by Miriam Hara | Feb 25, 2013 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Latest
There’s been a lot of changes in the last 25 years, not only in the agency business but in business in general. I will be predictable and say it has all come about because of the computer. That would be right to a certain extent. However, I believe it’s the way in which business and people have embraced the computer and its technology that is responsible for the majority of the business shifts.
Here’s my list of what has changed at 3H over the last 25 years:
The space a designer needs: It really seems like yesterday I was trying to fit one more large drafting table in the studio… let alone purchasing one more Art Director Marker set and art pads and sketch pads to bring in a new designer. Gone are those days!
Our inspiration tools: Gone are the days of flipping through Creative Source or Illustration Guild books to get inspired for the next big idea. At 3H, we use to have a library of creative and resource books… now we have half a shelf…and that’s going too! Image banks are the tools of inspirations nowadays and there’s nothing wrong with that… until those images become the concept!
How concepts are presented: With the advent of the computer and printers, now mock ups seem complete and already done. Clients have a difficult time in processing that what is in front of them is “conceptual”… not complete. That even if we could purchase the image on our mock ups, artwork has to be created, images have to be prepped, copy has to be finalized… etc… At times, I lament over marker renderings where it was obvious the person in an ad was a place holder for an image of a person that was yet to be casted, chosen and photographed!
Time to develop: If the speed of business is fast and faster… the agency business is at warp speed! There’s a belief by business in general that since everything is computer driven, it should take less time. That is very rarely the case, if ever. Computers in the creative world have provided creative types and agencies with the ability to expand on the possibilities and to show them in more concise ways. It still takes the time it takes to come up with an idea and to develop it!
The definition of a designer: What really is a designer? In my way of thinking, designers need to be conceptual thinkers in the visual medium. This is just my opinion… but find, many designers today know technology and yet have no conceptual vibe. They rely on image to create a concept rather than using the image as a resource too. More and more the designers out of school today think inside the screen and not inside their minds! Again… my opinion.
Relationship building: Time is at a premium. With the speed of business coupled with, restructuring, right-sizing, down-sizing or whatever hip term is currently out there… clients don’t have the time nor the inclination to go for lunch. But for those of us who do have a relationship with our business partners (yes, I mean clients!), the relationship is stronger… texting, emailing and yes even face timing. It has allowed us to reach out in snippets…by the sentence, being integrated in the day to day fabric.
Cold calling: Cold zinging you mean! Getting someone on the phone to talk to you when they don’t even know you is more difficult. How we get leads… and follow up on them is totally different. On line lead generation, web site lead generation and e-zines are now the “in” thing to do in cold calling. That means efforts can be more streamlined both in time and money. A warm lead is much better than a cold one…so rather than spend your efforts and money on cold and warm alike, you can double your efforts on the ones that have expressed an interest…or following.
Brand reaching capabilities: The ways in reach we reach our target markets… and how niche we can go is astounding and becoming more so each and everyday. Through social media (Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, tumblr, Youtube, Linkedin), online properties, blogs, blogging, traditional media the options available to local, small, big and global advertisers are numerous and very exciting! Some of these channels don’t require design, but all require time and know how…that hasn’t changed a bit!
3H launched in 1988 with its corporate logo in Purple and Mustard. We had become synonymous with Purple because of our Mustard accents… and then we changed our accent to Titanium to speak to the digital and technology…to change our clients’ perception of what it is we do… but still remaining in the Purple so to speak. I am not sure what the next 5 to 10 years will hold, but I have often been heard saying “Complacency in business means death”… and I believe it.
Over the last 25 years, the ability to change has changed. Businesses are constantly looking for the new opportunity and are more than ever, open to the next best thing… even though embracing it still takes a little time.
by Miriam Hara | Feb 13, 2013 | Business Success, Latest
Lucky are those that are in love with what they do. Everyday is a new wonderful day filled with commitment, dedication and emotion. As I reflect back on the 25 years I have spent at 3H Communications and with all my clients, I truly believe that I have been blessed. Like any love affair or relationship there have been times that were in turmoil, filled with indecision and fraught with doubt…but more often, there were times that the challenges brought laughter, fulfillment, achievement and oh…the great memories. It has allowed me to build relationships that I value.
It’s easy to say that because I chose a “creative” profession that it is easier for me to be passionate about my job. But I really don’t believe that this is true. Over the years in business I have met people in all professions who really love what they do; from scientists, sales people, physicians, marketers… and yes, even accountants. All of us who love what we do, feel in our hearts and minds, that we have a calling.I can hear the collective thought saying “money”… but I can say for many that I have met, it’s not all about the money. It’s about that calling that makes us passionate and emotive about our accomplishments. It’s about doing it differently, doing it better and doing it well. It’s also that calling which makes us care, all that much more and strive for that extra elusive… thing.
I really do believe that you do what you are… and you are what you do. The perfect yin and yang scenario. To be one of those “they” people who love what they do. To have a passionate affair with your work, with what you do for over 8 hours a day is the best anyone could hope for. You never have to work a day in your life and better yet, you never look at it as work. Yes, the term workaholic comes to mind, but I don’t believe that this is an accurate term. Owning and working at your own business is a personality type. For those of us who are entrepreneurs you all know what I am talking about. Running 3H Communications over the last 25 years… I have worked… and not worked. I remember reading an article that Arlene Dickinson You Inc called Born this way that really resonated with me. Mind you, this speaks to being an entrepreneur…and the drive to become one. I believe that you don’t necessarily need to be an entrepreneur, or run your own business to really love what you do. Just like you find love in many places…you find passionate people who are driven by what they do… from volunteers , coordinators, managers, store clerks to big business executives.
I will end this post by apologizing for taking advantage of the Valentine’s Day timing and using “love” as the hook, line and sinker of this blog! I hope I haven’t turned anyone off by being gimmicky… but it was too good to pass up!
by Miriam Hara | Dec 24, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Creative, Design
I will start this post by saying that this is not a jab at technology nor is it a rant on how business is being conducted today. Promise! Over the last 5 years the way business is being conducted has changed significantly, placing a strain on business relationships. Technology has made business accelerate at warp speed… resulting in many of us being strapped for time, overwhelmed and at wit’s end on how to meet expectations. We now have less time available for face-to-face meetings with clients and our vendor/partners. As emails have become the preferred way of business communications, phone calls are a thing of the past! I’m sure you’ll agree that calling anyone that actually picks up the phone, let alone a prospective client is like winning the lottery!
However, regardless of how the day-to-day business is being managed, ultimately relationships and the building of them is the key to any successful business. Through the years we at 3H, have noticed that quality time spent with clients is at a premium; it has increasingly become more difficult to get our clients and potential clients out for lunch, coffee or even a drink after work. That left us with the challenge of how to nurture and cultivate our relationships with our clients and even some potential clients.
Our approach was really a simply one, and one that was very natural – at least for me. You see I love birthdays. Actually, I love celebrating birthdays (I must admit I love celebrating my birthday most of all!). So every year for the last few years, an annual mandate for the 3H creative and design team is to develop, create and design a birthday card theme that would be carried throughout the year. These cards never go unnoticed. In fact, many who are on the receiving end of our birthday cards are quite touched by the thoughtfulness and are surprised that we remembered them on their birthday.
The irony doesn’t escape me either! A birthday card sent by mail is really a very traditional and low tech approach in business relationship building…. but I must say, it has garnered strong relationships for us. It has been the perfect blend of marketing, design and sales! The cards are all created and designed by the 3H creative team, allowing us to showcase our design and conceptual services. Our cards, of course, are very branded – all are purple and titanium. This not only builds the recognition of the 3H brand… it also illustrates to clients that we are effective brand builders.
Some of the concepts we’ve tackled were: Colorology, Destiny Number, Name Letter Profile, Birth Date numerology. Last year the 3H birthday card featured the Celtic Leaf Profile. The cards we send out are all created and designed by the 3H creative team. Each card is personalized. You can see these on our Pinterest Birthday Board. Feel free to download them and read about your Celtic Leaf Profile. It’s really quite accurate!
I’ll like to end this post by another heartfelt, low-tech message: Happy Holidays to one and all!
by Miriam Hara | Dec 4, 2012 | Branding, Design
Developing packaging starts with the size and shape of the actual package. The format adds a point of differentiation that is key to consumer pick-up and sales performance. Product packaging is a marketing art. It must speak to the product it houses, tout its benefits and engage the passerby with attractive graphics – enough to pick it up and persuade them to buy it!
It’s a tall order for even the biggest package. Yet, taking a walk down the aisle of a grocery retailer, mass merchandiser or pharmacy retailer, I find that a lot of packaging doesn’t make the cut. Too often I see packages that have “lazy” design. They don’t work hard enough to earn my interest or more importantly, gain my trust in the brand.
Here are 3 brand packaging requirements:
Packaging design is about more than just a pretty on-shelf face, it’s about originality. It requires a lot of design sense to organize all the necessary information on what is usually very little real estate. And no, it’s not about slapping on a stock image to tell a story. I believe in original photography or illustration. How can you show your brand is unique if the one image on its package can be seen in an ad or POP for another brand? It’s about layering design elements to make the package more unique and appealing. Understanding and treating the type to give it propriety, while allowing for design trademark only adds cache to the product. Equally important is the placement of information. It needs to lead the consumer to read the relevant content and assist them in making the right purchasing decision.
Package design must have Brand Charisma. Just like TV campaigns, print ads or any other brand communications, brand packaging must carry the brand character, personality and voice. It has to be all about the brand persona. It may very well be the first piece of communications that your target market sees of your brand; therefore, it must establish its brand style right away. Packages that slap on stock photography to tell the story or don’t pay enough attention to visual and written messaging miss a huge opportunity to stand apart.
Packaging must sell. Getting my attention is half the battle, now you need to talk to me… in the way that I wish to be spoken to. If the product is premium priced (targeting a more affluent consumer), the packaging must reflect that. There’s nothing worse than demanding an elevated retail price for a product while not supporting that emotively! Purchasing decisions, small or large, require cognitive reinforcement. Packaging must speak effectively to its intended consumer.
Ultimately packaging design shouldn’t be viewed as ‘cost of goods sold’. When you are designing your package, seek expert counsel. It’s a marketing initiative, so it’s not the place to start cutting costs. Packaging shouldn’t be viewed as a cost, it should be viewed as an investment.
What are some good examples of solid brand packaging design that you’ve seen? Please share them here.
by Miriam Hara | Nov 30, 2012 | Social Media
Social Media Understood: 33 biz-ims you need for social media success
Thinking of making your business social? Not sure what it takes or how to get started. Beneficial to anyone or business with an online presence, Social Media Understood will assist you in your initiatives by leveraging your marketing efforts. Social Media Understood is filled with seasoned advice – this collection of 33 biz-isms gives you practical information to help establish, build and maintain a strong brand-consumer relationship. This is the third release in a series of ebooks by 3H. Social Media Understood, will provide you with a quick and easy reference on the dos and don’ts of getting social right!
• Leverage marketing efforts
• Define communities
• Establish objectives
• Measure impact
What is an ism?
An ism is defined by some as an act of practice, others define it as a doctrine or philosophy… A biz-ism is an ism defined by Canadian marketing veteran Miriam Hara.
This collection of Social Media biz-isms is a wealth of practical information presented in concise, no-nonsense speak from a seasoned perspective.
social media understood
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