Everything is Image

How is your company seen by your clients? To improve the brand image of your company, you must see everything you do as your brand, not just the design and marketing materials.

Your brand is not something separate from your business it is the central theme which determines how you do everything within your organisation. If you have a clear idea of what you stand for, what your brand values are, then you must stick with that idea throughout everything. A brand is more of a reputation than a company logo. It is a mark of quality and a promise that when a client buys your product or service, they will get that assured quality.

How good is your product? How good is your service? How well is your company managed? All of these factors determine your brand. So, one might be tempted to say "image is everything", but actually, I prefer "Everything is image".

M&S On Your Marks Campaign

The current "On your Marks" campaign by M&S is, in my opinion quite underwhelming. Yes everyone knows that the Olympics is on this summer and that we will also be celebrating the Queens Jubilee, but I just think that M&S have lost there way a bit. To simply push the old Union Jack on everything is not enough. The current TV ads also have a kind of staid, lacklustre feel about them. Their policy of trying to appeal to all demographics doesn't work in my opinion. There is something about the ad campaign where people are "trying to look like they are having fun" rather than being photographed actually having fun. Yes we are also in a recession and yes we are in austere times, so M&S have certainly moved away from the indulgence adverts of recent years. 

Remember the "This is not just a pint of milk, this is an M&S pint of milk" adverts? Over the last couple of years Marks and Spencer have attempted to be the mid-luxury brand of indulgence to a more simple brand message, which in my opinion leaves us wondering what they stand for. With 20% OFF deals, they are now competing on price, rather than quality, which is in complete contrast to their brand values of 2 or 3 years ago.

New Lucozade Revive Brand

I quite like the look of Lucozade's new product offering. Lucozade Revive has launched with the Olympics just around the corner. As a company that makes fizzy energy drinks I think Lucozade have done very well to cover all corners, from the Original Energy drink to the sports focussed Lite Lucozade drinks. Unlike other soft drinks brands, Locozade have managed to position themselves to have a wide appeal. Instead of rebranding the original energy drink which is probably known more as as an early morning hangover kick, rather than a sports energy drink, they have chosen to offer this new range to appeal to a new generation of sports enthusiasts with the inclusion of almost all natural ingredients. It is a smarter energy drink for a smarter consumer.

Lynx Hair - Axe Hair - Product Review

The Lynx hair products brand is known under the Axe brand name in the USA and Canada. Here, in the UK, the "Lynx Effect" has enjoyed a very strong brand legacy. I have always liked their product packaging and they seem to change it regularly to keep it fresh and edgy. Their latest incarnation is very well put together. The overall design is strong and the new packaging is led by a great ad campaign. I personally like using the products, but I have not noticed the larger tub size for sale here in the UK. 

Adobe are making a big effort to be more visible

In the build up to the launch of Adobe Creative Suite 6, I've noticed that they have taken out quite a lot of full page press adverts recently. I think that Adobe are making a real effort to be more visible to a wider customer base. 

They have also changed the pricing of their software. Adobe are well known within the technology and creative industries, but aside from Photoshop and Acrobat, the general public don't really know what they are about. With CS6, they have improved the designer/user experience, but they have also improved their own brand image in the process. Also, with the introduction of Adobe's Touch Apps, they are also making a very good effort to speak to a new generation of designers. So far, I am very impressed. 

2012 London Olympic logo has warmed on me...

When I first saw the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic logos back in 2007, I thought they were too different and angular. Basically I just didn't get it, but I do now. They have to be looked in context to what was the general norm in design trends a few years ago.

For a long time, orb logos and logos with graduated colours or drop shadows were in fashion, but recently there has been a resurgence in more angular shapes within contemporary design. This is a direct move away from the previously organic inspired curved shapes. Circles and bubbles, targets and butterflies have given way to more confident angular designs. The Olympic logos could be seen as quite visually disruptive, but they also have an energy about them. In my opinion, where the logos are seen in place on other branding they also work very well. They are bold, they are brilliant, they are fresh. I finally get it.

Adobe Creative Cloud and CS6 Webcast

I've just watched the video clip of Monday's webcast about the new Adobe Creative Cloud and new Adobe Creative Suite 6 software. From first view, CS6 looks very very powerful. They have managed to bring a lot of things in line with what designers and content creators will find of real benefit. This is very smart, very interesting.

I also see that Abobe have made a big effort to bring CS6 more up to date with regards to creating content for mobile devices. There is also a big effort to make Adobe more accessible to a wider customer base. In the past, I think that they may have positioned themselves out of reach from a lot of budding digital artists and designers, but with the introduction of Photoshop Touch and other mobile apps, they will be in a position to introduce their software a new generation. Adobe Photoshop is a household name. I have been using it since the start. I was using Photoshop version 1 in art college, many years ago and personally think it is a really powerful photo editing tool. From what I've seen so far, CS6 seems to make the creative process a lot smoother for designers who want to design and publish over a wide range of media.  As an Adobe creative designer and user I found it very inspiring.

Australia Zoo - Website Review

Of all the zoo websites that I have reviewed, the Australia Zoo website is by far the most interesting. It is both informative and visually exciting. I think that Steve Irwin had such a powerful enthusiasm for what he did that his legend and vision lives on and is evident in such an amazing zoo and therefore the website too. Some zoo websites get the "Wow" bit right, but don't make the information informative enough and some get the information right, but don't make it visually interesting. The trick is that the site has to shout "THIS IS A WEBSITE ABOUT AN AMAZING ZOO" and it does it with brilliance. In my opinion a website for such a brilliant visitor attraction, must have the same impact and be as amazing as the place itself. It must create a "buzz" among people to live up to people's expectations. The Australia Zoo website team do this very well. Brilliant.

New Document Folder

I've recently sent out a promotional mail shot. I designed a new document folder to promote the consultancy side of my design business. If anything it is useful just to have something to leave with prospective clients. I print out my own data sheets and use them as inserts. In today's digital age I still feel it is important to keep up a visual awareness through traditional print media. I feel that it is also important to keep my clients informed about what I do. In my opinion, the method of folder and differential inserts is more versatile than the plain brochure option. As I am in the business of brand development, I think it is equally important to build and promote my own brand.

New Entrance Sign

I recently designed a new entrance sign for Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park. I have been working with the client on a new enhancement of their branding, to evoke a fresh approach and direction.