Our most recent projects and thoughts on business, branding, and the state of design.
Connecticut is in a state of exodus. Big businesses, and all their tax-paying employees, have been leaving the state for years. General Electric, the company founded by Thomas Edison, left for Boston in 2016. They blamed state taxes as a…
It’s almost impossible for a graphic designer to pick his or her favorite logo. How does one even decide between a word mark, a pictorial logo, or an emblem? There are too many variables. To make it easier, John narrowed…
Build brand awareness and loyalty without distracting your audience. By definition, branding is a marketing tool used to promote an organization. It allows businesses to illustrate the values they stand for, and helps to differentiate them from the competition. A…
Stepping into the General Store is like taking a step back in time. Glass jars full of Tootsie Rolls and Swedish Fish greet you at the front door. The cracked walls are lined with photos showing the Deli as the…
Give a Creative Director a creative brief and make yourself a bucket of popcorn. Sit back and watch as he or she questions the objectives, pushes back against the target audience, and argues over the communication points and product benefits….
Designers and project managers are like oil in vinegar — they don’t mix. Project managers focus on budgets, objectives, deadlines, and the process of getting from point A to point B. That’s foreign language to designers. We’re concerned with colors, patterns,…
In 2005, I worked in the basement of the Byrd Library at Syracuse University. My job was to help students load the microfilm machines. Microfilm was already outdated, but I enjoyed the physical nature of thumbing through the card catalog,…
My name is John, and I’m a procrastinator. I openly admit to this apparent character flaw because, as a graphic designer, I’ve worked alongside an Olympic-sized roster of procrastinators. We’ll come up with any excuse to delay a project. Ask…
Have you considered the importance of your brand’s tone of voice? Are you fun and playful, or confident and matter-of-fact? It’s equally important to consider both what you say, and how you say it. Use language that resonates with your…
If the purpose of branding is to build a sustainable competitive advantage, then the main function of a brand style guide is to help ensure visual and verbal consistency across all brand communications. The best examples can accomplish much more, though, by motivating team members…
Everybody, stop what you’re doing and say hi to @jaco.designs! For the past few weeks, Sarah has been working on executing both print and digital projects for Northstar Fertility, River Bend Cemetery, and Van Dellen Solutions — all while getting her…
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