by Miriam Hara | Oct 5, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Design
Packaging design is not merely an essential part of branding in the world of retail products – it is the most important part of branding. Not only is it the first impression and provides the sales proposition but it must also close the deal… ultimately making the sale at the store level. Much like brand logos – in this fast paced world – it’s easy to change for the sake of change. With technology and design software making everything accessible, it has become effortless to “try this”, “change this” or “modify this”. Designs are not given the time they need to “cure” and become part of consumers’ landscape. Technology is great and it’s a fantastic tool. It has provided designers with the creative freedom to deliver on design flexibility and offer the marketing and creative industry astounding possibilities… in record time. But like everything else in life, there’s an upside and then there’s a downside to it. In this case, technology and software has given us speed and flexibility at the expense of timely conscious strategic thinking.
How does one know when the time has come to change a brand’s packaging design?
Are there particular signs to watch for? Or better yet, are there specific questions that need to be asked and answered? Here’s my list:
How long has it been since the last packaging redesign? If it has been 15 years or more, chances are the packaging should be redesigned. Consumers change within decades, and with this change come new trends and new styles. All packaging designs have a style, and eventually even the most contemporary packaging design starts to be viewed as stale or passé – more importantly, it no longer resonates with consumers. When all is said and done, the packaging needs to speak to the consumers in the way they want to be spoken to. A good way to assess packaging design fatigue is to commission packaging research.
Is the current packaging poorly designed? Does it reflect the product promise? Does it communicate what it is effectively? Or does it ask consumers to read and decipher what it’s all about? Was the current design professionally done by packaging designers? Does it stand up to the brand’s image? At the risk of sounding repetitive, the best way to determine this is through packaging research.
What’s the product sales turns? Is the product purchased weekly? Monthly? Once every 8 months? Annually? This is key for determining how many times products should engage in redesigning their packaging. For products that are purchased semi-annually or annually, redesigning packaging every year or even 2 years may lead to consumer confusion and frustration when they can’t easily find it on the shelf.
How competitive is the category? Are competitive brands constantly updating themselves with new ways of presenting their claims or providing appetite appeal? Are new brands showing up on shelf with nothing more to offer but a sexy or new package? This is often found in the soup category, where consumption patterns are high. A good source of information and insight of many retail categories and their competitive information is Nielsen.
Does the consumer base need to change? In this context, I am referring to the demographics and psychographics of the product’s consumers. Is a wider net required to captivate new consumers? Is the existing consumer franchise leaving the market … negatively impacting sales, and thus profitability.
Has the product been innovated? Is there something new to say? Has a new and improved version of the existing product been developed that will set it apart from the competition? Can it deliver “better” or “more”? If so, it is imperative to communicate that on the package, visually and boldly.
It has often been my experience that marketers, brand managers, product managers, marketing directors, marketing managers, to name a few, often tire of their package … way before the consumer does! So before you call on your advertising agency to come up with the next best design since the invention of sliced bread, take a deep breath and… well breathe… and think strategically.
by Lindsay Sleightholm | Sep 25, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative, Design
So you’ve created a brand… What was once just a nugget of an idea has been researched, developed, designed and finally brought to life. The result of all that hard work is a complete identity that will embody all the values of your product or service. Now it’s time to release that new brand into the market for whom it was created. Time to pop open the bubbly and celebrate? Well, not just yet. Before you unleash your brand into the consumer world, there’s one more important step you need to take to ensure its success: you need to provide it with proper brand guidelines to steer it in the right direction. What are brand guidelines? Brand guidelines are a detailed outline of a brand’s essence, explaining everything from brand positioning to visual identity. They will form a document that will act as a reference tool of standards. In other words, they’re an “owner’s manual” for your brand. The standards given in brand guidelines provide direction in times of potential branding mishaps – say, for instance, an inappropriate use of a logo, which would result in inaccurate brand representation. Basically, it all boils down to consistency. The role of brand guidelines is to keep a brand consistent within its identity, and a consistent identity aids strength of brand. Is there any room for maneuvering? Of course. Consistency is the key to the strength of a brand’s identity, but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a little leeway allowed for. Overzealous guidelines will only serve to box your brand into a corner. If guidelines are too restrictive – simply “insert photo here” – the brand won’t be able to thrive. It must be given room to breathe within its guidelines. And the creative team working with the brand should be able to convey effective messaging, without having to check their brains at the door. Know your guidelines
What’s important to remember is that a vested interest into the inner workings of your brand needs to be present at onset. Unlike the one you use for your car, this owner’s manual isn’t just something to consult when malfunctions arise. Instead, you need to ensure everyone working with the brand understands its identity, values, culture and how it communicates to its market. Brand guidelines should not only be made available at all times, but also clearly understood and referred to often. Brand guideline must-haves
- Brand definition: A clear definition of the brand should include all aspects regarding brand positioning, brand voice and brand management.
- Logo, icon and positioning statement applications: After the brand has been defined, it then requires having a complete illustration of the brand’s logo(s) and their components as part of the visual identity.
- Colour palette: The colours associated with the brand’s visual identity make up its palette. All colour values must be indicated in their various conversions for all forms of media.
- Identity restrictions: Unacceptable identity logo usage needs to be detailed in diagram form.
- Identity sizing and clearance: Minimum sizing and a measurement for logo clear space needs to be indicated.
- Identity typography: All typefaces, their sizes and weights as well as any typesetting requirements should be outlined.
- Trademarking: Any trademarks or legal lines that need to be present on graphic material, need to be stated.
- Brand visuals: Visual elements including photography and graphics associated with the brand need to be shown.
- Sample identity usage: Examples of acceptable advertising, promotion materials or signage while adhering to brand guidelines help to solidify requirements.
Anyone who has assisted in creating a brand knows the importance of brand guidelines. Successful branding starts with a clear identity and guidelines that promote consistency in its use yet allows for brand growth. In turn, the brand can thrive and build in value. The role of effective brand guidelines is essential to keeping your brand on the track to success. How much weight do you put on brand guidelines?
by Miriam Hara | Sep 24, 2012 | Advertising, Business Success, Creative, Design
Just how expensive is do it yourself marketing? In an age where technology has everything accessible to pretty much everyone the question begs to be asked… is this smart or not… and how costly is it? Today business owners can create their own logos, tagline statements, ads and websites all on their own. But like everything else in life, you have ask yourself… just because you can… should you? Just like speaking English doesn’t necessarily make you a writer, knowing software such as Photoshop or InDesign doesn’t make you a designer and understanding your market doesn’t make you a “creative thinker”.
Many businesses, B2B, B2C, retail or service proudly give out their business cards or show off their website with “I did it myself” attitude. This always surprises me. Businesses who hire carpenters, electricians or decorators to do up their offices, or even pay extra in rent to be at the right location, will skimp on designing a proper logo, establish a proper tagline and develop a proper site. What is it about the creative part of the Marketing field that makes business people think that it’s just an optional expense when establishing a business? What’s the point of having a website if it isn’t user friendly or it isn’t optimized for user experience so when people actually get to your site they get to access the information that they require effortlessly? How about the copy – if your site isn’t written properly for your target, and more importantly, if the copy written doesn’t take into account keywords for ranking optimization what’s the point of having the site up anyway? Isn’t the whole purpose of having a website to inform and get found on Google in order to call or come to your store?
I once went to a spa that charged me $175 for a 1 hour massage and then gave me a brochure with all their services. The brochure was a mess! Not only was it poorly designed, but it was riddled with typos… words were cut off and even the folding of the brochure was uneven. I felt that charging that much for a massage, the least that the spa should have done is offer their customers a brochure that has the same “upscale” feeling as their pricing! It left me with the feeling that they didn’t want to go that extra mile to sell me… to convince me that they were worth those extra dollars. In this case, good enough just wasn’t.
Most people wouldn’t even consider doing major repairs or transformations to their homes. I too can swing a hammer… most times I even hit the nail. And sawing a 2×4 piece of wood shouldn’t be too complicated, at least I don’t think so… just don’t ask me to saw a right angle! I’ll get it just about right, but not quite. Ask yourself this – if every time you walk into the kitchen and see the work that you did yourself, that isn’t just so… can you live with it?
Contrary to home improvements, the creative part of Business Marketing isn’t something that you can or should ‘live with’. First of all, it isn’t just you living with it… it’s your potential clients and customers that will be subject to it. Designers, writers, and professional marketers don’t just know how to use the tools… they know how to think marketing… they know strategy and market assessment. They do their homework for your business, looking at the competition, evaluating the market, understanding your business. Each of these professional designations (writer, marketer or designer) think in a process to determine the best way to market your business or brand, visually and cohesively… dare I say strategically?
I do understand that designing a logo, developing a tagline and creating a website can get expensive and ultimately it is an expense. But ask yourself how expensive is it to get it all wrong? To ruin your business’ first impression? Or not have the desired result from your website? Before you throw your hands up in the air and tell designers and writers how expensive they are, think of how expensive it would be not to have your business seen in the best light possible, or be found? Sometimes $1 spent poorly is a lot more costly then $1000 spent wisely.
by cassie | Aug 29, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative, Design
On August 23, 2012 a monumental change took place at one of the world’s largest technological companies; Microsoft unveiled a new logo, the first new logo since 1987.
This marks a significant change in the direction the company is taking. On the same day the logo was reveled, Microsoft stated in a press release that they wanted to revamp their image in time for the launch of Windows 8, which happens in late October. Windows 8 is the first software from Microsoft that can be used on both PCs and personal tablets, changing the way in which consumers interact with their various technological devices.
By creating a new logo Microsoft is not only trying to build interest and buzz around the product launch, but also show its target market that they have changed their way of thinking product development in response to how people currently use technology. Windows 8 is not just another “pretty” update and neither is the logo. It’s a new logo for a new Microsoft… with a new attitude.
Before
After
So how is that new business attitude reflected in the new logo? The first change is the font. Gone are the italics in favour of a new, straight font, which connects the F and T. They also altered the colour by lightening it and simplifying the use of colour removing dimension and shadows.
Secondly, the four coloured squares, which were previously curved and used to represent a window, have been straightened out and flattened to make a square. This was done to represent how applications will appear as mosaic tiles that will work on both touch tablets and PCs.
The changes are pretty minimal, so what has the response been? Pretty minimal as well. While it’s not being hailed as horrible, there’s no real praise for it either. It seems that it has failed to make an impression one way or another.
For a new logo that is supposed to be ushering in “one of the most significant waves of product launches in Microsoft’s history,” I personally think they could have done much better.
But like I said, they didn’t do a horrible job. Many components used are what go into a good logo. As Lance Ulanoff, Editor in Chief at Mashable.com, points out it’s simple and timeless. The design is clean and modern and void of stylistic trends that will easily look dated in a few years time. It also doesn’t deviate too far from the past logos. The logo is appropriate for the direction the brand is heading in. The tiles act as representation of the product the Microsoft is offering.
So where does it fail? Where it fails is the fact that it’s not memorable. Microsoft wanted the logo to be “humble, yet confident,” but humble is the wrong route to take if the brand is trying to play up the notion of significant innovation.
The lightened colour comes off as dull and weak. The adjustment of the coloured tiles is very minor. What the logo should say is “Microsoft is a leader in technology that offers innovative products to customers for their changing need.” Instead it says “Microsoft made a few changes here and there that might go unnoticed with customers.”
Simplicity is key in logo design…can anyone say Apple? The new Microsoft logo can be described as simple… but unlike Apple, it’s not clever and it’s not iconic. It’s bad business practice to try to follow in the footsteps of a competitor who has done it so well. Microsoft would have been better served striking off on its own… creating something original to set its brand apart.
While a logo a brand does not make, it is important to put thought and care into it, especially when evolving it.
Do you feel, given the goals and intended messaging, that Microsoft created a new logo that connects with consumers?
by cassie | Aug 17, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative, Design, Social Media
The rise of social media has brought about many advantages: instantaneous and constant communication; the humanization of brands and stronger relationships with customers.
However, it all comes at a price, mainly the diminishing attention span of users. Social media creates a constant feed of information virtually 24/7, resulting in people spending less time engaged in your content – if they even read it at all.
So how does one make sure that not only does important information reach the intended audience, but that it also gets absorbed?
It’s funny how everything old is new. Social Media content has taken “a page” from traditional print. Remember how newspapers were very rudimentary in layout and content was “the star”, making for a very text heavy presentation. Well, here we are once again.
Social media is becoming increasingly more visual and that means if you want your content to be read, you need to make it visually appealing.
Moving away from being text heavy, Twitter has a limit on the number of characters a message can have as well as allowing for postings of photos. After all a picture is worth a thousand words! Taking that adage to the max is Instagram, a photo-sharing platform in which users take photos, apply a filter and share it to their other social media accounts. Then there’s Pinterest, a virtual pin board that allows users to “pin” photos of things they find interesting and share with others for inspiration.
Making numbers and dry data interesting is easier said than done. One way do that is to use infographics. Infographics are visual representations of data and yes, they too have been around for a long time, just not called as such. Chances are you’ve used infographics long before venturing into social media. Maps, diagrams and charts are all examples.
So why now are infographics gaining popularity?
First of all, with the rise of social media, people don’t want to dig to find the relevant information. Infographics can streamline what needs to be known in a concise and easy to read manner. At the risk of repeating myself, the attention span of audiences is lessening by the second!
Secondly, infographics can take information that, while important, might be boring and transform it into something that is eye catching and visually appealing. With a whole spectrum of symbols, characters and colours to use, what once was boring can be made fun. By using those elements, the creator of the infographic not only catches the eye of the reader, but directs them where to look, helping ensure the information is read.
For example
This is an infographic taken from www.timeout.com. It provides interesting stats on the Olympic and Paralympic games through recognizable symbols, colours and limited text. If the information were presented written in a black and white article, people might not care, but through the use of infograhpics the information has suddenly become quirky and worth a second look.
How can brands leverage infographics to their benefit?
Brands can use infographics to tell their story. Through statistical graphs and charts brands can show how the brand has grown and the direction in which it is evolving.
Brands can also use infographics to assist in developing or establishing a persona. The images, characters and colours used will all have connotations and those choices directly reflect the brand.
Lastly, brands need to put their infographics out into the world. The whole point is to make the information easy to understand and absorb quickly, making it ideal for sharing. Being easy to read and understand, visually appealing and fun are all characteristics that help generate engagement and propel brands. The greater the impression an infographic makes on a reader, the greater the likelihood of the reader sharing it with others on social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest– that’s what social media is all about after all.
Just like having a brand and not advertising it…. It doesn’t matter how great an infographic is, if it’s not posted to social media, it’s not worth anything.
What has your experience with infographics been? Do you think they are here to stay or a fleeting trend?
by Qing Hu | Jul 27, 2012 | Business Success, Design, Interactive
Web Design isn’t about the layout, the colour, the look or the impact of a site. In fact, behind every great website is a great web design usability interface. Success or failure of your website depends on user the web design usability interface. A website is your first impression out there in the real world… so it’s important that the user interface provides everything that the end user is looking for , easily, while on your website. Success or failure of your website depends on user the interface. Viewers, surfers, user… a call them what you will, cannot find what they seek if the interface is poor.
Jakob Nielsen, a Denmark web usability consultant, suggested the following heuristics (must haves!) for user interface design:
Visibility of system status
A website should always keep users informed about what the site is about, what page they’re currently looking at and where to click. It is recommended to have your site’s title and page name visible on every page so that users know their whereabouts.
Match between system and the real world
Websites should speak the target audiences’ language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to them, rather than using technical terms. The copy should be relevant, engaging and provide learning. It should also be streamlined and efficient.
User control and freedom
Viewers often click for the stake of well, clicking and find themselves on a page that they don’t want to be on. Make sure your website has clearly marked “exit” to leave any unwanted pages… and back to the pages they want to be on. Similarly, users sometimes will click on links that takes them to another page while leaving the page they are visiting. To remedy this problem, websites should support undo and redo. For example, having links opened in a new tab or new page instead of having users leave the page.
Consistency and standards
The intended audience should not have to wonder whether different words, actions or layout mean the same thing. Websites should follow conventions (e.g. font color and size consistency, same header and footer height across pages, image size and etc). Make sure all pages on your website have the same look and feel. If not, users will think they’re on another website.
Error prevention: Recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
A good design should prevent problems from occurring in the first place. For example, when designing a contact us form for your website, you should clearly mark the required fields. Somewhere on your contact form, you should include *(denotes required field). If an error still occurs, be sure to send the users a clear error message. The message should be worded in plain language (no codes), indicate where were the errors and suggest a solution on how to fix the errors.
Recognition rather than recall
Minimize the user’s memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. Instructions for use of the website, such as sitemap should be visible whenever appropriate.
Example: In interface speak, website links have 4 states. Make use of these to ensure that users know where to click, where they’ve visited and what page they’re on at all times. Here are the 4 states.
a:link {color:#000000;} /* unvisited link */
a:visited {color:#666666;} /* visited link */
a:hover {color:#CCCCCC;} /* mouse over link */
a:active {color:#FFFFFF;} /* selected link */
Help and documentation
Even though it is better if the website can be used without instruction, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation, such as a FAQ page that contains information related to what the user is trying to find. Have a “contact us” link visible on every page, so they can email you with any issues, questions or concerns.
Why is this important? Consider this: You may have the greatest SEO campaign or Google Ad Word Campaign, but if it leads your intended audience to a site that isn’t providing them with the expected web experience, you’ve just lost them.
Is your website design usability optimized for user interface?
