So far this week has consisted working on a logo concept for a workshop series, client meetings, assisting on a presentation for Suze Interiors and putting together a proposal for a store opening in July…. (FINGERS CROSSED!!!) Other then that, I’ve been focusing some energy on working ON my business rather then always for it. Hence the pick up of the blogging.

In the very least, I want to get something out rather then nothing be it, what I’m up to, around Vancouver, inspiration, new work or education.

This year,  I’ve amped up my netw0rking aside from my Thursday morning meetings & am always up for & open to any new events.

Tomorrow, I’m meeting with Claudine Lam of Sales Partners & hopefully we can put our heads together to offer more specials, workshops & education for Vancouverites.

Til next week…

His former partner had relocated to Australia leaving a hole to be filled. Dave Collette has been known in Vancouver as an actor but not as well known as Dave Collette, the realtor. So a brand needed to be created.

The first task was approaching the logo. Most realtors want to brand themselves rather then a faceless business entity. So it is important portray who they are & what they stand for.  I’ve worked with several realtors. Some want to be portrayed as very corporate. Some want to come across as ‘sexy’. Dave wanted to be approachable & loves the new york east side look. Wants to appear masculine but not overly aggressive. The look was to be slick, professional and clean.

The main concern for the brand was that Dave needed a logo, website & listing presentation first.

Listing presentations are a main component for most realtors as it is what they use to woo clients.

Below are some of the samples>>>> (click on items to enlarge)

Dave Collette Logo

DC Listing Presentation

DC Listing Presentation 2

Feature Sheet Template

DC Home Page: www.DaveCollette.ca

None the less, the shift from art school to design school was a change. Not only was I on different campuses but felt like I was in different worlds.

Gone were the multi coloured heads & facial piercings, replaced with the name brand clothing & highlights. Grunge music was replaced with house music (hard for one that graduated highschool during the peak of nirvana)  & drawing through interpretation was replaced with tracing on tissue paper.

We were instructed that everything was placed with purpose. There were things like design grids & white space to consider. Type itself became it’s own art form and calligraphy was instructed.  More then once, a project took on a life and size of it’s own that presented the dilemma: is this art or is it design? (I wish I had photographed my piece that depicted a graphic element with art/design that was from the era it was created in).

So what is the difference? We have been told design serves a purpose. It is there to help create a call to action. To raise awareness, to promote something to inform but doesn’t Art do this very same thing?

Doesn’t art tell a story? Doesn’t it shed light on social morality? Doesn’t it try to raise awareness about today’s issues? To inspire those around it to take action.

So where is the line? Design has purpose but those can argue Art does as well.  Placement of objects, flow of the eye are considered in both mediums.

However, sitting over here, as a graphic designer whenever I create a logo or adverstisment, I ask: who is the audience? What is the intention?

So the answer comes down to one main difference: design inevitably requires the viewer to buy a product or service where as the artist… wants you to buy the piece.

With that being said… often times art & design are interchangeable as are those who produce it.

Toulouse Lautrec, one of the first graphic designers, has his posters hanging in museums all across the world.

More recently, Andy Warhol, the epitome of pop culture,  designed the infamous Campbell Soup Can

It was terrible. Mainly because you walked around wondering if that was it. I applaud them for trying out new & different ideas to help bring people into their neighborhood but I do boo them for doing it so half assed. If it were up to me, I’d create (for example) a heineken tent complete with DJ. Or feature these light installations in each of the restaurant/lounge establishments where they have a feature drink & appy where you can attain a passport to help guide you through the establishments.

It seemed futile to create an event asking for local businesses to sponser with no real calls to action in return. One establishment spoke to the effect that they put all the money up last year & there was no difference in price whatsoever.

Perhaps a feature light presentation at a set time would help create more stir, musical performance would help entice crowds or a combination of the above. The fireworks every year in english bay attract hundreds of thousands (course it is at the peak of summer however they are still just fireworks).

I don’t know if it is from a lack of advertising (I only heard about this via social media) or if it wasn’t organized properly but I think in order to keep the interest alive, there is a need for more crowd participation on some level. If you are trying to be on the edge about what you are presenting to society, there needs to be a delivery that keeps us wanting more.

The question remains.. Is your brand effective? Are you sending the right message across to your clientele?

There are many aspects to consider but it all starts with your logo. You consider so many things. Image, type, colour, name and tag lines… do they work together? Do they allow for growth?

When developing a logo, one should consider the following:

Are you marketing yourself or your company?
Is your name memorable?
What are your services? Can you sum up what you do in one sentence?
What colours do you associate with your industry?
Who are your competitors? What makes you stand out from them?

A strategist  can assist with these questions & further investigate the essence of your company as well, help map out how to develop your brand with marketing materials, website & the customer experience.

A good example of a strong brand is Starbucks. They have not only been successful in exposing their brand with clearly marked signage & packaging but the customer experience within each of their locations is consistent. They have managed to take over our cafe experience with their ordering strategy, you expect to see each employee in their green smocks (khakis for summer and black slacks for winter), You expect their christmas cups & signature peppermint lattes in the winter & have managed to make gift certificates a welcome addition to any stocking stuffer or thank you note. Like Nike, they are slowly taking away the name starbucks from their icon & are leaving the mermaine unadorned within the decorative circle. Is this arrogant or a well brain washed market we have become?

And the answer for that is never simple as there are so many choices to choose from. However, some things to consider when picking a paper stock for your cards is the following:

1: Your brand
2: offset vs digital
3: The amount you want printed
4: Specs: double sided, full colour, full bleed, coated/not coated, die cut etc… ?

and like anything else in life, it also boils down to #5: Budget

1: Your brand

A lot can be said for the type of paper you print your cards on. More often the not a staple at any given print house will be either an 80lb cougar or similar stock. That is a very basic type of matte paper and in today’s standards feels quite thin. However, what is your company? If your company is a low cost retail provider, a lower cost card stock may speak to your company’s brand a little more. However, a high end event planner with budgets of the hundreds of thousands may look to a thicker heartier, stock to showcase they are a premium brand

2: Digital vs Offset

The thing with printing is, are you going to use digital or offset in your printing? Digital is cheap & allows you to do very small print runs. However, the paper choices are limited due to the fact that you are putting your paper through a machine. Offset allows for limitless paper choices and often times a higher quality finish and coating.

3: How many will you print

So often people think that if they only get the minimum amount printed that it will be the cheapest. There is no set up in digital printing and therefore small runs are possible.  In offset however, many printers have minimum orders. If you do a gang run, often times, they can’t print under 1000. If you want a special coating, there is a minimum there. Printers will often not even offer offset printing for under 500 cards. The reason being is the set up of the plates which takes time, expertise & money to do it correctly and because set up only needs to occur once, the higher amount you order, the better value you attain in the long run.

4: Specs

Discuss with your designer what you want your cards to look like. Like anything, a base model (black only, no bleed, one side), will be the cheapest option on the cheapest paper. However, more then likely, there will be no appeal. Adding special items: die cut, rounded corners, patone colours, coatings, size change, dual sides.. will add to the cost as it adds to the complexity. The things is some paper works better for your specs then others. A matte paper will absorb the ink & give it a darker look then a coated paper. Coated paper allows the ink to sit on top of the cardstock thereby giving it a more vibrant look. This would be better if you are using photographs in your design so as to keep the integrity of the photo.

5: Budget

Like most things in life, anything is possible if you are willing to pay for it. You can have the thickest shiniest, unique cut cards out there but it will cost you. As mentioned above, it comes down to the 4 choices as to how much you will spend. Keep in mind, you do get what you pay for. The cheaper printing houses, skimp on customer service where as higher end printers can look at a job & offer suggestions as to what will make it pop that much more.  Digital is more often cheaper then offset. While digital has come a long way it is limited as to the types of paper it can use & the quality to which it prints. If you are looking for state of the art cards, offset is your choice. Again, any type of paper can be used. Most designers prefer working with offset as it provides a higher quality. Some printing companies offer gang runs where by offering higher quality papers at cheaper costs as they lump projects together but you are at the whim of their specs.

All in all, like anything, you need to decide what represents your company best. 80lb Matte is deemed on the lower end of the spectrum while many printers are offering stock as high as 16pt to give a very crisp strong card. 12pt or 14pt coated card stock is the median and usually offered at most print houses.

We like to share ideas, recent projects, great brands… bad brands and all in between. We hope to see you on a regular basis so check back often!