Open for Business!
We were delighted to have the opportunity to design the OPEN flags for the businesses of Tiverton Four Corners. Our goal with this collection of sherbet colored flags (pinks, oranges, blues and lime greens) was to highlight the independent businesses on the main thoroughfare of this 300 year old town.
Summer Design
We’ve been working with DeBlois Gallery in Newport, RI for years now, and they’re always up for something fun. This year’s Member’s Show design uses punchy color and contemporary direction. Go see it if you can!
A Website Re-Design
When this San Francisco-based client came to us with an outdated web design, we were eager to help. They had an amazing portfolio of images showing their expert tile and marble designs, and served a high-end clientele, but their web design didn’t communicate their expertise, nor was it as effective as it could be in attracting their target market.
Because the web design was outdated, it had not been built with modern Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. For example, there was very little text on the “Home” page, which is a serious detriment to a website’s search engine ranking. In the new design we incorpoarted all of the content that had previosly been hidden away on the “About” page into the “Home” page. We also made good use of the client’s beautiful images in an enormous showcase slideshow. With more sophisticated fonts, a fresh and elegant layout design, and a diligent commitment to SEO, this client now has a website that effectively communicates their brand and attracts new business.
Simple, Elegant Packaging
This 300 year old farm, located in South Dartmouth, MA needed a simple and elegant packaging solution for their organic jellies and jams which sell in local markets and shops. This lovely little hang-tag provides ample space for logo and branding as well as a message about supporting local agricultural on the reverse-side.
Correcting the Past
Many of our clients come to us with old photographs which must be converted to digital files. Photos that have been mishandled, printed on non-archival papers, or are more than ten years old, need to be adjusted in order to rid them of their sepia-type discolorations. This can be quickly and easily accomplished in Photoshop using the “Levels” tool. Beginners can simply click the “Auto Levels” button within the Levels window to yield dramatically effective results.
The Perfect Font
When we received the opportunity to rebrand the historic village of Tiverton Four Corners, one of our most exciting challenges was identifying the appropriate font. We began the hunt by looking at type faces originated in the late 17th and early 18th century, as the village was originally chartered in 1710. Like so many quaint New England villages, Tiverton Four Corners has maintained several historical architectures, though it has also been supplemented with newer construction, many of which were introduced during a revival in the 1980’s.
We eventually arrived at Adobe Garamond, a 20th century revival of Claude Garamond’s 16th century original type specimens. Based in part on the hand-writing of King Francis I’s librarian, Garamond offers a lovely, fluid consistency that yields optimum legibility and a richness and warmth that so often accompany types based on hand-writing.
An example of Garamond as it appeared in the 1540 printing of The Twelve Caesars:
To learn more about the history of Tiverton Four Corners, click here.
To learn more about Garamond, click here.
MOMA Type Exhibit
MOMA has a lovely typography exhibit running through July 2010 which covers printed matter from the hugely influential New Typography (Die Neue Typographie) movement of the 1920’s and 30’s including pieces by designer Jan Tschichold. These concepts on layout design changed everything.
Check it out:
The New Typography
December 23, 2009–July 12, 2010
Aboriginal Graphics for 2010 Olympics
Check out this great feature on how the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics branding team brought in Coast Salish artist, Xwa lack tun (Rick Harry) to create aboriginal graphics, adding further contextual flavor to their overall dynamic. Each image tells a story. Sound familiar?
Google AdWords = Qualified Traffic
If you want more qualified traffic to your site each month, but don’t have the time for a new marketing campaign, Google AdWords could be your new best friend.
How Do You Get Started? (It’s fairly simple, actually. )
1. Sign Up!
Go to: https://adwords.google.com and sign up with a username and password. Or, if you already have a Google account, you can add this element within that account.
2. Establish your daily budget
There’s no minimum here, and you can change your budget at anytime. A bigger budget will get you more traffic and/or traffic generated by more popular search terms.
3. Write your ad
An ad includes a title, 2 lines of description, and a web address.
4. Choose your keywords
This is where things get interesting. Google provides a handy Keyword Tool that displays averages for search terms. A broad keyword, such as “Restaurant” will be higher priced. More targeted keywords, such as “Vegetarian Restaurant” will be more affordable. Your geographical target will also effect pricing. “Vegetarian Restaurant” will be more expensive in New York City than in Providence.
5. Track your Results
Log-in to your account to track which keywords and geographic areas are most successful and adjust your budget as needed.
Happy Holidays!
