thisisdavelilly

DaLand Solutions Logo

2011-03-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

With their extensive experience in the credit union industry, DaLand Solutions assists credit unions in in locating and evaluating the optimal service provider for their institution.

They wanted to be seen as innovative, creative, collaborative, while remaining conservative.

The Logo
The trick was getting the 'D' to read before the 'L' (which is very subtle).
Imagine the 'L' overlapping the 'D' in the bottom, left corner. Or seen another way, the bottom, left corner creates somewhat of an 'L'. Either way, I was looking for the 'D' to be most prominent and the 'L' to be secondary. And I think we accomplished that.

Business Cards

The Website (Visit it.)

Graphic Standards Manual (See the whole thing.)

Circle. Circle. Dot. Dot. Logos. Logos. Spot. Spot.

2010-11-25T21:17:00.000-08:00

So cool! What a great study! See how many "logos" you can recognize! (As is the mark of good work) These are so obvious once you see the answers! I found it helps to squint a bit. Enjoy!

http://unevolvedbrands.com/

[Semi-Spoiler Alert] Logos I recognized (I tried to avoid the clues, but were occasionally too curious to see what the clue was on maybe 5 of them) were: American Airlines, Apple, TMobile, Subway, Flickr, Bing, BP, Baskin Robins, LG, Twitter, Dunkin Doughnuts, Burger King, Ikea, I thought #30 was H&R Block (it's not)

I think I got these ones right: Cisco, Yahoo (w/ clue), Kelloggs (w/ Clue), KFC, Starbucks, Google, Sprint, Nextel, Master Card, Lego, Onstar, Time Warner Cable, Taco Bell, Cingular, Best Buy, Black Berry, American Express, New York Library, MSN, Fire Fox, Groove Shark, Harley Davidson, Pepsi

Cool logo: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

2010-11-16T16:54:00.001-08:00

Elephant, Bird, and Fish.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Angel's of Grace T-Shirt

2010-11-13T16:06:00.000-08:00

For my cousin Diana and little Gracie Lou. Every year Diana and her husband put together a team to participate in the annual Cincinnati Walk for Kids. They and all of their southern Ohioans nearly gave the shirts off thier backs. So Diana and I wanted to make sure that if they did, they'd have a back-up.

Unofficial Logo: Gap

2010-10-10T01:15:00.000-07:00

They just got a new logo, but c'mon. It wasn't broke.

A few people have been creating their own. And I, of course had to through my hat in.

I saw this one -- a similar concept to mine I think -- and I really like it! Props Chris! Anyway ... I'd like to see what you think.

Cool Logo: Grupo 8

2010-09-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

My father in law recently went to cruise the Mediterranean and sent back a pic of this sign. Pretty slick.

Library of Congress logo: Cool

2010-09-24T22:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes its difficult to not design the obvious solution. That can be tricky to avoid when dealing with pages from a book. Looks like a good animation.

Logomotion

2010-09-23T22:33:00.000-07:00

a little slow. It's logos, so I had to post it.

BP logo rebrand / Obama logo rebrand

2010-09-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Recently BP blames itself (and others) for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It brought to mind Greenpeace's call for anti-BP logos.

But let's not forget who said he'd take full responsibility for the clean-up. Three months later: capped. Five months later: officially sealed. So I thought Obama needed a re-branding too, since he was involved. Right?
"Pres. OBAMA: In any of your reporting, in case you were wondering who's responsible, I take responsibility. It is my job to make sure that everything is done to shut this down. That doesn't mean it's going to be easy. It doesn't mean it's going to happen right away or the way I'd like it to happen. It doesn't mean that we're not going to make mistakes. But there shouldn't be any confusion here. The federal government is fully engaged, and I'm fully engaged, all right? Thank you very much, everybody."

--AP

Buyer Beware: iPhone 4 changes everything. Again. and Again. and Again. and Again. and Again.

2010-08-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

Below are some iPhone issues I found to watch out for. Maybe take a minute (or five, like I did) and go over it with a fine-tooth comb to see if you notice anything "not quite right."

1. Dead pixel (After about a month of use)
2. Dust behind glass
3. Stalled in "Restore Mode" when I tried to cancel a software update
4. Small dent in aluminum frame
5. Glue protruding from paper-thin gap at the edge of glass
6. Glue on aluminum frame (easy enough to rub off, so I did)

With each new phone came a new challenge. Most issues I found with mine were aesthetic, but if I'm paying $300 for a phone, I want that thing to be perfect.

I'm on iPhone 4 #6! Apple has been very gracious though this whole process, especially Eric at the Aspen Grove store here in CO. No questions, just swapped it out--twice. :-)

Pushing Apple's Buttons: iPhone 4 split volume buttons not as good as single volume button

2010-08-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

The first design flaw I noticed on the iPhone 4 is the separate volume buttons. Because the up/down volume buttons are split (and so far apart), it's difficult to tell if I'm on the volume up button or the volume down button.

I have to feel around for the second button to 'see' if I'm on the top button or the bottom button.

Apple, please go back to a single saddle-button solution (as on the original iPhone or feel free to use my design--after we talk about royalties):
Top section: volume up.
Bottom section: volume down.

Is this working on FB?

2010-08-08T14:01:00.001-07:00

yet?

The Girl Effect = completely sexist. Buuut..

2010-07-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

But that's ok. They have the best combination a capital "G" + Arrow that I've seen to date. Often the execution of this combo looks too easy and not quite finished. But the designer got the 'right' stroke weight and proportions between the arrowhead and the stress (left curve) of the "G". I think it helps too that the arrowhead is filled and not left open? Works really well. Props to whoever designed this.

http://www.girleffect.org/

Unofficial Bed Bath & Beyond Logo

2010-07-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

Finally got around to redesigning the unofficial Bed Bath & Beyond logo. Found my favorite (the softest) set of sheets there once and stocked up! The font is fine, but the skewed letters in "BEYOND" make the logo look cheap. Not only that, but every time I see their logo it makes me twitch. So I had to get this out of my system. I used a very similar font to help maintain their brand somewhat.

Oops: Sprint shows 3G in 4G ad

2010-06-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

Is that phone displaying a "3G" network connection? They chose the wrong image to promote their 4G phone. I think they've since fixed it, but not before I got their email (a month or so ago) directing me here.

Parisian Love

2010-02-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

This gave me goose bumps.

Eneloop Rechargeable batteries = suck.

2010-01-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

Come on! Can't any of you tree-huggers make a rechargeable battery that last?! If I get you some corn and bamboo, will you make me some?!

I returned my first purchase of Eneloops when I realized they lasted about 20 minutes. Then after researching rechargeable batteries, they wound up being the best on the market!?? Good grief. So I bought them again. Ugh!

Vanishing Point by Bonsajo

2010-01-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

A nice blend of audio and visuals.

UZI TACTICAL DEFENDER PEN

2010-01-18T23:18:00.000-08:00

The DNA catcher is moot if I can put this implement through my assailant's temple!

Saturday Night Live (Se 35 Ep 12) Sigourney Weaver - Laser Cats 5 (Digital Short)

2010-01-18T23:17:00.001-08:00

For those of you who love ... I mean hate cats.

CL!CK: A LEGO Short Film

2010-01-18T23:17:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love LEGOs?

Martin Luther King, Jr. Sings

2010-01-18T23:16:00.000-08:00

With chops like that, no wonder this guy was so influential.

John Stossel 20/20 - Graphic Design

2010-01-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

Wow thanks John, for the generous coverage. Very mustache-y!

O Holy Craaa... I mean Night!

2009-12-24T17:16:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!
This guy is the MAN! Enjoy!

Brand Identity: Studio 243

2009-12-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

Studio 243 is a full-service architectural firm which seeks to create a sense of place that inspires creativity. The owner and top architect is heavily influenced by contemporary European design. After living there(in Germany) for a number of years, I guess he sort of took to their style.

Design Brief
Not all that familiar with European design, (Ok, ok. I know nothing of eauro-design.), Dwight was happy to school me. He encouraged me to look at the Avante Garde (the font I went with, go figure) and Bauhaus movements. We talked for about an hour and by the end I had a grasp of what I was going for. Functional art.
Specific keywords for the project were: simple(boy was I glad to hear that), clean, functional, and formal.

For the logo, I wanted to show some dimensionality and allude to some elements you might see in Avante Garde architecture. We chose to go with red as the color since it's pretty formal.

JULIAN SMITH - Techno Jeep (Original)

2009-12-18T02:47:00.000-08:00

Keep watching; it get's better.

My Q made it into an Interview!

2009-11-26T18:54:00.000-08:00

My question made it into David Airey's interview with Tom Geismar! (See Q #4.) Thanks Logo Design Love!

Sawmerifenchax? Haxifenchaw?

2009-11-21T23:49:00.000-08:00

Whatever you call it, it's freaking awesome! I don't know jack about Brook & Hunter, but supposedly they made the Mo-Tool wood-inlay axe with hand crafted red oak wooden handle of the highest quality. Mo-tool axe includes screwdrivers, blades, knives, can opener, wire cutter, pliers, file and wrench! Despite it's lame name, it looks like a great tool for hammering, cutting, or killing around the home, car, boat or camper. Hunt. Fish. Camp. Survive. Good luck.

Citizen's Arrest!

2009-11-21T23:30:00.000-08:00

These witty little notes will get you slightly less of an ass-kicking than keying someone's car.

See examples here. Buy here. Enjoy!

Brand Identity: Garrett Logo

2009-11-19T05:52:00.000-08:00

A woman with the former maiden name Garrett (now Lilly. Hey wait a minute! That's my mom!), called a week or so ago and inquired about a logo. After a couple of phone calls (and finalizing the name), here's what we came up with. She was very happy.

The entrance to Tomorrow Land! Hurray!!

2009-10-28T22:40:00.000-07:00

Hopefully the bunny doesn't conjure up too many images and feelings form your childhood.

Up to the 3:30 minute mark this guy is dead on! It did strike me that the "W" actually was great for G.W. 43. Too bad the execution sucked -- royally! Cue sad trombone track: *Wah-Wah-Wah-Waaaah*.

Whittle, the Democrat logo can't even touch the Republican logo. The Republican logo (pun intended)kicks the Dems ass! The elephant, I would argue, is solid, clean, and professional. It's a good mark and a lot can be done with a mark like that.

Past the 6:00 mark, he goes off into more branding blah blah blah and shows off what he calls a "master-piece". Gag me! It's a far cry, IMO. The copy "Why so Socialist" is clever, but once again(like all conservative design I've ever seen) fails(miserably) in execution.

See how Liberals create engaging, memorable design here.

Know Your Environment

2009-10-13T05:21:00.000-07:00

Cooliris(a kickin' site for browsing photos, etc) designed it's installation process to integrate with the already-existing installation process/graphics of FireFox = Brilliant! What a great user experience!

t 'n' i

2009-10-07T18:18:00.000-07:00

Recently a co-worker was wondering when I would look over the design of an project we were sending out. Made me wonder, "What’s the design equivalent to 'crossing t’s and dotting i’s'"?

Now THAT'S a Knife

2009-09-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

The guys Ethan Becker of BK&T and John Benner of TDI put their heads together to create the KA-BAR Becker(Poor Benner couldn't get his name in there? Maybe if he'd had on of these strapped to his side he could have.) Tac Tool. It smashes! It bashes! It prys! It hammers! And, yes, it even cuts – assailants in half

Top This

2009-09-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

Jar Tops are the latest and greatest thing to hit food jars since Bandana's Banditos Jalapeno Mustard. Waite ... I don't think I've ever tried that. In fact I'm not sure how it got in my fridge. A set of Jars includes long-handled cap, an oil and vinegar cap, a cocoa shaker(?) cap, a creamer cap, and a sugar shaker cap. You can even buy the from the MoMA store.

Chicago Beating Video | SHOCKING Derrion Albert's DEATH

2009-09-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

Wow.

Looks like Chi-town needs some more community organizing.

Now we're gonna have to outlaw splintered railroad ties.

100 GREATEST HITS OF YOUTUBE IN 4 MINUTES

2009-09-29T05:45:00.000-07:00

I think I've seen it all now.

Bookmark II

2009-09-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

Great idea! I think I'll make my own with a giant rubber band and a sharpie.

Beer Bellty

2009-09-25T05:40:00.000-07:00

If I liked the taste of alcohol and/or was an alcoholic(and was sober enough to do so) I'd buy/wear/use this.

Magnets for Dummies

2009-09-25T05:24:00.000-07:00

This is brilliant! From what I gather just by looking at the photos, one would use the bottom half of the magnet hold an item in place. You would initially place the magnet in the "off" position. When you want to stick an object to a surface, (1) insert from below the magnet, then (2) press "on". And it sticks -- on the surface! When you want to take it off, flip to the "off" position. Clever! Love the functionality.

Chair Furnace

2009-09-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

At first glance, I thought this was a chair; don't make the same mistake. It's an ethenol furnace.

Piet is a chimney-free indoor stove by Fredrik Hyltén-Cavallius that burns ethanol instead of wood. With a brass reflector, this stove gives off no smoke or soot and can be placed wherever convenient. There is a layer of rock wool fire insulation between the reflector and the outer ceramic shell, so Piet can be placed near walls or furniture.

Thanks MoCo Loco!

It's Lights-out for Threadless

2009-09-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

In a good way. Their Rock On, Rock Off T-Shirt glows in the dark = awesome!

Hands On Logo

2009-09-13T23:39:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest logo design for the Hands On missions conference at my church. I was looking to focus on touching so I went with the obvious hand symbol. However, I didn't want to go with the cliched hand-print that's overused and I've never seen executed well--ever. Here's how it turned out.

Ebay wicked sick BMX

2009-09-08T06:37:00.000-07:00

It's an art to be able to do this without being lame to the power of sales-y!

Southwest Airlines Recruits Kids for Child Labor

2009-09-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

I've posted about Southwest before, because their the best airline IMO. And now I think I know why their able to get the edge on their competition. And at this point, I'd put nothing past them! Do you see what they are doing to these kids! As a pair of little girls walked the aisle passing out treats, I was able to snap a shot of one of them. Oh, the audacity! (Did anyone even know what this word meant before Obama got into politics?)

What a great way to get the kids involved in your airline(and just in general giving them something to do), out of their parent's hair, and make a buck for SW. I wonder what airline these two little girls will want to fly next time they travel? It's a shot in the dark, but I'd guess SW.

Might be a good way for SW to recruit too! :-)

Eggciting!

2009-09-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

Probably way to many egg jokes out there, but I was so excited to see these after almost giving up all hope that our two chicks(we'd raised since Easter) would ever begin to lay. I'd pretty much written them off and only "checked" for eggs whenever I'd change their hay -- not that they needed it for any reason. I was really beginning to resent them. It had been about a week since I'd changed their hay so I thought I should probably change it while I was down there feeding them. And when I opened the door ... surprise! Ten of 'em! Ten eggs right there! Jackpot! I couldn't believe it! After five months and 16 days, those two little babies laid 10 eggs in a week. It was a fine morning on Monday.

Fudge-covered Pretzel Sticks -- Yum!

2009-09-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

Where could there possibly be an innuendo!? I couldn't eat this with a straight face!
Whaaaaaat??! :-)

Read why B&J's decided to do it here.

Moving Brands/Moving World

2009-08-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

Kinda makes me want to run away to the mountains … and not just b/c of Obama :-) What an overwhelming video. I think I just had an epileptic seizure! Wow! I hope we can disseminate the useful information in today's day-in-age. There's so much out there. Fwew.

Glad I Use Protection!

2009-08-27T05:57:00.000-07:00

I think I now have to swear by iSkin. This is the second time it's protected my iPhone. My pics were a bit blurry compared to a friend of mine's pics he took with his iPhone. So I decided to take a close look at my lens cover. Dusty? No.

Scratched? See for yourself.

This would be my camera lens would it not have been for the iSkin's lens cover.

So Much Work, So Little Time

2009-08-25T19:10:00.000-07:00

Oh wait ... it doesn't take only 2 minutes to design a logo and brand identity? :-) Wow! What an awesome show of performance. What a TON of work! May we all put in this much effort into what we do. Not effort for effort's sake, but for the good of our clients.

Stained Chimney Reputation

2009-08-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

Saw this sign exiting the highway onto Broadway. It's, what appears to be, one of Ambassador Painters' yard signs that a disgruntled customer spray-painted on an orange warning triangle and affixed an 8.5"xll" sheet of paper that reads "STAINED MY CHIMNEY!"

I love seeing stuff like this. Guerrilla marketing from the consumer -- I mean, I don't think ad agencies can come up with this stuff! Unless an agency did(for one of Ambassador Paintings' direct competitors), in which case, that's really smart! In either case, it's awesome!

The next time I need my house painted, I know just who not to call. And if enough people have that same experience, do you think they'll survive for long? I don't. Good luck Ambassador, and I hope your PR dept is taking notes.

Oh Snap that license plate!

2009-07-30T05:32:00.000-07:00

I saw this on a walk through my hood the other day. It was parked in front of a rental-house occupied by (what i can gather/hear) a death metal band...zikes!

You play ball like a GIRL!

2009-07-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

Golly. There's no denying that Obama throws like a girl. But does anyone know WHY? I can't figure it out. He doesn't step with the same foot he throws with which look very awkward and is pretty common, I guess. Any baseball pros out there care to weigh in? I examined both Obama and Bush and can't nail anything down. I found a few things that would make one's throw awkward-looking, but Obama doesn't violate any of these:

1. Trying to throw a ball with your body facing the target, rather than rotating your shoulders and hips ninety degrees away from the target and then swinging them around in order to accelerate the ball.

2. A throw looks bad if your elbow is lower than your shoulder as your arm comes forward (unless you're throwing sidearm).

3. A throw looks really bad if, as the ball leaves your hand, your wrist is "inside your elbow"—that is, your elbow joint is bent in such a way that your forearm angles back toward your body and your wrist is closer to your head than your elbow is.

4. Slow-motion film of big-league pitchers shows that when they release the ball, the throwing arm is fully extended and straight from shoulder to wrist. The combination of these three elements—head-on stance, dropped elbow, and wrist inside the elbow—mechanically dictates a pushing rather than a hurling motion, creating the familiar pattern of "throwing like a girl." -- Thanks to The Atlantic

Is it the follow-through?

'Bout the Sweetest Anniversary Logo I've Seen

2009-06-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

I was doing some research today for an anniversary logo I'm doing, and I came across this.

Why I Love Apple

2009-05-28T19:24:00.000-07:00

They make things simple.

Space Invaders on Builing

2009-05-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

Dag-Blasted Teenagers! That's awesome!

Milky Way Galaxy Over Texas

2009-05-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

Everything's bigger in Texas; that's right, even the Milky way. Watch a time-lapse video of the center of the Milky Way Galaxy rising over Texas. Beautiful!

Frank Lloyd Wright LEGO Collection

2009-05-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

I bet that Wright would have killed to have LEGOs to do mock-ups with. Oh well, he didn't do too shabby with balsa-wood and foam-core.

The Guggenheim model is available now but Fallingwater is yet to be released.

Thanks Wired.

Take the Power Back

2009-05-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

On Memorial Day I think a lot of us tend to think of American soldiers from the recent past. Let me encourage you to remember soldiers who died before Iraq, before Vietnam, before even the Civil War(or War of Northern Aggression), all the way back to the American Revolution — where we took the power back.

Happy Memorial Day!

MakeTheLogoSmaller T

2009-05-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

I love it! So irreverent.
Available in Men's and Women's.

Obama's Web Campaign

2009-05-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

A quick word from the guy behind the Obama web campaign. Brilliant! But not rocket science. Any organization CAN do this. The question is WILL they? Will they see the value in it?

United Everywhere

2009-05-14T05:58:00.000-07:00

Who says the airlines are in a pinch!? Their advertising on the flatware even in a middle eastern restaurant here in Denver. So they can't be that bad off. :-)

I guess this just shows the importance of an easy/quick to identify logo.

iPhone/Kindle Similarities

2009-05-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Not even Amazon can resist the influence of Apple design. Notice the striking similarities between the back of the iPhone and the KindleDX. Not the following:
1. both are made of two different materials: silver and, what appears to be, plastic (bottom of iPhone, top of the Kindle)
2. both have logo at the top center
3. both have the device's additional info at the bottom center

IF MODE Folding Bike

2009-05-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

What a sweet design! It was always a pain getting my bike through the doorway at work – and up the stairs...

See specs and get it from AREAWARE.

In Address Book Map Of...

2009-05-07T06:05:00.000-07:00

I was shocked to find that my address book(running OS X Tiger) opens maps of my contacts in MapQuest. But here's a sweet pluggin to open maps using Google Maps!

Survival Straps

2009-05-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

A real man bracelet is made from military-issue 550 paracord. Survival Straps ($18-$25) have a tight braid work that fits 15' to 20' of cord into a bracelet. If you find yourself in an unexpected emergency requiring strong rope, this could save you. If/when you do use your Survival Strap, send it back, with your story, and they'll braid it back to new for you, for free.

Starbucks Cup Icon

2009-05-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

I noticed this in Maui on the front door of a Starbucks as I walk in. Has Starbucks' cup icon raised their brand identity to the same level as CocaCola? Maybe not, but they are pretty well on their way there as far as branding themselves, I think. Will they ever be as big or have the presence to get there? Probably not; I’m not sure how many latte drinkers there are in Ethiopia.

Can you see the similarities between Coca Cola's bottle icon and Starbucks' cup icon?

Underline + Bold = Improper

2009-05-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

In the days of the typewriter, because there was no such thing as bold(nor italic) character keys, the method for providing emphasis was to simply underline. Here's how that worked: Let's use "example" as an example. You would type "example" then backspace 7 spaces and hit the "_" key to underline beneath each letter to get "example". Then you would continue typing your document. You could sometimes get a bold look to a word by typing a letter and backing up and striking the same key again – this would make it a little darker but not necessarily bold. So the proper style for writing was either use the "_" key to underline or retype the same letters to "bold" the characters – but not both.

Thus to bold and underline is redundant and not proper style for writing. (Keep in mind this is for standard writing, such as reports, letters, white papers, etc.) For flyers, copy, other marketing material, this may not necessarily apply as a rule.

In fact, most people do not understand or remember the origins of much of the writing style usage and tend to simultaneously use italicized, underlined, and bolded text for their writing. While there are no style police that will come and lock them up, this still can look pretty hokey.

Thank you, Phil!

Spec Work. Ugh.

2009-05-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

David Carson looks like he's about to either start punching people in the face or curl up into the fetal position on the floor; I'm not sure which.

There is great creativity out there and there are some ideas that I myself will never think of. But some one might. Like a mom in Kansas might have the perfect solution for a client I'm working for, but maybe she just #1. can't reach the client or #2. doesn't know how to execute her solution in the best fashion. I wonder, could Spec designers and Professional designers collaborate?

I wonder if a company would be open to getting specwork done, then run it by an experienced designer? But if there are changes, or the spec designer misses the mark, you might have to start back at square one. So it might not be worth the runaround. However, if the spec designer has a good IDEA, it might be worth showing it to a qualified/trusted designer to see if it's executed well. Thoughts?

Specter Last Resort Belt

2009-04-30T03:37:00.000-07:00

Besides covering you ass, this thing could save it too. The next best thing to a bat-belt – but probably what the dark night carries all of his gadgets on. Check out the Specter Last Resort Belt ($25-$32). made from Mil-Spec parachute webbing, the belt can be used to fully support one's body weight for rappelling or harnessing, and you can easily attach a carabiner and/or grapling hook.

Logo and Website ReDesign for AGE

2009-04-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Akron Gear is a gear manufacturing company based in Akron, OH. They initially hired me to redesign their website, however after looking over their materials, I noticed that their logo could use some finessing. Since they've been around for a number of years, and the owner was quite fond of the current logo, we decided that a simple update was a good move. After some back and forth, we able to simplify it to it's current form. Here’s how this project went.

My primary goal was to simplify the site. It was incredibly busy and cluttered with info, some of which was outdated. They wanted something that would communicate exactly who they are and clearly display the products and services they offer. They wanted something customers could easily navigate, leading them to do one of 3 things: fill out a form, call, or e-mail. They wanted this to work in a manner as quickly and easily as possible.

View the site here >

Note: Dryclean Books

2009-04-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

A friend Paul Merrill, commented a while back on vague icon usage. He found the wash/dry icons pretty nebulous. As did I. I never would have even noticed this icon had he not pointed it out. I happened across this little icon on a book my wife was reading. And apparently you can’t just throw your dirty book in the washing machine.

Why is Brand Identity Important?

2009-04-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

In one paragraph:
As consumers we buy based on our perceptions. This perception (what people think about your organization) is known as your brand. And our perceptions are shaped by the way we experience (through our senses) organizations via their materials known as their brand identity. These materials include everything we can sense: What we see, like brochures. What we touch. What we smell. What we taste. What we hear, like radio advertisements or the way you answer the telephone to the way you phrase your mission statement.

So, to sum up:
Brand Identity(business materials) shapes Perception and Perception determines sales(or buy-in, etc.).

Thanks Alina Wheeler.

Hybrid Hummer

2009-04-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Ha. A hybrid Hummer(see below left tail light).

I like it, man!

Zoo Scale

2009-04-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

I just thought this was a great way to represent comparative weights on a scale.

Ethiopia Jacket

2009-04-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

I designed the graphic beneath “Ethiopia” for a church’s youthgroup who went there to help out on an orphanage in 2007.

Armageddon! It’s the End of the…

2009-04-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

Jesus?? He didn’t come this evening, but man what an amazing sky!

Happy 420 Day! (Please, Nobody Go Psycho)

2009-04-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm no hippie – or druggie. I simply believe that the government should stay our of our lives. If someone wants to smoke "the marijuana", so what? What business is it of yours or mine? Now, if that person harms me, then it's my business. And if all that person is doing is getting brain damage, that's his/her choice. Just, don't make me pay for his MedicAid because that person is too stoned to get a job.

Nice Logo

2009-04-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Can't remember where I found this, but whoever you are, "Nice work! Keep it up!"

Contrast

2009-04-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

What a cute little vintage mini – for this monster truck to smash!

Man Grows Tree Inside Lung!

2009-04-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

Talk about becoming one with nature. Pocahontas would be proud!

iSkin Saved iPhone from Serious Road-rash

2009-04-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Since I didn't have another camera on me, I had to re-staged this. But this is where(on the roof of my Corolla) I found my iPhone after driving .9 miles to the library. Apparently in the shuffle of getting the fam in the car, I'd set it up here and forgotten about it. iSkin(along with the Almighty) had my back. Thanks!

New MuteMath Spotlight Video

2009-04-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

MUTEMATH - Spotlight
So bad! As in to the bone! Is he having to sing extra slow and time it just right!?? And I guess they'd have to be clapping slow too. Slow funny. These guys are amazing!

Kinkos Poster

2009-04-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Kinkos seems to be stepping up their game! I love environmental graphics like this! Sorry FedEx, though I'm a loyal devotee, I don't think I'll ever break the habit of calling your retail stores Kinkos. Maybe my kids will.

Car = Dust

2009-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! Was that real!?? I thought for sure this was CG. I had no idea the Mythbusters were capable of breaking the sound barrier! Watch the side shot of the car (what appears to be)...I won't give it way! Just watch it.

Create an iPhone Icon

2009-04-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

As more and more cellphone users join the apple side, you may want to think about creating an iPhone icon for your website. I did b/c I have so many readers who(not only are cool and therefore have an iPhone) have to read and re-read my blog just about every second of every day. To make it easy on them, I've created a icon they can put on their home screen. I'm not sure if your readers are that dedicated, but mine are. Here's how it's done:

1. Create an image 57 x 57 pixels (apple will round the corners and gloss it for you)
2. Save your image to photobucket, picasa, or some other photo hosting website
3. a.) Save it as apple-touch-icon.png and add it in the root of your server, so in my case:
OR
b.) Place a link to your image between the tags <head></head> of your site.

Thanks Ian

iSkin Port Cover

2009-04-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

I wish iSkin would have just kept this little port hole cover attached. I lost my first one, so they kindly sent me a new one(or two) to experiment with. So as not to loose them again, I connected them with fishing line(passed through with a needle), tied it in a knot, and melted it together.

Conservative Design

2009-04-14T04:13:00.000-07:00

Do liberals have a corner on creativity?

I'm finding that not only are a lot of Conservative messages difficult to muddle through, a lot of design done for certain operations only reinforce the stereotype that they are out of touch and irrelevant. Don't be one of them.

When I compare organizations, I see a big difference in the area of creativity, communication(layout), professionalism, and most of all – branding.

I think in the coming generation that, unless you can clearly and succinctly state your case, you will fail. Get to the point fast. Use your branding elements; and if you don't have consistent branding elements established, get them!

"There are organizations doing great things, but they just don't know how to say it!"

The Difference Between Brand and Brand Identity

2009-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Your Brand is the perception that people have of your company.
Your Brand Identity is what you use to shape people's perception.
What we see (e.g.: logo).
What we touch (e.g.: brochure).
What we smell (e.g.: retail store).
What we taste (e.g.: your food).
What we hear (e.g.: like radio advertisements to the way you phrase your mission statement.)

When Good Old-Fashioned Competition Gets in the Way

2009-04-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

I never thought I'd hear myself(as someone who believes in capitalism) say this, but I think the competitive spirit might be getting in the way of Capitalism. Can we please unite already? Under the few causes we believe in? I know it's kind of Socialistic/Marxist and all but...Until we do this, do you think we might be duplicating our efforts here?

Take this Tea Party deal for instance. Why are there so many different websites up? It seems like everyone and their Native American buddy has thrown one up. Which one do I go to? Which one is the real deal? teapartyday.com? taxdayteaparty.com? And for crying out loud, those two were in the same article in World. And there's this one. Who knows how many more are out there. Tea Partiers, I wish you well.

Surfs Up!

2009-04-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

I’m not a surfer. But I thought this was a good use of negative space in forming the surfboard.

Phil's Toilet

2009-04-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

My brother in law is an engineer. Can you tell!?
It's funny, but I love how efficient he is!

Logo/Tag Line Placement

2009-04-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

How do you add a tag line to a logo? This question haunted me for quite a while but recently I think I was able to work it out with a few buddies of mine.

I used to think that the tag line unbalanced the logo, but I think that might just be the nature of tag lines. THE most important thing is your logo. The tag line is secondary, thus rightfully named, a tag line, because you tag it on. Adding an additional, but minor element(such as a tag line) may not require the original composition to adjust. This exercise may help:

1. You need to look at the logo without the tag line first, and ask yourself, “Does the logo(bug+word) look right”
2. Then(w/out adjusting your logo) tag the line of copy to your logo where it best fits.

Southwest is Nuts!

2009-04-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend I flew Southwest from Denver to Fort Lauderdale, FL. I couldn't believe my eyes – I was staring at a little golden pack of sweet and salty goodness – peanuts!? That right. Honey roasted even. And they did not disappoint. As good as I remembered them. Yum! Thanks Stacy! I bet it's been over 10 years since I've had peanuts on an airplane.

When's the last time you were offered peanuts on a plane?

Oh, they even had catchy phrases printed on the pack like:
"Tasty Fares" and "Crunch the Numbers"

And here's a nifty way to eat them
Step:
1. Open
2. Pour into mouth

MmmMmmm!

Guess Who Makes this Laptop?

2009-04-08T01:31:00.000-07:00

That's right. It's an Apple Macbook. Everybody is using it. It took me like 15 seconds to find one in World.

Do you know why you can so easily guess this? You know why this works so well?
It's not their logo. It's the very design of their product. I can't tell you how many movies or magazine ads I see with an Apple computer in them. I don't even have to see the Apple logo.

See, Apple has this genius idea of making all of their products look relatively the same. You know why this doesn't work for Dell? HP? Gateway? The products are so different from one another within the brand, but I wouldn't be able to tell one brand from another(except for Apple).

One of the Coolest Wastes of 5 Minutes Ever!

2009-04-06T23:33:00.000-07:00

Actually it was only about a minute, thirty. Then I lost interest. So maybe it's not that cool. But here it is. I hope you find it enjoyable and waste more time than I did. Here: nownetwork.

Great Funny Danger Icon

2009-04-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

Somebody had a lot of fun illustrating the graphic for this project. Not to be out-funned, the copywriter wasn’t about to pass up this opportunity! I passed this while strolling the construction site of Living Way Fellowship at Wildcat and Broadway.

Free Audio Bible(New Testament) MP3

2009-04-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

Simply reading the Bible just doesn't compare to this! Not to be cliché, but the gospels really do come to life. You've got to download this! You have to first download an App, but then you can download your New Testament. Each chapter is an MP3, so I just keep them in my iTunes library.

Oh! And you can download up to five different versions. I got the KJV.

Not a bad ministry either. I support. They work with oneverse who let nationals do the translating. Why do the nationals do it? B/c they are stoked to! They want their family, friends , and communities to be able to read the Bible themselves.

Effective Email

2009-04-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

See the "After" Version and the website.

I got an email the other day form my parents(See "Before" image). Apparently this was being forwarded around asking folks to send a teabag in in defiance of Washington's taxing us. But there were a few issues I had with it.

Here is a list of some problems and how they could improve on their marketing:

Get to the point FAST

Provide web links

Avoid saying things like, "Send this to everyone in your address book."

Headers are nice. Use them

Image headers are a great way to pull your audience into your email and gives you a credibility that far surpasses text only emails

Do Not Bend, UPS

2009-03-31T12:53:00.000-07:00

Wow, UPS, you really know how to follow directions—NOT. I just thought this was funny. Oh and it reconfirmed my decision never to ship UPS. It’s almost as bad as using the USPS.