by Devorah Abrams Farmer | May 1, 2013 | Advertising, Branding, Creative, Design, Latest, Social Media
Will your logos die a slow painful death, or will it stay vibrant and alive for a long time?
The old adage if your product is in demand, your logos could be timeless, proves to be true with such brands like Windsor Salt or Maple Leaf Foods. Products that are fortunate enough to get near what those products have achieved is the goal of every advertisers and no doubt their dream.
If your product has a simple recognizable logo such as Apple with a bite taken out of it, is recognizable anywhere in the world. It is not a complex, unobtainable symbol. It even provokes thought as to what the bite out of the Apple means. One meaning could be the bite Eve took out of the apple in the Garden of Eden, and gave it to Adam.
One of the most widely held interpretations says that the logo memorializes Alan Turing, the mathematician and scientist who laid the foundations for computer science with his pioneering research into artificial intelligence and unlocking German codes during the World War II. Turing committed suicide in 1954 by biting an apple laced with cyanide.1
Internet-Geeks and other Apple users like this interpretation. And yes, this simple logo is so thought provoking that the rumors to its meaning is debated to this day. There is no doubt this is part of the appeal of Apple’s logo.
Apple didn’t always have this logo Apple has changed the logo in color, theme and texture over the years. It has used the logo with a rainbow theme, an aqua theme and, since 2003, with a glass theme.2 It has adapted and has changed with the times.
When it comes to political candidates logos go a long way. A candidate cannot be in many places at once, but his logo can be everywhere. The logo even has to be simple enough to fit on a button. Having simple and bold ideas, and the adage that “less is more”, advertisers can make strong and empowering messages.
In order to proceed with determining what your logo will be you must research to see if a logo already exists; does it mean something strange or offensive in any other language; will consumers and companies be able to find you on the Internet.
Lindsay Sleightholm of 3H Communications Inc., of Oakville, Ontario says “when developing a logo, type-faces, graphics, colour, size, balance, print or digital applications, and mobile items are all important considerations. Another issue to consider is whether or not your logo will survive going from colour, to black and white. With a logo, you have to have a succinct visual, in order to communicate the brand essence. Your logo has to be easily recognizable, and stand apart within its market segment.” Logos, branding, and advertising methods have to change with the times as well; even from day to day in order to stay competitive.
by Saara Jafari | Aug 30, 2012 | Business Success
The Dilemma
Many small to mid-sized businesses are often caught in a “To Market Research or Not To Market Research” dilemma and by Market Research, I mean traditional market research methods like focus groups, survey polls, etc. So why is there this dilemma? To nail it, it’s because of time and money. As a business manager you are often crunched for time before product launches, ad campaigns, and constrained by budget too.
So then you may ask – how to market research? Use tools like Survey Monkey? Sure, if you feel all you need is a range of 100 – 250 responses per month … Or, if you are a small business or network surveying your internal staff for cafeteria food improvements or annual Christmas party venue ideas, by all means, go for it. However, if you are launching a product or campaign and would like to test it before the big launch, using a third party research company specializing in the field should be the preferred route to take. Responses require analysis and credible/effective analysis requires thought and strategic direction. Survey Monkey does neither for you.
A tool providing a broader respondent base at a given point in time would seem more beneficial. Don’t you think? Do I hear Market Research company?
The Million-Dollar Question
Is market research imperative to business /product/brand success?
The Answer
“Marketing without traditional research still creates a blind target”
If you don’t know whether your product or service is relevant to your target market, you are not only wasting your valuable marketing and sales bucks on product development, but also on your distribution and advertising campaign. Miriam Hara from 3H Communications puts it very aptly, “Sometimes a $1K spend is more costly than a $10K spend – after you do the math.” Be farsighted. Think long-term customer loyalty via knowing customer demand. Translate that into sales. Translate that into dollars. Translate that into a happy boss. A happy boss equals promotion, which equals a bonus, which equals a happy you.
A lot of big marketers like to back up their ‘Market research is not important’ outcry by quoting what Henry Ford famously once said, “If I’d have asked my customers what they wanted, they would have told me ‘A faster horse’.” Steve Jobs was one of them. In an interview with Fortune Magazine’s senior editor, Betty Morris, he was quoted as saying famously, “we do no market research” when it comes to choosing strategy. And when it came to connecting with his consumers, he spoke about launching the innovative Apple iPhones after talking to everybody around him and finding out how much they hated their cell phones. iTunes Music Store? Same story. Observing people around him, he realized how much everyone loved their music and that they all wanted to carry their music around with them. It “seemed like the writing on the wall” that electronic music transfer is the future. Ironically though, Apple is known to conduct surveys to get customer feedback on its products and service.
“Know your market. Know their market”
If you don’t talk to your target market, you won’t know how to beat competition. Knowing about the strategies and plans of your competitors is Marketing 101.
“Don’t assume. Ever.”
Don’t assume you know what the consumer likes or dislikes. Find out and adapt.
“Good enough is never good enough”
As much as your family and friends’ opinions are valuable in your personal life, they are not good enough when it comes to your business. They don’t want to hurt your feelings. Start off with secondary research if you really can’t spend much. But try to use both primary and secondary research. Oh, and just in case you missed the point above, let me reiterate … Please don’t use Survey Monkey.
To conclude, “Dare to be surprised: Use research”.
The cost of a market research project is typically less than the media cost associated with a product or an ad campaign launch. So an unsuccessful campaign translates into a waste of all those big media bucks.
So what do you think is the roadway to business success? To Market Research or Not to Market Research?
(Miriam Hara’s e-book quotes are available on www.3H.ca)
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 Christine Marr | Jun 11, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
Are you going app-crazy? How many apps do you have downloaded on your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android? Surely you’ve contributed to the latest stats that I’ve been hearing… to date, Apple has surpassed 25 billion (BILLION) apps downloaded, and 60,000 more added every month! I probably don’t need to tell you that mobile apps create interactive experiences. It goes without saying that they improve your business’ visibility. Today it’s all about 24/7 access to instant information and location sensitive content. In the not so distant future, mobile devices will replace traditional computers completely.
Being in business (B2B) or having a brand (B2C) there is ultimately one question to answer and deliver on: How do you break through the app clutter?
Well, just because it’s a new channel doesn’t mean you need to throw away traditional techniques. In fact, they are even more important to adhere to. To effectively market your app you must use a consistent, measured approach to best guarantee long-term success. Taking the time to ensure adequate support of the product, considering your market and designing a marketing strategy is vital. Understanding the value of the channel and the media properties you employ is key so that you don’t spend your entire marketing budget in the first few weeks.
Tips to successfully market your mobile app:
1) Build your website: I know it may sound crazy, but make sure your foundation is sound. You may have a great app, but eventually you’ll want to turn that app subscriber to a customer and client, and that takes a solid website ready and positioned to handle incoming traffic and lead generation.
2) Blog and update regularly, connect with like-minded blogs to promote your app. Your profile or company profile for each blog should always speak to your app, with a link to download it now.
3) Be the first! Be unique! It’s tough to be the first to come out with your type of app in an already saturated market , but you can offer an existing concept in a different way or be innovative taking an existing app and making it better.
4) Develop and Implement a Strategy: I won’t belabour this point. Let’s just say Marketing 101.
5) Shout it out! Being first or being unique doesn’t get you anywhere if people don’t know about it. Don’t wink in the dark! Consider a pay-per-success campaign where you are only required to part with money if the advert leads to a direct download. Don’t do it yourself… if you can’t. Enlist the services of a promotional tool to toot your horn to targeted audiences.
6) Build up hype about your app launch: A combined approach incorporating word-of-mouth, viral marketing and advertising is the best way to keep your downloads high and think long-term sustained success by staggering your message.
No shoemakers children here at 3H: Following our own advice, we have a just launched our new marketing app : Hoopla…. download it now! Just click here.
What is your favourite business app?
by Lindsay Sleightholm | Feb 9, 2012 | Creative, Design
Paper and pencil, set square and drawing board: Can you believe once upon a time graphic designers actually used these tools to create? (Gasp) It’s true. There was no other way.
With the advent of the computer, graphic design as a profession changed – drastically. Not unlike many other professions. For graphic design, creating on a drawing board by hand, was then handed over to a machine that could do it for you. Sounds great right? Well, as we all know, it was not quite that simple.
What is a computer? By definition it is: one that computes; specifically: a programmable usually electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data.† That’s it. That’s all it does. Just simple, logical organization of information. These electronic devices are programmed to do we want them to do. They are engineered to make life easier by their ability to carry out commands that we give them. The rest is up to us. Take this graphic design blog post as an example. I typed these words into a computer. It then processed the information with a few simple commands that I gave it. The computer can’t think for itself, it needs me to tell it what to do. It doesn’t know what I’m going to say, or how I’m going say it. It just stores the information.
Yes, we all love Apple. Something that once took days can now be accomplished in hours. Yes, we now have the ability to ‘undo’. Undo deserves a blog post of its own – that little command has saved us all on countless occasions. Yes, we can create multiple options. Designers can now more freely experiment with different styles, colours, layouts and work on approaching the design from different angles, resulting in varied solutions to the same problem. Yes, it has reduced costs in regards to production. The skill set of a graphic designer now often includes ‘production expertise’. This has evolved the role to integrate, typesetting, digitally imaging and software knowledge. The final product is neatly packaged on a digital desktop.
As I said, the computer has changed graphic design drastically. If it is understood and used properly, it can greatly enhance the outcome of our work. It has facilitated great leaps in the industry and added new dimensions to what is possible. Although, I find sometimes people lose sight of the fact that, the process of designing itself hasn’t changed at all. A computer can’t design it for you.
The computer can be compared to paper and pencil. A great line from my Creative Director goes a little like this: “Computers do nothing for someone who doesn’t know how to use them and everything for someone who does.” Agreed. It is simply a tool and a graphic designer it does not make.
What do you think? Let me know your thoughts…
†http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/computer
