a given, but be on the safe side. And even if it’s a rather large file, make sure to save that high-resolution image for when you need to down the road not only put yourself on a business card, but perhaps large format trade show materials.
